Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-05-14

sage of Greeting from the Old World
to the Now"
Ambassador Bryce. In part, said:
THE oak Of English dominion on
the continent of North America lay
hidden In the acorn that was plant,
cd on this island in tho James River,
Just us the germ of English dominion
| In the East was to be found In the
charter that had been granted by
Queen Elizabeth TO the East lndin
Company z years before this very
settlement here.
"The landing ut jamestown was
one of tho great events in the history
of the world-on event to be com,
pared for It's momentous consc.
1uences with the overthrow of tho
Persian Empire by Alexander: with
! the destruction OF Carthage by Rome:
! with the conquest OF Gaul by Clovis:
with tho taking Of Constantinonlc by
the Turks-onc might almost say
with the discovery of America by
Columbus. Bit did any idea of the
MAGNITUDE OF this event rise In the
minds Of the little band of settlers
when they set TO the building of their
fort, called after the King. flames
Town,' and Logan to SOW their fields
with wheat. There Ia nothing to
show that they saw far ahead.
Two qualities we may note In
these founders of Virginia. One Of
these, tho spirit of adventure, was
commoN to them with m;tny others
who liz crossed the Western Sen.
But In tue other quality our country.
mon and your forerathers stood pre-
eminent. They came from free
' country. though It's freedom Ind not
yet been pnccd on secure founda-
ton; and the spirit of liberty and
tho love of self-goyernment glowed
their hearts. They carried i'm their
breasts the principles ana traditions
o fthc common law Of England.
which of all tho legal systems that
have over been framed Is the one
most fully pcrvnded with the spirit
OF liberty and the most favorable to
the development of personal selfreli-
nnco and individual responsibility
That spirit showed itself very enrly
among tho cOlonists of Virginia The
same spirit prompted Vlrgina's action
when an unwise English Ministry. ig.
norant of the circumstances and feel.
ines of the colonists Numbered into
n conflict which ended I'm their Sc.
vorance from England: how the
greatest of all Vireininns. Clarum ct
Venerable Nomon, led his colony and
its fellow colonies in that conflict;
how the craftsmanship OF Virginia.
matured by tho experience of nearly
two centuries bore its part, and n
most distinguished part, I'm framing
the Constitution OF 1887 and gave to
inc Union fc"r out OF It's five first
Presidents; how one of Virginia's
most illnstrions sons, Chief Justice
Marshall. so cXpounded and devotion.
cd the Constitution as to become al
most It's seconiI author-of all this |
must not here and now attempt to
speak.
Nearly fifty years ago dark DAYS
descended upon Virginia. War came,
with all the evils that war brings in
It's brain Those were days of sad.
ness and suffering, suffering borne
with the characteristic gallaDtry OF
Virginians, and they produced in
Robert E. Lee ono of the finest char
actcrs of that age But ont of the
strom there emerged land delivered
from the curse of slavery, Which had
alas! come down from tie early co
lonial days, The Republic now began
to stand more truly united than Il
had ever stood before. Today the
Joalousics of States, the antagonism
OF North and South, have happil;
vanished Virginia and Massacm
sets. the Carolina of Calhoun and
the Illinois of Lincoln, can all. Iooi
back without bitterness on those
Virginia battlcficlds where Lee and
i Grant won undying fame. The prob
, lens that now occupy the thoughts OF
your people have, with one exception
! nothing to do with geographical bonn
draies. Never was there i'm this
country so strong n sense that what
, ever the future may have In store
. the Federal Union-'an indestrrctible
union of jndcsiructiblo Statcs'-mus
and will re preserved. IT guarantees
your material prosperity. 1t is guard
cd by your national patriotism.
''Tn this season of fair weather il
is natural that your eyes should lool
back across the sea to the ancient
Mother Land, from whom You wcr,
for time divided by clouds of mis-
/, understanding shat have now melted
away into the blue. Between ~ru and
her there is now an affection and q
sympathy such as perhaps there nov
or was before in the days of you,
political connection. To-day she re
toices with you in your prosperity
and your unity She Is proud oi
, you, and among her many achieve
: mcnts there is none Of which she is
. more proud than tbis that sbo l,id