University of Virginia Library

VIRGINIA AFTER THE REVOLUTION.

The most important act in the history of the State in the year 1781,
was the cession of her immense territory north-west of the Ohio to the
general government. The feeble colony of 1607, now grown to a powerful
State, stands on the banks of the Ohio and cedes to the general govment
her vast empire beyond. To this liberal act she was induced by
her desire to accelerate the general ratification of the Articles of the
Confederation of the Union.

The war was now past, and it was seen by the ablest statesmen of the
nation that the Articles of Confederation, under which the colonies had
achieved their independence, were not suited to bind together a union of
States whose territory extended over half a continent, and whose desire
was to be held together by bonds of union which could never be severed;
and now, for the first time, the subject of a federal or national constitutution
began to be thought of. This plan of remodeling the government
originated in Virginia.

After Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of
the army to the Continental Congress, he retired to his home at Mount
Vernon, and it was here, in the year 1785, during the visit of several
distinguished statesmen, that the proposition was first made. They then
prepared and issued a call for a convention to meet at Annapolis, in
Maryland, the following year, "to consider the subject of a national constitution."
In September, 1786, the convention met, but only five States
were represented. This being a minority of the States, the body, after
passing a resolution urging the several legislatures to appoint delegates
to a national convention, to meet at Philadelphia on the second Monday
in May, adjourned.

In compliance with that resolution, the convention met at the appointed
place and time, every State being represented except Rhode
Island. To that convention Virginia sent as her representatives, George
Washington, John Blair, James Madison, Jr., George Mason, James
McClurg, Edmund Randolph and George Wythe, the first of whom was
elected president of the convention.

From the day of meeting to the 29th, a discussion was kept up in
relation to the revision of the articles of confederation, when, on the
latter day, Edmund Randolph moved to set aside the articles and prepare
a new constitution. The motion prevailed. A committee was appointed,
which reported early in September. Their report was the
Constitution of the United States. Copies of the new instrument were sent
to the several legislatures for ratification or rejection.

The Virginia convention called to ratify the Federal compact met in
the city of Richmond in June, 1788, and was composed of men whose

names were already illustrious, or destined to become so in the future
history of the State and nation. Among them sat Marshall, Madison,
Monroe, Mason, Nichols, Henry, Randolph, Pendleton, Lee, Washington,
Wythe, Innes, Bland, Grayson, and many others "whose sound
reasoning and eloquence shed a lustre upon the deliberations of that
august body which has never been surpassed in the annals of the commonwealth."
On the 25th an ordinance was passed ratifying the Federal
Constitution, and the new government at once went into operation,
nine States having previously adopted that instrument.

It was then that Virginia began her career as the central figure in
the galaxy of States, and for fifty years her progress was such that it
won for her the proud title of "the Old Dominion." But our space
forbids us to notice in detail the minor events in her history during that
period, and we must content ourselves with a brief mention of the most
important only.

BURNING OF THE RICHMOND THEATER.

The saddest event recorded in the annals of the State is that of the
burning of the Richmond theater on the night of the 26th of December,
1811. This terrible catastrophe carried heart-rending sorrow to many
heretofore happy homes, and cast a gloom over the entire State.

On that evening a popular play was to be introduced, and an audience
numbering six hundred, composed of the elite of the city, together
with many others from distant parts of the State who were spending
the holidays at the capital city, had collected to witness the performance,
and just at the time the play was to commence the scenery in the
rear of the stage became ignited by coming in contact with a chandelier.
The alarm was given, and then at once began such a scene as has
rarely, if ever, been witnessed. We let the editor of the Richmond
Standard, who was an eye-witness, describe it:

"The performers and their attendants in vain endeavored to tear down
the scenery; the fire flashed in every part of the house with a rapidity
horrible and astonishing; and, alas! gushing tears and unspeakable
anguish deprived me of utterance. No person who was not present can
form any idea of this unexampled scene of distress. * * * There
was but one door for the greatest part of the audience to pass. Men,
women and children were pressing upon each other, while the flames
were seizing upon those behind. The editor went to different windows,
which were very high, and implored his fellow-creatures to save their
lives by jumping out of them. Those nearest the windows, ignorant of
their danger, were afraid to leap down, while those behind them were seen
catching on fire and writhing in the greatest agonies of pain and distress.
At length those behind, urged by the pressing flames, pushed
those who were nearest to the windows, and people of every description
began to fall one upon another, some with their clothes on fire, some

