The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-03-20
EARLY DAYS
IN VIRGINIA

The history of this country may be
divided into two periods; the first
extending from the permanent settle
ments of the English colonies to the
close of the American Revolution, the
second from the acknowledgment
of independence of the colonies to
the present time. Comparing the
conditions of the country at the begin
ming n at the end of the second per
iod, and noting the expansion in area
population, agriculture, mining, trans
portation, commerce, education, art
science, invention, government. inter
national relations and. the settlement
1 of principles and actions upon which
human society is well and firmly con-
stituted, we find a national develop
ment which has no parallel il the
history of mankind. No other nation
of ancient or modern times grew dur
ing a century and a quarter o birth
to a maturity of principles and of pow
er, of dominating influence o all
governments and people. Whatever
of foreign evils we have imported,
through a practically unrestrained i'm
migration, the laws, nave preserved
and advanced the highest principles
in human liberty. Whatever difficult
ties and failures we nave met and ye.
endure, the people of the United
C+o+a1 o,a fOIa, ~ tho fOrnpnnc+
in moral progress and in just aspira-
tions for the future.
Yet the attachments of the nation
had their genesis in that earlier per-
iod of Colonial life. At the time of
the first permanent settlement OF
Virginia and Massachusetts,, the peo-
pie of England were representative
of the highest type of civilization
then existing. Through foreign wars
and domestice controversies, through
subversion of rights, through many
wrongs and tyralnies they had con
ceived certain rules of national exis-
tence, which often broker and tram
pied upon by parties and monarchs,
survived in the conscience and, re-
solve of the people as the heritage,
the very birth right of freedom.
Those high views were transmitted
our country. The Puritan never sue
cumbed to oppression, never loosed
his grasp upon these i~nalienable
rights which come to man from God.
The Cavalier was an agent in the
establishment of the beneficient rules
of a free government If we find
among both types individuals who
had no view except of self-advance-
ment it is equally true that they were
dominated by men of character who
were inspired by an earnest desire
to promote Il future good of their
country and posterity, regardless of
their personal interests or profits.
Among the men who settled at
Jamestown on May 18th, 1907 there
were leaders of high conception of
government, and in the colony ST
jamestown were the first assertions
of social and governmental principles
which lie at the foundation of our
I1dJlOldl me-. oOLle Ol Inc dClS
that colony were the beginnings of
our constitution.
The movement for the colonization
of Virginia, following the treaty of
peace between England and Spain, in
1905, was national in scope. 1t be
came one of our important factors in
the politics; not only in England and
America, but in Spain and France,
and the Netherlands; not only in the
contest then going on between Pro
testantism and Roman Catholicism
| but in he conflict between the Crown
and the Commons. While the Ply
mouth lonis were Independents
and those of Massachusetts Bay set
Elements Non-comformists, they held
the same Christian faith as those of
Virginia. The emigrants to James
town, Notwithstanding the presence
of a few Roman Catholics, were not
only distinctively Protestant but rep
resentative of a nation practically
undivided in faith and united in the
Church of England. The ministers
of that Church took an active part,
from earnest interest in the colonial
ton of Virginia; and the sermons,
state papers, and records of h time
show hat the work of the church was
the first important element of coloni-
zatioa and subsequent influence and
effect upon the government and IN
situations of the new land. The first
charter began with the declaration
of propagation of the Christian relig-
ion; and the objects of the expedition
under Gates and Delaware, stated in
the letters patent, included as the
first advancement of the Kingdom of
God.
The work of the church was supple
mented by the early Institution in Vir
ginia of the family. The practice of
divorce, too frequent and unjustifa-