1132. CAPITALS (State), Location of.—[continued].
The seat of government
[in Virginia] had been originally fixed in the
peninsula of Jamestown, the first settlement of
the colonists; and had been afterwards removed
a few miles inland to Williamsburg.
But this was at a time when our settlements
had not extended beyond the tide waters. Now
they had crossed the Alleghany; and the
centre of population was very far removed
from what it had been. Yet Williamsburg
was still the depository of our archives, the
habitual residence of the Governor and many
other of the public functionaries, the established
place for the sessions of the legislature,
and the magazine of our military stores; and
its situation was so exposed that it might be
taken at any time in war, and, at this time particularly,
an enemy might in the night run up
either of the rivers, between which it lies,
land a force above, and take possession of the
place, without the possibility of saving either
persons or things. I had proposed its removal
so early as October, '76; but it did not prevail
until the session of May, '79.—
Autobiography. Washington ed. i, 40.
Ford ed., i, 55.
(1821)
