The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-08
NORTHWEST TERRITORY,
IMPORTANT MISTAKE OF MIR. JOHN
WISE CORRECTED.
Not Andrew, But Meriwether Lewis Who
Explored the Northwestern Wilderness.
Interesting Account OF the Work.

instructive address of Mr.. John s. Wise
on the influence Of the Jamestown Colony.
published In your paper OF December 18th
instant. 1t is valuable resume Of the
historical events which brought about the
settlement at jamestown and the ultimate
success Of the Virginia Colony II gives
clear outline OF the influences
which combined to bring about a
result by which Virginia became the
first successful Colony Great Britain
ever founded anywhere. and which ulti-
mateiy established on this continent the
supremacy Of the Anglo-Saxon and Scan
dinavian races. Had this not been
North America wo1ld have fallen
under the rule OF the Latin races,
and all the direful consequences 10 be
| apprehcnded therefrom. The present
state Of the South American powers af-
] ford examples of what would have fol-
lowed bad the English failed TO secure a
! permanent lodgment on the shores Of
| Virginia. When they drove the French
| out of India they rescued that country
| from the same fate. Had they not sue
| ceeded in this, British civilization, with
all its conservative influences, would not
| have been known in the East as il now
exists.
The founding Of the Virginia Colony
| opened new empire on the West to the
commercial powers Of the world, and the
! possession Of the East by the same peo-
pie ensured like results in that direction.
| More than this; when our forefathers
| brought their mother tongue 10 the wlds
! Of America they then began that irresis-
| uble spread Of the English language which
10 .trarr a
| which is ultimately TO direct the eco
nOmic and commercial policies of the
! peoples and dominate in the councils OF
| the nations.
When the history of Virginia shall come
to be written the breadth and depth Of the
subject will appear 10 him who shall
undertake The task Ear beyond his utmost
! anticipatiOns. These reflections have,
| however, led me away from nay original
! purpose. This was merely to correct q
mistake made by the gifted speaker, and
| which very often occurs with other
writers. In referring 10 the coming Of
| the ScOtch-irish people into Virginia, and
the influence for good they exerted over
the state, he gives striking examples Of
| the fact. Amongst others Of this race, he
| particularly draws attention to Andrew
Lewis who. he says. was sent forth with
| Clarke TO explore the Northwest wilder
ness. and who established the Kaskaskia
and Nincennes settlements. &c.
Two Of the most remarkable men who
! ever lived in this country are often com
| founded with each other. namely. Andrew
| Lewis and MenWether Lewis So far as
can be distinctly traced they were not Of
the same family, and one lived at a much
! later day than the other. Andrew Lewis
was born in ireland. His family
had fed from France TO that country on
account Of religious persecution, and his
family was said TO have been originally Of
Huguenot descent Indeed, some gene
alOgists trace the name back TO that Of
Clovis itself Andrew Lewis came to Viz
ginia with his father John Lewis. early
in the eighteenth century and settled in
the Valley Of Virginia, in which favored
region the family have ever since lived
fourished and justly become an infucn-
tial element in the population Of the
State. This Andrew Lewis had remarka-
bic traits of character. and a physical
frame that made him known as man
among men. lie was tail and erect, en-
doWed with great strength, and by his
singular dignity and calmness of manner
impressed others with a sense Of respect
and awe when in his-prcsepce He It was
that defeated the famous Cornstalk. chief
u the Showanee Indians, at the battle Of
Point Pleasant, on the Ohio, before the
Revolutionary war had broken out; and
he IL was. also. who at the very begin
ming Of that struggle took the most en-
ergrtic measures AGAINST Dunmore, the
royal Governor. and finally raised a force
and drove him from his fortified retreat,
on Gwynn's Island, of the coast OF Giou-
oester county, and being forced thereby
TO take to his fleet, sailed away. never
again TO land on the shores Of Virginia.
This frartgrf uf took fiara tlfef fxra
days after the Declaration Of Indepen-
dcucc had been made BY Congress, and
resulted I'm making Patrick Henry Gov
crnOr Of Virginia in place Of the fugi-
tive Dunmore. Lewis had become 50
conspicuous for his devotion 10 the pa
triot cause and so commanded the admira-
ton and confidence Of his countrymen
that he was considered by many
worthy of the position subsequently as
signed to Washington himself.
An enigy Of Andrew Lewis stands among
those OF the other Virginia founders Of the
American Government, on the Washing
ton monument At Richmond. He was in
every respect worthy Of this high honor.
Pity it is, however, that the artist, by the
costume and other accessories, should
have perpetuated the false idea that the
great original was nothing more than
an adventurous frOntiersman or a sue
cessful border hunter.
The Northwest Wilderness" referred
20 by Mr.. Wise. had been explored long
before Andrew Lewis ever heard OF the
Ohio. The French had penetrated through
their Canadian possessions into that coun-
try before the English had ever seen
or heard Of ia belle riyicre," as it was
described by them. They established the
ports Of Kaskaskia and Fincennes in the
latter part OF the Seventeenth century, TO
connect, if possible. their Canadian ter
ritory with their settlements in Louis
lana. Afterwards the English became
owners of all this territory including the
two settlements referred TO by treaty,
and held it at the breaking out of the
war for American independence. 1t was
conquered from them by George Rogers
Clark in 1913, ia the name Of the State
OF Virginia and was held under her flag.
He captured the British governor of the
territory and brought him prisoner
to Chesterfield Courthouse, and put him
in charge OF the military authorities.
at that place. This General Clark
had no associate in this famous
expedition named Lewis. Alr. Wise
has COMPOUNDED the names both
Of Lewis and Clarke. General George
Rogers Clark's enterprise against the
British In the Northwest occurred long
after the date of Andrew Lewis expedi-
ton against the Indians on the Ohio river.
At a still later date another Lewis made
his own name ,mmortal, as well as that
Of a partner In his fame. In the poetic
language Of the Indians. "as long as the
rivers flow and the rocks stand" the
world Will not forget the names OF Lewis
and Clark The expedition, which has
indeibly stamped their characters upon
the continent, was undertaken and &C
complshed under the immediate patronage
and direction OF Mr.. Jefferson, while