The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-23
Judge Wexford on Jones History.


Judge Wexford on Jones History.
Editor of The Times:
sir.-In the report you published this
morning of the able, eloquent and ad-
mirable address OF Judge Wexford be-
fore the Sons Of Confederate Veterans
last night-an address which heard with
very great pleasure and should like to see
printed in fun and widely circulated-you
quote him, correctly as l understood him.
~ saying: His friend. DR. j. William
Jones, has written an excellent history.
but he had fallen into the error Of the
other historians who wrote the story Of
the country as though all Of the States
were settled at the same time The pro-
per way. he said, was TO take up the
Coloney Of Virginia from it's foundation
and 20 write its history up TO the time OF
It's union with other States. giving the
terms OF that union. The same plan
should be pursued with other States, and
then correct history would be secured.
Now. / beg to say that my friend. Judge
Wexford (unintentionally. of course, for
one Of the letters Of commentator OF my
book which l prize most highly is from
HIM has done me injustice in this state
mept
So far from writing the story OF the
country as though all of the States were
settled at the same time" / clearly and
distinctly bring out separately the date
and circumstances Of the settlement OF
% en- cOlopy, by whom settled, and the sa-
lient events in the early history OF each.
The history Of Virginia, for example,
from the settlement, at jamestown 20 the
close OF Bacon's rebellion l treat as
connected narrative, and in the sketch
Of the causes nd origin Of the Revolu-
L d. nf.. hn hn
ginia House Of Burgesses was the first
assembly 20 take formal action against
tho stamp act" by adopting Patrick Hem
rvs famous resoluuons-that on May =.
117i. the same body passed resolutions Of
sympathy with Massachusetts, on the
passage by the British Parliament Of the
Boston Port bill" that Virginia pro-
posed the calling Of a general congress
OF the colonies and that IN the Virginia
Convention assembled, in Old ST. Johns
church, Richmond in March 1ll5, Patrick
Henry secured the passage OF this resou-
lions den0uncing tho presence OF BRUSH
troops IN America as dangerous To
Americas freedom and proposing 10 put
the colony on a war footing.
In my account Of the Revolution /
clearly bring out that Virginia instructed
her delegates Ito propose I'm the Conti-
mental Congress a declaration OF tnde-
pcndence; that Richard Henry Lee moved
it ON June Z, 1U6. IL was adopted July
"a. and Thomas Jefferson presented the
immortal document July 4, lll5; that Nlr-
giula not only gave Washington 20 lead
the patriot armies, but took care or her-
self. sent George Rogers Clark Wlth ms
Virginia Volunteers 10 drive out the
British from her Northwestern Terri
tory. organize IL as Illinois county Va.
A. .Ia.r Of
United states from the Ohio to the lakes,
and sent her troops 10 shed their blood
ON every field Of the Revolution from
Quebec and Boston to Savannah and
Charleston. ] bring out what would
never be suspected from pcrusal or the
histories geperally-that the Southern
Colonies furnished more men IN proper
ton TO population 20 fight the war OF the
Revolution than the Northern Colonies
1 give clearly the fact that Great Bu-
tain did not acknowledge the indepen-
dence OF the American Nation but OF
each one Of the thirteen colonies, men,
tioning each by name and recognizing mat
each one became a sovereign, lndepen-
dent. state
state fully and clearly the circum-
stances under which Virginia coded her
Northwest Territory" out OF which hNe
great states were afterwards carved 10
The confederation, and the conditions Of
tho princely gift. and the organization
of this vast domain into the only terri
tory which the general government then
owned. 1 show how the convention Of lisi
originatCd in q consultation at MI. Yer
non. followed by a conference at Anapo-
lis. how the Constitution was adopted by
the convention, and submitted to the
States for ratification; the provisions OF
the Constitution the fact that North Car
olina and Rhode Island refused 10 ratity
and were left out of the Union until North
Carolina ratified in 1859. and Rhode Is
land i'm 1880: that "the new Union was
formed by a secession of eleven states
from the old federatlOn; that several OF
the States. in ratfying the Constitution,
distinctly reserved the right Of secession
thereby giving tho right TO all Of the
States" and that "it would have been
impossible TO form the Union without re-
cognizinq the right of a state to with
draw" al pleasure. and that in those days
tne right Of secession was universally
acknowledged
l will not obtrude upon your space fur
Their than to say that my treatment Of the
causes. conduct. and results Of the great
war between the States is fuller (and.
I bink. clearer than in any other school
history with which 1 am acquainted, and
that there Was not single point IN the
admirable address Of Judge Wexford that
is not clearly stated in my book, all That
I ask for which IS a fair examination,
and that it stand or fall on its merits.
WIN JONES