VIRGINIA UNDER THE THIRD CHARTER.
It was now the year 1612, and King James, who made "change" the
rule of his reign, granted a third charter to the company, under which
many important changes were made. By it the privileges and immunities
were greatly increased; their jurisdiction was extended over all the
territory within a radius of three hundred miles from Jamestown;
they were permitted to elect their own officers, to decide all questions
of law and right—in fact, to govern the colony on their own responsibility.
This was the germ from which sprang democratic government
in America.
