A history of Virginia : from its discovery and settlement by Europeans to the present time. Vol. II, Part 1

Author: Howison, Robert R. (Robert Reid)
Publication date: 1846
Publisher: Philadelphia : Carey & Hart
Number of Pages: 542


USA > Virginia > A history of Virginia : from its discovery and settlement by Europeans to the present time. Vol. II > Part 1


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33


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Gc 975.5 H84h v.2 1236196


M. L


GENEALOGY COLLECTION


ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02167 769 2


1


Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016


https://archive.org/details/historyofvirgini02howi_0


A


HISTORY OF VIRGINIA,


FROM ITS


DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT.


C


A


HISTORY OF VIRGINIA,


FROM ITS


DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT


BY EUROPEANS


TO


THE PRESENT TIME.


BY ROBERT R. HOWISON.


VOL. II.


CONTAINING THE HISTORY OF THE COLONY AND OF THE STATE FROM 1763 TO THE RETROCESSION OF ALEXANDRIA IN 1847, WITH A REVIEW OF THE PRESENT CONDITION OF VIRGINIA.


RICHMOND: DRINKER AND MORRIS. NEW YORK AND LONDON : WILEY AND PUTNAM. 1848.


975.50 H84 2


Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1847, BY DRINKER AND MORRIS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States in and for the Eastern District of Virginia.


C. SHERMAN, PRINTER, 19 St. James Street, Philadelphia.


1236196


TO


THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA,


This Dolume,


CONTAINING


THE REVOLUTIONARY AND MODERN HISTORY OF THEIR STATE,


WITH


A REVIEW OF HER PRESENT CONDITION,


IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED,


BY


THE AUTHOR.


Southern -$27.50 (2100


0


ERRATA.


Page 49, line 25 from top, for perpetuate read perpetrate.


" 156, " 6


66 trespasses 66 trespassers.


162, 23 " had = has.


171, 4 " Makennie = Makemie. rites.


= 179, 14


66 rights wide. 182, 6 wild 203, 1 drank 66 66 drunk. # 380, 19


" would 6 could. " 478, " 11


" 511, " 10


" exists exist.


" disposition dispositions.


" 414, " 22 insert " then" between "and" and " thee."


PREFACE.


THE volume now presented to the public concludes the history of Virginia from 1763 to the year 1847, and contains also a review of her present condition. The Author has found the task more interesting and more difficult than the composition of the first volume ; and as no one can estimate its difficulty more fully, so it is probable that none can perceive its defects more clearly than himself. But he has persevered in the plan of stating facts upon none but the best authorities, of giving the names of his witnesses to his readers, and of laying open his inferences to full inspection.


It will be at once remarked, that his plan has brought him in contact with many delicate subjects, and with individuals either now living themselves or having near relatives alive. He can hardly hope that he will give satisfaction to all. Were he to pretend that he has no preferences in politics, in religion, or in views of the social system, he would instantly forfeit all right to public confidence. But preferences may be well founded. He has eagerly striven to divest his mind of all prejudice and undue prepossession, and to reach the truth wherever it could be at- tained. If, therefore, any reader shall find in this work any statement which does not please him, he is earnestly asked to pause, to reconsider his own opinion, to examine carefully the authorities cited for facts, and the deductions drawn from them. When he shall have bestowed as much labour in reviewing the statement as has been devoted to its original preparation, if his objections are not removed, the Author will be pleased to hear them from him.


The first volume of the work has been received with a degree of favour for which the Author is truly grateful. It has been


viii


PREFACE.


most kindly commented upon by many who were competent to judge of its merits. In confessing the pleasure he has derived from favourable criticisms, he would not forget to render his acknowledgments to those who have undertaken the important duty of pointing out his sins of omission and commission. He has endeavoured to give proper heed to their rebukes. Wherever the censure has seemed to him to be just, and not the result of inexperience, false taste, and undue self-esteem in the critic, he has allowed it full weight in his subsequent labours. Evidence of his willingness to correct what he has thought inaccurate in the first, will be found in the present volume.


