Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-08-10

the civil war the terrific conflict be-
tweon the Nerimac and the Monitor.
whom 0reek naeS 0roek But no scene
was ever misrored In those depths 10 I'M
portant 10 the human rice 40 that in
May. 1901 when three English ships
the Goodspced, the Discovery. and the
Susan Constant--under Christopher
Newport. bearing John Smith and 105 adj
yenturefs, first touched tho land al Old
Point Comfort whore Fortress Monroe
now commands the rivers mouth with
lis frcwning cannon. Sailing up the
James, which they named after their
King, they landed on the 18th Of May
on an island, now peninsula, which
they also called after him, jamestown.
THE STARVING TIME.
The fortunes OF this little band and
those who reinforced them were misera-
BILE indeed for the first twelve years
Factions dlsortlered them, famine and
fever decimated their ranks. Then
came the starving time OF 1910, and
"not past sixty men and children re-
NAMED alive, and they cherished the
hope OF returning 10 England. But
"God would not that this country should
be implanted, and as they were about TO
sail back, 10 came Lord Delaware with
his feet and O years provision. One
ruler and another came and went.
Rough Dale inflicted cruel punishments
and covetous Argall feathered his nest |;
Christopher Newport went on other adj
ventures. John Smith, b" dear, noble Cap.
tain ard loyal heart" ~ he was called.
who had been their stay in time OF need,
vas recalled to England. Adventurer In
many lands. bold soldier, sagacious
ruler. honest man. he, like Columbus,
never reaped where he sowed. he died
in London in 1881, and was buried In ST
Sepulchro's church, with these lines
over him:
aHero lies one conquered that hath conquered
with angels he might find his recomponse."
During all this time tho colony was
ruled by laws of blood. Their distress
SURPRISES language to describe, and
"despotic power counteracted all efforts
OF benevolence." Not one in twenty OF
the original emigrants remained alive,
and they dwelt with desolate hearts in
ruinous habitations.
"our OF THE EATER COMES FORTH MEAT. :"
In tho colonial charter of the London
COMPANY, the mercantile corporation
which planted the colony, there was no
trace OF popular rights whatever. The
company which received IL had received
nothing but desert with right to popu.
late il II they could. The colonists we're
bound to obey Its ordinances, which
they had no part In making, and they
wero under its local council with
HIGHER council in England, and above
ELI, was M arbitrary King But in'1619
came good Governor Sir George Yeard-
lev to tho colony, and he brought with
him commissions and instructions from
tue London Company "for the better
establishing Of commonwealth here,
and he made PROCLAMATION that "those
cruel laws by which we had been so long
governed were now abrogatod, and that
we were to be governed by those laws
which his Majesty's subjects lived under
in England" and that they might have
n hand in the governing of themselves.
IL was granted that general as
sembly should be held yearly, once,
wheraat were to be present the Gov
ernor and Council. with two burgesses
from each plantation, freely to be elect
ed by tho "inbabitants thereof. And so
the Governors summons went over the
country for the election OF burgesses
and so it came to pass that on Friday
the 9th of August, 1919, without direct
authority from the British crown, but
by q SPONTANEOUS movement of the cor
poraton and the people, the fret cleo
tive legislature OF America assembled
at jamestown. 1t WIS in the first church
edifice of America that this Assembly
met. and they inaugurated that custom,
which prevails in oil our legislative
bodies, of opening legislation with
prayer. Richard Buckle, the min
lister, prayed that it would please
God to guide and sanctify the pro-
ceedings to his own glory and TO the
good of the plantation. Prayer being
ended the burgesses took their oaths OF
Office md then their seats, and legisla-
tive government began.
Their first act was to determine o
contes ted seat, thus fixing the independ-
ence of the legislative body, princi-
pie now embodied in the Constitution
of tho United States, as to the Senate
and House of Representatives, and in the
constitutions OF oil the States as TO their
local legislation. This first Assembly
TOOK measures to erect q university and
college and to provide for the education
of Indian children. There was strange
commingling of Legislative, Judicial, and
executive power but the record justifies
the opinion given by Sir Edward Sands
that the proceedings were well and judi
ciously carried.
BIRTH OF AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS.
Thus the history OF Americas repre-
sentative institutions begins with the
organization at jamestown on August 8,
lelD-274 years ago this very day-of
The Virginia House OF Burgesses, the
first Legislative body elected by the peo-
pie in the western world. FITTING event
Is this TO celebrate the Worlds Column
bian Exposition. II was not only the
founding of the first American State of
orr race-it was the birth of representa-
tive government Of the people. And
we'll might you, Mr.. Chairman Of the
Virginia Board of Managers, refer to
its plasticinAuence upon the civil status
and personal character of the early Vir-
rinians. and through them on North
America and mankind. 1t educated an
infant people in the habititudes OF
free men. 1t made precedent and
furnished model for all subsequent colo
MES planted by The English in America
1t qnickened energy by new RESPONSE
bilities. 1t accustomed the men Ut the
wilderness TO debate and manage public
questions. 1t trained them as politi-
clans, statesmen, organizers, and rulers
of men. II attracted to the first capital
Of Virginia, Mt jamestown, and then to
the next capital. at Williamsburg, the
people from far and vide to seek socie-
ty. suggest measures, and ask redress Of
grievances. II was the great organic
creative popular forces that on the one
hand curbed and tempered arbitrary
power, and on the other hand sent forth
military expeditionsa and spread civilinsti-