VIRGINIA. 



thtfe are navigable for veflels of various fizes, and to confi- 

 derable diftances. The principal of them are feparately 

 noticed under their refpeftive names. 



The/o/7 in the low part of the ftate is fandy, but rich on 

 the banks of rivers : between the head of tide-waters and 

 the mountains it is pretty good. The mountains are poor, 

 and in various places incapable of culture, but they are in- 

 terfperfed with many fertile valleys. Weft of the moun- 

 tains the foil is generally good. 



Of the produce of this ftate, wheat and tobacco are the 

 ftaples ; corn, rye, barley, buckwheat, hemp, flax, roots, 

 grafs, fruit, indigo, and fome filk, are alfo cultivated. 



As to the climate, in the low country, the fummers are 

 hot, and winters mild ; in the upper country, and among 

 the mountains, the air is pure, and the weather pleafant : 

 towards the weft, temperate. 



With refpeft to the ftate of literature in Virginia, the col- 

 lege of William and Mary is the only public feminary of 

 learning. (See College. ) Befides this, it has a number 

 of flouriftiing academies ; one in Prince Edward county, 

 one at Alexandria, one at Norfolk, one at Hanover, and 

 others at other places. Since the declaration of independ- 

 ence, the laws have been revifed, and one objeft in this 

 revifal was the diffufion of knowledge more generaUy 

 through the mafs of the people. The bill for this purpofe 

 propofed to lay off^ every county into fmall dittrifts of five 

 or fix miles fquare, called hundreds, and in each of them to 

 eftablifti a fchool for inftruAion in reading, writing, and 

 arithmetic. 



As to the religion of Virginia, we may obferve, that the 

 firft fettlers were emigrants from England, belonging to 

 the Englifh church ; and though they were flying from per- 

 fecution, they manifefted a confiderable degree of mtoler- 

 ance : which was alfo the cafe witli their Preft)yterian 

 brethren, who had emigrated to the northern government ; 

 and the Quakers, who were feeking an afylum from perfe- 

 cution, experienced the effefts of this intolerance. At the 

 commencement of the late revolution, two-thirds of the 

 people are faid to have become diflenters of one defcription 

 or another. The prefent denominations of Chriftians in 

 Virginia are, Preftjyterians, who are the moft numerous, and 

 inhabit the weftern parts of the ftate ; Epifcopahans, or, as 

 Mr. Jefferfon calls them, " Anglicans," who are the moft 

 ancient fettlers, and occupy the eaftern and firft fettled parts 

 of the ftate ; and intermingled with thefe, Baptifts and Me- 

 thodifts in great numbers. 



With regard to the character of the Virginians, it is ob- 

 ferved, that as a political and military body, they rank among 

 the firft in the page of hiftory ; fome of them having been moft 

 aftive in efFefting the revolutions in America, and influencing 

 the great mafs of the people, who would otherwife have in- 

 dulged their indolence and indifference. Valuing themfelves 

 on their inheriting the ancient dominion, they have thought 

 themfelves entitled to the firft rank in the union, and with- 

 out doubt they have reafon to boaft of their " Wafhington." 

 But Virginia, though claiming priority of the northern 

 ftates in point of age, is far from being equal to fome of 

 them as to literary, mechanical, nautical, agricultural, and 

 manufaftural improvements. Allowing for fome few in- 

 ftances, the Virginians have made very little progrefs in the 

 arts and fciences. Before the revolution they were repre- 

 fented by travellers who paffed through their country as in- 

 dolent and inaftive, fond of fociety, addidled to convivial 

 pleafures, and of courfe indilpofed for any entcrprife that 

 expofed them to fatigue and danger. The authority which 

 they exercifed over their flaves rendered them vain and im- 

 perious, and ftrangers to that elegance of fentiment which ia 



peculiarly charafteriftic of refined and polifhed nations. 