There is a healthful philosophy to be learned from the history of Virginia, and the Author would be grieved to think that he had entirely failed in inculcating it. On this subject an immature critic will easily fall into errors. History must not teach her lessons by long courses of reflection and trains of argument, continued like the reasonings in a work on ethics or political economy. She must teach by a proper selection and arrangement of her basis of facts. To make a child hate national ingratitude, many laboured reflections on the subject might be administered to him without effect, but if the banishment of Aristides from Athens were related to him, with a single sharply-pointed comment, it would make an impression never to be erased. And men are but " children of an older growth." If the reader of these volumes shall learn from them that idleness and profligacy will produce want and wretchedness ; that perseverance against obstacles will insure success; that tyranny in government will lead to rebellion in its subjects; that ceaseless vigilance is the price of inde- pendence ; that religion, in order to be pure, must be free; that weakness in government may be as dangerous as strength; that children will suffer because of the sins of their parents ; and that education is necessary to national happiness,-he will learn lessons in philosophy such as Virginia should be glad to teach, and such as her people will act upon when they fulfil their proper duties as citizens of the oldest member of the American Confederacy.


RICHMOND, VIRGINIA,


November 11th, 1847.


CONTENTS.


CHAPTER I.


National Debt of Great Britain ; Her authority in America ; Sir Robert Walpole; Injustice of taxing the Colonies ; Lord Chatham ; Doctor Johnson ; Patrick Henry; His early life ; Clergy and Two Penny Act ; Clergy suit ; Henry's eloquence ; Indian War ; George Grenville proposes to raise revenue by taxing the Colonies ; Virginia remonstrates ; Stamp Act; Indignation in America ; Virginia Legis- lature of 1765 ; Patrick Henry's Resolutions ; Their effect ; First Congress; Stamp Act repealed; Treasurer Robinson; Death of Governor Fauquier ; His character ; Charles Townsend ; Duties on tea and other articles ; Action in Virginia ; Norborne Berkley, Baron de Botetourt, arrives ; His character ; First Virginia Convention ; English injustice ; Death of Botetourt ; Lord Dunmore governor ; Dabney Carr ; Boston Port Bill; Raleigh Tavern; Convention in Williamsburg ; Indian Hostilities; General Andrew Lewis; Battle of Point Pleasant; Severe Loss of the Virginians; Savages defeated ; Speech of Logan ; Convention of 1775 in Richmond; Patrick Henry's great speech ; Its effect; Dunmore secretly removes powder from Williamsburg ; War - - 19


CHAPTER II.


Excitement in Williamsburg; Armed force from the Fowey man-of- war; Captain Montague; Proceedings in Fredericksburg ; Patrick Henry marches at the head of a volunteer company to retake the powder ; Richard Corbin, King's Receiver-General ; Last House of Burgesses in Virginia ; Conciliatory plan of English Ministry ; Its duplicity ; Virginia not deceived ; Explosion in the Williamsburg magazine ; Dunmore retires aboard the Fowey; Correspondence, between the Governor and the House of Burgesses; Vigorous prepa-


x


CONTENTS.


rations for war ; Dunmore enters Norfolk harbour; Seizure of Holt's printing press ; Predatory warfare ; Attack on Hampton; Gallant defence ; Enemy repulsed ; Dunmore's success in Princess Anne ; His inhuman proclamation ; Plot with Conolly ; Great Bridge; Colonel Woodford marches with the Virginia force; Conflict at the Great Bridge ; Death of Fordyce; Success of the Virginians ; Howe and Woodford enter Norfolk ; Consternation of the Tories ; English fleet ; Norfolk fired upon and burned; Dunmore's degradation ; General Charles Lee ; Removal of people from Princess Anne and Norfolk Counties; Gwynn's Island; Dunmore takes possession of it; General Andrew Lewis attacks him; Drives him out with loss; Miserable condition of the enemy ; Dunmore sails to New York ; Finally leaves America ; His character ; Virginia and the Revolu. tion ; Civil and religious freedom; Seldom enjoyed in the world ; Virginia resolves, if possible, to secure them; Her gradual ap- proach to independence; Paine's Common Sense; Virginia Gazette; Convention of 1776; Declaration of May 15; Bill of Rights; Con- stitution ; Its character considered ; Establishment of civil liberty - 83


CHAPTER III.


