Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-07-11
|LANs TERCENTENARY or
FIRST VIRGINIA ASSEMBLY
vents Leading Up to U. s.. Ise.
public TO BE COMMUNICATED
Hero and Abroad.

The year 1920 Is doubly Significant.
ihtorically. II marks the three hun
redth anniversary OF two important
vents which led TO the founding OF
We republic Of the United states OF
merlca One is the signing of the
layhowcr Compact and the landing
tho Pilgrims: and the other is the
'eeting OF the first American I-egis
ative Assembly.
On November IL. 1870, Ia the cabin
the hayhower, tiny bark ly-
ng of the Massachusetts coast. a
ttie band OF liberty-loying men, from
[Brittania," entered into what his
Dry has styled the MayGower Com
pact. This agreement bound tho
lorty-ohe adult males in the ship'a
company into civil body polite for
ne better ordering. preserving and
arthering Of their mutual ends. And
provided for such just and equal
paws and Offices as should be n.ces-
fary Tor the general good OF the
{;oiony.
Casts Anchor In Barbor.
Ten days later. so records DIR.
iharies W. Eliot's inscription on the
ftigrim Memorial Monumen, at
Mass. the Mayfiowcr.
carrying lo2 passengers. men ana wo-
men and children, cast anchor in this
farbor s!xtysevGn days from civ
mouth. England.
This body polite, established and
fnain;ained on this bleak and barren
fdsc OF vast wilderness. a state
f@ithout King or a noble. church
f'thout bishop or n priest. u demo.
|'ratic commonwealth. the members Of
which were straitly tied TO ali care
pr each others good. and of the
whole by every one.
with long suffering devotion and
sober resolution they illustrated for
/ he hrst time in history the princi-
pies or civil and religious liberty and
the practice OF genuine Democracy"
Firs Assembly Meets.
But before this feiiow w. coionIsts OF
captain John Smith had met al,
James Ciit Gamestown). Va. for
the FIRST American Legislative "a
ssmbly. On July 30. 1919. they had
mus broken ground for the founda.
lion o! the present Democratic form
OF government in the United S,,,es
This year lin 1920 these events are
being commcmorated In the United
states. In England and In Holland. In
august. the origin OF the Pilgrim
movement Will be celebrated in Eng
land. And early in September. meet
ings Viii be held In Holland in mem
DRY of tho Pilgrims sojourn in that
second Maynower to Snii.
In September. "A second Nav
flower" viii set sail from Southamp-
ton. England. 20 follow 10 the Ameri-
can shore the path taken b. the or
iginal Maynowcr. tBut this second
Mayhower will be modern. and there
fore much more seaworihy than nor
smallcr predecessor)
This boat. carrying many promin-
cut people Of England. Holland and
the United States, viii anchor in
iIarbor in late Scptcm-
Der. It's arriva! Will perhaps mark
the GROWING dramatic episode Of the
entire Tercentenary celebrations
These events will not he, celebrated
In the United States by the citizens
OF Massachusetts and Virginia alone.
Nor bolcly by the New England and
South Atlantic states Communities.
throughout America are planning TO
take this opportunity TO rovicw the
upon winch the lnlcO
States rests."-and TO re-emphasize
those principles which these ances-
tors northumberland which their
sons. their followers. and their foi-
lowers sons have handed down TO us
through our form OF representative
government.
Plan Great Com me morat,on.
America is appropriating. from ma
tIonal and State treasures. hundreds
OF thousands OF dollars 10 be used in
y ians for the commemoration. One
plan is TO erect. overlooking. Ply
mouth harbor. a colossal statue OF
@assasoit, the Indian chief, who be-
!r!ended the Puritan pioneer. An
other is to. set the Plymouth Rock.
which In l7tl was raised above the
tide. In It's original position
Seventy American cities. Including
New York. Chicago and Boston. have
started plans for their celebrations
of the Tercentenary. The SulErave
Institution and the American May
flower Council have been active in
co.ordinat!nG these pians.N
Community Service Incorporated)
on Madison Avenue. New York has
drawn up suggestions for the use of
communities planning to celebrate
These have been distributed for the
use o! schools. churches. clubs and
general community groups through