Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/402

382 VIRGINIA was also empowered to make laws for the col- ony. Under this new charter Lord Delaware was appointed governor, Sir Thomas Gates lieutenant governor, Sir George Somers admi- ral, Christopher Newport vice admiral, and Sir Thomas Dale high marshal, all for life. Nine vessels with 500 colonists, including 20 women and children, set sail at once. Gates, Somers, and Newport accompanied the fleet, but the governor was detained for some time in Eng- land. The three officers all embarked in the same vessel, and were cast ashore on one of the Bermudas; one of the other vessels was lost, but the remaining seven arrived in safety in the James river. The old government was abrogated, but none of the officers of the new one having arrived, Smith retained the gov- ernment, as the charter authorized him to do. He was soon after severely wounded by an accident and returned to England for surgical aid, leaving a colony of 500 persons, whose number in six months was reduced to 60. At this juncture Newport, Gates, and Somers, with 150 men, arrived from the Bermudas. In June, 1610, Lord Delaware with three ships arrived from England, bringing supplies and colonists. Ho took measures for procuring supplies, and established a trading post at Hampton. But ho was soon superseded by Sir Thomas Dale, who arrived with 300 settlers and some cat- tle. Dale was succeeded in August, 1611, by Sir Thomas Gates, who brought 350 more col- onists. New settlements were commenced at Henrico (now Dutch Gap), above Jamestown, and at the junction of the Appomattox and the James (now Bermuda Hundred). In 1616 Dale, who had resumed the government of the colony at the departure of Gates, returned to England, and soon after Capt. Argall was ap- pointed deputy governor. He used his office so much to the distress of the colonists that Lord Delaware sailed from England to resume his duties, but died on his passage at the mouth of the bay which bears his name. In 1619 George Yetmlley was appointed governor. At his summons delegates from each of the 11 plan- tations in Virginia assembled at Jamestown, July 30, 1619, which was the first elective body ever convened in the western world. During this year 1,200 colonists were sent over, among whom were 90 respectable young women, who were disposed of to the planters as wives at the cost of their passage. The culture of to- bacco was already becoming profitable. Among the new colonists were 100 sent by the king's special order from the prisons, to be sold as servants to the planters. This was the first instance in which felons had been sent to a British colony, and despite the protests of the colonists they continued to be sent to Virginia for 100 years. In the same year a Dutch man-of-war brought to Jamestown 20 negroes, who were sold as slaves for life. This was the introduction of slavery. The num- ber did not much increase for the next 40 years, being limited to a few cargoes brought in by Dutch traders. On July 24, 1621, an ordinance was passed creating a written con- stitution for the colony, which secured repre- sentative government and trial by jury. The constitution provided for a governor and coun- cil to be appointed by the company, and an annual general assembly composed of the mem- bers of the council and two burgesses chosen by the people of each plantation. The assem- bly was clothed with full legislative authority, its acts being subject to the governor's veto. More settlers arriving, new plantations were es- tablished on the York, James, and Potomac riv- ers, and on the eastern shore of Chesapeake bay. In 1622 occurred a bloody war between the colonists and the Indian tribes led by Opechan- canough, the brother and successor of Pow- hatan. On the night of March 22 the Indians made a preconcerted attack on the white set- tlers scattered through distant villages, for 140 m. on both sides of James river, and massacred 847 men, women, and children. Of the total number of immigrants, exceeding 4,000, there remained a year after the massacre but 2,500 men. In 1624 the London company was dis- solved by writ of quo warranto, after expend- ing 150,000 beyond its receipts from the col- ony, which was thenceforward under the direct charge of the crown, except during the period of the commonwealth, 1649-'60. Its condition at this time was not prosperous, tobacco being the only article of export which paid a profit. In 1632 the laws of the colony wore revised and consolidated. "A Perfect Description of Virginia" (London, 1649) gives the number of inhabitants at 15,000 English and 800 negro servants. In 1641 Sir William Berkeley became governor, and being a stanch loyalist soon came into collision with the parliament. The colony remained firm in its adherence to the Stuarts till March, 1651, when an English fleet, accom- panied by commissioners of the council of state for the commonwealth of England, visited the Chesapeake, and arranged terms of capitulation with the loyalists; and Berkeley's commission being declared void, Richard Bennet, one of the commissioners of parliament, was in April, 1652, elected governor. On the restoration of Charles II. Sir William Berkeley was elected governor by the Virginia assembly and commis- sioned by the king. The code of the colony was again revised in 1661-'2, and the church of England reestablished, and severe laws were passed against " nonconformists, Quakers, and Anabaptists." In 1671 the population was esti- mated by Sir William Berkeley at "40,000, including 2,000 black slaves and 6,000 Chris- tian servants, of whom about 1,500 were im- ported yearly, principally English." The only exported commodity was tobacco, to the quan- tity of 15,000 or 20,000 hogsheads of 350 Ibs. each. The Indians were completely subdued, so that there was no fear of them. There were 48 parishes, and the ministers were well paid. " But," adds the governor, " I thank God there are no free schools nor printing, and I hope