r AN APPEAL 4Z44/ \ f @ f MI LI(SES^4f Wl IN BEHALF Of THE of Tl W 1^ w OF ^Jl itr^^SiS* il» 'H>^ ' '¦ CONTAINING A PROPOSITION TO PROCURE MATERIALS FROM ENGLAND FOR THE COMPLETION OF SAID HISTORY. 3 FROM THE SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSEMGER—1844, j PRINTED AT THE MESSENGER OFFICE : , 1844.^ THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. BY THE EDITOR./ TO THE LEGISLATURE OF VIRGINIA : In appealing to you in behalf of the History of our State, we need offer, we trust, no other justifica tion than the importance and dignity of the subject, and the obvious relation it bears to your offices as the guardians of the State, and to your interest and duty in preserving and perpetuating her public character. Nothing so nearly touches the honor of a State as the due preservation of her historic archives. Deplorable indeed would be the lot of that people, who felt no pride or exultation in its past ! What just cause for the indulgence of these feelings Vir ginians have, they best know who are best ac quainted with the remaining fragments of her his tory. These, too, most deplore the loss of her records and would risk and expend most for their ¦"restoration. But surely, there is no need of enlar ging upon the importance, or the charms of this fruit ful subject, to your Honorable body, who yourselves in such great degree, stamp her character upon the State, and by your acts, as it were, manufacture her history. Should any chasm now occur in your proceedings, you would doubtless lose no time in repairing it. In former times, such breaches were made, and though they have remained so long an insuperable and distressing impediment to those who would explore the history of the Colony, it is believed that they may now be almost entirely closed, at comparatively little expense, by the efforts of your honorable body. The mode of accomplishing this great and most desirable object has been open for many years ; but the recent success of some States has now removed every obstacle that might have once existed, and invites all others to make similar attempts. Whilst the unavoidable neglect of an unsettled 2nd perplexed Government, aided by time, fire and devastation, was consuming our colonial records here, copies of them were carefully preserved in the Public offices of England ; and there is every reason to believe, that an inspection of those records there will dissipate the thickest clouds that hang over our colonial era. By the Liberality of the Eng lish Government.lhey are laid open to the accredited agents of the States, and copies of them allowed to be taken. Of this privilege, New- York, Georgia, and North Carolina in part, have already availed themselves, and their labors have prepared the way and led to arrangements, which will greatly facili tate the investigations of any who may follow their example. New- York has sent out a special agent who has probably just returned, bringing with him documents that will create a wide sensation. Geor- salutary influence in behalf of the present and other gia, too, sent a special agent, and has now in the useful undertakings. It is ouv purpose to lay some charge if her Historical Society, twenty-two M.S. volum s of important colonial documents. She has al ) a gentleman engaged in writing her his tory, j d with a most praiseworthy liberality has ex- pende some six thousand dollars in procuring the materiis, though only for the short period of forty odd yeas ! Our blessed mother was more than a hun dred yelrs old, when Georgia was born; and shall thefirsCtool only in date of settlement, but in fame and in importance, be so far surpassed by the young est of the ' old thirteen ?" For the object proposed, the provifion of so great a State as Virginia, who has so mum to expect from the undertaking and such just cause of pride in her past career, should be ample anl liberal ; but it is highly probable that she can procure every thing desirable at far less cost than GeorVia did. Let her appoint a competent agent and iend him forth with ample means to exe cute the wo'ik well, that it may be a monument for future times.V Though Nbrth Carolina made a move in this matter as far pack as 1827, she has not yet de rived any real benefit from it, though she knows pre cisely the nature and value of the papers relating to herself. They were all registered and the list sent home to her, in accordance with a request made by her Governor, of Hon. Albert Gallatin, our minister at the Court of St. James. Their very titles alone constitute an octavo pamphlet of 120 printed pages. The faculty of the University of North Carolina have now organized themselves into an Historical Society, and may do something towards procuring copies of those documents, thus catalogued for her. South Carolina has her volumes of historical col lections recently made by Mr. Carroll, but she too may be anxious to enjoy the stores in the offices of England. The two Carolinas might empower the agent appointed by Virginia to act for them ; or if they prefer it, send out special agents of their own. May not the hope be indulged, that your honora ble body will so favorably regard the proposition herein most respectfully submitted, as to lose no time in reaping the fruits now offered to us I Due diligence would soon place us in possession of the rich treasures that now lie mouldering abroad : every delay but encourages the ravages of Time. It is our object at this time only to broach this interesting subject, to which we shall recur in our next number. In the meantime, we invite a corres pondence from all who feel any interest in the mat ter, and earnestly commend the revival of the late Virginia Historical Society, that it may exert its The Conial History of Virginia. [November^ of the letters that may be addressed tous upon this subject, before our readers; and we /ould be particularly glad to have the views of sore of the leading members of the Legislature, of couse with out regard to party. In the last number of the Southern literary Messenger, the proposition was made to yoc hono rable body, to send an agent to England to rocure such materials as her archives might affordforthe History of our State. In resuming this irroortant subject at this time, we must ask your ireulgent attention, since it will be entirely out of ou power to devote much time to the arrangement o our re marks. We are forced to write currente :alamo ; but it is a source of great encouragement o reflect, that the subject is one which so strongly commends itself, as scarcely to require any studied exposition. No claim is preferred for originality h the plan proposed. It has often been suggestei, and has met the approbation of nearly every one to whom it has been mentioned. Indeed it lies upon the very surface of utility, and, as already siewn, has been profitably embraced by other States. If the present effort, however, to induce your honorable body to imitate such laudable examples, be crowned with success, it will be a cause of no little pride and rejoicing to us to share in the credit of effect ing so desirable an object. It has been truly said, " That man is not the discoverer of any art who first says the thing; but he who says it so long and so loud and so clearly, that he compels mankind to hear him. * * * * Other persons had noticed the effect of coal-gas in producing light ; but Win- sor worried the town with bad English for three winters, before he could attract any serious atten tion to his views. Many persons broke stone be fore Macadam, but Macadam felt the discovery more strongly, stated it more clearly, persevered in it with greater tenacity, wielded his hammer, in short, with greater force than other men, and final ly succeeded in bringing his plan into general use." Whether the present application shall be success^ ful depends upon your sense of its value and im portance. We pledge ourselves to persevere in it but hope to be relieved from the necessity of " wor rying you with bad English, for three winters." We know that this is a period of taxation and in debtedness, but the appropriation requisite for the object herein proposed will neither increase the taxes nor the debt of th<3 State, whilst it so nearly concerns the honor and lofty character of Virginia, as to demand immediate action. Her early heroes are without a monument, long periods of her gov ernment without a record, and her annals imper fect and unknown. Whilst this condition of things is so eloquently appealing to her rulers, her Lite rary Fund, after supplying all the demand for pri mary Education and for other accustomed purposes, is annually overflowing. After every ordinary draft has been made upon it, a yearly excess from its income of some $13,000 returns to become a part of its permanent capital. Hence it was the Legislature, during its last session, were ena bled to perform such an act of justice, as to lend fifteen thousand dollars to the Medical College of Richmond, at a time, too, when they were raising the taxes of the people. Hence arose the applica tion of the Colleges of the State for Legislative aid. With their application, the present proposi- , tion is not intended to interfere ; but they can wait if necessary until this paramount object is first ac complished. The Literary Fund, then, not only furnishes the requisite means ; but its very nature and objects seem to point to the attainment of the first work of