Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-09

NJ NJ Mr.. Bruce has drawn narrow mr. M
,ndAed within which to confine himsster
Vet he has given US 100 pages Of rare
Of the greatest value. presenting ~ cor
degree detail without dryness H''~
densatIon without stiffness ,,rscs gives
In the opening chapter M. Ion OF VIZ
the reasons for the colonisef peing the
ginia, according the hopossr zion IN inc
father Of English cojoa"sf Humphrey
western Hemisphere , tor whose name
Gilbert, 1.-THE heroic - greater degree
should be invested vs." and soon mani
Of fame than It en- n5 richly deserved, for
tests his admire enumerates the various
John Smith. - prompted the Virginia
influences s 81 as the quest for gold, the
venture, sling route to the South Sea,
hope OF III III Grade and commercial con-
the seescns. the belief that the Colony
siderIss prove a vent for the surplus popu-
w onn of England. ETC., and, in sum-
Iasnzing says: IF we omit from cen
Iteration the early decisions as to the
Existence of gold In Virginia in large
quantities, decisions arising principally
from the spirit Of the times, which had
been fostered by the extraordinary wealth
| OF th5 Southern Continent In the precious
| metals, these reasons were worthy OF
that sober and enterprsing race OF men,
| who were In the course OF the following
go years TO cover the surface OF a. great
part of the globe with their Colonies,
and In doing SO to justify the magnificent
descriptions OF one of the most splendid
OF modern orators CWebster). 1t Is no re-
Election upon the character of tho Viz
ginian 10 say that IT was essentially
practical commercial undertaking, with
out any Interior religious motive beyond
! that which has Influenced the English In
| all their settlements OF bararous coun-
tries"
aboriginal Nlrginia-Its Physical Cha
racter": and aboriginal virginia-Indian
Economy" are the subjects treated. re-
spectvey. In chapters III. and III. Under
the first head Mr.. Bruce takes up the
geology OF Eastern Virginia, the timber,
plants, rivers. creeks, fowls, wild anil
mails ETC.. and does some charming de-
scriptive work. Under thu second head
are pictures OF the Indian villages. the
wigwam methods OF cooking, cultivating
maize and tobacco, dress. feasts, etc. In
fact. we have a panorama OF Indian HE.
Agricultural Development. COM
mencing in 1907 and coming UP 10 leo,
follows In four chapters and as might be
pected, the cultivation OF tobacco. the
war between that staple and other crops.
and the enactments touching tobacco &C.
cupy a great deal OF space. In the nature
OF things. IT could not be otherwise. but
we find none too much OF detail. In the
nature OF things, also, Mr.. Bruce has
good deal to say In commentator or In
adverse criticism, as may be deserved. OF
the heads OF the Colonial administration
on the ground-such men as Dale and
Yeardley and ArgOll and others.
Next comes a chapter on the "Acquisl-
ton OF Title TO Land-the Patent" which
is replete with important and well-oigest-
ed information. and then Mr.. Bruce con-
siders "The System OF J.abor-the Ser
want" which closes the first volume. In
some respects Mr.. Bruce makes this ons
OF the most interesting subjects treated
in the work. 1.-THE term servant, says
he has been misinterpreted In modern
times In the light OF the mental signiila-
cation which the expression has Gradu-
ally acquired. Here is explained In
foot-note that this Is also true or the
word Transportation" which has ac-
quired a secondary meaning 1t its as
ISOLATION with criminals. In the seven
teenth century to transport meant SIM
ply to convey. and was used indiscrirni-
nately OF all classes in connection Win
the passage from Europe TO Amsrica.)
The members of this class lservanu In
virginia in the seventeenth century in
| cluded all who had bound themselves
under tho provisions OF an agreement
embodied In a formal legal document
or In the absence OF an indenture.
according TO the universal custom oil
the country which had rhe force and
sanctity OF law. TO continue for pre-
scribed time in another employment Inc
term was applied not only 10 those VINO
had contracted TO work as agricultural
laborers, or as artisans and mechanics
but also to those who were seeking tc
obtain under articles OF apprenticeship q
knowledge of one of the learned Drofe5-
sions." Mr. Bruce throws broad ligh'
upon the question Of "Convicts In Nlr'
: rinia." showing that this class In thS
Colonys servants was small, and there
was strong feeling IN Che Colony against
their being sent over "A larger pro
portion." he says, "of the servants ir
J Virginia I'm the seventeenth century wh'
: were imported into the Colony aItel
being guilty OF offences against the Law
In England were men VINO had simply
taken paI's In various rebellious move
ments."
r Chapter X, the first chapter OF Tn
Q second volume. continues the subject o
, System of Iabor-the Servant ant
= the next chapter is devoted to the slave
the laws governing him. the rights &C
u corded him. treatment OF him, etc, Ainon'
: other things, We are told in this connec
n ton THAI "The pride OF the Virgnian
was shown I'm the statute which provide
that no black freeman should be ailowe
to secure by indenture the service
white persons to continue for the usua
term OF years, but he was not foroidde
10 acquire an interest OF that nature
. an Indian or an Individual or MS oW
race. There seems. however. 10 be htti
room for doubt that the free negroes wn
. had obtained an ownership In req
4 | allowed tn exercise Ut
suffrage In the times when 1t was base
!. upon a property qualification. When u
privilege was thrown open TO the ire'
men OF the Colony. without restrictoi
y this right was not only enjoyed ~ u
. African freeholders bat II would be II
ferred that there was no discriminate
q In this respect against any negro WI
X could show that he was not a s'as
!. whether in possession OF property or not
:, In Mr. Bruce's discussion or the D'
y nestle Economy OF the Planter" wo al
furnished a wealth OF detaiis and sugge
70 tons. showing the more careiui al
d. palnstaking investigation and conauo
lie Here - an example:
IN "The surroundings OF the planters res
dence were plain and simple. inc yaI
as II was called, consisted or open grouh
overshadowed here and there by Tree
Ia In the immediate vicinity OF the hou
was situated the garden. devoted part
9, to vegetables, and partly to flower
thyme, MarJoram. and phiox being
!. abundant there as In England. Many
the flowers and shrubs had only recent
been brought from the Mother Countr
Byrd Is described In 1913, writing to !
"A brother I'm England. and thanking hl
Y. for the gooseberry and currant-oush'
on which had just been received; In
nd same year he expresses TO second CO
lip respondent his appreciation or girt