Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-16
RICHARD BENNETT.
Interesting History Of a Colonial
Governor Of Virginia.
THE RIGHT OF HOME RULE.
Essabiished Free Trade, Independence
Civil and Religious Freeeo"'
and Lasting Peace.
,wr,,,o, Cor tho p,spatca.J

pos,tion. who was destined 10 ace i"oss
.onsn,cpous mart in the early history OF
the colony. This man was Richard Ben
ro,t He was the nephew OF distln-
o,;shad merchant in London and bore the
,;,Io of ayor-General." He was dis-
santer from the Established Church. ne
vvas sometimes called Puritan. LAKE,
,ohn Milton. he was most probably Bap-
&c, He purchased large estate on the
io,rar lanes called Weyanoke. where ne
iiyad and devoted himself 10 agriculture.
History records that In a single season ne
made twenty butts of cider from the
anples grown in his own orchard.
Sir William Berkeley was then governor
of tho colony. He was staunch hoynrIisss
ond an uncompromising Churchman. Inc
at,empt of a New England colony OF fnri-
fans to settle in Virginia and the coming
of some Quaker preachers excited his IRE,
sng0.reucious prosecutions began. Inc
d,.sfnting c1lonists were driven from VIZ
Gina A part of them took refuge in North
Carolina. while another part, or wDohl
Rennett was one and seems TO nave peeh
the leader. emigrated 10 Maryland, where
freedom from religious prosecutions hau
been promised by Lord Baltimore.
nIGHT OF HOME RULE.
The civil strife in England, which re:
s,,itad in the overthrow and death Oh
Charles /. and the establishment Oh the
Common wealth under Cromwen, hau
already begun. When that resolution was
completed the parliamentary goSefhiii Nv
ennninted commissioners 70 induce the
cplon,es of MARYLAND and Virginia. when
had deeply sympathized with ana
sustained the royal cause. TO submit 10 us
authority. OF these commissioners hlch-
ard Bennett was the chief Returning TO
VIRGINIA with the military sent to enforce
parliamentary power, they opened heg0tla;,
lions with the Virginians when resulted
IN giving 10 the colony the right OF nome
rule. Campbell saws Virginia Decauls
almost as free and independent OF Bngland
as she was after the Revolutionary war.
Under the agreement between the virgin:
ians and the commissioners the freemen OF
Virginia elected the House of Burgesses,
IN which was vested all legislative autnori,
~ That body elected the Governor ana al
other officers. All restrictions on trade
were removed. The only limitation 10 ao-
solute independence OF the COLONY con,
sisted in the agreement that no law sh0ulu
be uassed in violation of the English Con-
stitntlon. Religious liberation was estao-
hshed and persecution ceased. Governor
Berkeley. who had prosecuted Bennett ana
driven him from the colony, was treated
with marked consideration. Instead OF
Translucent he was simply put upon his
parole of honor and allowed 10 1--we upon
his plantation.
THREE TERMS.
Richard Bennett was elected Governor
by the House of Burgesses for three sue,
cessive terms. His governorship extended
from April. 1862, TO March, 1900. when ne
was selected by the House of Burgesses
for Commissioner of the Colony 10 Eng;
land. which position he held for several
wears. On his return TO the colony be was
cbosen os one of the Council. He was q
member of that body when the abdicatlon
of Richard Cromwell occurred. ara the
dissolution of the Colonial Government
followed the death OF Governor Matthews.
Prior to the coronation OF Charles III. Slr
William Berkeley was unanimously electe9
Governor by the Virginia Council, Richard
Bennett voting for the man VINO years
before had banished him.
In MARYLAND Richard Bennett and Ms
associates Lad been equally as favorable 10
popular rights and republican institutions
Here affairs were complicated by the
claims of Baltimore as lord proprietor anu
collisions arose from the Vaclilatlng poncy
OF Baltimore. who was naturally ANXIOUS
to pcrpetuate his sovereign power over
MARYLAND, and of which he was IN great
danger of being beref; by Cromwell ana
his IAFllhIItDl. NllllF h-t-h- 80
sioner Bennett entered into treaty with
the Susquehanna Indians. They were the
most threatening danger to the safety ana
prosperity of Maryland.