Literary interest, a full and suitable history of the State. The children of the -State are taught to read in the primary schools. This is a provision made by their liberal parent, whom they soon learn to love and revere. They are inspired with a thirst for knowledge ; they learn with avi dity the chronicles of other times and other lands ; but when, alas ! they turn to enquire for the history of her, who has provided for them all this enjoy ment and all this mental improvement, they find with astonishment and regret, that there is none to give them. They can only be told of a few in complete and for the most part inaccessible books, or pointed to the mutilated records, which it were a life-labor to explore. How it chills the affec tions to be thus denied what is often so eagerly sought ! Nothing can so elevate patriotism as to | have the mind filled with the history of one's na tive State. A common school history of Virginia should be put into the hands of every child who i3 educated at the public expense. Scholars and citi zens more liberally educated would require a work more elaborate and extended. But neither has as yet been written, nor can it ever be until the docu ments are procured from the mother country. The want of them has already deterred many who would have undertaken the task and has entirely defeated the efforts of those who have attempted it; whilst States as young as Kentucky, the daughter of Vir ginia, Illinois, Tennessee and others have already their complete histories. Having pointed out the means of defraying the; expense of the plan proposed, and presented the foregoing general remarks in support of it, we will proceed to a more definite View of the subject, by enforcing the following propositions : 1. Every independent State should have a com plete set of its public records, and a history fairly and impartially embodying them. This might be taken for granted. It results from the nature of public transactions, from the plain necessities of society and the demands of its mem bers ; from the known wishes, wants and practice of every civilized community. Fame demands a perpetuity; virtue and heroism their monuments; and ambition the stimulus, which the Hope of trans mission to future ages alone can impart. The 1844.] The Colonial History of Virginia. progress, of society and the mere sequence of events must, in every land blessed with letters, neces sarily require a record. 2. Virginia has no history worthy of the name, and there are many and great breaches in her pub lic records. The Colonial History of Virginia extends through •a period of one hundred and sixty-nine years, from 1607 to 1776. The gallant Capt. Smith, whose literary seems little less conspicuous than his mili tary spirit, was the earliest historian of Virginia; but his work comes down only to the year 1624. It was written in pursuance of a resolution offered by himself, in the council, that some one be appoint ed to prepare a memorial of what had transpired in the Colony. Whereupon he was requested to undertake the task. If such a history was needful then, in the begin ning of events, how much more so now, when so much is past that needs to be perpetuated. Mr. Jefferson says of Smith, " he was honest, sensible and well informed ; but his style is barbarous and - uncouth. His history, however, is almost the only source from which we derive any knowledge of the infancy of our State." Burk says, " Smith's is a sort of Epic History or romance, where the author, like Ossian, recounts his achievements in the spirit which he fought. His narrative, however, occa sionally discovers much good sense and raises no inconsiderable interest. It is moreover the ground work of succeeding histories, and is valuable as a piece of rare and curious antiquity." But this his tory, rare, curious and truly valuable as it is, com prises the incidents of only seventeen years. A gentleman of this state, of indefatigable research, has lately discovered in a Northern Library another work of Capt. Smith, published in 1608, which of course contains the events of only one year. The Rev. William Slith, a native of Virginia, and President of William and Mary College, has • also written the history of the colony for the space of about twenty years. Of him Mr. Jefferson says, . " he was a man of classical learning and very exact, but of no taste in style. He is inelegant, therefore, and his details often too minute to be tolerable." Beverley, also a native, has written the history of Virginia from the first propositions of Sir Wal ter Raleigh to the year 1706. He errs on the opposite extreme from Stith, comprising ninety-nine years in a fraction of the space which Stith devotes to twenty. Burk says, " Beverly is a mere annalist of petty incidents, put together without method, and unenlivened by any of the graces of style. He is moreover the apologist for power, in which respect also, he differs essentially from Stith, who on all occasions displays a manly contempt and de fiance of injustice and tyranny." Sir William Keith, a Governor of Pennsylvania, and the same, we think, who proposed a most arbi trary and insidious scheme of oppression over the colonies to the king of England, has also written a history of Virginia, from the settlement to the year 1725. Mr. Jefferson says, " he is agreeable enough in style and passes over events of little importance;" and Burk says, that " although more diffuse than Beverly and more graceful and correct, he has little more of detail." There are also extant a brief his tory by Hamer, and a few pamphlets. These, with one exception are the only printed histories of the ancient Colony ; and they have long since disap peared from the shelf of the bookseller, and are to be found in comparatively few libraries. Besides covering so little space, all do not contain an ade quate memorial of the periods through which they extend. The only remaining History of Virginia is that of Burk, Jones & Girardin, in 4 vols. 8 vo — pub lished in Petersburg, 1805-16. Of these, we shall venture to speak freely our own opinion ; and surely no work of the same extent, that aspires to the dig nity of history is liable to so many and so great objections. Mr. John Burk, a native of Ireland, is the author of the first three volumes, which con tain a treatise on navigation and maritime dis covery in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, a long disquisition about the Indians, which was in tended for a history of the United States and which he could not forbear to stick in, and a general his tory of the Colonies, besides the History of Vir ginia, many portions of which are meagre in the extreme. A striking instance of this occurs in the third volume, where he devotes only eleven pages to the events of nineteen years, from 1723 to 1742. This meagreness was produced partly by the im possibility of procuring better materials and partly by inactivity in research and in availing himself of the records within his power. He seems even to delight in the opportunity of abandoning his subject and expatiating at large in some wider field. He has fully carried out the idea expressed by himself: " A correct History of Virginia," says he in the Preface to his first volume, " would be the history of North America itself, a portion of the globe, which enjoying the invaluable privilege of self- government, promises to eclipse the glory of Rome and Athens." One of these rhetorical flourishes, for which he is not a little notable, appears to please him more than a historical fact. His style is very defective and entirely unsuited to historical writing. He abounds with errors, and enjoys a singular facility of leaping over difficulties and solving doubts. Then, almost entire provinces of history are neglected, or only alluded to, and you may peruse his whole writings and have no conception of the growth and progress of the colony and of its most important internal regulations. The fourth volume is a continuation by Skelton Jones, a Virginian, and Louis Hue Girardin, a. 6 The Colonial History of Virginia. [November, Frenchman. Jones' portion is very short and hardly furnishes any criterion of his qualifications for the task. Most of the foregoing objections apply to Girardin. He is more correct than Burke, but is also too fond of discoursing de rebus omnibus. He has written the histories of North and South Carolina and the other colonies nearly as much as of Virginia. Indeed, it would hardly be too much to say that the portions of the four volumes under review, that refer properly to this State, can, with the aid of a pair of scissors only, be reduced into one volume, The rest is an imperfect history of the separate, or united Colonies, with a dash" of French and Dutch affairs, and a sprinkling of phi losophy. In short, if we wished conclusively to prove to any one that Virginia has no worthy his tory, we would induce him to read Burk's which is the only one that pretends to such a character. But the scantiness of his materials and the great obstacles which beset a pioneer in historical re search should not be forgotten. In the case before us, many of these obstacles were insuperable to the most patientand laborious search ; and this will bring us to the breaches in our public records. Down to the year 1626, when the charter was taken from the London Company, the materials for our history are quite complete even in this country. But doubtless