Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-08
An Outline of the Origin OF This
Nation.
Norwood. Va. Nay 1. l8a

NORWOOD, IA May T. Afh
To the Editor Of the Dispatch.
During the last part OF the reign q
Queen Elizabeth there WIS war between
England and Spain, and the English nor
only traded with the West Indies. BUG
also made 'prisal" OF the shipping Z
Spain. This war virtually ended when
James /. came 10 the throne OF England.
in 1903, and a treaty was made with Spain
in 1904 After this the Spanlards w0ui
not permit the English 20 trade Do no
West Indies. and made 'prisal' ot TIE
shipping OF England when found in those
waters. In March, 1877, sundry English.
men, who had been thus damaged, pe.-
toned the House OF Commons Tor letters
OF marque TO enable them % make re-
prisal. The controversy over this per.
ton was carried on before tho English
House Of Commons, House % Lords ana
Privy Council. and before the Council o,
Spain during 1901 and ltQS. The rs-
suit was not gratifying 10 "ihs
advocates OF English rights" as they
were not satisfied with the bar
ring our trade TO the West Indies" and
remembering the glorious times o. Queen
Elizabeth. they also became inclined 10
oppose the advancement OF absolute
power then aimed at in England by King
and Court" Thus, under the Divine
Providence. which has shaped our end
from the first, the arrival OF tho petition
from the Colony of Virginia. late 90 loA
or early In 1909 was most 0pp9rlne
"Whereupon, many worthy patriots
lords. knights, gentlemen, merchants. and
others held consultation, and laid hold
on this expectation OF Virginia as a
providence east before them" for estao-
fishing a colony OF their own On ths
Spanish West Indies" and Tor ara.y
forming a more free government in tl4
New World. In the petition which they
then resolved TO send TO the King Tor 10
proposed new charter, 10 enable them %
establish the colony according 10 tAef
own ideas, the patriots embodied several
privileges which would IN due time al
them in carrying out their pfolec'el
ends" OF a more free government Ana
thus the embryo OF the republican idrl
was Instituted by this patriotic party ID
their popular charter OF 1919. Owing 10
several circumstances. the regular al-
teration OF the government did nor t'-
tually take place In Virginia Tor mo'
than a year after this. To is carer I'd
date this alteration from The arFi'a. ot
Lord de la War;, on June 20, 100 iAtI
from the arrival OF Gates. only eighteen
days before. That is 20 say. IL De- nor ia'
to hold the new form OF government re'
sponsible for the abandonment or VIZ
ginia on June II. 1910.
1t is true that Lord De IA War; was
"a hereditary nobleman," but be was 20
counsin 70 the late Queen or happy iEelh'
ory," an. IL is equally true that he as
81 81 - ~. Il ffHH. II ID i .
other peers), was a member Of ths "a
triot party. and that ne died on DIS way
10 Virginia In 1918, when bringing our
first Magma Charta" (now lost 90 the.'
shores. His brother, Captain Francs
West, who, when Governor az Virginia
in l627-l628, so far as he could. held '.i
government OF the Colony TO the rs-'
ends declared" b. the patriots or l''
was also OF the Patriot party as "l'
also his brother Captain John N esq
who turned down" for a time the h'5"
Governor. Sir John Hary g. in 1850.
1t is true that the first form OF govern
ment under the popular charters Vas 81
yisedly a strong one, and that TOT go
reasons no serious EFFORT was mace .'
put liberal ideas into execution PRIOR
1916; but il is equally true that ID" o-
the managers were members OK lAf
triot party while they were managing 10
movement under the popular chAI .-'
IL came 20 pass, however, that /. N'o
them, for sundry reasons, aclti
the Royalist party during l'2-l'-''
with their assistance the Prify ,o''
was enabled TO collect and 20 con
so completely the sedit.cn' tet.''.-
records OF "rhe London Company ~
Virginia" that save for The i'i
OF Arthur Wodenoth. John fefrai. "..
las Ferrar. and few other pN.o
and for the providentlal presefFtA'" y
sundry extras and copies or doe -n-s ...
the truth as TO the founding OK 'A' "
republic in America would nave
consigned, by the Royalist party i'I',
10 oblivion. IL would have been o. r
fectually eliminated from the pase o. p.
time by the Prlyy Council as il was
the page OF contemporary histofy. ID,
on January 9. 1922. James J. hii" ,I.
the presence OF his Prlvy Counc" ' n.
Judges. tore the page corialn' '...
i,heral ideas OF the patriots Boz fara'
ment from the Commons Journal
cause he regarded such ideas as
treasonl In 1924 the Klng comm .r.
sioners and Prlyv Council collected Wv
records OF the Virginia COMPANY -
cesled and probably destroyed them
cause they regarded the popular n,
contained in them as being treason
l7s5. when Patrick Henry, the 80.
was teachiag similar ideas 20 :,
taught In 1.-The Seminary OF Section ~
lanes l.. members OF the koya.ist -. :.
In Virginia cried. 'rreasonl Tfsa, ,o,,it
Rut the seed OF 1909 has producea i..,,,
We are free people and every ?. ?, N.
should wish 10 have an account o. ne
origin OF this nation written ron ,1's by
authentic records then d62D eonesS.'~ c.r.
the Council. rather than from ~ ,bs
sored histories then licensed ,,,>,