The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-31
Yr. Thomas Address Commented Upon
by Mr.. TiChenOr.
BENNETT IDENTIFIED WITH THE STATE
Treaty Between the Briti,h Parliament
and the Virginia CommissioDers-doN-
srnor Berkeley and His Part.
Atlanta, Ca. March %. 1895.

Of which ne treats-thc early history OF
Nirgiaia-anl esIec.ally that particular
period covered by his address from IolS
20 leo. IS Of the deepest interest 10 me
This was the period OF the agitatlohs IN
England which eliminated In the rise ana
fan Of the Commonwealth under Cr0H-
vel The influences OF these great changes
on the colony Of Virgin la must always
be a matter OF profound interest not ohly
% her citizens. but 10 the mulutuoe
living beyond her borders, who are de-
scendcd from the men Of that peDod.
TIE history Of these times covers:
First The adher, nee Of the colony OF
Virginia 20 the fortunes OF the Crown.
Second Her forced submission TO par
liamentary rule. and
Third Her resumption OF her old alle-
glance after the restoration CT Charles
IT.
The two great figures which dominated
all others during this era OF her history
arc Governor William Berkeley the
staunch Royalist and the uncompromis-
ing churchmau, and Richard Bennett, the
Parliamentary commissioner. the first
Governor Of Virginia under the new re-
giroe the lifelong dssenter from the
established church. and the friend Of po-
litical and religious liberty
To do Justice 10 the history Of these
times one must fully understand and cor
TFrfIE uHTIdtt All Aiif ldAt - Nii''H mum
nm tho stirring evepts Of this period.
There must be an accurate delineduon
NJ the moral and intellectual character OF
zach Of the great leaders mentioned, ana
a faithful narration Of the oHects Oh
their opinions and policies upon tho pro
.rress and rosperity OF the colony az that
time. and upon its subsequent history ana
glory
HIS EvEs BALANCE.
Ao-oe correspondence with Mr.. X. ;.
Thomas. the author of the address, ld'
led me 10 conceive n most faNoTaple oPl"-
ION OF him and a growing attachhlem'
10 him. II would afford ne no niue gra'l-
Acation IL I should say that IN this ad-
does in VI ich he has embodied many
valuable facts, and much that VIII ald
the future historian, he has held the
belancc with even hand. PerhCps / ought
not % be ST rprised that one OF his voc 4
ton should easily be betrayed into the
habits Of the attorney, and act az adVt-
cate OF his client Certainly there is
much An the treatment Of the events and
in the dalineation of character and m
nuence OF the great actors which viii
need revision before 10 can safely be pass
"a into history.
His account OF the reduction OF the
colony 20 parliamentary rule Is open 10
criticism The unequal favor with which
he treats the two great leaders Of the
opposing parties is very striking. He
speaks OF Governor Berkeley as being in
the very prime Of life when I'm 1912 he
arrived TO take charge Of the affairs Of
the colony-he tells OF his being "a grad
uate Of Merton College. OXfOrd"-that he
was "the brother of Lord Berkeley
"splendidly connected with powerful Eng
nsh houses" had been "a member Of
the Privy Council" man 'of line az
dress and charming manners devoted
10 the King and 10 Che Church Of Eng
land. looking upon each as the highest
embodiment Of civil and ecclesiastical
rule"
OF his great opposer. Richard Bennett.
he SAWS that nc was the nephew OF
Edward Bennett. one Of the largest and
most influential merchants Of London
ard enthusiastic supporter 81 the London
Company, and had received the freedom
of the company and grant Of land,
witch grant Richard his nephew and
mariner I'm trade, had located In the
Isle OF Wight county" This young land
speculator IL but a shabby ngure by the
side OF his imposing rival.
The author OF this address might ne
hardened for this brief and very I'M
perfect description OF Richard Bennett II
he had known nothing more OF ms MS
tory. hut there had been placed In his
hands some time prior 10 its delivery an
ontline OF the history of the first Parma
mentary Governor. A copy OF TINS orleI
will show how long and how fully iichard
Rennett was identified with the history
Of Virginia. and that for more than forty
years he was a prominent hgure III the
colony. - ...,o,
a,d as contribution to the history OF
chose stirring times, / give TINS brlei,
which had been placed in the hands OF
the author Of this address;
GOVERNOR RICHARD BENNETT.
Richard Bennett was member OF the
Virginia House of Burgesses lb-J. .., a.,
Member OF the Virginia CouhcH loi--ii-
one OF the commissioners appointed IN
Sc, -, the Council of State in England TO
roducc all the plantations wthih the
bav OF the Chesapeake to due obedience
60 the Parliament of the Commonwealth
Of England. go, - ,ezo
REDUCED Maryland March p lo52'
Made the treaty with the Susquehana
1,dtsrs ON July g. 1852. by which the In
diaus gave up large portion OF Mary
ELECTED Governor OF Virginia April 30
1G2 served three terms TO March, 100
Elected commissioner 10 England lo7o
Singed the agreement with LoId bdlu-
NOR, November 90 1851, 10y when Inc
province Of Maryland was restored.
Afember Of Virginia Council lCS-9-6o
Naior-GeLeral of the Virginia forces
in l662-72.
Died IN 1913.
Instead Of simply rotng him as the
ner,hew Of his uncle. he might have told
that he was descended from one OF the
Oldest families in England; that Thomas
RAnnett. his progenitor had been High
sheriff in London i'm 1880 and Lord Mayor
~ that city i'm 1901; that Henry. his
brother was Earl Of Arlington and Score
tarv Of state under Charles H. that
John Bennett another brother was Lord
Ossulston. and his son the Earl or Tan
Ler,ille. and that Lord Bennett the sue
cessor in his line. is now resident OF
Chillir ghsm Castle, England
BIRTH AND BLOOD
'rbe statement OF these facts would have
served TO nut these two great antaG-
onists on an equal footing as TO birth
ana blood. IL may be well TO remark IN
tassing that the most studious enorts on
the part Ct the same historians have been
made TO throw into the shadow the name
and fame OF Richard Bennett. For eX-
ample: William r Brantley, the writer
OF the history of Maryland, in the Mar
rative and Critical History or America,
edited by Justin Wnsor, Librarian OF Har-
ward University. says OF Richard Ben
nett and Claiborne, the Parliamentary
Commissioner that after they had adj
tusted the POLITICAL affairs OF the Mary
land colony, THEY returned 20 Virginia,
where they appointed themselves resptc-
lively Governor and Secretary OF that
colony"