a great deal additional of deep interest might be procured in England. During this period, the Colonists were in constant correspondence with their friends and the company in England, and many memoirs respecting the Colonies were written and published in the mother country, to impart in formation of its prospects and condition, and to in duce adventurers to embark their fortunes in it. Many of these productions, besides the papers and documents transmitted to the Home Government, might be obtained by an active agent. Some of them are extant in this country and are known to possess very great value to the Historian of Vir ginia. It will be remembered that the above re marks as to memoirs and letters, apply also to other periods of the Colony. But from the commence- mentof the Royal Government, darkness and obscu rity begin to settle upon the history of the Colony. The royal prerogative then so overshadowed it, that now it is impossible for any lights here to dispel the gloom. We find Mr. Burk himself bewailing it. " But soon as the proprietary government sank beneath the arm of prerogative, the chain of facts is broken, and a black and melancholy chasm supplies the place of method and arrangement. During the existence of the proprietary government/historians could scarcely differ in the relation of facts ; After its dissolution, there was hardly any chance of their agreement, or any means of reconciling or detect ing their inconsistencies. The well grounded ap prehensions excited among the colonists by the recall of their charter, and the character of the king, prevented them from immediately repairing the breaches made in their records by the hand of power. The letters of the governor and council in Virginia to the privy council, are marked by a coldness, a jealousy, and distance, but ill calculated to supply by conjecture or analogy, the want of more genuine matter ; and the members of the British council, im the true spirit of courtiers, haughty, insincere, and incommunicative/confirmed the disgust and jealousy of the colony, by their cold and stunted communications; so that the man' who should endeavor to depict the state of art and manners, the military and civil events within the colony, by the help of this correspondence, will be infallibly disappointed." The reign of Charles I. is by no means a blank in English history, and as the colony then began to as sume moreimportancein theeyes of the Royal Gov ernment, we might expect to learn something con cerning it in the English historians. But this is not the case: the greatest of them, Hume, has not a word upon the subject. The only hope of supplying the deficiencies of this period is from the documents in the State paper office of England and from any con temporary letters or publications that may possibly be found across the Atlantic. The Colony of Vir ginia was not unmindful of her records; but a sin gular fatality seems to have attended them. Neg lect, fire, and devastation, particularly during the revolution, made their combined ravages upon them, and destroyed many inestimable portions, which can be restored, if at all, only from the archives of England. One signal instance will exhibit the neglect to which they were exposed. . Speaking of Sir Edmund Andros, Governor of Virginia in 1692, Beverley says : " He was likewise a great lover of method, and dispatch in all sorts of business, which made him find fault with the management of the Secretary's office. And, indeed, with very good reason ; for, fronr the time of Bacon's rebellion, till then, there) never was any office in the world more negligently kept. Several patents of land were entered blank upon record ; many original patents, records, and deeds of land, with other matters of great conse quence, were thrown loose about the office, and suf fered to be dirtied, torn and eaten by the moths and other insects. But upon this gentlemanV acces sion to the government, he immediately gave direc tions to reform all these irregularities; he caused the loose and torn records of value to be trans cribed into new hooks ; and ordered conveniences to be built within the office, for preserving the records from being lost and confounded, as before. He prescribed methods to keep the papers dry and clean, and to reduce them into such order as that any thing might be turned to immediately. But all these conveniences were burnt soon after they were finished, in October, 1698, together with the office itself, and the whole state house. But his diligence was so great in that affair, that though his stay afterward in the country was very short, yet he caused all the records and papers which had been saved from the fire, to be sorted again and registered in order, and indeed in much better order than ever they had been before. In this condition he left 'em, at his quitting the government."* * Burk's Hist. Va,, vol. II. 316-17. Beverley 90-91. "f 1844.] The Colonial History of Virginia. In the above extract we see how conflagration came in to the aid of the former neglect and to the overthrow of the order that had been so lately estab lished. But this is by no means the only instance. The State House had been previously destroyed by fire in 1676, and was again burnt during the ad ministration of Gooch, in 1746. If Burk be cor rect there must have been two fires before any of these, for he says that as early as 1667, " At the instance of Secretary Ludwell, it was enacted that the existing titles of lands, the records of which were lost, or to which titles were annexed in re cords, should be considered valid, the defects hav ing been found to have happened by the neglect of the clerks of those times, and the casualty of two several fires.''''* During the war of the Revolution, many barba rous and unpardonable ravages were made upon our public documents. Even in this respect the Historian may justly inveigh as he does against the " vandalic inroads" of the British. In the year 1781, when the archives of state were removed -from Richmond on account of the British invasion, the proceedings of the Council were accidentally - exposed, taken and destroyed by the enemy. These losses can never be repaired by any thing in Eng land ; and are the more deeply to be lamented. 3. There is no doubt) however, that many of the distressing chasms, which we have pointed out, can be completely filled by materials from Eng land ; and they are fully worth the trouble and ex pense of procuring them. The intercourse between the colony and the mother country was always intimate, sometimes submissive. Frequent returns of the state of the Colony were required by law, and duplicates were made of every document relating to it, whether here or at home. These documents were all care fully preserved in the State Paper Office and in that of the Board of Trade. f ' * Burk's Hist. Va., vol. II. 141. f " It is well known that the administration of the gene ral affairs of the British colonies in America was originally entrusted to several Lords of the Privy council, who were constituted by Royal commission a " committee for trade and plantations." Some years subsequently, the commit tee was discontinued, and a new and distinct board was organized, and styled 'the Lords commissioners for trade and plantations.' "The records of the proceedings of the committee of council, and subsequently, of the board of trade and plan tations, are very full and voluminous, and include likewise the records of the proprietary governments which were transferred to their custody. All these records relating to the American colonies have lately been removed from the Board of Trade to the State Paper Office, where they are hereafter to remain as a part of the archives of the empire. "They consist principally of two general series, denomi nated Entries and Papers. The 'Entries' are composed, chiefly, of the commissions and instructions to the Gover nors, of despatches and letters to them, and their respec tive answers ; and also, of various other important papers, copied into these books for preservation. The ' Papers' When Georgia sent over her agent, the colonial documents were thus divided in these two deposi tories, and hence she failed to procure materials for some years of her early history. But in a short time the missing papers were discovered in the other office, only one having at first been examined. Since then all the colonial documents have been de posited and arranged in the State Office, whence co pies are allowed to be made by the accredited agents of the States, down to the year 1775. For reasons of State all posterior to 1775 are positively interdicted. But with this limitation, the English Government are liberal in affording the States copies of whatever documents she may possess. From what Georgia and New York have obtained, we can readily infer what there is relating to Virginia. A letter from England to the Corresponding Secretary of the Georgia Historical Society, says " Mr. Brodhead, of New York, has left England with a large chest full of transcripts. His collection will make a sensation and will have the effect of stimulating others to follow such an example." There is also another guide already adverted to. In 1827, the Governor of North Carolina, in pursuance of a resolution of her Legislature, wrote to the Hon. Albert Gallatin, then our Minister at London, re questing him to have merely a catalogue made of the documents relating to