Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-21

! ~'r names Whlch are
E--''s-s==7 E--'s-.s-- to-day Identified
will, ali the landmarks Of the state. and
psrpetrated by them even as they seem
10 be sperpetua ted by this ancient town.
which physically survives long after the
bones of the men who bore the, names
and enacted tbs. deeds here recorded have
crunlbled into dust
3 On it's title pagesii it bears the inscription
''TIls. Acts of Assembly Now n to.ce III
th. Coionv Of Virginia. With an Extra
Table Of the, Whole. and the acts are
declared 10 be passed AT a Grand As
eambIy SUNNI oned to be Held at James
city, the % Day of March In the 18th
Year of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord,
Charles IL, by the. Grace of Cod OF Eng
land. Scotland. France. and Ireland, King.
Defender of the Faith. 2 etc ana IN the
Year Of Our; Lord. 1850,
This chronology takes no notice Of the
existence of the etCommonwealth, and en-
bodies a fiction in English and American
annals, which is unworthy the name OF
history-that should be synonomous with
truth-for all tine world knows that the
restora ton did not occur until lhfe and
that this was the first year OF the acsuai
reign OF Charles II.
A PLEASANT FICTION.
Ev this doubtless -plea SAINT fiction 1t was
sought to do the inlpossible-to expunge
from the records the great CronlWeiiian
era that had intervened since the DAY
in 164s, when the first Charles laid ms
kingly head on the block, at the bidding
Of the rude reglcides, and to go on the
assun, ption that the Stuart line had neen
on the throne without interruption.
sBut certain 1t is that during the twelve
vears that interviewed, Charles II was
not on the throne Of England and
that for a part of this time. at
,east-as Sir. walter Scott, in one of his
historical novels would have us believe
he was hiding during the day from Cron-
velrs troopers in the houses Of some OF
MS scottisi, adherents, and flirting unduly
with the ladies of the family at=nlsh1.
BUT IT WAS HISTORY.
R,,t sir Walters notion was as certainly
history as this history is fiction: for It is
= known fact that Charles was III Scot
land, and it may be safely assumed that
wherever this amiable scapegrace and
fair ladies' were together, flirting was the
orGer of the day.
In tho contest with the house Of Stuart,
as Mr. Jefferson truly remarked, Viz
gir;a accompanied tho footsteps OF tho
mother country
The government of Virginia under this
Commonwealth o. England was wholly
provisional, and its administration, as the
historian, Campbell. says. was. judlc.ous
and benefcent; the people were tree, mar
raonious and prosperous; and while
CronlwelTs sceptre commanded the re
spect of the world. he exhibited toWar5
the infant and loyal colony a generous
and polite Ieniency, and during this inter-
val, she enjoyed free trade, legislative in
dependence, civil and religious freedom.
republican institutions, and internal
peace. The Governors. Bennett. Dsggss.
and Matthews. enjoyed the confidence,
affection and respect of the. people; no
extravagance, rapacity, corruption, or ex-
tortion was charged against their admin
istra tion; intolerance and persecution
were. unknown. But rapine, corruption.
extortion. intolerance and persecution
were revived under the restored dynasty
of the Stuarts-
Nevertheless. the cavalier element were
predominant in the colony. and fastened
to welcome the Stuarts back to their own.
RETURN OF TIE STUART.
The great protector passed from the
stage OF action, leaving his sceptre IN the
impotent hands Of Richard Cromwell. his
son, from whose nerveless grasp 1t tame
w fell on the second day OF april. 1853.
Matthews, the Governor. had died in the
preceding January. England was without
a monarch; Virginia without Governor.
It was during this interval, as the his
toriap tells us. that public opinion IN
England was in suspense, the result OF
affairs depending upon the line or con-
duct which might be pursued by. General
Monk
The Virginia Assembly. convening on the
18th day of March, 1850, declared by their
first act that as there was then IN England
no resident, absolute and generally ac-
knowledge power, therefore, the supreme
government OF the colony should rest
in the Assembly: and writs previously is
sued in the name of his highness, tho
Lord Protector, now issued in the name
Of the General Assembly OF Virginia 1t
Is at this period that the venerable book
begins its faithful records-faithtul In all
but the exception mentioned By the sec
ond act Sir William Berkley. the royal
governor, who had been in retirement, was
elected Governor.
The circumstances OF this reappointment
of Sir William BerkleY, says Campbell.
have frequently been nisrepresented- Fab
ulous tradition that earlier historians fol-
| lowed. had 1t that Sir William was hur-
! ried from retirementiby a torrent OF popu-
| lar enthusiasm, and made Governor by
| acclamation, and that Charles, the sec
| ond, was boldly proclaimed in Virginia.
| and his standard reared several months
before the restoration; nd thus the VIZ
| zinians, as they had been the last OF
! the Kings subjects who renounced their
| allegiance, so they wers the first who re-
| turned to it
But Sir William was. not elected by a
CONTINUED. ON THIRD PAGEl
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