The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-16

to serviie war, and give freedom TO those
| who would slay their masters.
lie bore instructions also TO himself
Richard Bennett. Thomas Stage and Cap
tain William Claiborne as commission
ers. who were 10 exercise all the powers
OF the Commonwealth OF England 10 re-
duce Virginia TO submission, TO treat
with her. to call an assembly upon sub
mission, on certain conditions specified
to appoint all OF the officers, and TO do
any and all other things necessary In
the premises.
Ttonas stage written Stegg and
stcege) was one OF the principal traders
with Virginia His daughter Grace was
the wife Of John Byrd. goldsmith of
London. and the mother Of William Byrd.
the founder OF the family in Virginia
He was Speaker Of the House OF Bur
Qesses I'm 1872. He sailed In the ship John
part OF his fleet. He left wife.
Elizabeth. and his son Thomas. who IN
1862 received a grant of 800 acres OF land
IN Henrico county. and In 1905 another
grant tor 80 acres, including the pres
ent site OF the city OF Richmond.
BENEFITS LAND GRANT
Richard Bennett was the nephew OF
Edward Bennett. who was one or the
largest and most influential merchants
in London. He was an enthusiastic sup
norter of the London Company, and for
services rendered he received the free
dom of the company and a grant OF land.
That grant Richard Bennett, his nephew
and mariner in trade, in 1921, located in
ieIo Of Wight county, at or near what
ig now Rurwelrs Bay. He brought with
him his brother Robert, who died i'm
teg2 and his brother. the Rev. William
Bennett. who dted In 1874.
William Claiborne vas sent over here
Inv the old London Company as sur
veyor in 1921. In 1920 he became Secretary
of state. and held it until his death III
1864 or s.. He was also enc OF the Couh-
ell Of State 10 Harvey, Kemp and Berk-
ley. In 1854 he planted a colony upon Kent
Island. in the Chesapeake Bay. adjon-
ing tho Eastern Shore Of Maryland and
carried there the Rev. William James as
his chaplain, who was the first minister
of the Gospel I'm Maryland. In 1881 and,
perhaps, in 1892 it was represented In the
virginia House Of Burgesses by Captain
Nicholas Martin. Thus there was posses
sion occupation and representation OF
Maryland in Virginia prior TO the grant
10 Lord Baltimore. who did not land MS
colony at Saint Marys until 1884 Kent
Island. adjoining the Eastern Shore OF
Maryland, bore the same relation TO II
that jamestown did 10 Virginia, and TINS
disputed territory led to a long. angry
and a bitter controversy. TO bloodshed
and to war II would have been better
for Maryland or Virginia either to have
bought II and paid it's weight i'm gold.
The contest over IT did not end until az
ter my period has expired.
AccEKDE4 TO THE TERMS.
These are the Virginans that were
appointed by Cromwells Council OF state
to receive the submission OF Virginia, but
who finally acceded to the following
terms voluntarily proposed by the people
of Virginia:
THAT Virginia should have her ancient
bounds. granted by the charter Of former
Kings; that she should have every privi-
lege and freedom that belonged 10 the
freeborn people of England; that she
should have free trade with England and
every privilege that was granted TO the
most favored colony I'm America; that
no taxes should be imposed. except such
as were laid by her Grand Assembly;
that those who refused to take the oath
and subscribe the engagement should
have years time to remove; that all
the goods brought here by the Dutch ana
now on shore should be free from sur
prisal:' that messenger, to be selected
Majestic to give an account of the sur
render of his country. that all persons
now i'm the colony who had served the
King here or i'm England should be free
from any and all punishment of every
kind whatsoever in body or In estate =;
that this and all other articles should
he as clear and as explicit as those learn
cd i'm the law of arms could make them,
and that perfect indemnity and oblivion
should be given for every act or word,
done or written or spoken against Par
lament or the Commonwealth of Eng
land. from the beginning Of the world
down to this day"
Thus Virginia secured every right and
privilege that she had ever enjoyed-even
the ancient limits of her territory grant
ed to the Old London Company. includ-
ing Maryland-and at the same time she
threw the grand aegis of her protection
over all, who, for trade or in distress, had
sought her friendly shores.
Yorktown, i'm 1881, docs rot equal IL In
heroic grandeur. Virginia, after every
other American colony had voluntarily
surrendered, OH the 18th of March, 1851.
yielded TO brute force. as she did, with
the same love and admiration, yield TO
brute force on the 9th Of April, 1865.
After relating at some length the efforts
made by the Colony to secure a ratifca-
ton of the treaty by sending repre-
sentative delegation from Virginia TO
England Mr. Thomas continued In the
following manner:
All over Virginia there was kindness.
hospitality and good cheer The latch
string was ever upon the outside of the
door, and the stranger was always warm
ly welcomed within.
PURITAN RULE DEPARTED FROM
As in England. so in Virginia, the de-
parture of the Puritan rule was clearly
foreseen. When Fairfax, Waller, and
even the daughters of Cromwell turned
against him. it is not at all astonishing
that the drdor of Bennett and of
Mathews should have cooled, if they
ever had any
| have never believed that Bennett or
Mathews were PuTitans, except, per-
haps, originally, and then in a very
modified form. The orders in Council
show that Digs was appointed as a
compromise candidate, because he was
a newcomer, and was a mild. moderate
and conservative man. He was a member
of Berkeley's Council and Auditor Gener-
al OF the Colony from 1860 to the day
Of his death (March the 10. 1870, and
this would not have been permitted if
he had lot been a loyalst, for the Colony
was filed with the devoted adherents
OF Charles l. and Charles II.
Mathews was planter and a trader,
with many irons in the fire, a strong
and an enthusiastic supporter of Berke-
ley down to at least 1889. lifetime
friend 10 Claiborne and Bennett. and
mast have been intimately associated
with them I'm many land speculations
and commercial adventures. They came
over here about the same time were
eefs,
served long and in every capacity to-
gether