Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-06-13


length of time eyer accomplished Sc
much for the betterment OF mankind
or produced so many eminent men,
who will be numbered forever among
the immortals. Her history is re
plete with great deeds and great
names.
Virginia Had First Jury.
The two most important rights of
modern times are the trial by jury,
and legislative government. Within
Virginia was empannelled the first
jury that ever administered Justice
in the Western Hemisphere. Hero
in the new world was first exercise.
and firmly established that precious
heritage OF the AngloSaxon, which
has been the chief source of his lib.
erty and his main protection against
oppression and depotlsm, At janet.
town. on the Both of July 1914 as
sembled the House OF Burgessis OF
Virginia, the first legislative body
that ever sat or enacted laws In
America. This was the first parlia-
mentary body of the world composed
of members from designated boroughs
and elected by universal suffrage, III
the modest wooden church Mt James.
town was first exercised the great
principle that government should 10
the expression OF the will of the
masses of tho people. The birth of
free representative government in
Virginia was coeval with its destruc-
ton elsewhere. James the First had
deprived Parliament of its power AMI
privileges, dissolved 1t, not to be con.
vened for seven years. Tho Spanish
King had destroyed the National Cor.
tez and his will was the supreme law
OF Spain. The States General I'll
France WAS dissolved not to be called
until 1893, on the eve of the French
Revolution. The only place free from
arbitrary power and despotism was
the small colony of Virginia fringiB J
the Atlantic coast. Liberty had M
refuge save in the forests OF Virginia.
Right valiantly did the Lrave cavalier 3
of Virginia preserve the sacred fira
entrusted to their keeping. In 1924
without n dissenting voice the House
of Burgesses enacted, that no taxt s
should be levied within the colony and
no money appropriated except by 81
authority. This bold declaration wns
made years before the same WAS u !.
serted by the British Parliament
against Charles the First. This prin
ciple that taxation Is gift of the
citizens, dependent on their contest.
and net prerogative to be exercised
by rulers, is he very foundation of
all free government. This Is the
right for which we commended cen
tury and half later in the Revoli
tionary war.
Germ OF Free Institutions.
The germ of free Institutions WINS
first planted and nourished in til a
soil of Virginia. Protected by Draw
loving hands, refreshed by hero!c
blood. 1t was strengthened, has grown
and fructified until now 1t over
spreads the world. The people 81
Virginia, through their elected repro.
sentatives, levied and appropriated
all taxes, declared war or made peac :,
guarded their own FORTS furnished
and commanded their own troops AMI
practically exercised all the fuIctioIa
of her privileges and rights. Charlt.i
the First presented flatterlng off i
to the colony to give him monopoly
Of their tobacco. The Assembly Viz.
rously protested against the monopo.
ly. and decisively rejected the pro
posal. Charles acquiesced in this re.
fusal, and this King, who had ruth,
lessly monopolized the trades and In
dustries of England to obtain money,
dared not to extend his despoili
hand to Virginia. Later Charles VS.
ceived holder and more dangerous
defiance. He sent his Commissioners
to inquire into the affairs OF Virginia
and demanded the public records Of
the colony. The Assembly refused.
Insisting that the records were not
for the sight of the King or his Conn.,
The Commissioners fin
ally induced Sharpless, the clerk, to
furnish them a copy Of the records,
wllerGmpon the Assembly condemne d |
Sharpless 10 stand in the piljory and
have the half of one of his ears cut
off Here was the Legislative Assem-.
bly, Of an infant colony, that knew
its privileges and rights, and dared to
maintain them against oil aggressors
and Mt all hazards. Even this early |
the torch of liberty illumined the
woods of Virginia. On the 2Sth OF |
April, 1895. the people OF VirgInin,
still more resolutely asserted their
rgths. On that day the House OF
Burgesses removed the Royal Cover
nor. Sir John Harvey, from his Of
flee on account of misconduct and
exercised of. illegal powers, and elect
ed Captain John West rs Governors
in his place. This preceded by lars
the deposition of Charles the 1 rst
by the British Parliament. The col
ony of Virginia led the mother coun-
try in opposition to tyranny and op,l
preston, and in bold maintenance OF
the rights and liberty OF Englishmen.
This was the first revolutionary act
in America; the first warning given
to the kings of the old world that
Their unworthy and arbitrary deputies
in the new world would encounter re.
and receive decapitation. The