Religion ; Man naturally religious ; Christianity the only true religion; Its intrinsic evidences ; Union of church and state; Its evils ; Re- formation ; Church of England established; Bishops; Church esta- blished in Virginia ; First ministers; Church under martial law ; Establishment of parishes and glebes; Bigotry of Sir William Berkeley; Archbishop Laud; Stephen Reek; Intolerance; Its effects; Church in time of Governor Spotswood; Parishes; Progress of the Established Church; Her apparent prosperity ; Real condition ; Evils of the Establishment in Virginia ; Rights of conscience in- fringed; Injustice to Dissenters; Intolerance; Cruelty; Wicked clergy ; Irreligious people ; Conduct of the Parsons ; Rise and pro- gress of Dissenters ; Huguenots from France; Congregationalists from New England; Regular Baptists ; George Whitefield visits Virginia; Effect of his preaching in America ; Separate Baptists ; Their rapid progress in Virginia ; Their zeal; They are opposed by the Episcopal clergy ; Persecution; Patriotism of the Baptists ; Presbyterians in the Valley ; Stone Church of Augusta ; John Craig; Origin of Presbyterianism in Eastern Virginia ; John Organ; Samuel Morris ; Luther and Bunyan; Fines ; William Robinson arrives ; Effect of his preaching ; Samuel Davies; His character and elo-


3 1833 02167 769 2


1


CONTENTS.


quence ; His great success ; Hampden Sydney and Liberty Hall; Methodists in Virginia; They co-operate with the Establishment ; Legislature of 1776; Struggle for religious freedom ; Memorials ; Mr. Jefferson ; Severe conflict ; Bill in favour of Dissenters; Partial establishment of Religious Liberty


xi


CHAPTER IV.


Changes required by the principles of the Revolution ; Law ; State of the Law in Virginia ; Entails ; Their progress in England ; Docked by fine and recovery ; Rigour of entails in Virginia; Aristo- cracy ; Evils of the system ; Mr. Jefferson's bill ; Entails abolished ; Proposed revisal of the whole legal system of the state ; Revisors appointed ; Their labours; Their report partially adopted ; Review of their suggested reforms ; Events of 1776; A dictator proposed ; Patrick Henry and Archibald Cary ; Progress of the Revolutionary War; Scientific association ; Aid to Hampden Sydney College ; Lafayette and De Kalb; General Thomas Nelson ; Legislation as to British debts ; Consequences thereof; Virginia accedes to confedera- tion ; Josiah Phillips ; Dismal Swamp ; Bill of attainder ; Phillips captured, regularly tried, condemned, and executed ; Further im- portation of slaves forbidden ; English Commissioners ; Their dis- graceful conduct ; Virginia refuses to hear them ; Settlement of the west ; Magnificence of the country ; Daniel Boone in Kentucky ; Manners of the western pioneers; English Governor Hamilton ; George Rogers Clarke ; Capture of Kaskaskia; Of Fort Vincennes; Hamilton sent a prisoner to Williamsburg ; His rigorous treatment; General Matthew's incursion ; Suffolk burned ; Thomas Jefferson, governor ; Defeat of Gates at Camden ; Leslie's incursion ; Saratoga prisoners ; Arnold's incursion ; Proceedings in Richmond ; Arnold enters ; Simcoe destroys stores at Westham ; Baron Steuben ; Skir- mishes with the enemy ; General Phillips takes command of the English ; Marches to Petersburg ; Lafayette appointed to defend Virginia ; Phillips, after descending the river some distance, returns to Petersburg; His death; Cornwallis advances from North Carolina; Pursues Lafayette ; Caution and skill of the Marquis ; Simcoe drives Steuben from the Point of Fork ; Tarleton seeks to capture the Legis- lature and Mr. Jefferson ; Narrow escape; Masterly movement of Lafayette ; Cornwallis retires to the seaboard ; Takes post on York and Gloucester Points ; Washington advances from the north with the combined French and American armies; French fleet enters the


- 141


xii


CONTENTS.


Chesapeake ; Siege of Yorktown ; Surrender of Cornwallis; End of the Revolutionary War - - 196


CHAPTER V.


