The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-10-27

"Come. gsntIemen. let us 90 to sup
per, and for this night leave business"
<SigneA) THOMAS POSY.
THOMAS PURIFY.
Colonel Samuel Matthews was a
staunch Royalist and opposer OF
Cromwell. when Charles First was
beheaded in lsAS he said: I'VE must
stand together. We must save Viz
Sinia." BY his wis- Judgment and
strong influence for good. Colonel
Matthews did much to preserve Law
and order in the colony during this
trying period. The prayer book OF
the Church Of England was retained
and the church services continued.
Colonel Samuel Matthews was elect.
ed Governor and captAin-Genersi OF
virginia In lSs7-5s by the assembly
to succeed Govsrnor Digges. He At
tended the Legislative assembly OF
March Is, ls57-ss. convened at James
town. This assembly was a very mo-
mentous one for the history and de-
velopment Of the country. for II was
there that the principles OF repuoh-
can government were hret discussed
that the Burgesses were the repre-
. sentatives of the people. and that III
them was vested the power 10 e'ee.
the Governor and councillors, unt'i
thew should receive an order contrary
from England. and that the House
i was not dissolvable By any power
We, extant In Virginia. but their own.
. The laws OF the colony were revised ;
the church government was settled Dy
giving the people entire control OF the
vestry. which vestries. as Bishop
Meade says. ultimately. became the
nurseries of all the great patriots OF
a hundred years later in virginia.
The appointment of ministers ana
church wardens. the care Of the poo.
and parochial matters were Antrusteo
TO the people of each parish, and an
act was passed for The keeping holy
Of the Sabbath. and another against
the dangers of false news.
At an assembly convened In Marcn.
le5s-se. was chosen the Hon Coionei
Samuel Matthews Governor ana Cap
tain General OF Virginia" Tor two
yearx. and at the expiration OF that
period II was enacted that the next
Governor should be elected from the
, councillors, who henceforward should
hold Office for life. "unlesS impeacned
/ for misdemeanor.
From Henings Statutes. Vol l.. Ike
port Of the committee nominated Tor
vindication and manifestation OF the
l asseirbly'e power
I'VE have considered the present
Constitution OF the government OIL
Virginia and do propose that we hna
! by tbs records the present power OK
the government to reside in such per-
sons a. snail be empowered by the
Burgesses 1.-THE representatives OF the
| peopie). who was not dtxsoivanle oy
any power now extant In Virginia ex-
cspt the House Of Burgesasa They
humbly think ntt that the House do
| propose Samuel Matthew'S. Esq. to re-
main Governor and Captain General OF
virginia with the full Powers Of that
trust and that q Council be Appointed.
| nominated and confirmed by the pres
ent BurGesses convened. With the as
| distance OF the Governor for his ad-
! vice."
| The representatives Of the people.
az they proudly and Justly denomi-
mated themselves. were the "only SOW
ereigns Of Virginia THAT we are not
dissolvable by any power yet extant
\ in Virginia"
Governor Matthews died suddenly
| On March 10. 1sss-so.
As assembly convened to act on his
| death, and the BurEeeses declared
| that "thers being in England ~ resi-
0e0I aOSOt0t3 SuQ 8ouOtoA SOnseSoCu
power for the present. the supreme
| power OF the government OF virginia
|; was in them" and proceeded to elect
| Hon. Sir William Berkeley. Governor
/ and Captain-Generai OF Virginia. to HI
(! the place Of Governor Matthews.
! Among the last o1icia, acts OF Gov
ernor Matthews was the sending of a
| letter. August -. 1859. to Governor
FendaIl. Of Maryland. asking him to
cooperate with an expedition under
! Colonel Edmund Scarborough against
| the Asateague band of Indians, dwell
ing on the Eastern Shore. near the
boundary line. OF Virginia and Mary
| land
Gosernor Matthews married q second
] time. his second wife being the widow
OF Abraham Piersay. who died about
| 1885 leaving q widow, Elizabeth, who.
| according to the records of Essex
| County. Va. was possessed Of the
| best estate ever known In virginia"
| THE Percy Hundred comprfsed 2.2eO
acres. and after the marriage Of the
| Widow Piersey to Governor Matthews
was known as ''Ffuer de Hundred"
1t was an outpost Of Point Comfort
.Denbish." the estate OF Governor
Matthews. was q little farther up the
river. but was considered the most
important pi0Dt1tiOn In the DOmiuISu.
'DenbiEhr contained 2.s44 acres lying
on the James River. where q public
warehouse was established by Captain
Matthews in 1854. Matthews OF Dem
bigh' was famous for hospitality.
In reading the description given by
Campbell. the Historian. Of "Denbigh"
the. truly patriarchaI estate OF Gov
ernor and Captain-General Samuel
Matthews, on which, ground the pres
ent exposition 1t Jamestown 10 stu
ated. IL is interesting to note that
there was in these early days OF the
colony a free school In Virginia. He
says:
-Four years before John Harvard
bequesthed his estate to the college
near ooston. which bears lis name.
Benjamin Symmes Cor Syms), of vir-
ginia, left the first legacy by a resi-
dent Of the American plantations Of
England for the promotion OF educa-
ton. BY his will. made February IL.
Is;4-3s. he gave geo acres on Paauo-
son, a small stream which enters the
: ChesaOeakc Bay between Yorktown