She was in her structure and temper more thoroughly English than any of the colonies; and the soldiers she put in the field were the equals of any Great Britain could bring against them.

First Period of the War. At first the war was waged for a redress of grievances, not for separation from Great Britain. The colonies were not ready for the contest; and Washington, who well knew what an army ought to be, occupied himself for some time in drilling and equipping the main army, which he had to do in the face of great difficulties, and while thus engaged he kept up the siege of Boston.

Virginia takes Action for Independence. — Virginia had ever shown herself most jealous of her constitutional rights. In their defense she had, under Bacon, risen in open rebellion in 1676; and now, one hundred years later, she took a step in the cause of freedom which proved to be farreaching in its effects upon the destinies of America. On May 15, 1776, she, through her convention which met in Williamsburg, instructed her delegates in Congress to propose that the United Colonies should be declared independent. This action was on the next day read to the troops at Williamsburg, and was received by them and by the people generally with loud acclamation.

Bill of Rights. After instructing the delegates in Congress, the convention on the same day adopted a Bill of Rights which contained a clear exposition of the American theory of government; for it declared the equality of men politically, that they possessed certain inherent rights, such as "the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety," of which they could not by any compact deprive their posterity; that government

was derived from the people and was to be used for the benefit of all, and that when not so used the majority had the right to alter or abolish it; that the press should be free, and that men should have the right to follow their consciences in religion.

Adoption of a Constitution. The Bill of Rights was followed on June 29 by the adoption of a constitution, which made the government consist of a House of Delegates and a Senate, and provided that these should elect annually a governor and a privy council to assist him. This constitution, which was the first written one in the world, contained also a declaration of independence. Thus Virginia proclaimed herself an independent commonwealth amid the universal rejoicing of her people. Her new government went into operation at once, Patrick Henry being elected governor and Edmund Randolph attorney general. Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence. When the Virginia delegates in Congress received the instructions from the conven

tion, Richard Henry Lee brought in a motion,

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"That these United Col

onies are and ought to

be free and independent

Jefferson's Desk

states, and that all political connections between them and the State of Great Britain is and ought to be dissolved." After a three days' debate the motion was adopted, and a committee was appointed to draw up a Declaration of Independence. The Declaration was written by Thomas Jefferson;1 and Congress, after making a few changes, adopted it as written by him, on July 4, 1776.

1 Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826). Next to Washington, Jefferson had more influence in forming the institutions of the country than any of the early

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Virginia among the First. Virginia was first among the foremost in the resolutions condemning the Stamp Act, in the formation of the Committee of Correspondence, in the movement for a Continental Congress, and in the decisive steps that led to the independence of America. More considerate treatment by the British government would have kept her loyal; but, under a sense of oppres

SIC

VIRGINIA

SEMPER

TYRANNIS

sion, the revolutionary impulse caused her to renounce utterly an allegiance of which she had. in former days been proud to boast.

A Seal Adopted. After declaring herself independent, Virginia adopted a new seal, devised by George Wythe, which expressed the spirit that animated the people. It represents Virtue, the tutelary goddess of the commonwealth, draped as an Amazon, bearing in one

statesmen. He was the great apostle of popular sovereignty, believing most strongly as he did in the reign of the people and not in that of an aristocracy of birth or of money; he was the real founder of the Democratic party. While universal suffrage was the logical outcome of Jefferson's political doctrines, yet he realized the danger of placing power in the hands of the ignorant, and so we find that the education of the people was one of the objects for which he labored most earnestly. Through his influence the University of Virginia was established in 1819; and he lived long enough to see it go into successful operation. His long life was characterized by the most distinguished services to his native state and to the country at large. He was Secretary of State under Washington, President for two terms, minister to France, governor of Virginia and her representative in Congress.

1 George Wythe (1726-1806). An eminent lawyer, who was born in Virginia. In 1776, he was a commissioner with Jefferson and others to revise the statutes of Virginia. He was Professor of Law at William and Mary, where he was educated. He was a member of the Virginia Convention, which ratified the Federal Constitution in 1788.

hand a spear and in the other a sword, trampling under foot tyranny, symbolized as a prostrate man, having near him a broken chain and a scourge, while his crown has fallen from his head. Above the figure of Virtue is the word "Virginia," and underneath the motto "Sic semper tyrannis."

Religious Liberty. The Episcopal Church had been the established church in Virginia, as it is in England to-day; and at times, harsh laws had been enacted against those who dissented from its doctrines. But one form of belief does not satisfy all people; and at the time of the Revolution, Quakers, Baptists, Presbyterians, and Methodists had gained a strong foothold. In her Bill of Rights, Virginia was the first state in the world to separate absolutely Church and State, declaring as she did that her government should be built upon the foundation stone of religious liberty; and when the General Assembly met in October, 1776, all persons who did not accept the doctrines of the Established Church were determined to see that laws should be enacted to carry out the principles of religious freedom that had been announced. A great struggle ensued, which lasted for nearly two months. Edmund Pendleton 1 and John Page 2 defended the Episcopal Church, while Thomas Jefferson was the champion.

1 Edmund Pendleton (1721-1803). He was born in Carolina County, Va., was a lawyer by profession, and was known as a conservative statesman. During the Revolution, his object was "to raise the spirits of the timid to a general united opposition," and to oppose the violent who wished to adopt rash measures. He was president of the Committee of Safety, of a number of conventions, and of the Virginia Supreme Court.

2 John Page (1743-1808). He was born at Rosewell, Va., and was an ardent supporter of the cause of the colonists during the Revolution, contributing of his own private means for the public good. He was a member of the convention that framed the constitution of Virginia, and held a number of other offices. In 1802, he was elected governor of Virginia.