Peace has its dangers; Virginia's generosity ; Charters of King James I .; Domain of Virginia narrowed by charters to other states, and by Treaty of Paris in 1763 ; Validity of her claim ; Land Companies ; Virginia's claim disputed in Congress ; Objections to it considered ; Maryland and the Confederation; Virginia's dignified protest ; She finally cedes her lands northwest of the Ohio; Extent of this gift; Patrick Henry ; British Refugees ; Proposed law to encourage inter- marriages between Whites and Indians ; Resolution to incorporate all religious societies who should apply ; Act to incorporate the Pro- testant Episcopal Church; General assessment to support Religion proposed ; Mr. Madison's memorial against it ; It is rejected ; Bill of Religious Liberty ; Mr. Jefferson; Memorials of Hanover Presbytery; Bill adopted by the Legislature; Act incorporating the Episcopal Church repealed; Capitol; Statue of Washington; Houdon the statuary ; Edmund Randolph Governor; Vices of the Confederacy ; Necessity for a new government ; Forms of Civil Government con- sidered; Ancient debate on the subject; Mixed character of British Constitution ; The conduct of America in 1787-'88 peculiar; Inci- pient measures to secure a change in plan of Confederation ; Federal Convention in 1787; Constitution proposed; Debate in Virginia Con- vention; Edmund Pendleton; Governor Randolph; George Nicholas; Henry Lee ; Francis Corbin ; John Marshall; James Innes ; James Madison ; Opposition to proposed Government; Patrick Henry; George Mason; James Monroe; William Grayson ; Constitution adopted by Virginia ; Amendments finally secured - 281


CHAPTER VI.


Subsequent course of Virginia; Sometimes adverse to that of the Federal Government; Admission of Kentucky to the Union ; Memo- rial of Quakers ; Rise and progress of parties ; Federalists ; Republi- cans ; Foreign element ; French Revolution ; Its excesses ; Conflict of feeling in America ; Popular sentiment in Virginia; President Adams; His leading measures ; Virginia's jealousy ; Founding of the armory at Richmond; Muskets; Cannon ; Passage of the Alien and Sedition Laws; Indignation of the Republican party in Virginia;


.


xiii


CONTENTS.


Legislature of 1798-'99 ; Resolutions written by Mr. Madison, and offered by John Taylor, of Caroline; Animated debate; George Keith Taylor ; General Lee; Mr. Mercer; Mr. Daniel; Mr. Pope, from Prince William ; James Barbour; William B. Giles ; Resolu- tions amended and adopted ; Kentucky Resolutions; George Wash- ington's letter to Patrick Henry ; Mr. Henry is elected to the Legislature from Charlotte; He prepares to defend the Alien and Sedition Laws ; His death; Death of Washington; Session of 1799-1800; Mr. Madison's celebrated Report ; Brief review of its doctrines as subsequently explained; Their illustration in Virginia ; James Thompson Callender ; His libellous pamphlet; Judge Samuel Chase; Holds a Federal Court in Richmond; Callender's indictment, trial, conviction, and punishment; Virginia offers no resistance; Election of Mr. Jefferson to the Presidency -


CHAPTER VII.


Internal interests of Virginia ; Slaves ; Insurrection headed by Gabriel; Happily defeated ; Establishment of the Public Guard ; Incipient steps for the sale of the glebe lands ; Act of 1799 ; Its character explained; Memorials asking a sale of the glebes for the benefit of the public ; Act passed for the purpose ; Its leading provisions con- sidered ; Its effect and abuses ; Constitutionality of the act disputed by the Protestant Episcopal Church ; Manchester Parish case ; Death of Judge Pendleton ; Argument in the Court of Appeals ; Court divided ; Chancellor's decision that the law was constitutional, affirmed ; Subsequent case ; Chancellor Tucker ; Court of Appeals, unanimous in sustaining the law ; Complete establishment of reli- gious liberty ; Bank of Virginia chartered; Trial of Aaron Burr ; Burning of the Richmond Theatre, in 1811 ; Late war with Eng- land ; Virginia invaded ; Admiral Cockburn ; Mr. Jefferson's gun- boats ; Heroic defence of Craney Island; Hampton attacked and taken ; Horrible outrages there committed by the enemy ; Excite- ment in Richmond ; Preparations for defence; Withdrawal of the enemy ; Peace in 1815; University of Virginia ; Its obligations to Mr. Jefferson; Its career ; Members elected to a Convention to amend the Constitution of the State ; Their labours ; Amended Con- stitution adopted ; Vote ; Conflict of sentiment between the East and West; Explained; The Southampton insurrection of slaves ; Crushed; Excitement throughout the state ; Legislature of 1831-32 ; Case of Johnson, Smith, and Gansey; Controversy between the Executive of


- 337


xiv


CONTENTS.


Virginia and that of New York; Governor Seward's conduct ; Vir- ginia Inspection Law; Protest; Case of Curry ; Resignation of Governor Gilmer ; His death and character ; Retrocession of Alex. andria ratified in 1847 - 388


CHAPTER VIII.