her as a Colony and to transmit the said catalogue to him. Mr. Gallatin, always imbued with a love of letters, readily com plied, and the list of the titles only of the docu ments occupies 120 printed octavo pages. In glan cing over it, our eye was arrested by the title of several relating to Virginia also. We sincerely hope that the old North State will very soon avail herself of the valuable stores which she now so clearly knows to be there laid up for her. We are afraid that she too will outstrip Virginia in this laudable work ; which may your honorable body prevent by your prompt, nay, your immediate action. The pecuniary value of the treasures which the archives of England contain can best be estimated by considering the expense now daily incurred in order to preserve and perpetuate records of pub lic transactions and events. Reflect for a moment upon the expenditures of your honorable body for this purpose alone. Estimate t,he salaries of the multitude of public officers, the cost of public offi ces, the State Guard and of every other arrange ment for the preparation and care of the public consist of the originals of the several documents from time to time received from America, by the proprietaries, the committee and the board. " In addition to these records, there is a large series of volumes belonging to the State Paper Office, properly ; containing the correspondenceof the Secretaries of State with the Colonial and Provincial Governors, and others ¦ and comprising, also, a large mass of original papers re ceived from America, among which are many duplicates of documents in the Board of Trade records."— [Letter of Mr. Brodhead, Hist, agt., to Governor Seward of New York.' 8 The Colonial -History of Virginia. [November, records, and you will have some idea of the ines timable value of the documents which England is now willing to restore to us. They are equivalent to the labors of a number of public functionaries for a century and a half, and can probably all be procured for the small sum of a few thousand dol lars. What would these be to such a State as Virginia for such a noble purpose ; for au object identified with the honor and more enlarged inter ests of the Commonwealth 1 What though no mode may be pointed out by which she could con vert them into money ! What though they cannot minister to her immediate pecuniary interest! Would she traffic in the memorials of her Council Chamber ? Would she sell the papers in the cus tody of the keeper of the rolls? Would she make profit of any of her archives ? Does she value them according to their actual cost in money 1 Are they prepared and preserved with any view to pe cuniary gain ? It is the general utility to which she looks and to her honor and, fame : to your re gard for these, we appeal in behalf of the defec tive and mutilated annals of your State. If, then, every independent State should have the materials in her possession for her full and complete history, and the histories of our state.now extant are so meagre and defective, and there are no sources here whence to draw information indis pensable to the historian, how surely must the con clusion follow, that it is the duty of your honora ble body promptly to apply to those fruitful sources which are known to exist ? The known effects of time in obliterating and destroying records of the past should stimulate you to diligence. When Mr. Henning was engaged in preparing his " Sta tutes at large," Mr. Jefferson, who had tendered him the use of his collection of laws, thus wrote, "Those in MS. were not sent, because not sup posed to have been within your view, and because some of them will not bear removal, being so rot ten that, on turning over a leaf, it sometimes falls into powder. These I preserve by wrapping and sewing them up in oiled cloth, so that neither air nor moisture can have access to them." And again, " But the unprinted laws are dispersed through many MS. volumes, several of them so decayed, that the leaf can never be opened but once without falling into powder." The documents in England may not be in such a decayed state, but this will give some idea of the importance of speedily securing them. It is important that Virginia should not suffer herself to be anticipated by any other States. Being the oldest, she should have been the first to move in the matter ; and having lost more of her records, she has the most to expect from it. In Georgia " the last has been first ;" let not " the first be the last !" Besides, it is only through the liberal courtesy of the British Government, that the privilege of procuring copies is enjoyed. This courtesy may be wearied and exhausted by repeated applications, and some of the late comers may be denied what they will then find to have been above price. The impartiality of history , too. requires that these foreign materials should be sought. Not only should England's archives be consulted, but her voice heard and represented in the history of the Colonies." On this head we adopt the following observations from the Southern Quarterly Review, July, 1844. . " The accounts we now have of the first settle ment of this country, embracing the provincial and colonial era, are partial, one-sided, imperfect, and full of exaggeration. They have come to us from the hands of friends alone, — from the hands of warm, enthusiastic and ambitious friends and citi zens of the New World, who sincerely loved their country, but who, at the time they wrote, were disposed, from motives of interest, as well as pa triotism, to magnify both the advantages they en joyed in their new Utopia, as well as the evils mas tered by the courage and prowess of their country men. The Old World, as well as the New, has a voice to utter in this matter, and the archives of those European nations whose history is connected with our own, during the colonial and revolutionary eras, must be searched and examined, before the whole truth can be ascertained, or the historian be prepared, from a knowledge of opposing state ments, and a fair consideration of the motives which influenced both parties, to pronounce an im partial judgment. Each of the old States should make liberal appropriations to accomplish so noble, patriotic and indispensable a design, — that is to say, each State that has a name encircled with the fame of worthy deeds, and wishes to transmit a faithful record of its acts to after times. We wish, especially, that South-Carolina might move, and move effectually in this matter. The appropria tion of a few thousand dollars to such an object, would be honorable to the State, and would be money well expended. We want light especially on the Revolutionary era. In most of the histo ries that have been written, injustice has been done to the Southern States generally, and to South- Carolina in particular, respecting the part they took, the labors they performed, and the credit to which they are entitled, in the great struggles for our liberties. It is time that this injustice should be remedied. ' We want some person possessed of the competent learning, genius, industry, spirit and perseverance, — not a mere pretender, — to under take the task, and perform it in a manner worthy of the age and the merits of those who acted well during the most eventful period of the world's his tory, — in a manner, too, honorable to our literature. We want such a work to be undertaken speedily, before those memorable men, who were themselves actors in the great drama, and who have much valuable information still to impart to the histo rian — information that will be soon lost to the world — shall all have passed off the stage of life." You perceive our earnestness in pressing this subject upon the attention of your honorable body. As the honored legislators of your State, you must feel a desire to become acquainted with her history. History is the teacher of political wisdom But 1844.] The Colonial History of Virginia. 9 to what sources will you go 1 To the public ar chives, defective as they are ? You would then have no time for the duties devolved upon you. Hence arises the deep -obligation to the faithful historian, who by his researches redeems the precious time of many thousands. Provide some competent mind with the proper resources and he will spread before you and your successors and your children, what the nature of your offices needs and what you now desire in vain, because it is inaccessible. The history of Virginia is adorned with three illustrious names, that stand forth conspicuously in this connection. First in ihe order of time was Col. William Byrd of Westover, a Virginia gen tleman and a scholar, of whom Burk says, "about the same time, (1743,), died William Byrd of the Council, one of the most distinguished characters which had shone out for a long time in Virginia. * * * Extensive knowledge attained by study, improved by observation and refined by a familiar acquaintance with the illustrious characters of his time, were the qualities universally ascribed to him by the prints of the day. * * * It is the duly of Hisioryto pronounce one part of his eulogy, which, as it is justly earned, will become him better than a thousand wreaths of false and fantastic adulation. He felt a laudable and rational pride in preserving the antiquiiies of his country • nor can we believe that this proceeded merely from the cold spirit of an antiquarian. The antiquities he preserved con tained materials for an history of his countrv."