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THE ESTABLISHMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

With Sir George Yeardley governor, and important changes in the
London Company, the colonists expected a period of prosperity, and
their expectations were fully realized. Martial law was abolished; the

RUINS OF JAMESTOWN, VIRGINIA,

The first town founded in America, and first capital of Virginia—destroyed by its own inhabitants in 1676, during
"Bacon's Rebellion," to prevent Lord Berkeley's taking shelter there—never rebuilt.

governor, in accordance with instructions from the company, divided the
plantations along the James river into eleven districts, called boroughs,
and issued a proclamation commanding the citizens to ELECT TWO REPRESENTATIVES
from each borough to take part in the government: the
election was held in the latter part of June, and the first House of
Representatives in the New World convened at Jamestown on the 30th
of July, 1619.

This body was called the House of Burgesses, and by it were "debated
all matters thought expedient for the good of the colony." A
number of acts were passed which were pronounced by the company to
be "well and judiciously carried," but unfortunately we have no record
of them.

In this eventful year, Sir Edwyn Sandys recognized the fact that the
stability of the colony could only be secured by the establishment of
family ties. Up to this time very few of the colonists had come to Virginia
with the intention of finding a permanent home; by far the greater
number were adventurers who left England with the determination to
sometime return—either after they had accumulated a fortune, or gratified
a desire for adventure. The endearments of home and friends are
the ties that bind men to a settled habitation, and now, if these could
be found on this side of the Atlantic, then would these adventurers
relinquish the fond hope of returning to seek them in the mother country,
and the permanency of the colony would be assured. To achieve
this end was the determination of Sir Edwyn, and during this year he
sent over twelve hundred and sixty emigrants, among whom were ninety
"agreeable young women, poor but respectable and incorrupt," who
were designed as wives for the colonists. Shortly after, another consignment
was made of "sixty young maids of virtuous education, young,
handsome, and well recommended." Such is the compliment paid by
the historian to the first mothers of Virginia. It has been said that
they were sold to the planters at prices ranging from one hundred to
one hundred and fifty pounds of tobacco. Such was not the case. They
were transported at the expense of the company, and when they were
chosen as wives by the planters the fare for transportation was charged
and paid by the husbands. Thus domestic relations were established;
then came habits of thrift, an increase of comforts, and consequent happiness.
Within the next two years fifty patents for land were granted
and 3,500 emigrants found homes in Virginia.