Review of the present condition of the State proposed ; Her Laws ; Changes in the Civil Code; Amelioration of the Criminal Code ; Penitentiary ; Statistics ; Free coloured population ; Laws as to slaves ; Courts of justice ; Delay in Court of Appeals ; Proposed re- visal of the law ; Literature in Virginia ; George Sandys's Ovid ; Munford's Homer ; Poets of Virginia ; Lighter prose works ; His- torical works; Newspapers; Southern Literary Messenger; Colleges; William and Mary; Washington ; Virginia Military Academy ; Randolph Macon ; Emory and Henry ; Rector ; Hampden Sidney ; Medical department ; Lunatic Hospitals ; Institutions for the deaf and dumb and the blind ; Religion in the state; Freedom of con- science ; The Baptists ; Statistics ; The Methodists; Statistics ; The Presbyterians ; Division in 1837, 1838; Statistics ; The Episcopa- lians ; Progress of their church; Statistics; Other sects ; Jews ; Roman Catholics; Religious incorporations ; Petition to Legislature of 1845-46; Debate before Committee of Courts of Justice ; Agri- cultural interest of Virginia ; Statistics ; Manufactures ; Mining ; Finances ; Subjects of taxation ; Population of the state ; Virginia compared with Massachusetts; Statistics ; Sluggishness of Vir- ginia ; Three causes assigned ; Want of education; Ignorance in the state; Want of internal improvement ; Old James River Com- pany ; James River and Kanawha Company ; Work accomplished by it; Other improvements proposed ; Slavery ; Its evils ; Public sentiment with regard to it; Its decrease; Statistics ; Virginia Land Company in England ; Conclusion - 455


PUBLIC LIBRARY, Ac. No.


10212 9.993 SPRINGFIELD, OHIO. :


.4


-


LIST OF PRESIDENTS, GOVERNORS, ETC., OF VIRGINIA,


DURING HER EXISTENCE AS A COLONY AND A STATE.


1607. Edward Maria Wingfield, - President.


1607. John Ratcliffe,


1608. John Smith,


1609. George Percy,


66


1609. Thomas West, Lord Delaware, Governor. 1611. Thomas Dale, High Marshal.


1616. George Yeardley,


Lieutenant-Governor.


1617. Samuel Argal,


1619. George Yeardley,


- Governor. 66


1621. Francis Wyatt,


1626. George Yeardley,


.


1628. John Potts,


-


1629. John Hervey,


1635. John West,


.


1635. John Hervey,


1639. Francis Wyatt,


1641. William Berkeley, -


1645. Richard Kemp,


1645. William Berkeley, -


. Lieutenant-Governor. Governor. 66


1652. Richard Bennett,


1656. Edward Digges,


66


1658. Samuel Matthews,


1660. William Berkeley, -


1677. Herbert Jeffries,


- Lieutenant-Governor. Governor. 66


1678. Henry Chicheley,


1679. Thomas, Lord Culpeper, -


66


1680. Henry Chicheley,


· Lieutenant-Governor. Governor.


1684. Lord Howard of Effingham,


1689. Nathaniel Bacon,


- Lieutenant-Governor.


1690. Francis Nicholson,


1692. Edmund Andros,


· Governor.


1698. Francis Nicholson,


1704. Earl of Orkney,


1705. Edward Nott,


1706. Edmund Jennings,


Lieutenant-Governor. 66


66


1627. Francis West,


66


66


1677. Herbert Jeffries,


xvi LIST OF PRESIDENTS, GOVERNORS, ETC.


1710. Robert Hunter,


Lieutenant-Governor.


1710. Alexander Spotswood,


1722. Hugh Drysdale, 1726. Robert Carter, -


66


1727. William Gooch,


66


66


1749. - Robinson,


66


1749. Lord Albemarle,


Governor.


1750. Louis Burwell,


-


Lieutenant-Governor.


1752. Robert Dinwiddie, -


66


1758. John Blair,


66


66


1758. Francis Fauquier, -


Governor.


1768. John Blair,


- Lieutenant-Governor. Governor.


1770. William Nelson,


Lieutenant-Governor. Governor.


