The sun., 1901-06-29
NEW Bo0Es.
Casiish Politics h Early virGiaia.

English PJlitics In Early Nugiuis uistory
(Houghtou. Miniin 4 Coz The purpose OF
this work is to prove that II was the aim OF
the Patriot party In England to plant popu-
lar type Of government in America, and that
/, was the aim Of James J. and tho Court party
TO thwart the Patriots. The author goes on
10 ,how that q great historical wrong was
perpotrated by James J. and his officials
through tho suppression Of the docume ntary
evidence Of the intentions OF the founders
NJ tho virginia colony and their successful
fulelment thereof. and through tho licensed
pubucaton OF misleading statements OF
the facts Fortunately. tho suppression OF
the evidence was not complete. copies Of
r,nv important documents belonging to
tho virginia Company having been secretly
made and sent In 1924 to Titchneld. the seat
of tho Earl OF Southampton, which. copies
subsequently fell into Virginian hands.
and are now in the Library Of Congress. II
will be remembered that tho first settlement
IN jamestown was made under charter
framed by James J.: that this settlement was
a failure and would have been abandoned by
the survivors but for tho issuance In 1000
Of new and far more liberal charter, when
itself was considerably enlarged In 1872
I, was this charter which was annulled In
,s2. by tho Court Of Kings Bench. and 1t 10
the proceedings which had taken place under
I, that are Illuminated By tho documenb
lust mentioned.
In A nnal chapter Mr.. Brown sums up the
conclusion. which hs Justly regards as es-
,sblished in the book He has demonstrated
that the Patriot party wisely and honorably
ranased the business Of the Virginia Com
many. and laid the foundation upon which the
ar., successful English colony was erected
within the presen. limits Of the United States.
The credit. however. which the Patriot party
deserve. it has hitherto failed TO receive LOT
the reason that the Court party controneo
the evidences and laid the foundations upon
which the history Of the coloni7ing move
rnent has up TO this time been written IN
fortunately for the Patriot party. when hao
undertaken 10 plant in America n more
free" or popular course oi government
as n refuge from the absolute power Then
aimed at by King and Court II had no puohc
control over the proofs Of the work performed
byit The press was not free TO its members
thev could only preserve copies oil thelr own
record, by stealth; they not only dld not
publish the history Of their great movement
but, manifestly. would not have been per-
nitted to do SO, for all Of their records upon
xbich an authentic narrative could have been
based were taken from them by their oppo-
nents, with the obvious purpose oil MAKING
IL impossible for the truth regarding their
political enterprise ever TO be known. Inc
,o-called histories" Of this enterprise. In
Guiding Capt John Smiths General
Historic of Virginia, we're published under the
auspices Of the Court party. composed ot
those who we're uphoding the "kingly power
and opposing the political principles which
we're inspiring tine colonizing movement.
This Court party was armed with royal au-
thority over persons and papers. II possessed
an absolute control over all evidences. and
used this control for its own partisan pur-
poses 1t had and exercised the power to
publish under royal license an incomplete.
Incorrect. e1 pdrte account purporting 70 be
the history OF the great political reform move
mere to which the Crown was bitterly op-
posed, and 1t had the power TO require ac-
oeptation OF such an account a. uustworthy'
and virtually made use OF II.
Mr. Brown reminds us that historians have
accepted a large portion Of the account OF
the founding Of the colony Of Virginia licensed
by the Court, and have based their versions
Of the early history of our first colony largely
on Capt John Smiths "Generah His
torie Of Virginia. although our author does
not hesitate to say OF Smith that. personally.
he was a man Of straw. OF no authority means
or influence while. officially. he was repre-
sentative Of James l., from whom he de-
rived his authority, both as councillor In
Virginia and as a historian in England
His so-called Historic" instead OF being a
fair account OF the beginning OF the most
Important political reform movement OF
modern times. is mere eulogy OF the MS
torian," a traduction Of the original OF the
body polite named tho Virginia Company
and a stigma upon the popular political prln-
ciples which inspired its members. Smiths
Historic" has really reversed the true view
or our national origin; given the chief honors
10 tho chief agent In perpetrating historic
wrong; censured those who deserve praise
robbed our patriotic founders OF the honors
due them and deprived our origin OF It's In
spiring features Instead Of fostering worthy
sentiments regarding our patriotic founders
and national fou undation, as a true patriouc
history would have done. 1t has caused an
entire Misunderstanding OF the beginning
Of the great political reform movement.
and wr.nched from the fabric Of our insti-
tutions the part which was due to tho patriot
sm, the valor and the genius OF the first de-
,igners Of a popular course Of government
for English settlers In America
IL is true that the history Of the founding
Of virginia, licensed by the Crown. failed
20 create in the colony a desire TO return TO
the sitting form OF government designed
for tho plantations in 1905 by James L. and,
for a time, administered by. the historian
Capt John Smith. and it failed to destroy
the faith In the popular course Of govern
ment" to which that historian was opposed
on the contrary. We have been living since
l77e under tho fully developed idoa Of the
Patriot party for a popular course OF govern
ment In America. an idea which the Court
party wished 10 destroy In the germ In
many respects however. John Smiths
Historic" has done about all the harm that
is sponsors wished It to do Mr., Brown
doubts whether any citizen Of this republic
has ever made any pilgrimage into the land
oi Kent. and done homage at tho grave Of
Sir Edwin Sandys, who drafted the nrst con-
ception Of free Constitution for Virginia.
Slr Brown doubts whether many Americans
have visited in London the old meeting places
Of the so-called "Yirginian Courts" which
were denounced by the Court party as the
seminar of sedtion." but which really were
the cradle Of American freedom wherein
we're nuTtured our first political charter
right' Even On this side Of the Atlantic the
anniN .rsary o. the signing, and Of the land
!ng In South virginia Of the charter q 1909,
tue charter drafted by the primary designers
of liberal government for this nation. has