The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-06

in the wise way for his own interests
and the general peace.
lie honestly devoted himself to the
welfare of the colony. encouraged the
growth Of cotton in order that cloth
might be made improved the methods
of administration, and sought in more
than one way to better the sources Of
wealth. But the Virginians liked as
little as the other colonistS did mis-
zeal in the enforcement of the acts
of trade; and his arbitrary temper
ruined him at last by bringing him
into collision with James Blair.
Andres predecessor in the COVER
norship Of Virginia had been Francis
Nicholson, n man who lad been hard
ly more than u tool Of James tyranny
a little while before in New York.
but who was at heart something bet
ter than mere placeman. He was
Incorporate. and in private often
showed himself gross and licentious
but he had some of the gifts of a
statesman. and in quiet Virginia de-
voted himself very steadily to the
welfare of the people he governed
10 less than to the advancement Of
the general interests of the crown.
James Blair had found in him an
intelligent friend. and not an oppo-
nent, when he sought to set up col
leEe in the colony. great deal of
Eirginian politics centered in Mr.
Blair. He was a Scotsman bred to or
ders in the English Church, and was
but thirty-siX when Sir Edmund An
dros was made governor of Virginia.
He had come to the colony in 1885. at
twenty-nine: and in 1880, the year Mr.
Nicholson became governor. he had
hncn appointed commissary for Nir-
giuia by the Bishop of London.
Virginia was supposed to lie within
the see of London, and as the bishops
commissary there il was Mr.. Blair's
duty TO inspect. report upon. and ad
minister discipline in the church Of
the colony.
He made it his first task TO estab-
fish a college-the assembly, the gov
ernor, and every true friend of Vir-
ginia at his back in the enterprise
in order that education might sustain
order and enlightenment.
The King granted charter and rev.
enues to the college in 1892; the mer-
chants of London subscribed right
handsomely; Gov. Nicholson handed
over to it $50 pounds voted to him
by the assembly: and Virginia at last
had the college she had wished and
planned for ever since the days of Sir
George Yeardley. 1t WAS agreed that
il should be called the College of
William and Mary.
But when Sir Edmund Andres came
Mr.. Nicholson being sent TO admins
ter the affairs of Maryland. it was
found, after few years trial. that
he and Mr.. Blair could not live in
the colony
Mr. Blair was as hot-tempered as
Sir Edmund and spoke his mind in
as choleric and unstinted way But
Mr.. Blair. though he was often bois-
ferrous, generally managed. after the
Canny Scots manner, to be right as
well, and generally had both the law
and the interests of the colony on his
side when it came to a contest. while
, Sir Edmund had great talent for
putting himself in the wrong.
When at last It came to breach
between the two. therefore, as it did
Sir Edmund lost and Mr.. Blair won
Sir Edmund was recalled to England
and Mr.. Nicholson was named COVER
nor once more.
1t was long time before Mr.. Blair
ceased to reign in Virginia. Mr.
Nicholson became instrumental in re-
moving the capital from Jamestown
which Mr.. Bacon had burned. to Will
iamSburg, more wholesOmely placed
ten miles back from the river. The
college also had been placed there:
and there Mr.. Blair continued to pre-
side as governors came and went.
Tomorrow: "a step Toward Confed-