Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-10-16
DIR. j. WILLIAM JONES SPEAKS TO
RICHMOND COLLEGE STUDENTS.
EULOGIZES VIRGINIA AND HER SONS
The Old Commonwealth Has from
Her Earliest Days Produced His
OF Any City In America.

mortal Hail. The audience was one Oi
rare culture and intelligence, as might
have been expected from the nature and
purpose OF the meeting, as we'll as the
character and subject OF the speaker. The
Woman's College was well represented.
DIR. Jones's subject was "Virglnias Con-
tribution TO American History" He was
introduced by Professor S. c. Mitchell.
the president Of the society, In an appro-
pirate manner.
With pleasant thanks for the invitation
TO address them and an expression OF in
terest In the society and its work, Dr.
Jones expressed the hope that they would
devote themselves to the study of Ameri-
can history. and especially to the study
Of Virginia history, not only because our
schools and colleges had largely neglect
ed this. but because even when they did
give il attention they too often used as
textbooks Yankee histories. which are
utterly unfair 10 our section.
II on the announcement OF his theme
"Virginia's Contribution 10 American
Hstory"-some of his old friends, know
ing his procliyities. were disposed TO smile
and say, Now we shall have a dish Of
old Virginia brag served hot" then he
was disposed TO retort that we bad per-
feet right TO indulge IN 'old Virginia
brag''-something to brag on In the hal
lowed traditions. glorious history. noble
women, and chivalric men Of the old
State.
RICHMOND THE PEER OF ANY CITY.
Abiding 20 the Colonial, Revolutionary,
and Confederate memories which cluster
around historic, battle-scarred. glorious
old Richmond. DR.. Jones insisted that in
a. no &c.
ton" or any other spot on this continent
lie ccntended that so far from being ac-
customed TO unduly Dragging on her
achievements. Virginia has been for near
" three centuries making history and
leaving others 10 record It. and has been
so careless about what history IS taught
in her schools that there has grown up
class Of men among US who sheer at any
attempt to put our people right on the
record. and denOunce as "One-sided' ana
partisan" any writer who dares 10 tell
the truth. the whole truth. and nothing
but the truth concerning our grand his
tory.
He entered his burning. indignant. pro-
test against men who are willing 10 sacri-
fee principle for pelf in order to "catch
the peels" and the shekels Of northern
audiences and who are willing TO eat dirt
in order TO sell their dirt
He spoke of Virginia's Colonial history
and Of the character OF the men
who in 1907 planted at jamestown
the first permanent English colony ever
established on this continent
He held against "the destructive critics"
to the beautiful story Of Pocahontas and
Captain John Smith. and insisted that the
latter was. indeed. the Saviour Of the
Colony" and that the beautiful Indian
maiden was the saviour Of Smith
OURS THE FIRST LEGISLATURE.
lie brought out that the Virginia House
of ssBurgesses. which convened July 20.
1919. was the first legislative body that
ever convened in this country, and that
from that period Virginia has been the
firm advocate Of home rule and local
self-government
He alluded to the historical coincidence
that soon after-August. 16l9-there was
first introduced into Virginia African
slavery, which in the years 10 come, was
TO be so closely connected with the ques-
ton of home rule and States rights.
He gave a brief outline Of the history
of the slavery question. TO show that ola
England and New England were far more
responsible for the introduction OF slavery
into the Colonies than virginia; that the
North abolished slavery not on moral, but
on purely economic grounds, and that IN
stead of freeing their slaves. they sold
Them South. put the money in their
rockets. and then begun their crusade
against "the sum Of all viilainies'-that
the Constitution OF the United States so
distinctly recognized slavery that Con-
eress violated the Constitution whenever
they legislated against IT; that its final
abolition was the triumph Of brute force
over justice and right; and that. after all
that has been said Of "the cruelties OF
slavery" no laboring people were ever
better fed. better clothed, or better cared
for than the negroes of the South. ami
their masters 50 far met their obligation
TO them, that of the savage heath n
that the greed Of old and New England
brought to our shores over 5O1V0l or them
were members of evangelical churches
In 1867. and they were so far elevated that
our northern brethren deemed them COM
petent 10 vote, and TO hold ohlce-in the
South.
VIRGINIA IN THE REVOLUTION.
Briefly touching on the progress OF
the Colony. "the Knights Of the Golden
Horseshoe" and the French and Indian
war. and the part borne in IL by young
George Washington and his heroic Nir-
ginians, he spoke next Of the part Nir-
ginia bore In the American Revolution.
He claimed that she was first OF the
Colonies to resist the Stamp Act by legis-'
latiye enactment-that she originated
the Continental Congress-and that hav- !
ing virtually passed DeclarauOn Of |
independence I'm her own convention, /
she Instructed her delegates TO move IL
i'm Congress.
He showed that Virginia adopted the !
first writtep constitution ever framel /
tot ~
that her "Bill of Rights" was the es- |
sence of political wisdom and the chart /,
OF freedom.
WHAT WE FURNISHED.
DR.. Jones showed that Virginia fur
nished the tongue. the pen, and the /
sword OF the Revolution in Henry. JEFF 1
ferson. and Washington; that she not I
only took care of her OWN vast territory, 4
driving out her malignant Governor Dun
more. ana protecting her Western from
tier from the Indians, but that she i
freely shed her blood on every fed from I
Quebec Boston, and Saratoga, to Sayan-
nah Charleston. and COwpens. The |
speaker briefly sketched the conquest OF
the Northwestern territory by George |
Rogers Clark and his heroic Virginians
thus establishing the British line on the
great lakes instead OF its coming down 10
the Ohio.
He spoke briefly OF the part Virginia
bore in the formation Of the constitu-
t.on and the preservation OF the Union
OF her part in adding TO the national
domain-of her contribution OF men who
ha Va made American history (of twenty
two Presidents, seven were born within
her present limits, and five others within
her original limits, both In war. and In
peace, and. finally. of the grand chapter
she made in 1S6l-'65, and in her course
since that time.