The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-31
BURCESSES OF VA.
SURRENDERED NOT
Anniversary o (
Opening Of First Legis.
lative Body in New
World Is Fittingly OBJ
served by Colonia
Danes of America.

PENN OF the nrSt legislative OOuy IN
the new world wal fttingly commemo-
rated by the Colonial Danes of
America In the State OF Virginia In
the hall Of the house OF delegates yes
terday afternoon. An audience of
the auditorium of the hall, while
scattered seats in the gallery were oc-
cupied.
James Aston cabell. governor 81
the society of Colonial vars. who
presided. declared the gathering was
remarkable in many respects.
"One in particular" he said, Ties
in a fact at which i am astonished.
and that is that the world has not
made more Of occasion of anniversary
OF the sitting of h first Legislative
body on this continent"
Rt. Rev. William Cabell Brown. d.
D., bishop of Virginia. pronounced in
vocation, Before introducing WI.
lam G. Stanard, who. at the close OF
his remarks. introduced DR.. Douglas s.
Freeman, who made the principal ad-
dress. Mr.. Cabeil paid a glowing
tribute to the women of Virgisia-
The women OF Virginia OF this
period" he said. ARE taking care OF
old Virginia. and are looking after h
that makes for the good Of the COM
monwealth much better than the men
are dolngs / might add. while the lat
ter are K1leep on h job.
III the Colonial Danes had done
nothing else. whatt they have done on
this occasion. to honor and celebrate
and spread broadcast throughout h
world recollection of this great event.
which we are here this afternoon
gathered together to commemorate,
they have earned the lasting graf
itude OF the peoples, not only OF Viz
ginia, but throughout the breadth OF
the land.
/, mo more important meeting than
the first assembly OF the house OF
burgesses has yer bean held on this
continent" he said In conclusion.
George Bryan read q poem written
by duval Porter. who sang the vir-
tues RI ancient Virginia
Mr.. Standard was introduced As "a
man who has done much for the pre-
s~ervation of the history OF Virginia"
The b~urgesses of Virginia. declared
Or. Freeman. were more than the
representatives. to use the words Of
John Roife. of the "most temperate
and Just" government the country had
ever known. They were the only
representatives OF free government n
the ~AnElo-Saxon world.
The burTesses OF Virginia. once
meeting, never surrendered their
rights. he said. Styled sometimes h
house OF commons and. with the coun-
Gil, the general assembly OF Virginia.
those representatives, in fashion more
than poetic. lit a torch OF liberty. the
rays Of which. In two brief years. had
reached Britain and had wrung for
virginia. from the lips OF the Spanish
counsellor of James denun citation as
seminary for sediuous pariia-
ment."
I'm this hall and on this day" he
said. '9t teems OF all places and times
the most appropriate to rejoice that
the torch n stil AlamA. IN one sense,
at least. the general assembly OF Vtr-
Tinia, founded three hundred Years
ago this day, IL the oldest represen-
tative body Of continuous history
among Englsh-speaking peoples"
Virginia. he said. had representative
government before Massachusetts, was
founded. virginia's system Of repre-
sentative government was well estab-
lished before Massachusetts charter
rave her citizens any real voice in her
affairs. Virginia. not a Massachusetts,,
carried the standard OF advance free
government OF this continent until an
other standard. largely Of Virginia's
f~ashioning ana dyed In her blood. was
borne by her son for the nation.
The Boston tea party. he said. was
the brew OF Virginia. 1919.
Al the general assembly Of vir-
Kinia wa the irst In time, 50 was It
0rst In spirit ever to widen the borders
OF Americas political and religious
habitations, he said.
Starting irst. virginia kept frst and
went farthest, he said. She It wa
who wrote the bill of rights, she who
gave an empire TO unity. tho model
law for religious liberty. she who. with
the patience Of patriotism. breathed
the oxygen OF an invigorating ideal
into the lungs Of a slow pulsed, dying
confederation.
Tangled here and furnished there,
ne said, the thread OF representative
government In virginia IL golden still.
Great crises Virginia has met with
plain acts Of unabashed manliness.
She led the contin ent because she had
faith in herself. faith in her citizens,
faith In her ideals.
Benediction was pronounced by Rev.
"a. Freeiand Peter. Of st. James Epis-
enpal church.
DR.. Freeman spoke a follows:
Temperate and Just.
With passion perhaps. but none the
s9s = with precision. worthy John Rolfe
r~ompiained before the burgekses OF
19I4 that Captain Martin had cast
ssosne aspsrsion upon the present gov-
(conuu1sd ~ - ~