 Hence they were led to extravagance, oftentation, a difre- 

 gard of economy, and inattention to bufinefs : they were 

 haughty and jealous of their liberties, impatient of reftraint, 

 and averfe from being controuled by any fuperior power. 

 They are, however, liberal and generous ; and are ready to 

 furnifti neceffary fupplies for the fupport of government, as 

 well as for the purpofes of hofpitality. Their women are, 

 upon the whole, handfome, though in this refpeft inferior to 

 thofe of England : having few advantages, their accom- 

 phfliments are inconfiderable, and their temper referved. 

 The only amufement to which they are much addifted is 

 dancing, and it is almoft the only one of which they parti- 

 cipate. The Virginians, fays a djfcerning traveller cited by 

 Morfc, are rich, and in general fenfiblc, polite, and hof- 

 pitable, and of an independent fpirit : the poor are ignorant 

 and abjeft : but all are of an inquifitive turn, and in many 

 other refpefts very much refemble the people in the eaftern 

 ilates. They differ from them, however, in their morals : 

 the former being much additted to gaming, drinking, 

 fwearing, horfe-racing, cock-fighting, and moft kinds of 

 diflipation. There is a much greater difference between the 

 rich and poor in Virginia than in any of the northern ftates. 



As to the conjlltutlon, and judiciary admlnlftratlon of Vir- 

 ginia, we obferve, that the executive powers are lodged 

 in the hands of a governor, annually chofen, and incapable 

 of afting more than three years in feven. He is affifted by 

 a council of eight members. The judiciary powers are di- 

 vided among feveral courts. Legiflation is exercifed by two 

 houfes of aitembly ; the one called the houfe of delegates, 

 compofed of two members from each county, chofen an- 

 nually by the citizens poffeffing an eftate for life in loo 

 acres of uninhabited land, or 25 acres with a houfe 

 upon it, or in a houfe or lot in fome town : the other called 

 the fenate, confifting of twenty-four members, chofen qua- 

 driennially by the fame eleftors, who for this purpofe are 

 diftributed into twenty-four diftrifts. The concurrence of 

 both houfes is neceffary for paffuig a law. There are three 

 fuperior courts, to which appeals lie from the courts below ; 

 viz. the high court of chancery, the general court, and the 

 court of admiralty. There is one fupreme court, called the 

 court of appeals, compofed of the judges of the three fu- 

 perior courts, affembling twice a year, at ftated times, at 

 Richmond. It receives appeals in all civil cafes from each 

 of the fuperior courts, and finally determines them ; but has 

 no original jurifdiftion. In 1785, the affembly enafted that 

 no man ftiould be compelled to fupport any religious worftiip, 

 place, or minifter whatfoever, nor be enforced, reftrained, 

 molefted, or burdened in his body or goods, nor otherwife 

 fuffer on account of his religious opinions or belief ; but 

 that all men ftiould be free to profefs, and by argument to 

 maintain, their opinions in matters of rehgion ; and that the 

 fame ftiould in no wife diminiih, enlarge, or affeft their civil 

 capacities. In Oftober 1786, an ad was pafled by the 

 affembly, proliibiting the importation of flaves into the com- 

 monwealth, upon penalty of the forfeiture of the fum of 

 1000/. for every Have. And every flave imported contrary 

 to the true intent and meaning of this aft, becomes free. 



Hl/lory of Virginia. — In the year 1584, two patents were 

 granted by queen Ehzabeth, one to Adrian Gilbert (Feb. 6), 

 the other to fir Walter Raleigh (March 25), for lands not 

 poffeffed by any Chriftian prince. Under the direftion of fir 

 Walter, two fliips were fent out, and in July, 1585, arrived 

 on the coaft, anchoring in a harbour feveu leagues W. of the 

 Roanoke. On the 1 5th of July they took formal poffeffion 

 of the country, and in honour of their virgin queen Eliza- 

 beth, caUed it Virginia. Before this event the country was 



known 