half roasted. Oh, wretched me! Oh, afflicted people! Would to God
I could have died a thousand deaths in any shape, could undivided suffering
have purchased the safety of my friends, my benefactors, of those
whom I loved! The editor, with the assistance of others, caught several
of those whom he had begged to leap from the windows. One lady
jumped out when all her clothes were on fire. He tore them burning
from her; stripped her of her last rags, and, protecting her nakedness
with his coat, carried her from the fire. Fathers and mothers were deploring
the loss of their children; children the loss of their parents;
husbands were heard to lament the loss of their companions; wives were
bemoaning their burnt husbands. The people were seen wringing their
hands, beating their hands and breasts, and those that had secured
themselves seemed to suffer greater torments than those enveloped in the
flames.

"Oh, distracting memory! Who that saw this can think of it again and
yet retain his senses! Do I dream? No, no! Oh, that it were but a
dream! My God! who that saw his friends and nearest connections
devoured by fire and laying in heaps at the door, will not regret that he
ever lived to see such sights? Could savages have seen this memorable
event, it would even soften their hearts.

"A sad gloom pervades this place, and every countenance is cast
down to earth. The loss of a hundred thousand friends on the field of
battle could not touch the heart like this. Enough. Imagine what can
not be described. The most distant and implacable enemy, and the most
savage barbarians, will mourn our unhappy lot."

* * * * * * * *

About one hundred and twenty perished in the flames, among whom
were the Hon. George W. Smith, governor of the State; Abraham B.
Venable, United States ex-senator and president of the State Bank of
Richmond, and many other distinguished persons. Lieutenant J. Gibbon,
of the regular army, lost his life in an attempt to save that of a
Miss Conyers, his affianced.

SECOND WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN.

When the war of 1812 came, Virginia was ready. She contributed
liberally of her treasure, and thousands of her sons from her eastern shores
and from her wide western domain enrolled themselves in favor of "Free
Trade and Sailors' Rights," and went to join the land and naval forces of
the nation; and when the vandals of Ross, who laid the Federal capital in
ashes, were ravaging her shores, her citizens rose en masse to repel the ruthless
invader. At Hampton, at Craney Island, at Norfolk, at Fort Meigs,
and along the shores of the Northern lakes, hundreds of her sons fell
upon the battle-field, and other hundreds paid the forfeit of their lives in
a climate which, to them, habit and nature had rendered uncongenial and
fatal.

REVOLUTIONARY RELICS.

GRAVE OF GENERAL DANIEL MORGAN,

of the Revolution, at Winchester, Va.

CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES.

As already noticed, Mr. Archibald Cary, from the committee appointed
for the purpose, reported, on the 24th of June, 1776, a plan of government
for the colony. It was read a second time, on the 26th, and considered
in committee of the whole on that day, and on the 27th and 28th.
It was then reported to the House, with amendments, which were read twice
and agreed to. After being fairly transcribed, it was read a third time
on the 29th and passed unanimously.

This constitution or form of government was originally drawn up by
George Mason. Mr. Jefferson had put a draft of one into the hands of
Mr. Wythe, who reached Williamsburg after the other was committed to
the committee of the whole. Two or three parts of Mr. Jefferson's plan
were, with little alteration, inserted in the other, and his preamble was
also adopted. This constitution was in force until superseded by the
amended constitution or form of government for Virginia which, on the
15th of January, 1830, was submitted and proposed to the people of
Virginia by their delegates and representatives in convention assembled.

This amended constitution continued in force until January, 1852. A
convention to form a new constitution was called in 1850. It assembled
on the 14th of October of the same year, and the constitution which continued
in force until the time of the civil war was adopted on the 1st of
August, 1851. It was submitted to the people, who ratified it on the
fourth Thursday in October following. On the second Monday of the
succeeding December an election was held for the legislature, governor,
lieutenant-governor and attorney-general. The first general assembly
under the new constitution convened on the second Monday in January
(the twelfth day of the month), and the first governor and lieutenant-governor
took the oath and entered upon the discharge of the duties of
their respective offices on the 16th of January, 1852. Under the now
liberal provisions of this constitution, the State entered upon a decade of
unexampled prosperity. These were the halcyon days of Virginia, but
the storm came on apace and civil war hovered near.