* The other two were cotemporaries, leaders of the Assembly and the first Governors of the State ; one spoken of as her Dictator, " in times that tried men's souls ;" the other subsequently the leader of the whole Union. Of Patrick Henry it is express ly recorded, " his favorite studies were the history and antiquities of his native Stale ; and so strong was the determination of his mind to objects at this time little known or attended to, that at an early age he was minutely acquainted with the va rious grants and charters, which compose the foun dation and edifice of the rights and pretensions of Virginia. " Owing to the security arising from long and un interrupted possession, and the apprehensions ex cited by foreign hostility, these rights were but im perfectly understood, and to his superior knowledge in topics gradually becoming more interesting, should be ascribed in a great measure the high and deserved reputation he afterwards acquired."! What shall be said of " the philosophic ardor of Jefferson, smitten with the elegances of Literature and fired with the passion of making his country the rival of civilized Europe."} His " Notes on Virginia," his correspondence, his large historical collections of books and MSS. ; bis aid to Hen- ning and to the late Edmund Randolph, when he * Burk's Hist. Va., vol. III., 114, 115. t lb., p. 300. % lb., p. 390. proposed to write a history of Virginia, are lasting memorials of his interest and solicitude in relation to this subject. Can it be any disparagement to your honorable body to suppose that it were now composed alto gether of such characters as this illustrious trium virate 1 Think, if such a constellation were possi ble, of its splendor ! And what would be their view of the present application % The elegant and ac complished Byrd, if his own unbounded munifi cence had not already supplied the deficiency, would be intent upon procuring MSS. from Eng land. That voice once so eloquent in calling for " Liberty or death" would be calling for the cher ished history and antiquities of his native State. Instead of our own feeble pen, that which drew the Declaration of Independence would be wielded in this cause. As you could not withstand their united appeal, (" though dead they yet speak,") do not disregard this humble effort. Prove yourselves worthy to be their successors as guardians of the State, and imbued with the same patriotic and ele vated spirit. A few words as to the course to be pursued. The plan that best comports with the dignity and importance of the subject and the character of a sovereign State, is to send an agent, with a very respectful application to her Majesty's government, with full power and ample means to procure mate rials for the history of the State, both MS. and printed. He could also pursue some collateral in vestigations, and might find in the families of those early connected wilh the colony valuable letters and other papers. The appointment of such person might be confided to the Executive and council, who should have the discretionary power to send him over immediately, or first to procure, through the kindness of Mr. Everett, a catalogue of the Documents relating to Virginia. This, however, we think useless and would of itself be quite ex pensive. It would be utterly impossible to order copies by the titles only, and it is known certainly that there are abundant materials in the State office relating to Virginia. It is proper to state that copies may be obtained, as mentioned in the subjoined letter of Mr. Tefft, without the expense of sending over a special agent. But then every thing would have to be cop ied, or an agent appointed here to inform the agent resident there what materials our own ar chives still afford. The services of a very able and honorable gentleman in London might be pro cured, but his investigations could not extend be yond the State office and there could not be the same confidence and freedom of communication, as in the case of an agent specially delegated, whose zeal, interest and devotion would all incite him to the task. An agent in London could only superin tend the copying of what was ordered; but how can specific knowledge be obtained of what should 10 The Colonial History of Virginia. [November, be ordered 1 From having once sent out a special agent, Georgia has facilities in giving orders for further copies that we can not have. Nor could a complete catalogue assist us much, since it is im possible to read the contents of a long article by a short title. Take the index of a large volume, and how often will you fail to find what you desire and know to be there, even under its most appropriate head ! We speak from experience. One other brief view of the subject and the sub joined letters will close this article. It seems highly appropriate that Congress should at- once obtain all that England possesses in relation to the History of the Colonies. There can hardly be a State that would not rejoice at it ; and the State Legislatures might address Congress in reference to it. It would cost no more probably than was paid for the Madison Papers ; and less than is now spoken of for the purchase of Morse's Magnetic Telegraph ; and it seems to come as legitimately within the scope of their authority as either of the foregoing measures, or the purchase of a library, statuary and paintings. But your honorable body may take a different view of Congressional powers ; and the States who have already expended their money, together with the new States who have no immediate interest in the subject, might withhold their consent to the action of Congress. The State of Virginia ought to possess copies of these foreign records, and should not wait for Congress to perform a work so valuable and honorable, and so necessary for herself. Washington, Oct. 2, 1844. My Dear Sir, — I am in receipt of your letter of the 23rd of September, and fully concur with you in the importance you attach to a more thorough and accurate history of Virginia than any hereto fore written ; and doubt not that the Archives of England would furnish important and valuable ma terial, for such a work. Much, very much of our early history remains in doubt and obscurity ; and yet nothing could be more interesting than to be able to trace with accuracy the struggles of the first settlers to meet and overcome the difficulties that surrounded them — to keep up, without falter ing, the march of events, and to mark with preci sion the advances annually made in the occupation of the country. The account of the bloody battle fought within a few miles only of the City of Rich mond by the settlers under the lead of Nathaniel Bacon, and the Indian Tribes, is more indistinct than could be desired, considering the consequences which flowed from it. It led the way to the com plete mastery of the white race over the red, and assisted in no small degree to swell the mighty tor rent of civilization which has overflowed this con tinent. The history of that remarkable man is and must be greatly defective. He is made to figure on the page of history, as governed chiefly in what he did by enmity to Sir William Berkely, the then Governor, and actuated solely by the de- illy corresponds with his high and elevated cha racter and acknowledged abilities. I have always believed, that taking advantage of the then con vulsed state of England, produced by the struggles between the Commonwealth-men and the Royalists, Bacon had at that early day, (^BB-6,) formed the design of giving permanent independence to Vir ginia, which had in fact refused to acknowledge the Commonwealth, and had regarded the bond of her allegiance as severed by the overthrow and final execution of Charles I. Certain it is that Bacon acted in all things in the absence of author ity from England — changed the Seat of Govern ment from James Town to the middle plantations, (Williamsburg,) — convoked the House of Bur gesses, — passed laws, and maintained an indepen dent sway for nearly two years, when falling a vic tim to disease, the former authorities, for the want of a suitable leader to conduct the Revolution suc cessfully, were restored, and the whole fell to the ground. When we take into consideration the dis tracted state of the times, the comparatively limit ed extent of the British Navy at that early day — the difficulty of transporting large bodies of troops across so broad an Ocean as the Atlantic, — the dif ficulty of supporting them after their transporta tion was accomplished, we can well imagine that an ardent and enthusiastic mind like that of Na thaniel Bacon, might have dared to think that Vir ginia should be and was " of right a free, sove reign and independent State." But, my dear Sir, the motives of the actors in those stirring scenes are as obscure as the last 'resting places of their mortal remains, and much that they did has been lost to the cause of truth and justice. If a compe tent person could be found, with zeal and sufficient energy to clear away the rubbish and to explore the dark places in our history, it would be gratifying and instruetive to the present and all future gene rations. Who shall thread the labyrinth, or head the Argonautic expedition, it is not for me to say. I can only wish you every success in your contri butions to this great task, and with my cordial salu tations I tender you my best wishes for your health and happiness. John Tyler. Savannah, IliA Sept., 1844. My Dear Minor, — You ask we what investiga tion our Historical Society are prosecuting abroad. You are aware no doubt, that by an act of our Leg islature in 1837, an agent was appointed to pro ceed to Europe in search of material for a history of Georgia. The Rev. C. W. Howard was ap pointed that agent. He went to London in the summer of 1838, and in October of that year, three months after his arrival, he obtained permis sion through Lord Palmerston to inspect and make extracts from the records and papers in the State Paper Officevrelatingto the State of Georgia from the years 1735 to 1775 inclusive, but no later. The result of Mr. Howard's labors you will find referred to in a report of a Committee of our So ciety, a copy of which I sent you by the mail of yesterday. In consequence of the expense to which, in years past, the State of Georgia has been put in the quest after the documents in Europe, exceeding I think sire to expel hirn the colony. And yet this but $,6000, any further application to the Legislature 1844.] The Colonial History of Virginia. 