The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-16
CAVALIERS OF VIRGINIA
1HE SUBJECT or AN INTERESTING
ADDRESS LAST NIGHT.


N'NA aiitAi tdtititl IN Idfkc mum
ocrs last evening ia the Capitol building.
completely hlling the big hail OF the
mouse OF Delegates 90 listen to a highly
instructive address by Mr.. X. 5. Thomas.
OF Smithheld. II was so O'Clock when
ar Thomas entered the hail. escorted
by Judge IL. w F1ournoy.
The latter. IN a few brief but very
happy remarks. introduced the speaker
paying him a high and well deserved
compliment for the laborious work done
by nm FOR years In the interest OF COM
pihng a correct history Of Virginia lie
SAID ne had personal knowledge OF the
work done by sir Thomas IN the interest
or Nhgn!a's history. in which he had
been engaged FOR more than ten years.
lie had devoted much OF his time TO the
gathering up OF facts of the history Of
this Commonwealth. which was richer
than that Of any other state OF this
Union.
Massachusetts had gathered up nearly
s0O volumes of tho history Of that state,
while Virginia only had about Il dozen
volumes TO show. However he hopcd
that the work carried ON at tais time
by this association. bv the Rhetorical So
Cicty. and under the lrcrt supervision
Of the state Librarian would mali fur
nish some valuable information concern
Ing scncrauOu. lie took great pleasure
in introducing 20 the ass mblage Mr.. X.
$. Thomas. of Smith6cld. who would de-
liver an address on that part OF the
history Of Virginia which embraced the
time from 1915 TO 1900.
rHASKING Tng ASSOCIATION.
Mr.. Thomas. in taking the floor. first
expressed his thanks to the association
for th. valuable work done 10y them IN
the interest Of Nirgiuia's history. lie
spoke of the numerous ruins of the an
cieut history of Virginia that he could
find within a short radius around his
home in Smithhril. lie dwclt with deep
gratitude ON the recent restoration Of the
old brick church near his home, which
wa made possible by the generous con-
tribution OF money 10y tn association.
Part Of these funds had been used for
The payment Of the two windows dedi-
Gated 80 the memory OF John Smith and
John Rolf. which, for about eight years.
had been stored away in London until
they could be paid FOR Money had also
been judiciously expended i'm decorating
the interior Of the church with the coat
of arms and seal Of Virginia Of the
time OF the Colony and of the present
time.
The speaker also expressed his thanks
and his Indebtedness 10 Mr.. Stannard.
no had called his attention 20 several
valuable manuscripts in the state LIBRA
~. which had furnished him important
information in compiling the address. lie
then continued follows.
VIRGINIA FROM 1G45 To 1867.
/ have found It impossible TO discuss
the topic assigned 10 me-viz-the affairs
in Virginia from lGi2 10 1913. and the
relation that Virginia bore TO the va
rious Governments of England, botn re-
gal and parliamentary because those
affairs were so numerous ana important
IL Was impossible 10 reduce them 70 the
limits Of an address for an occasion IKE
this. and. therefore, / have taken the
liberty 10 limit the period of time from
l6g TO 1850. and to discuss only those
affairs that show the relation of VIZ
ginia go The various Governments Of Eng
land both regal and parliamentary. ana
after all. this is, ] believe. what you in
tended ] should do for various manu-
scripts commonly called the salisbury
Papers. now iu the State Library, which |
have never been printed. and others re-
Gently printed in the Virginia Magazine
of History ana Biography. throw new
light upon this very important period.
and viii en- able us TO write new chapter
OF Virginia history. Because OF the new
ness of the material IL ought 10 he in
tcrestiug. and the papers alluded to Will
enable us To- correct the errors of every
Virginia historian from Beverly 40 COOK.
Let us get some idea Of what Virginia
was iu 1862 and i'm 1860, so Ne may the
better see and appreciate the dignity
and the granduer of some of the events.
The counties of Henrico, Charles city,
James city. Elizabeth city, Wdrwick.
Isle OF Wight Nansemond, and Norfolk
will suggest TO YOU the only portions of
Virginia that We're occupied in 1912, and
those nine counties were peoplcd with
about nfteen or sixteen thousand inhabi-
tants.
In 1862 we had about twenty thousand
people. and by 1860 the counties OF North
cumberland Gloucester. Lancaster. and
Accom- az had been added. and increased
tho population to about thirty or thirty
five thousand people. In lbl, which rs
beyond my time. they were oihciany re-
ported az forty thousand six thousand
Of whom were white indentcd servants,
and two thousand negro slaves But we
do no, deal with 1870 We deal only with
the period from 1912 90 1860. and the very !
large and noticeable increase of pOpula- |
ton from 1850 TO 1860, is due 10 tragic |
occurranccs in England which made |
many gallant and patriotic citizen |
leave those shores and seek safe asy- !
lum in sympathetic Virginia. Nowhere on |
Gods green earth at that time did they |
find or could they find a people so con- |
genial 10 their every taste and lnclina- |
ton.
The speaker mere made aggression, !
and briefly recited some of the more Inn |
portant events In the history of England |
which led zap to the execution Of Charles !
l.. and what followed until Charles IL. !
assembled the throne Mr. Thomas then |
continued.
BERKELEY APPOINTED GOVERNOR or VIRGINIA. |
In September, 1914. after the execution |
OF Minister Wentworth. Earl Il STRAIT /
ford. and before the personal demand OF /
Charles for the five leading members OF
the House of Commons. ne appointed |
Si- William Berkeley Governor Of Nir-
enia. and he arrived In February lob
lie was in the very prime Of life. a
graduate OF Merton College oxford.
brother OF Lord Berkeley. Splendidly con.
had been member OF the Frivy Council
was "A man of hne address and charming
manners He was devoted 20 the King.
and TO the Church OF England
and looked upon each as the
highest embodiment Of civil and
OF ecclesiastical rule lie found here
the Church and State-England as IL was
in the time OF Elizabeth-modhed by
change OF place. by greater freedom, and
the absence OF perpleXing contentious.
No Stratford here had ever taught the
people that the King could rule by his
mere personal will. and no Archbishop
Laud had ever introduced innovations TO
shock the sentiments of the colony. No
Star Chamber and no court of High Com
mission had ever been known In this