The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-16
LOOKING BACKWARD
(continued fronA rage y


fcontinued frcnA rage -
termed, gathered together from the
| western frontier. OF the world. with
what destiny OF liberty for humanity
was IL fraught, Who could have then
| foretald what its influence would be
on the future progress OF civilization
| in vlrginia--inthe New World---in the
| Old Worl9--.hroughout the World
Jealous OF every right conceded TO
/ them in the charters granted to the
| first lord and governor. the settlers
! in Virginia had already in 1912, while
| that lord and first governor was a
prisoner In the tower Of London, petit
toned for and as far as they might,
dema nded enlarged rights and more
secure guarantees from their rulers
in The mother country. And now
their new governor and old friend.
Sir George Yeardiey, had brought
them a guaranty far greater than
either he or they knew. the right 10
meet in general assembly through
their representatives and legislate for
/ them seives-~the inestimahle conces-
sion OF the right Of government.
Like the Genii's gift OF the Arabian
tale. II was A tent SO small that il
might be compressed and concealed in
( the palm CT the hand. but IL might be
expanded 10 cover an army. No Won
der the Spanish ambassador warned
James that those Virginia people
were school for a seditious parlia-
! ment.
! DESTINY
So. they were summoned duly by
writs and assembled at Jamestown,
twenty-five representatives from
eleven horoughs, on July 80. 1918
/ one or two more than a score of from
! tiersmen meeting in raw. crude.
: frontier village TO legislate about the
affairs of the hfteen-year colony
/ but the principles applied were those
/ on which liberty for mankind has
! been founded.
i The eleven boroughs were James
/ City. Charles City. the city Of Mericus,
! Martin Brandon. Martins Hundred.
Lawnes Plantation, Wards Planta =
ton. Argeirs Gift. Flowerdieu Hun
dred. Smiths Hundred. and kecough-
tan. Smiths Hundred, named after
the treasurer. Sir Thomas Smith, soon
afterwards became southampton
Hundred" and Kecoughtan became
Hampton---both names referring to
Shakespeare's friend.
The functions of the new general
assembly were legislative, and TO
some extent. also judicial. 1t possessed
full rover OF legislation for the colony
and although its acts to become valid
required to be approved by the gem
, eral court of the London company
on the other hand no enactments OF
the company for the colony required
validity until approved by the general
assembly.
And here, a word OF the Royal
Governor" OF whom too little has
been made in our histories. Before
Yeardieys time there was but one
, pillow in Virginia Before Yeardley
time the colony was subject to the
despotic government of the governor
appointed in England.
! Sir George Yeardley was severa
s-ryTffTey governor Of Virginia, and be.
y twea his first term in 1919 and hi,
? death in 1927 Virginia grew under hi:
= Jealous care from a struggling ant
t struggling colcek, subject to MARTA
law. and barely able TO maintain itsel
s on the edge of the waterways, 10 {
e thriving colony with steadily extend
? ing frontier and increasing popula
' ton: with agriculture developing ant
commerce beginning with uni
versity projected and a general as
semhly established and working o,
principles which not only laid deei
, the foundations for liberty in Ameri
ca but was influencing strongly tn
progress of liberty In the rnothe
. country.
REALIZATION
n under the high patronage Of me-
like Southampton and Cavendish an
the provident and unfagging zeal o
Sir Thomas Smith, Edwyn Sandy
and Nicholas Perrar. Virginia expand
ed from that precarious existenc
] to land that had begun IN flo,
/, with milk and honey, let us not for
get that earnest, jealous, liberal
minded governor who, sprung from
merchants family, gave his life t
= building up Virginia on the perma
nent foundations OF self-gov-rnmep'
v The assembly, called together b
= drum beats an hour after sunrise
was held tr the little wooden church
| a fitting place for so pious a labor
:, the royal governor and the counci
= sitting In the choir. the governor In
green velvet chair. and the burgesse
in the pews: and, Of course the ses
sion was opened with PRAYERS 1t Is
procedure which has lasted on through
|. the years. And may it ever continue
y In those days. indeed attendance o.
prayers was obligatory, and absenc
was runisha BILE with fine OF a shii
. ling. while absence from duty all da,
y was punishable with a flne of half
y a crown.
III Thus started, under the invocation
| of the protection of God. we know
with what affairs they were occupied
I The credentials verified, the Hous
duly organized and the speakers ad
dress delivered. they proceeded T.
business
/ Questions of the internal and ex
! ternal policy OF the colony were be
J fore them and were dealt with boldly
; Happily, amid the well-nigh genera
5 negligence OF our people touching tn,
preservation OF records, there wer
5 shining exceptions, and we have in thu
collection OF "Hening's Statutes a
Large" and of some few other piou
collectors, records of the matter
dealt with in this and succeeding as
sem blies.
All were in fun dress. starchet
cuffs and silk. or velvet coats, golt
braid. etc. In fact, so highly wal
this pon1p esteemed that only two
years later statute was passed max
ing the wearing Of gold braid unlaw
full by any save the governor. council
and ether high officials. All the bur
gesses sat with hats on, token o,
high privilege. as continued down Il
today in the British house OF com
mons.