LIBERALITY AND JUSTICE.
This treaty III point OF liberality and jus.
tee was not surpassed by that made oy
William Penn thirty years afterw8rd. MS
tory informs US that after Charles ii.
- Al. 49, III
tired TO private life and ceased all connec-
ton with political affairs. OF his govern
sbip in Virginia and that of those who fol-
lowed him aud pursued his policy, Camp
bell. IN his History Of Virginia, says:
1.-The people we're free, harmonious. and
PHOSPHORUS The colony enjoyed Tree
trade. legislative independence, civil ana
religions freedom, republican institutions
and internal peace. The Governors Ben
nett. Digs. aud Matthews. by their pa-
triotic virtues. enjoyed the confidence.
respect, and affection of the people. Nc
extravaganza, rapaclty, or corruption was
charged against their administration. IN,
tolerance and persecution were unknown:
How little is known of this remarkable
man, Some of the writers OF Virginia his
tory do not mention him. while Others
give him no place among men VINO con
trolled colonial affairs.
NO MEMORIAL OF HIM.
As little as possible is said of him, ye'
his was the hand that first sOwed thu
seeds of both civil and religious liberty II
the soil of Virginia. He quickened int
life the spirit of independence which {
century afterwards fred the soul o
Patrick Henry and drew forth the sworC
of Washington. In the old State Capito
of Virginia he finds no place. You lool
in vain for his among the portraits o
Colonial Governors. You search II
vain for some record of HIS services, o.
for some memorial of the man wh'
struck the first blow in Virginia's elorion
struggle for freedom. There you find thu
Lees, the Lewises. Washington. Jefferson
Madison, Mason, Patrick Henry, bu
Richard Bennett, the first and one OF th
greatest Of all the friends of liberty Vir
ginls ever nurtured on her bosom, ant
who preceding them all by, a centur
made possible their heroic achievements
without memorial OF his noble life
without stone to mark his torgot,el
grave. Alas he was Dissenter and
Puritan.
HIS DESCENDANTS.
But he has left descendants who hav
honored so noble an ancestor, and VIII
have been foremost in every struggle Nir
ginia has made for constitutional liberty
whether that struggle has been IN III
halls Of legislation or in tie stern arbitra
ment of battle. His daughter. Anne Ben
nett, married Theoderic Bland, who was II
ability and social rank inferior to no ma
of his day in Virginia. From them hav
eprung many of her most lllustrious men
Colonel Bland. of the Revolution. an
Light-Horse Harry Lee. some of the Ran
dolphs. the Mar,halls. and the Tucker
may trace back their ancestral line to him
When. from his chosen place with kindlln
eve, he saw his ragged bows in gray in
hundred battles sweep the Federal line
from the field. it was.the blood of Richar
Bennett that thrilled in the veins OF Rober
K. Lee.
NOBLE FAMILY.
Richard Bennett was descended from
noble family. His grandfather was Judg
of the Prerogative Court of Canterbur
and Chancellor of the Archbishop of Yorh
HIS grandmother. Anne. is buried III til
Cathedral of York. His father, Sir job
Bennett, bad three sons that rose TO di.
tinction IN their day. His eldest son. NJ
John, was Lord Of Ossulton, whose so
became Earl of Tankerville. His secon
son. Henry Bennett. was Earl of Al
lington and Secretary of state unde
Charles III. His third son was Richard
whose religious and political principle
led him TO o nobler life, but 10 O les
shining destiny. His son Richard wa
drowned shortly after the death of hl
father. His grandson. Richard. BEGAN
the wealthiest man in America of his DAY
and diving childless left his vast estate. \