11 for an appropriation would meet with little chance of success : nor indeed does our Historical Society deem it necessary. We have in London a very zeal ous corresponding member, Robert Lemon, Esq., mentioned in the report to which I have referred. He suggested to us the idea of having a confiden tial agent, nominated by the English Government, to whom reference for information might be made, .without the intervention of the Secretary of State, and Mr. Lemon received that appointment. Mr. Lemon has free access, from his situation, to every collection in London, except his own office, and would therefore be accessible only by first obtain ing the sanction of the Premier. I would there fore recommend that application should be made, through Mr. Everett, our Minister, to procure per mission from Lord Aberdeen to take transcripts from the State Paper Office, where all the papers relating to the colonies are now deposited, having been I think at the instance of Mr. Lemon re moved from the office of the Board of Trade, and other offices, and incorporated with his. And at the same time you should secure the services of Mr. Lemon, as agent to superintend the. investi gation. The expense, including Mr. Lemon's re muneration, would be less of course than would be necessary to incur in sending a special agent, and the examination, I will guaranty, will be faithfully made, so far as Mr. Lemon is concerned. In a letter from him of the 17th ultimo he says : " Mr. Brodhead of New York has left England with a large chest full of transcripts, and he is by this time I think in America. His collection will make a sensation, and will have the effect of stimulating others to follow such an example." Having furnished Mr. Lemon with abstracts of the colonial documents obtained by Mr. Howard and now in the possession of the Society, that he might at a glance see what we still wanted, he will, by the next steamer, give me a detailed esti mate of the expense of transcription, which he informs me he will be able to do with the greatest exactness after examination of my lists. Lest the paper containing the report of the Committee to which I have referred may not reach you I will send by the mail of to-day another copy. I am, Very sincerely, your friend, I. K. Tefft. P. S. You could easily resuscitate your Historical Society, which I learn once existed, or form a new one. Our Historical Society was founded in 1839, (see appendix to the 2nd Vol. of its collections, page 326,) and is now in a flourishing condition, with a long list of zealous and distinguished members. It has celebrated four anniversaries — to wit : on the 12th of February each year, that having been the day, 1732, on which General Oglethorpe first landed on the soil of Georgia. Four correspond ing orations have been delivered before the Society: first, by Judge William Law, second, by Dr. William Bacon Stevens, third, by Hon. Mitchell King, and the last, by the Rt. Rev. Stephen Elliott, Jr., Bishop of Georgia. The next will be delivered by Ex-Governor George R. Gilmer. Four courses of Lectures have also been deliv ered before the Society, by members of our own and sister States, on Historical and biographical subjects. Its library is yet small, containing only about four hundred volumes, besides pamphlets and files of newspapers. Its MSS. are valuable. Among them are the MS. Journal of the Rev. J. J. Zubly, a delegate from Georgia to the Continen tal Congress, extending over the whole period of the Revolutionary war ; Copies of the official cor respondence of Montiano, commander of the forces at St. Augustine at the time of General Ogle thorpe's expedition against that post ; Several MS. volumes of the late Col. Hawkins, who was appointed by General Washington the agent of the Government among the Creek Indians, and the 22 volumes of Colonial documents obtained by the Rev. Mr. Howard from the government offices in London. Truly yours, I. K. T. 84, Prince street, New-York, 12 Oct., 1844. Dear Sir, — I hasten to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 9th instant, which has just reached me, and to reply to the points you suggest, as fully as I can. By the regulation of the State Paper Office at London, I was restricted in my examinations, to the series of books specifically designated in the order of the Secretary of State; which was ob tained, only after a good deal of delay and effort. Not having had an opportunity of examining the " Virginia Papers," I can give you no specific infor mation, either as to their number or volume. As to their probable value and importance, no one, I pre sume, interested in historical research, can entertain doubts. The State Paper Office in London now contains all the records relating to the American Colonies. The correspondence of the Secretaries of State has always been deposited there ; and two years ago, by order of Government, the records of the Board of Trade, (comprising upwards of 2000 volumes,) were transferred to this office. No per son is allowed to visit the office for the purpose of examining documents, until he has obtained an order from the Secretary of State, directed to the keeper, and stating the extent of privilege to be allowed. In my own case, the order was very pre cise and guarded, and was very rigidly interpreted by the keeper. I was restricted to the examina tion of the particular books designated in the order, and was required to examine them in an apartment separate from the great library. I examined some 400 volumes, or thereabouts, for the documents relating to New- York. Each paper I wished to have copied was noted, and afterwards examined by an officer under the direction of Lord Aberdeen. Such as were not objected to were subsequently copied by the clerks in the office, who received 4d. sterling for each folio of 72 words. The trans cripts from London, which I am now arranging for binding, &c, will occupy about 50 volumes fools cap folio. My agency extended also to Holland and France. In both these countries no difficulty was found, either in obtaining the requisite permission from the Government, or in procuring copies at reasonable rates. 16 volumes were obtained at the Hague, and 17 at Paris. Those from Paris include the whole of the correspondence relative to the opera tions on the Canadian frontier during the " French war." 12 The Colonial History of Virginia. [January, Our Legislature at first appropriated $4,000, subsequently $3,000, and again $5,000. In all 12,000, which has been entirely exhausted in de fraying the expenses of the agency.* You are good enough to ask me for suggestions occurring to me in reference to the proposed effort on the part of Virginia to secure the same memorials of her colonial days, lying hid in the archives of England. No one can more fully appreciate than I do the importance of obtaining these papers. But I have long made up my mind that the best way to effect an object dear to every liberal minded man — above all to every antiquarian — is for our General Government to undertake the duty — once for all; and not for one particular State, but for the whole union. I will not go over all the reasons that may be urged in favor of this view of the sub ject. It will readily occur to you that these re peated applications on the part of the various States — applications involving oftentimes embar rassing considerations — may in time become annoy ing to the British Government. These examina tions have, heretofore, been allowed in a spirit of liberal and expanded courtesy. Favors were grant ed and not rights enjoyed, in the permissions for these investigations. It would therefore seem to be proper that in subsequent steps on our part, these considerations should not be overlooked. The example of some of our States will, no doubt, stimulate others to efforts to secure copies of papers relating to their own particular history. Some of the older, and wealthier ones may even feel disposed to appropriate monies and send out agents. The younger and less wealthy, though not less interested states, may not feel at liberty to incur an expenditure of the character ; and will look on with mortification at the results of their neighbors' efforts. All objections would vanish — all difficulties would be obviated — all interests would be consulted and