JOHN BROWN'S RAID UPON HARPERS FERRY, VIRGINIA, 1859.

On the 16th day of October, 1859, an event occurred at Harpers Ferry,
Virginia, which sent a thrill of terror throughout the State and astonished
the entire nation, an event which was but the forerunner of mightier ones;
it was the muttering of the storm in the distance, the rumbling of thunder
below the horizon where lay the storm which was destined, erelong, to

break forth in all its fury and scatter destruction far and wide throughout
the country.

May 8th, 1858, a conference was held at Chatham, Canada, composed
of numerous representatives from various parts of the United States
and British America, the object of which was to consult upon and
determine the best plans for bringing about a consummation of their
long-cherished hope, the abolition of slavery in the Southern States.
The moving spirit of that body was John Brown, or "Old Ossawattamie
Brown," so called because of his participation in the battle fought at
Ossawattamie, Kansas, during the troubles in that State. What the
action of that convention was, never has been, and never will be known,
but an inference may be drawn from the immediate action of its principal
leader.

Shortly after, Brown and his two sons, Oliver and Watson, appeared
in the vicinity of Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and under the assumed name
of Smith, leased a farm in Maryland, only a few miles distant from
the place selected as the scene of their future operations. Here a considerable
quantity of arms and ammunition, shipped from an unknown
source, was collected, and a force of twenty-two confederates joined
him, of whom seventeen were white and five were colored. Brown's
courage and resolute daring displayed in the long and bloody war which
ended in making Kansas a free State, secured for him the leadership
in the dangerous enterprise now to be undertaken. At length the day
for action arrived; Brown issued his instructions to his followers and
concluded by saying, "And now, gentlemen, let me press this one
thing upon your minds. You all know how dear life is to you, and
how dear your lives are to your friends; and remembering that, consider
that the lives of others are as dear to them as yours is to you.
Do not, therefore, take the life of any one, if you can possibly avoid it;
but, if necessary to take life in order to save your own, then make sure
work of it."

The hour was 10 o'clock P. M., when William Williamson, the arsenal
guard on the Potomac bridge, while walking his beat, was seized
and made a prisoner. The guard thus removed, Brown and his men
quietly took possession of the armory buildings, in which were stored
an immense quantity of arms and ammunition. When the midnight relief
came to the bridge and found the lights out and the guard gone, he
supposed it to be an attempt at robbery, and hastened away to give
the alarm. About 1 o'clock in the morning several of the invaders
went to the house of Lewis Washington, an extensive farmer and slave
owner, and, arousing him from his bed, made him a prisoner, and after
securing his arms and carriage and proclaiming freedom to his slaves,
carried him to the arsenal. A similar visit was made to the residence
of Mr. Alstatt, who, together with his son, was made a prisoner and

his slaves likewise proclaimed free. Several other prisoners were
also brought in, some of whom interrogated Brown as to the object
of the proceedings, to which he answered, "To free the slaves;" and
when asked by whose authority the reply was, "By the authority of
God Almighty."

At the usual hour the mail train on the Baltimore & Ohio road
arrived, but was warned not to pass over the bridge, but after considerable
detention was permitted to proceed. So quietly had everything
been managed that the town was not aroused until after daybreak,
when it was discovered that the government buildings were in possession
of a band of insurgents, who, with armed sentinels, guarded every
approach to the town, thus rendering its inhabitants prisoners. At
daylight the workmen engaged on the buildings, not yet aware of the
proceedings, went as usual to their work and were made prisoners
and confined in a large building in the yard; the other prisoners
being confined in the engine-house which the invaders after made
their chief fortress.

When the true state of affairs became known the wildest confusion
prevailed; messages were hastened off to the surrounding towns, and by
noon military companies began to arrive. Colonel Baylor, with a company
of Charlestown troops, was the first to arrive; they made a dash
toward the bridge, the invaders falling back and taking refuge in the
armory, where they checked the military and compelled them to fall
back; a desultory fire was kept up during the remainder of the day, by
which Mr. Beckham, mayor of the town, was killed; also Brown's son,
Oliver, Kagi, his secretary, and Leeman, one of his captives, fell within
the armory. In the evening a considerable force arrived from Martinsburg,
which at once stormed and carried the building in which the
workmen were imprisoned, they were all liberated and an attack was
then made upon the engine-house, which was repulsed with considerable
loss.

