Chapter V: Part ONE: The Aristocracy (4)

[37] Thinking Virginians of today cannot but be gratified that the old erroneous belief concerning the origin of the aristocracy is being swept away. Why it should ever have been a matter of pride with old families to point to the English nobility of the 17th century as the class from which they sprang is not easy to understand. The lords of that day were usually corrupt, unscrupulous and quite unfit to found vigorous families in the "wilderness of America." How much better it is to know that the aristocracy of the colony was a product of Virginia itself! The self-respect, the power of command, the hospitality, the chivalry of the Virginians were not borrowed from England, but sprang into life on the soil of the Old Dominion. Amid the universal admiration and respect for Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Marshall, with what pride can the Virginian point to them as the products of his native state!

[38] Bassett, Writings of Wm. Byrd, lxxxiii.

[39] Fithian, Journal and Letters, p. 128.

[40] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. I, p. 17.

[41] Fiske, Old Va. and Her Neighbors, Vol. II, p. 221.

[42] Force, Hist. Tracts, Vol. III.

[43] The proofs of this statement are here omitted, as they are given at much length on pages 96 to 98 of this volume.

[44] Virginia's Cure.

[45] Abst. Proceedings Va. Co. of London, Vol. I, p. 154.

[46] Abst. Proceedings Va. Co. of London, Vol. I, p. 160.

[47] The word seating is used here in the sense of occupying.

[48] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. V, p. 285.

[49] An account of Virginia in 1676 written by Mrs. Thomas Slover says, "The planters' houses are built all along the sides of the rivers for the conveniency of shipping."

[50] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. IV, p. 261.

[51] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. XI, p. 56.

[52] Hening's Statutes, Vol. II, p. 172.

[53] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. II, p. 387.

[54] McDonald Papers, Vol. VI, p. 213.

[55] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. XI, p. 398.

[56] Journal of Council, McDonald Papers, Vol. VII, pp. 457-566.

[57] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. IV, p. 255.

[58] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. XI, p. 56.

[59] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. IV, p. 267.

[60] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. IX, p. 277.

[61] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. VI, p. 367.

[62] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. VI, p. 3.

[63] Jones' Virginia, p. 36.

[64] Rowland, Life of Geo. Mason, Vol. I, pp. 101, 102; compare Fithian, Journal and Letters, pp. 67, 104, 130, 131, 138, 217, 259; Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. XI, p. 62; Fiske, Old Va. and Her Neighbors, Vol. II, pp. 208, 214, 217; Bruce, Econ. Hist. of Va. Vol. II, pp. 411, 418.

[65] Force Hist. Tracts, Vol. II, Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. VI, p. 267.

[66] Jones' Va., p. 49.

[67] Fiske, Old Va. and Her Neighbors, Vol. II, p. 215.

[68] Bruce, Soc. Life of Va., p. 133.

[69] Jour. of Burg. 1688, pp. 81, 82; Sainsbury, Calendar of State Pap., Vol. IV, p. 252; McDonald Papers, Vol. VII, pp. 437-441.

[70] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. VIII, p. 56.

[71] Compare Voyages dans l'Amérique Septentrionale, Vol. II, p. 136. "On n'en pourra pas douter, si l'on considere qu'une autre cause agit encore en concurrence avec la premiere (heredity): je veux parler de l'esclavage; ... parce que l'empire qu'on exerce fur eux, entretient la vanité & la paresse."

[72] Page, The Old South, p. 157.

[73] Compare Jour. of Coun. 1748, pp. 17, 18, and 19.

[74] Wm. & Mary Quar., Vol. VI, p. 13.

[75] Anbury, p. 329.

[76] Guizot, Civ. in Europe, p. 117.

[77] Jour. of Bour. Apl. 1696.

[78] Marshall, Life of George Washington.

[79] Dinwiddie Papers, Vol. II, p. 427.

[80] Pict. Hist. of Eng., Vol. IV, p. 789.

[81] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. I, p. 216.

[82] Brown, First Rep. in America, p. 582.

[83] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. VIII, p. 69.

[84] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. II, p. 96; Bruce, Soc. Life of Va., p. 246.

[85] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. III, p. 89. Compare McDonald Papers, Vol. V, p. 35.

[86] Guizot, Hist. of Civ. in Europe, p. 106.

[87] Hening, Statutes, Vol. II, p. 66.

[88] Hening, Statutes, Vol. III, p. 268, Vol. V, p. 528.

[89] Force, Hist. Tracts, Vol. I, Our Late Troubles, p. 8.

[90] Force, Hist. Tracts, Vol. I, Ingram's Proceedings, p. 34.

[91] Meade, Vol. II, pp. 180, 181.

[92] Bernard, Retrospections of America, p. 150.

[93] Bagby, The Old Va. Gentleman, p. 125.

[94] Hening's Statutes, Vol. I, p. 391.

[95] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. III, pp. 136, 141, 142.

[96] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. III, p. 143.

[97] Sainsbury, Cal. of State Pap., Vol. V, pp. 334, 336; 360-2.

[98] Sainsbury, Cal. of State Pap., Vol. V, pp. 341-5.

[99] Sainsbury, Cal. of State Pap., Vol. V, pp. 260-2.

[100] Sainsbury, Cal. of State Pap., Vol. V, pp. 360-2.

[101] Sainsbury, Cal. of State Pap., Vol. V, pp. 360-2.

[102] Sainsbury, Cal. of State Pap., Vol. IX, pp. 131-2.

[103] Wm. & Mary Quar., Vol. IX, p. 194.

[104] Wm. & Mary Quar., Vol. VI, p. 184.

[105] Page, The Old South, p. 158.

[106] Bruce, Econ. Hist. of Va. Vol. II, p. 145-158.

[107] Ibid., Vol. II, pp. 160-161.

[108] Ibid., Vol. II, pp. 163-166.

[109] Ibid., Vol. II, pp. 177-179.

[110] Bruce, Econ. Hist. of Va., Vol. II, pp. 165-175.

[111] Fithian, Journal and Letters, pp. 127-131.

[112] Voyages dans l'Amérique Septentrionale, Tome II, p. 128.

[113] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. VI, p. 347.

[114] Meade, Vol. II, p. 331.

[115] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. IX, p. 82.

[116] Fithian, Journal and Letters, p. 251.

[117] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. VI, p. 350.

[118] Fithian, Journal and Letters, p. 148.

[119] Wm. & Mary Quar., Vol. I, p. 123; Vol. II, p. 121.

[120] Jones' Virginia.

[121] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog. Vol. VIII, p. 334.

[122] Fithian, Journals and Letters, p. 58.

[123] Ibid., p. 75.

[124] Bruce, Soc. Life in Va., p. 164.

[125] Fithian, Journal and Letters, p. 113.

[126] Va. Maga. of Hist. and Biog. Vol. VIII.

[127] Wm. & Mary Quar. Vol. II, p. 247, 248.

[128] Wm. & Mary Quar. Vol. II, p. 172.

[129] Bruce, Econ. Hist. of Va. Vol. II, p. 175; Soc. Life of Va. p. 164.

[130] Bruce, Soc. Life of Va., pp. 181-185.

[131] Jones' Va.

[132] Fithian, Journal and Letters, p. 63.

[133] Ibid., pp. 94-97.

[134] Fithian, Journal and Letters, pp. 59 and 83.

[135] Ibid., p. 77.

[136] Ibid., pp. 83 and 90.

[137] Bassett, Writings of Wm. Byrd., Intro. XXV.

[138] Anbury, Vol. II, p. 329.