secured — if a competent agent were sent out by the General Government, and under the commission of the President of the United States. The expenses of various separate agencies would be saved. The younger and less wealthy States would participate in the benefits of the re searches — and this without any expenditure on their part. The documents when procured might be de posited in the library of Congress, or printed under the direction of the Government. The agent of the United States, coming with a full and final com mission, would doubtless have more ample and ex tended privileges granted him than the several agents of the individual States could reasonably expect. I will add no more on this point. It seems to me that it must strike every one as the most proper and feasible mode of arriving at the grand result. No apology was necessary for your letter. It has given me great pleasure. The subject is one in which I feel a warm interest ; and I shall be happy if these hasty lines should be of any service to you. Believe me, dear sir, very respectfully Your obedient servant. J. Romeyn Brodhead. * New-York had to consult the archives of three coun tries. England, Holland and France, and hence arose l.his heavy expense. Virginia need send onty to England. But she should not regard an expense which she is so able to bear. Georgia has spent $6,000 in her researches. [Ed. Mess. Hist. Rooms, N. Y. City, Oct. 4, 1844. B. B. Minor, Esq. Dear Sir, — I have received your letter of the 9th, as well as your valuable Journal of October — for which please accept my thanks. I am very glad to observe in your columns an earnest appeal to the Virginia Assembly, calling their attention to their much neglected Historical Records. Your State . is rich in materials of the most interesting charac ter, and I doubt not that a well directed and sus tained effort would discover treasures of great value to the Historian. You are right in claiming the support of the State Legislature. Public patronage is necessary and should be liberally conceded to such under takings. I hope, too, that that the society to which you allude in the concluding paragraph of your article, will be revived and cherished as an essen tial auxiliary in the cause of Historical Literature. But I am forgetting my business with you in my ramblings, &c, &c. I have the honor to be, Respectfully your ob't. servant, George H. Moore. Castle-Hiil, Nov. 26, 1844. [an extract.] My Dear Sir : — I entirely concur in your views of the importance and expediency of sending an agent abroad to collect, from authentic sources, all the materials extant for a more complete history of our own Commonwealth ; but the crowd of en gagements of all sorts, preparatory to my leaving home for the winter, with which I am overwhelmed at present, puts it entirely out of my power to write any thing on the subject worthy of a place in the Messenger. I remain, my dear sir, in great haste, and with best wishes, very truly, Yours, W. C. Rives. B. B. Minor, Esq. Editor Sou. Lit. Messenger. Dear Sir : — Every one who has looked with any care into our Virginia history must have been struck with the necessity of procuring those materials which slumber in the English State-Paper Office. This measure is indispensable in completing the, ground-work of our history. There are chasms in it, that may in this way alone be supplied ; vexed questions that cannot otherwise be set at rest ; con flicting and obscure authorities, which, without this additional light, will never be cleared up. The few who study our history have long deplored its defi- ciences and the almost Turkish apathy of Virginia in regard to matters of this kind. While other States have taken steps to complete the circle of their historical collections Virginia has slept as long and as sound as Rip Van Winkle on the Catskill mountains. Yet what State is more interested in this enterprise than "the Old Dominion," the oldest, most favored and most extensive of the colonies 1 In regard to the scheme of procuring documents from England :— taking it for granted that they ought to be obtained, the question occurs, whether it is expedient for this State to employ an agent 1 Mr. Brodhead, of New-York, in the November Mes senger, expresses the opinion that the best way is, The Colonial History of Virginia. 13 "for the general government to undertake the duty once for all and not for one particular Stale, but for the whole union," and he accordingly proposes that a special agent, commissioned by the President of the United States, should be sent out for that purpose. He argues that the repeated applications of the several States will annoy the British gov ernment and be attended with much difficulty and embarrassment to the agents. Now, admitting this objection in its full force, it would seem to imply the necessity of the diplomatic intervention of the federal government, in procuring from the British government a general standing permission for the agents of the several States, to take copies of historical documents and yet leave open the question, whether the transcription could be more conveniently effected by one federal agent or by the agents of the several States! Another objection suggested by Mr. Brodhead, is, that the younger and less wealthy States may not feel at liberty to incur the expenditure of an agency and yet may look with mortification at the results of their neighbors' efforts. But since it appears that under the cautious regu lations of the British government, records of colonial history alone are accessible to Americans, clearly those States which were never colonies cannot be directly interested in the affair, and the younger, (being scions of the older States,) instead of being chagrined, would naturally be gratified at the col lections made by the mother States. Another point set forth in favor of the federal agency, is that it would save the expenses of the separate State agencies. But admitting this economical advantage, would it imply the ineligibility of separate State agencies 1 Probably the general government could supply the stationery used by the State governments at much cheaper rates than those paid by the several 26 States; yet reasons far weightier even than pecu niary, exclude all idea of any such intervention on the part of the federal government. But is the scheme of one federal agent feasible 1 Could such an agent competently meet the wishes of a variety of States ? An agent employed to obtain historical materials for New Jersey or South Carolina, for example, must be quite conversant with the historical collections of those States al ready in possession ; to discover what is wanting it is necessary to know what is possessed. Is there ' any man so minutely acquainted with the local his tory of 13 colonies? Mr. Tefft of Savannah sug gests the plan of securing the services of Mr. Lemon, (who has charge of the State-Paper Office in London,) to superintend the investigation for Virginia as he is engaged to do for Georgia. The position of Georgia however, in this res pect, differs widely from that, of Virginia. Georgia has already, by her special agent, Rev. C. W. Howard, secured 22 volumes of colonial documents ; she enjoys the advantage of a well-established His torical Society, with an admirable corresponding Secretary in Mr. Tefft ; and lastly, while the colonial era of Georgia comprises only 40 years,* that of Virginia extends over 170. Our entire history includes upwards of 230 years. * Edmund Burk told the venerable General Oglethorpe, the founder of Georgia, that he was the most extraordinary man he had ever seen or read of, for he had founded a colony and survived to see it become an independent state. In the train of influences that during so long a tract of time, have been imperceptibly moulding the popular character, must be learned the genius of our people and the structure of our institutions. The memorials of the past will infuse into the breasts of Virginia youth a warmer patriotism and State-pride and a more generous longing to emulate '* Minds nourished in the wild, Deep in the unpruned forest, midst the roar Of cataracts, where nursing nature smiled On infant Washington." These recollections, will grow in consequence, with the extension of territory planted from Virginia, and their charms will be continually heightened by the hoary touches of Time. Respectfully yours, Richmond, Dec. 4, 1844. C. Campbell. Richmond, Dec, 16, 1844. To B. B. Minor, Esq. Editor of the Southern Literary Messenger. My Dear Sir : — In answer to your request that I would give my impressions as to the value of the materials for Virginia history to be found in Eng land, I have no hesitation in saying that I concur with you entirely in the opinion that valuable ma terials may probably be obtained from that quarter, and that measures ought to be taken by our Legis lature to procure them. In the recess of the courts, during the past sum mer, after completing the second volume of my Reports, I became interested in exploring the ma terials for our history to be found in Virginia and in our Northern cities, and was pleased to find them so full for the period from 1607 to 1625. The Government was then exercised under the charters granted the treasurer and company of ad venturers, and with a view of forwarding the set tlement, those who adventured made publications as to the state of the colony almost every year in pamphlet