Brown had taken the precaution to have the wires cut, so that the
outside world should not be aware of his proceedings until he should
have firmly established himself; but late in the evening messengers
bore dispatches beyond the damage to the wires, and transmitted them
to Washington, Baltimore, Richmond, and other points, at all of which
the intelligence produced the wildest excitement and throughout the
South it amounted to almost a "reign of terror." Col. Robert E. Lee,
with one hundred United States marines and two pieces of artillery,
was at once dispatched from Washington to the scene of action, and upon
the arrival Colonel Lee sent Lieutenant J. E. B. Stuart to demand an
unconditional surrender; only promising the insurgents protection from
immediate violence, and a trial under the civil laws, but Brown refused
to capitulate on any terms other than these: "That they should be permitted
to march out with their men and arms, taking their prisoners with

them; that they should proceed, unpursued, to the toll-gate, when they
would free their prisoners; the soldiers would then be permitted to pursue
them, and they would fight if they could not escape." To these
terms Lieutenant Stuart could not consent; he withdrew, and an attack
was at once made which resulted in the capture of Brown and several of
his followers, all of whom were forced to surrender only at the point of
the bayonet. One of the soldiers struck Brown, after he had thrown
down his arms, in the face with his saber, and another soldier ran a bayonet
twice into his body.

Captain Brown was carried out into the yard, where he soon revived,
and talked freely to those around him, defending his action, and declaring
that he had done only what was right. The following conversation
took place between himself and one of the officers:

"Are you Captain Brown of Kansas?"

"I am sometimes called so."

"Are you Ossawattamie Brown?"

"I tried to do my duty there."

"What is your present object?"

"To free the slaves from bondage."

"Were any other persons but those with you now, connected with the
movement?"

"No."

"Did you expect aid from the North?"

"No; there was no one connected with the movement but those who
came with me."

"Did you expect to kill people in order to carry your point?"

"I did not wish to do so, but you have forced us to do it."

An indictment for treason and murder was at once found against
Brown by the authorities of Virginia, and from this time until his trial,
he was closely confined in prison. Several of his followers were also
confined to await trial, all of whom demanded to be tried separately;
the authorities consented, and Brown was placed on trial for his life,
upon the charge preferred in the indictment. The case came up for
hearing on the 26th of October, at Charlestown, Virginia. He asked
for a continuance because of his severe wounds, but it was denied
him. Throughout the trial, being unable to sit, he lay upon a mattress.
The trial continued three days; a verdict of guilty upon all the charges
preferred was found against him, and he was sentenced to be hanged
on the 2d of December.

During the period of Brown's confinement from the time his sentence
was pronounced until the day of his execution, he was visited by many
distinguished persons, and letters of sympathy and condolence from eminent
editors and politicians poured in upon him. When the day of his
execution arrived he walked forth from the jail with a calm expression

upon his face, and a firm and steady step; mounted the wagon which
was to convey him to the gallows, and seated himself between Mr. Avis,
the jailer, and Mr. Saddler, the undertaker. On the way to the gallows
he conversed as cheerfully as if he had only been taking a morning
drive with the object of viewing the surrounding mountain scenery.
Arrived at the place of execution, he descended from the wagon and
mounted the scaffold, the first man to stand upon it. A white cap was
then drawn over his eyes and the fatal noose adjusted. Said the sheriff:
"Captain Brown, you are not standing upon the drop; will you step
forward?" Brown replied: "I can not see; you must lead me." Sheriff
Avis then led him to the center of the drop; the fatal signal was given
and the body was dangling in the air. After hanging thirty-eight minutes
it was cut down, given to the undertaker, who placed it in a walnut
coffin, after which it was conveyed to North Elba, New York, where an
eloquent eulogy was pronounced over it by Wendell Phillips. That thus
died a fanatic, a victim to a delusion which entirely possessed him,
none will deny; but that he was a brave man, possessing determined
resolution, we have the testimony of Governor Henry A. Wise, who
said of him. "Brown was as brave a man as ever headed an insurrection.
He is the farthest possible remove from the ordinary ruffian, rake
or madman."

Six of Brown's companions were also executed: Cook, Coppoc, Copeland
and Green, on the 16th of December, and Stephens and Haslitt
on the 16th of the following March. Thus ended the most tragic scene
in the history of Virginia.