Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-30

be sold for enough to support them 3
| comfort for years. and when you tel
| them this. they appear to sympathize witt
| you for being SO silly as TO suppose tina
| they were worth anything, and seem con
| tented TO let them remain there. where
| II the rats do not wholly destroy them
! fire some time Will
William Byrd purchased In England
| and brought to Virginia the original man
| uscript volumes of certified copies OF the
| record of proceedings OF the Virginia
Company OF London. during the admins
tration OF the Earl of Southampton
which were made just before the seizure
of the records OF the company at the time
OF its dissolution by King James.
MATERIALS GONE FROM US.
Lyman c. Draper a native Of Western
New York. with a proper appreciation for
the record evidences Of historic truth
travelled over 60.0O0 miles, much of the
distance on horseback and some of II on
foot. collecting diaries, letters, and other
manuscripts relative to border warfare
and the westward extension or civiliza-
ton in America When the history of
Virginia comes TO be written the compiler
will be Obliged TO go 10 Madison, Wis,
for his materials. comprised In the go
volumes of manuscripts in the Draper
collection Of the State Historical Society
Of Wisconsin.
This is the most valuable unpublished
document relating to the history Of Amer
lea known TO be in existence in the world
Ii passed into the possession Of the
United States Government through their
purchase of the library of Thomas Jeffer-
son. 1t is a "crime of neglect" that this
record has never been fully and correctly
copied and printed. 1t would cost, per-
haps $3.50 to have It transcribed, and,
probably, $1,000 additional to print 1t pro
perly. and yet this. the cornerstone Of
Virginia history. is as yet inaccessible.
Any man in Virginia worth $4,000 could
well afford to defray this entire cost him
self II Ii related to the beginnings OF
New England we would probably have
seen by this time many editions, at the
cost, IL may be- of the General Govern
ment.
We had I'm Henrico county, Va. in 1874,
the first public library in America, yet we
seem now to be totally ignorant or obli-
vious of the great part the modern public
in the hands Of a trained, sSilful
librarian, is made to play In the educa-
ton Of the people. Our laws make the
Office OF custodian of the most consider
able public collection Of books in the State
a portion of political patronage, 10 be be-
slowed 10 reward party service to cheap
politician.
The first published code of Virginia
laws, issued in 1862, is so very rare that
no copy was ever seen by Thomas Jeffer-
son, William Waller Henning. or Benja-
min Watkins Leigh. There are four copies
known to be in existence in the world,
and a few years since, when the then
owner of one of these copies came here
and offered 1t for sale, the State authori
ties declined to purchase it, and no or
sanitation or individual could be found
here who thought it worth purchasing
and preserving When IL was subsequent
" offered to the library Of the New York
City Bar Association it was promptly pur-
chased at a price 800 in excess OF that
asked for IL in Virginia.
Our State Library. containing now per- |
maps some 5000 volumes, and the library |
If the Virginia Historical Society proba--
by 1000 books and pamphlets and mass
If valuable manuscript material, are free |
10 the public, yet how many or us ever |
make use Of them. Richmond might well |
have been the place referred TO in the |
story told respecting a criminal Of whom |
The police were in hot pursuit, and who |
was advised by literary man whom he |
Knew to take refuge in one Of the public |
ibraries. lie did so. and there found con- |
until night came, and he was |
able to escape under cover OF darkness. |
{ never occurred TO the brightest detec- |
i've to look in so unfrquented place as |
he public library.
We have neglected scientific geuealogy,
amily history of the sort that for abso- |
ute truth and accuracy of detail IS OF |
treat value TO the student of history and |
# social science, and in this stead We |
AVE spun out the traditional yarns with |
aspect 10 nobility OF emigrant ancestors. |
which grandma's Aunt Sally said she |
leard when she was a girl, when visit
o the county courthouse and an eNami-
lation Of the records there would I'm
many cases give them the truth. and
'ery different, too, from the tradition.
A recent writer, an Englishman, who
esided in Virginia long enough TO enable
i'm to learn and understand some OF our
says, on this subject:
all the Colonists were Eng
and nominally, at least mem
ers of the English Church. Among a
majority Of plain folk went a fair sprink-
ing Of cadets, beyond a doubt, from good
English families, A legent exists among
he more uniformed circles Of modern
'irginia that quite considerable portion
Z the population are in some mysterious
ashton sprung from the loins Of the 'Bri-
sh nobility l only mention this as a
urious and ineradicable superstition that
he stranger would be sure to encounter
frequently during a sojourn in the coun-
~. And sometimes the superstition
,ould appear in most humorous garb. 1t
not unnatural that people who have
cen now for some generations out Of
ouch with England and English social
fe would have confused notions Of what
ere the privileges and position of the
cry small band which formed the British
eerage in the seventeenth century. That
nobleman's son Except for an occasional |
.eak) would bury himself permanently. |
zen when ruined in the American wild
ness or place the Atlantic between |
mself and those hundred paths to fame
stinction, or at least a congenial com
stence in Europe, TO be had in those
avs for the asking by the higher arts
cracy, is a fallacy Of course too absurd
traverse The squirearchy of the Stuart
.riod were, OF course, quite another
after, and the origin of the fable is
, doubt due to the considerable number
gentlemen born who were among the {
rlv settlers. That no Englishman Of
stinction left the country for p perma-
mt settlement in Virginia We know Of
certainty from our English records"
Adapting the language Of DR.. Howell" .
r. Traylor concluded, mo effective ;
cans. moral or material, should We per- }
il TO remain unimproved which may =
We point and impressiveness TO that i'm ;
rtant lesson. commended no less by The +
stincts of the great universal heart =
an by the testimony of all experience p
at any people who would hope for the =
assing of God, insure their own honor /,