Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-14

CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.


land has here a market for her goons anu
finds here materials for her FACTORIES, sne
has outstripped Spain In power tne ran :
roads have made passage 10 'ns So SUI
Sea. and America has become |hr's'"''
country.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COLONY.
Mr.. j. II. Parker. l.. l., OF Portsmouth.
spoke on 1.-The Establishment OF the COZ
ony" The early part OF the seventeenth
century. he said was pre-enihentiy
period OF adventure and colonization.
The new world that had been found iur.
nished food for the imagination, ana lent
inspiration TO the most prosaic pen. 'rne
paradise OF the newly discovered lanu
was Virginia. Although the adventure
OF Sir Humphrey Gilbert and Sir hich,
ard Grenville had been unsuccessful, ana
Governor White had searched in VAIN
for the III colonists left at Roanoke Is
land. all these dscouragements did not
destroy the desire TO COLOMBO virginia.
Bartholomew Gosnold. Sir Thomas
Gates. Sir George Somers. John smith,
and Richard Hokleeyt matured O plan,
and James l. drew up the royal Charter
for the government of the Colony. On
April 10, 1905. this Oldest of American
charters wss ready and the association
governing the Colony. was styled me
London Company. About one hundred
colonists were enlisted, and embarked In
a feet OF three ships-the Susan Con
slant. the Goodspeed. and the Discovery
sailing December 10. 1900. Among the
band were George Percy brother of the
Earl of Northumberland. and others.
whose estates were valued at n.D0
year Christopher Newport had charge
of the fleet, which accomplished its jour
ney May -. 1901, reaching Old Point Com
fort. Two hundred and ninety years ago
they landed AZ this island and made upon
1t the first English settlement. The diff
culties that confronted the colonlsts were
the tremendous vegetation, which made
the culture of the land extremely labo-
rious: Indians grew Jealous. and con-
stantly attacked the fort. and the food
consisted OF half a pint Of damaged
wheat or barley daily. and the water
was as bad as the food Soon the In
dians ceased their hostilities the autumn
winds blew away the malaria. and new
life and energy were infused into the
Colony.
JOHN SMITH AND POCAHONTAS
The speaker paid a glowing tribute TO
John Smith that gallant young Eng
lish captain" who was ever ready TO
shed his blood in behalf of the Colony
To-day" he said. eve renew our love
and admiration for the brave Indian
princess, Pocahontas. who more than
saved the Colony from starvation fam
inc. and utter confusion. for George Per-
cy, for Christopher Newport. Nathaniel
Powell Thomas Savage, and Henry
Speilman.
The three years spent under the first
charter were not sufficient TO establish
the Colony. There was the starvation
period Of 1909 and the departure of the
colonists for England, but their saliva
ton came in a new expedition from
England. planned by Sir Thomas Smith.
Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of South
ampton, the Fenors, and Sir Edwin San
dys.
From the West came the Earl of Della
ware. most popular and beloved OF ,Vir-
ginia's early governors. He in turn, de-
livered the work TO Sir Thomas Gates.
Sir Thomas Dale, Sir Samuel Argyle, and
Sir George Yardley. All honor TO Henry
Wriothesley. Earl of Southampton. for
the charter granting representative gov
eminent to Virginia, and TO Sir George
Yardley. for convoking the first General
Assembly. Upwards of a year before the
Mayhower left England Virginias rep
resentative body was discussing the ar
fairs of the Colony at its capital. James
town. The last onset of the prince of evil
was in 1922 when the Indians butchered
3E of the colonists. English bravery met
the assault and vanquished the assailant.
Thereafter the Colony ceased to be an
experiment, but became a success.
THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT.
The president then introduced Mr.. j.
NJ. White. who spoke on the government
OF the Colony. His first allusion was 10
the oldest American charter, which, he
said. was strange blending of good
and evil. Barring its ruling tendencies
towards paternalism, its minor details
were for the most part wholesome and
judicious. BY its provisions the Chris
tian religion was to be maintained. trial
by jury was promised. and the colonists
were theoretically invested with the
privileges and immunities vOuchsafed TO
all English subjects under the Magma
Charta. the great palladium of English
liberty. In its practical operations the
charter was not success for the legis-
lative and administrative powers were so
divided between the local company, the
Crown. and the London Company as TO
involve the dangers of delays, uncer-
tainty. and responsibility. BY the words
Of the charter the colonists were assured
the rights Of Englishmen, yet as far as
political rights were concerned there
was no security provided by which they
could be indicated.
The first Council contained Bartholo-
new Gosnold, John Smith. George Per-
cy. and Edward Maria Wingfield and
other distinguished men, but as the
charter provided no real head for the
Council they soon fell to pickering. In
1909 James was forced TO issue a new
charter TO meet the situation and IL in
Guided an extension Of the territorial
limits and the liberties of the Colony.
The Council now became self-perpetu-
ating. a Governor. Northumberland
or. and Admiral were appointed, and the
basis of representative government laid.
This was followed by the abolition OF the
common Kettle. and the recognition or
the sanctity OF private property This
change, with the importation several
years later of a cargo OF maids, laid the
foundation of firesides, and gave to the
Colony permanency and stability March
~. 1912. still another charter was granted.
which authorized a weekly court TO take
action upon matters of minor import,
while weightier matters were to be re-
ferred TO general court, holding four
b. 1 ltr
the charter, was clothed with full power
10 make such laws and ordinances for
the good and welfare of the plantation
as they deemed requisite and necessary
from time to, time. Thus empowered, the
company ordered a General Assembly,
and the first body met at jamestown July
80. 1919. Later the patents were cancell-
ed. and the London Company dissolved,
by the King, but Charles /. succeeding
his father recognized the General AS
sembiy as an established branch Of the
government. We can form no proper
conception of the Virginia struggle for
free and representative government du-
ring the Revolution, unless we regard it
a new battle-ground. When the patriots
of the Revolution announced the prin-
ciple Of no taxation without representa-
ton. and took up arms 10 vindicate their
position. they only made more explicit
the ancient charters and the resolutions
of the early assemblies, one of which,
as early as 1924, declared that the sole
right of taxation belonged to the Gene
raj Assembly Of the Colony.
MR., PAGES POEM.
Much interest had been evinced i'm the
last feature of the programmes poem
by Mr.. Roosevelt Page. 1t was a great
disappointment, therefore, when Mr. Ty-
Ter announced that Mr.. Page was pre-
vented from being present by the illness
of his father However" he said, "if
we have not got the poet with u.s. we
have at least the poem, and DIR. j. Leslie
Hall has kindly undertaken TO read IT,"
Below is given Mr.. Pages poem, which
was very well received:
Virginia.
"Graat actions the suhiacfs for