The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-14
THE 11MEs-R1CHMoND. VA. FRIDAY, NAV, "a 1877.

appears to have been OF high ORDER
In the FIRST council of Virginia were GER
tainly as able men as England aiIo'usu'
for II contained Bartholomew Ooshoiu'
a John Smith. George Percy ana an hu-
ward Maria Wingheld. men who wna'eVe,
histories may say against theIn' 'au
given proof Of their valor and herolsih on
many difficult field before their advent
TO virginia. IL may be assumed 'nere-
fore, that the motives OF these men "e'o
high and honorable. hut as the charter
provided no real head for the council
they soon fell TO pickering and quaftei.
ms and then resulted all those eVlls '''a'
generally arise from distracted couhoh
NEW CHARTER.
In the year 1909 affairs In me colony
had reached such a state OF desperation
that King James was forced 10 ISSUE
new charter which IS especlaty ho'e
worthy in that 1t is an extension not on'y
OF the territorial limits but OF the hDci
ties OF the colony. The council anu
company now became self-perpetua,ihs,
The King was shorn OF no smah "ii,Vu''
OF his former power Governor, b'eu
tenant-Covernor, and Admiral were ar
pointed. and the basis Of representative
government was laid.
This favorable legislation was io'owe ',
by the aboltion Of the common kel,ie
and the recognition Of the sanctity OF PIT
vate property. Thus there was no ions
er premium upon idlcness, while thrli'
and industry received a new incentive.
This change with the importation severn
years later Of cargo Of maids Hlu 'no
foundations Of firesidos. and gave 10 w
colony what it had hitherto lacked per
manency and stability
March Il. 1912. still another charter VAS
granted. which authorized the eStapiish-
mont OF a Weekly Court, to take actioh
upon matters Of minor import whhe inc
graver and weighticr matters were 10 DC
referred 10 a General Court holding TOUR
sessions each year The London Com-
pany by the provisions OF this charter
was clothed with full power and author-
ity to make such laws ard ordinances
for the good and welfare Of the plantation
as TO them from time TO time should be
thought requisite and meet.
Thus James l.. thoroughly imbued WIN
the spirit Of fus divinum the unrelenting
and answering enemy OF free discussion
and popular right. had consciously let
loose a mighty force which he could In no
wise control.
d GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Thus empowered the company Issued
an order In 1919. which however, did not
go into effect until the following year
This order authorized the holding OF a
General Assembly. and. July 30 1913
marks one OF the most important dates
I'm American history. because on that
day at jamestown occurred the meeting
OF the first legislative body ever held In
America. BY this event free-thought
and free-speech were accorded complete
recognition. and Democracy assumed a
position which II never afterward relin-
pushed.
Hence forward Virginia was 10 have
free and representative government.
This we may consider as marking a new
era Of prosperity in the colony. and as
the genesis Of the real life OF Virginia.
King James. Influenced by a faction
Of the London authorities. finding him
selg unable 10 overawe or coerce the As
sembly determined 10 withdraw the
patent. and that his design might have
the semblance Of justice. be ordered a
formal investigation on the manage
ment OF the colony Naturally enough
judges whose tenure Of Office was de-
pendent upon the royal pleasure could
not be expected to render a decision
adverse to the well Known wishes Of the
king.
The patents were cancelled and the
London Company was dissolved. but not
until it had fulfilled its high destiny. and
had insured TO Virginia forever liberal
form Of government
In 1924 King James died. and was sue
ceeded by his son. Charles /. This mon
arch although adhering TO the doctrine
of the divine right Of Kings. no less
tenaciously than his father. was never
theless forced TO recognize the General
N branch
the government and to make the ac-
Acknowledgement more emphatic he adj
dressed the popular house as his "trusty
and well-bcloved BurGesses Of the Gen.
eral Assembly Of Virginia
Thus we have q brief epitome OF the
early constitutional growth OF a country
destined TO become the chosen sbode OF
| liberty. This growth 10 its ultimate re-
suits may be considered in the light Of
! n logical sequence when We remember
that subsequent to the Reformation, all
Europe was In a state OF upheaval and
that the people. a hitherto unknown
| quantity. had begun 10 think and act
| for themselves-no longer fettered by pre-
JUDGES and superstitlous dogmas.
EARLY PATRIOTISM.
We can form no proper concep ton OF
| the Virginia struggle for free and repre-
sentative government during the revo-
luton unless we regard q as tie con-
tinuation Of an old fight Ipon new bat
tle-grOund. When the patriots CT the
revolution announced the principle Of no
taxation without representation, and took
up arms 10 vindicate treir position, they
| only made more explicit the ancient char
tiers. and the resolutions Of he early
Assemblies. one OF which as rarly as
| 1924 declared that the sole risnt of taxa
| ton belonged to the ,ena-al Assembly
| OF the colony
And so that sturdy Eaglish sririt. re-
markably conservative. yet zee ana re-
| solute. after struggles, privatiOrs ard
protests, at last established 10 ublic
OF republics, uprooted the very gins OF
Kingship. and so changed the seal 81 the
old Commonwealth that Sisillum Regis
| Magnal." as II by the irony Of fate. was
superseded by those words r.cst preg-
| nant with the true spirit Of DENT 'iGcy
"Sic Semper Tyrannis."
Mr. Roswell Page was 20 have read 2
poem which he had written for the oc-
! casion. but he was unav0dably detained
! The poem was read by Or. j. l.. han
| Of William and Mary College, Is giVef
| below:
Great actions the subject for poetry
NJ ARNOLD.
Dunn juga months aper. luvios dunn.
/ pisois amabit
! Dumque Thyme pascentur apes, dun
rore cicadae,
Semper honos, nomenque tuum. laud-
esque manehunt.
&c V 1918