Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-31
OBSERVE TERCENTENARY
or POPULAR GOVERNMENT
VirginianS Mark Meeting of First
Representative Law-Making
Body.
HONOR MOMENTUOUs EVENT
Colonial Danes Hold Exercises Com
mcmorating Converting of Virginia
= House of BurGcsscs i'm t619-Fur-
thcr Exercises Will BE Held mt
jamestown Tomorrow.

Representatiye virginians. nlIed the
day afternoon TO observe the three
hundredth anniversary of the con"en-
ine of the first ropular !awma King
In 1919
low him sat those who took part in
the program George Bryan. DIR.
Douglas :. Freeman. W. q. Stanard.
Brown. Bishop OF Virginia. Governor
Westmoreland Davis and his aide.
Colonel Leroy Hodges. were. seated at
the right OF tho speakers chair.
Commcnds Colonial Danes.
In Introducing Bishop Brown. who
delivered the invoca ton. Mr.. Cabell
called attention 10 the fact that the
was the first public meeting IN history
which was ever opened with prayer.
The Invocation OF Bishop Browns
recital Of the LORDS Prayer.
Communication OF the Colonial Danes
of America in the state OF Virginia
sary of such great event was the
fuTthGr subject OF remark by Mr.
Of the House OF EurgeSscs, which was
the first General Assembly OF Virginia.
TO nys oSen Ina ia IN moSi his
The men who took part in the delibera-
tons OF, that representative body. Mr..
Cabeil declared were many OF them,
Champions OF lost causes overseas. but
.'The fires those patriots lighted upon
government. said Mr.. Cabell. are to-
day shedding light over an empire with
which the CAESARS wie.ded a sceptrc.1
Reads Patriotic Poem.
\ poem by Duvau Porter. breathing
the spirit Of those carly Virginia pa
trio,s. was ;hsn read by George BRYAN.
toc!cal society, followed Mr. Br;y:;an and
laid further stress on the historical
aspects OF the celebration.
In his address. which was the prin-
cipal feature OF the terCcntenary ccle-
bration, Or. Douglas Southal Freeman
pointed out number Of significant
features connected with the event which
The celebration yesterday commemor-
ated
The virginia Rureesses, he said.
were the only representatives OF a free
government In the ArElo-SaXon world.
and once having met. they never sur
rendered their rights TO voice in the
governing OF themselves
The General Assembly OF Virginia.
according 10 DR. Freeman. is the oldest
Legislative body Of continuous leGisla-
tive history in Anglo Saxon records.
Clnims Palm for Nirginin
DR.. Freeman solemnly aired the
claims OF Massachusetts 70 recognition
amidst laughter ard applause from the
audience
Virginia had a representative gov
nrnment before the Massachusetts
Bay Colony was founded. asserted the
speaker. and in closing he declared
that Virginia needed now some OF the
strength of that early faith
Governor Briefly Responds.
While Governor Davis was MOI on
the program he responded to the urs-
ent invitation extended by the chair
man 10 express tho pleasure the occa-
sion had given him and his abiding
faith in the future Of Virginia
Tomorrow at Jamestown. under rho
auspices Of the Association for the
Preservation Of Virginia Antiouitics.
OF which Mrs. John r. Liehtfoot is
president, there will be a fitting OBJ
servance OF the tcrcentcnniai anniycr-
sary or the sitting of tho General
Assembly in 1919. ARRANGEMENTS can
easily be made according 10 Mrs Light
foot, for reaching Jamestown