The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-17

few days before was now by his conf
mission a general. The popular sympa-
thy supporting the leader had now been
supplemented by reluctant official authorl-
ty, and thus fortified, he proceeded, as
promised, with his army against the In
dams. He established his headquarters
at West Point and with genius and en-
ergy soon swept the red men from the
frontier. A, feeling Of security followed
and the people rendered urto him gratl-
tude for their deliverance. But Bacon,
under the Governors C II mission. hon
cstly doing his duty on the frontier. WAS
ignorant Of ,=iny proclaimed again q
rebel and a traitor by that Governor at
Jamestown.
There all was unrest. There was no
balm in his capital to soothe the anguish
Of the cavalier as he contemplated his
invaded authority and the emptiness OF
his position. Bacon was Virginia lie
had the love and the hopes of the people,
and it was more than the old man cot'ld
stand. In his anger, he again denounced
him as a rebel and a traitor, resolved to
leave unsympathetc Jamestown, and
started for loyal Gloucester. On his jour
ney his anger increased. and when on
reaching there ne found sympathy Tor
Bacon instead OF blind loyalty to the
King. he decided not only to denounce,
and leave faithless Gloucester for loyal
Accomac, 1.-The Kingdom OF Accomac
across the sea-.
This is the only instance in history
where a ruler commissioned man to DO
Il certain thing and While he was DONG
it denounced him as traitor and rebel,
and it is a striking instance OF the uprls-
ing of a people being turned into revo-
luton by the acts Of the man who was
most anxious to quell it.
BACON COMES BACK.
News of all this was brought to Bacon
on the frontier and he Immediately re-
solved to return to the scene OF these re-
cent actions and take council OF the peo-
pie among whom he had been posted as
a traitor. In a few days he was IN VIII
l;amsburg-then Middle Plantation. All
was chaos. Virginia had been turned over
to 1.-The lines of confusion and stones
Of emptiness Her Governor had fled
and the man to whom the people now
turned to deliver them from the tanSie
had been proclaimed by that Governor
a traitor and rebel.
Surrounded by admirers, Bacon was ad-
vised, as protector OF the people, TO DC
pose the Governor and appoint another;
but the clear-headed leader resolved to
do nothing until he could first consult
the r7eople, the source Of all power. He
was no Dictator; he was rebel against
oppression He would pull nothing down
until he knew what was to so up III It's
gtlace He now, In q, scahtinG remonstrahce,
reviewing the wrongs done INN ana Them
by the Governor and authorities, sum
lls,ned the people to attend him mere OIL
August Sd.
! his was a remarkable meeting, and
lasted from morning to midnight. On
the ears Of the excited throng the co
G,cnce of the young leader fell IRON
morn to noon, from noon TO deWy eve, 4
summers DAY. He pictured their wrongs
a1t! their plight, reviewed the incaDlc,ty
a:;d iusincerIty Of tire Governor and H.
thc,'t:es, and ended by demanding mat
They take an oath TO support nm IN
arms against Berkeley and against the
King, if he should send succor to the
Governor before he could be reported TO
and heard from. This was n thunderbolt.
This was resistance Of tho king. 1t star
tied them. The debate surses back and
forth. rising higher as the sun SINKS
lower. Tho scene here in old Williams
burg on that August night is weird and
Inspiring. Wonder, gathered in the mists
of the sultry night. are the people OF
Virginia, worn and tired: Ill their midst
her Cromwell his eyes darling fire and
his frame trembling with resolution.
plcading against oppression and for free
doin's sake. Firetiies, like messengers,
fit from the leader o.the people and back
again, while torches cast their shadows
over all. Finally, the young generals
eloauence carries the night; the oath is
taken, the torches so out and the green
of debate is left to the nl;sts aud the fire
flies, while the people seek their PILLOWS
and tumble and toss through the suItry
hours, wondering what their nlomentous
action will bring to the morrow
POPULAR GOVERNMENTS BIRTH.
Thus ended libeTty's first council: thus
was registered the first oath against OPP
preston. and thus was born the spirit OF
popular government here III Williamsburg
on that summer night.
Virginia haa fired the first. as Twelve
miles from here. she fired tho last shot
against oppression.
The next step was to divide the author-
ity now yesting. in Bacon among the emo
sen representatives of the people. and ne
issued writs for an election, that they
might assemble in September, Then. with
and decisions. he resumed his
indian campaign. And here Is mirrored
the sincerity of. the man. Originally his
urine grievance against Berkeley was his
-siiusal to permit him to defend himself
and the frontier from the Indians, which
forced him to act without authority. Lat
er he sexacted authority and acted under
tha Governor s commission as his officer,
white that Governor treacherously pro-
claimed him a rebel and traitor. Now,
10 stly. when, through the Governors ig-
flight. he was master Of all
things he resumed his original purpose
and returned to fight the Indians So