form. We have few of these pamphlets in Virginia, but great care has been taken to col lect them in the Northern libraries, and many are published by Mr. Peter Force in his three volumes of historical tracts. Some, however, of conside rable interest have not yet been published by him — amongst others the pamphlet of Smith, published at London in 1608 and the history of Ralph Ha- mor, Secretary of the colony, printed at London in 1615. Besides the various cotemporaneous pub lications, including the work commonly known as Smith's History, there is the manuscript journal of the company from the 28th of April 1619 to the 7th of June 1624, (of which one copy was be queathed by the will of the late John Randolph, and another exists in the library of Congress,) and there is other manuscript matter in the same libra ry and in the General Court Office. From these different sources, with the aid of Stilh's history and the statutes at large, a tolerably correct history of the Government, laws and jurisprudence of Virgi nia might probably be prepared for the period above mentioned, from 1607 to 1625. But this would be only 18 years out of 237. From 1626 until after the time of Bacon's rebel lion, the materials are often extremely defective. The cotemporaneous publications are few and far between, and the records of the General Court 14 The Colonial History of Virginia. [January, very imperfect. The contents of many of the record books indicate that on more than one occa sion, after a fire, such documents as escaped being burnt, were copied together in books with every variety of matter in the same volume and without any regard to chronological order. This matter can of course be made of more use by being ex amined and arranged, but it will still be far from being complete. After all that exists in our coun try, either in print or manuscript, shall be reduced to order, it will constantly be found that something more is wanting to make what we have of value. When in Boston, last summer, I learnt from Mr. Bancroftt\\zXhe was in correspondence with Robert Lemon, Esq., of the State Paper Office in England, and had obtained, or expected to obtain, from him some matter which he, (Mr. Bancroft,) wanted in writing his History of the United States. Upon my remarking to Mr. Bancroft that it would be very desirable to have some information in Virginia as to the nature of the papers in that office relating to our early history and the probable cost of copies, he politely offered to make sorne inquiry of Mr. Lemon on the subject, and 1688, (being some years after Bacon's rebellion, and the date of the revolu tion in England,) was mentioned as the period to which the inquiry should, in the first instance, ex tend. About a fortnight ago, I received a letter from Mr. Bancroft, forwarding the following ex tract from a letter which he had just received from Mr. Lemon. " With respect to the Virginia papers prior to to 1688, in the State Paper Office, they are not very voluminous and I think, from the cursory glance I was able to take of them, that the cost of copies would be between £80 and JE100. But Virginia, our first and dearest child, is so much the colony of history and romance, that the memo rials of her rise and progress are scattered through out various repositories. The Cottonian, Harleian and Lansdown collections, the privy council, Ox ford and Cambridge all contain papers relating to it. If it be intended to form a general collection of all documents relating to Virginia, down to 1688, (and a most noble work it would be,) all those depositories must be consulted. The ex pense of such a compilation could only be estimated by a knowledge of the extent to which the work would be carried." This letter has strongly confirmed me in the im pression that what we want from England cannot be obtained through individual enterprise alone. There is no adequate inducement to an individual to incur the expense : the inducement to the State ought to be deemed abundantly sufficient. It seems to me that the Executive should be authorized to take the proper steps to effect the object, and that the Legislature should make a suitable appropria tion for the purpose. I remain, With respect and esteem, Yours, &c, Conway Robinson. Mr. Editor. In your paper upon " The Colonial History of Virginia" you invite letters from members of the ¦^legislature and others who feel an interest in the subject. Knowing that I am embraced by the latter part of your invitation, 1 desire to evince the deep in terest I feel, by seconding and enforcing the ap peal, which you have so properly and seasonably made. It is only when such matters are to be con sidered — when Education, Literature and the honor of the State, apart from party struggles and in terests, claim the public attention and liberality, that I wish to be a legislator. If I could only suc ceed in imparting to our present legislature the convictions and aspirations of my own mind, in reference to the true honor and fame of our State, more than you have asked would be instantaneously granted. England's stores of colonial records would soon be searched and, so far as was permitted by her, made our own. As an appropriation of money will become neces sary to carry out the plan you have proposed, it will be all important to view the subject in a pecu niary light. Let us thus consider it. The financial condition of Virginia is a source of unaffected congratulation. Her credit unim- peached and unimpeachable ; her stocks far above par, and a surplus of one hundred thousand dollars in her treasury. It is true that various calls are now made for large and expensive undertakings. But what of this 1 How little would it subtract from all these, or from any of them, to give even . $10,000 towards completing her records and her history. A mere drop in the ocean would even this sum be, compared with the stupendous schemes of internal improvement which are now in agitation. And is not that for which we plead a first work? Who would lavish his fortune in the maintenance of a son at a costly university, and deny him the small pittance that would send him to a primary school? Who would call this improvement? It is first ne cessary to establish, to study, to illustrate the past before we launch forth in schemes for the future. Internal Improvement ! To level the surface of the earth, to keep the barrels and bags, and wheels and hoofs from injury ! All manner of attention paid to the ease and comfort of the produce of the earth ! Thousands expended for these noble objects, and not a pittance to present the sons of the State with the biography of their mother ! How external to the hearts and the moral wants of our people is such improvement ! I do not mean to disparage the important ends of physical improvement, but to deprecate giving every * thing to it and little or nothing to objects of para mount importance. But it is proper to attend to both r-.lasses of in terests — moral and physical. All plans for inter nal improvement must be prospective in their na ture, requiring time for their completion and ma king continuous draughts upon the Treasury. An appropriation to procure materials for the History of the State can be made at once and the end speedily accomplished. The small sum that will be necessary will not in the least check the libe rality of the State. Five thousand dollars would probably be sufficient to procure all that is neces sary from Bfiigland ; and how inconsiderable is this sum in comparison with the resources of the State and the great benefits proposed to be secured. If five thousand dollars were now to be appropriated towards sending an historical agent to England, who would feel, or even know that there was less to give to Internal Improvement, Education, or 16 PROSPECT!' [January. The Messenger has now been established more than Ten Years, during which it has^ overcome Many and Great Obstacles ; and attained a wide circulation and a very high character. The efforts of the present Editor will be strenuously directed, not only to the Preservation of its Ancient Fame, but also to its Constant Improvement. In this, the flattering testimonials he has received during the last twelve months, lead him to believe that he has already succeeded. Are numerous, embracing Professional and Amateur Writers of the First Distinction. Great Expense is incurred and great pains are taken to secure an Abundant Supply of interesting and instructive matter. Regular Contributors. Judge B. Tucker, 1 C. B. Hayden, I Nasus, Authoress of " the Vow," { lr- ¦ ¦ a a 4 ¦ n i i 7 Virginia. " 1 relension, ore, eye. ' L. V—. Author of " The Prize Tale," eye. Lieut. M. F. Maury, U. S. N., Washington W. Gilmore Simms, LL. D. ) 0 „ ,¦ r, „ u- > S. Carolina. Geo. r rederick Holmes, J Mrs. Jane T. Worthington, Ohio. Mrs. Mary E. Hewitt, New-York. E. B. Hale, Illinois. Wit. W. Andrews, U. S. Consul, Malta. H. B. Hirst, Philadelphia. Americus South. Occasional Contributors. Pres. Thomas R. Dew, Prof. Geouge Tucker, J. B. D. " Author of the History of an Adventurer," eye. !> Virginia. Lucian Minor, W. B., U. S. Charge, Italy, W. M. B., U. S. Charge, S. A. Dr. 8. H. Dickson, ) Smth Carolina. Judge R. M. Charlton, Georgia. A. B. Meek, Alabama. L. J. Cist, Ohio, And many others, in the South and in nearly every State in the Union : some, whose veils we would^ ' gladly remove. 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