1772. John, Lord Dunmore,


1776. Patrick Henry, - (State)


. Governor. 66


1779. Thomas Jefferson,


1781. Thomas Nelson,


66


1781. Benjamin Harrison,


1784. Patrick Henry,


66


66


1786. Edmund Randolph,


66


66


1791. Henry Lee,


66


1794. Robert Brooke,


66


66


1796. James Wood,


66


66


1799. James Monroe,


66


1805. William H. Cabell,


66


66


1808. John Tyler,


66


66


1811. James Monroe,


66


66


1811. George W. Smith,


66


1812. James Barbour,


66


1816. James P. Preston,


66


66


66


1822. James Pleasants,


66


66


1827. William B. Giles, 66


66


1830. John Floyd,


66


66


1834. Littleton W. Tazewell,


1836. Wyndham Robertson,


Lieutenant-Governor.


1837. David Campbell,


Governor. 66


1840. Thomas W. Gilmer,


1841. John M. Patton,


· Lieutenant-Governor.


1841. John Rutherford, -


66


66


1842. John M. Gregory,


66


1843. James McDowell, -


66


Governor.


1846. William Smith, -


66


.


1802. John Page,


1814. Wilson Carey Nicholas,


1819. Thomas M. Randolph,


1825. John Tyler,


66


66


1768. Norborne Berkeley De Botetourt,


1788. Beverley Randolph,


PART III.


لا


HISTORY OF VIRGINIA.


CHAPTER I.


National Debt of Great Britain-Her authority in America-Sir Robert Walpole-Injustice of taxing the Colonies-Lord Chatham-Doctor Johnson-Patrick Henry-His early life-Clergy and Two Penny Act -Clergy suit - Henry's eloquence - Indian War -George Grenville proposes to raise revenue by taxing the Colonies-Virginia remonstrates -Stamp Act-Indignation in America-Virginia Legislature of 1765- Patrick Henry's Resolutions-Their effect-First Congress-Stamp Act repealed-Treasurer Robinson-Death of Governor Fauquier-His cha- racter-Charles Townsend-Duties on tea and other articles-Action in Virginia-Norborne Berkley-Baron de Botetourt arrives-His cha- racter-First Virginia Convention-English injustice-Death of Bote- tourt-Lord Dunmore governor-Dabney Carr-Boston Port Bill- Raleigh Tavern-Convention in Williamsburg-Indian Hostilities- General Andrew Lewis-Battle of Point Pleasant-Severe Loss of the Virginians-Savages defeated-Speech of Logan-Convention of 1775 in Richmond-Patrick Henry's great speech-Its effect-Dunmore se. cretly removes powder from Williamsburg-War.


SINCE the reign of William and Mary, England had felt continually increasing upon her, the weight of that huge debt which seems destined at last to involve the British state in total ruin.ª But, hith- erto, great as were her necessities, they had not so blinded her eyes to the light of justice and of policy,


a " Irretrievable ultimate ruin has -Alison, Hist. Europe, ii. 407. thus been brought upon the state."


20


AUTHORITY OF GREAT BRITAIN [CHAP. I.


as to induce her to think seriously of taxing her American Colonies.


Her hand had often pressed heavily upon them. Her Sovereigns had infringed their charters, and taken away their lands; and her Parliaments had fettered their trade by Navigation Laws, continued from reign to reign without repeal. It cannot be said that the Colonists had borne her oppressive rule without resistance. We have seen enough already in the History of Virginia to show that the power, and not the right, of the mother country had been acknowledged in the reluctant submission yielded to each law which subjected the Colony to unequal restraints. The time was now approach- ing when another struggle was to be made, and America was to demand that right and power should no longer be held in conflict with each other.


Few things are more difficult than the task of defining the precise extent of constitutional autho- rity claimed by Great Britain, and admitted by her 'American Dependencies, during the whole period of their connexion.ª He who will examine what has been written on the subject by those who have professed to understand it, will be, at least, as much astonished at their discord of opinion, as he will be edified by their arguments. Many in America, and some in England, held that the Crown alone was the supreme bond of union, and that the English Parliament had no direct legisla-


a Read Grahame's remarks and note .- Colon. Hist. ii. 417.


21


IN AMERICA.


1763.]


tive control over the Colonies.ª Others taught that the Parliament was sovereign, and that its law- making power, in every case calling for its exercise, might be extended to the Colonies as fully as to any other part of the British Realm.b In America, the rule of the Parliament in its action on the com- merce of the Colonies, seems to have been reluc- tantly, but certainly admitted; and, harsh as were her Navigation Laws, had England never gone beyond them, she would long have retained her dominion over her distant children.




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