Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-08


moti'ies, otherwise than by the ou-
thorty OF the General Assembly and en-
plOyod as the said Assembly shall APP
point" Though loyal 10 'na King, IN ie''
they thrust out his Governor FOR en-
croachment upon their rights. and sub
stituted successors OF their own chooslhs'
Nay. after the downfall or MONARCHY,
they confronted Cromwell himself anu
only yielded 20 his usurpation upon az
honorable capitulation. ackho"ieusln.
their submission as "a voluntary act no,
forced or constrained by conquest ana
guaranteeing them "such freedom anu
privileges as belong 70 the freeporn peop's
OF England" After the restoration tnty
broke out In open rebellion against the
oppressons OF government. ana ahtici-
mated bv a century the final ana Vlctor-
Gus struggle for the liberties OF Aihe,'o'
on the untimely death Of their leader
the vell-born, the gallant. the accom-
pllshed the eloquent Bacon-their reNoi'
was quenched in blood; but even ~,
without any surrender OF ther o"''
rights. e, ,,,,-,r,.
8 long period Of repose ensued. during
,,.hich Virginia accumulated wealth, mui-
tiplicl IN population, reiniorceh her H"'',e
yirtu.e bv incorporating in her com
,nunifv the Scotch-Irlsh Presbyterlails anu
,ho German Iutherans RI the Nalley'
erd ernbellished her material FORM WIN
the social graccs and the r-ihemth'S y.
learning. And vet the energies OF
ber nature were not relaxed pN the iuNu
ries Of an epicurean life; but ihs,eau,
were hraced and disciplined IN 'Noi'luI,9
with her savage n'ighbor anu Ooi'. ..
,,t,h moro formidable roe The victory
", notrt pleasant and the defeat on the
NfononCahela equ9lly attested mr. .eau'-
ness for the imminent gidppie VII" Wv
power Of Great Britain.
SIGNAL, OF RESISTANCE.
G. IN re, English as she was in affec-
ton and upon principle by H'l ,e..,.s,,
,lons acaius, the stamp Act tcstifying
her ancient and unalterable otiaehn. NJ
90 eelf-govornment she sounded 10 her
sis,ar states the signal Of resistance u
forai-n aggression. In l773, by her COM
nittee Of Corr spondence. she lnNi'eI
them 10 union I'm the common cause; anu
She insured that union by the call OF
General congress. Her leadership IN the
grcot movement was recognized By the
1ppoinfment Of peyton Randolph 10 'ue
head Of the civil. and George Nashlhs-
ton 10 the head Of the military es'aui'sn-
mont. on the 18th II May, no she III
structef her delegation In the cohgresS
IN nrouoso q definite remuneration OF al
llNfVnrr 10 lUt lpitAtFn 'aNf'''f
cordinglv. on the eth Of June Richard
Henry Lee. in her behalf, moved me
resolution that "the United Colonies are
and ought to be free and independent
states" The resolution passed. Thomas
I,fTerson announced the advent OF the
now nation in his immortal manifesto
Meanwhile. on the 18th Of May. 10h VIZ
mia alone and Of her own volition, out
running The initiative Of Congress ehjured
her Oh aUegiaRce and assumed the atu-
tlde OF an INDEPENDENT State. on the
18th Of June her declaration Of rights
and on the 29th her plan OF government
were adopte1-the first Instance IN re-
corded history OF a written constitution
for free and independent community
enacted by the sovereign will Of the peo-
pie.
This memorable performance, be II Oh
served was not anticipated by the so
called constitutions Of New Hampshire
snd south Carolina, because-hrst they
did not purport TO be systems OF govern
rucnt. but merely provisional eXpedients-
sort Of modus vivendi-'tO continue,
as they are careful 10 protest. only
during the present unhappy and unnaturai
contest with Great Britain" and because
secondly. as organic laws they were s.
sentially defective. in collecting the 'o'a'
political power In single leslsa'l|'
body. and ia providing no security Tor ire
inallenable rights Of the people.
Far different was the Constitution ~
Virginia Avowediv the fundamental law
Of a free and sovereign state. r~posing
ultimately on fhe basis OF the popular
suffrage; with single Executive, b!-
camcral Legislature an Independent ju-
dietary. and a bill or rights defining ana
safeguarding the immunites Of the CHI
zen. II represente1 q system Of rsp'HDicah
politv perfect in principle and complete
in every detail-the grand original OF an
Subsequent State constitutions. ana inc
model. az will be seen. TO which the archl-
tects Of the Federal Government had re-
course.
In order to an adequate appreciation OF
the agency Of Virginia in the formation
Of the Federal Constitution. IT Is requisite
that We recall two events In her history
uuder the articles OF confederation.
The accordance Of those articles was
hindered by the reluctance OF the recusant
States 10 be overborne by the preponder-
ance Of Virginia. resulting from the dis
nroDorti0nate extent Of her territory,
and by desire TO partake the
benefit CT that territory. They de-
manded. as the condition Of their
accession TO the Confederacy that TINS
domain should be the dOwry OF the MI
ton. instead Of the inyidious possession
of a single State. Now. the right OF Nir-
GINA to the Northwestern territory was
clear and incOntestable; because. held ny
the two-fold title Of charter and conquest.
Waving the claim by charter. Sun the
territory was the acquisition Of her own
valor and genius: and this, too. while she
was contributing her contingent in troops
and supplies TO the maintenance OF the
common cause. The expedition OF George
Rogers Clark was her enterprise. was
sustained by her resources. ana was con-
Quoted to triumphant issue Withou'
guccor, or sympathy even, from the S'ateS
which NOW coveted an equal participation
I'm the advantages Of the conquest In het
grasp on the conclusion OF peace II "aS
INSURED 20 her by the principle OF the
treaty-uti possidetis. II was reklon
not only Of immense eXpanse' put OF
solutary climate and fabulous fertility'
and mad Virginia, yielding TO selfish mo-
tive declined to contribute it 90 the Union
ber sceptre would have had an empire
for it's support But such Liberal pro-
pensity was not in her nature, instead
rather. n generous disdain or personal
Interest In competition with the claims OF
countrv-and accordingly. this princeiy
domain she offered an oblation
on the altar Of patriotism. Thus dld
she sacrifice TO the common veal the do
main out Of which were carved the states
of Ohio. Indiana. Illinois, Michigan ana
Wisconsin. by this act of unparalleled
magnanmity. Virginia not only removed
an obstacle TO the completion OF the
confederacy: but supplied an imperlous
motive 10 closer and hrmer compact
between the States With such wealth.
of empire the common property OF the
c,atag u,bicf, one would forfeit It's portion