Exactions of Charles. Tyranny of Harvey. Charles I inherited the disposition of his father, and during the early part of his regin, the liberties of the colonists were greatly infringed. In 1626, he reappointed Sir George Yeardley to the office of governor, who, in conjunction with a council of twelve and a secretary, was to exercise supreme 1626 authority; and was enjoined to conform to instructions, which might, from time to time, be received from the king. Yeardley and his council carried out the views of their sovereign, and thus the representatives of the people were entirely prevented from enacting laws for their own government. 1627 The next step of Charles was to monopolize the profits of the industry of the planters. With this view, a proclamation was issued, prohibiting the sale of tobacco to any person but commissioners appointed by himself. The staple of Virginia thus sunk in value, while landed property was rendered insecure by grants made by Charles, which were not only of great extent, but, from imperfect acquaintance with the country, were often made to include districts already occupied and planted. Sir John Harvey succeeded Yeardley in the government of the colony. He had already rendered himself unpopular in Virginia by his political views, and after his appointment, he rigorously enforced every act of power, and paid no attention to the remonstrances of the people. The colonists submitted a long time to his tyranny. At length they seized him and sent him a prisoner to England, accompanied by two commissioners appointed to represent their grievances to the king. These, however, met with no favor from Charles, who considered the measure of the colonists an act of rebellion against his authority. Without hearing the charges of the commissioners, he sent Harvey back to Virginia, invested with his former powers. General Assembly re-established. Restrictions on commerce. Although Charles thus asserted his authority in Virginia, he was not insensible to the grievances of the colonists, and soon after removed the governor. He named as a 1639 successor, Sir William Berkeley, a man of great abilities, prudent, virtuous and popular. Under his administration, the colony continued for many years prospering and increasing. The instructions of Berkeley were, in many respects, similar to those of his predecessor, yet he was empowered to declare that in all its affairs, civil as well as ecclesiastical, the colony was to be governed according to the laws of England. Representatives of the people were to be elected, who, in conjunction with the governor and council, were to form a general assembly, and to possess supreme legislative authority. Berkeley was directed to establish courts of justice, in which all causes should be decided agreeably to the forms of procedure in England. The original plan of Charles to secure to himself the advantages arising from the sale of the productions of the colonists, was not altered. All commerce with foreign nations was therefore prohibited, and Berkeley was required to take a bond from the master of every vessel which sailed from Virginia, to land his cargo in some part of the king's dominions in Europe. Notwithstanding these restrictions, the colony advanced rapidly. Tobacco was at this time generally used instead of coin. Great inconvenience resulted from the adoption of an article as currency, which fluctuated in price. Debts had been contracted to be paid in tobacco, and when the staple rose in value, in consequence of laws restricting its culture, the assembly enacted that no man need pay more than two-thirds of his debt. 1644 Hostilities with the Indians. Peace. Hostilities with the Indians had continued since the massacre of 1622, and the assembly would still suffer no terms of peace to be made. It was not an unfrequent practice to assault them by sudden marches against their settlements. In 1644, the natives resolved upon one more attempt to destroy the colony. They believed that by the destruction of the cattle and the fields of corn belonging to the English, they should be able to famish the remainder of the colonists whom they could not succeed in killing by surprise. But they had hardly commenced the massacre, before they began to fear the consequences of their brutality, and becoming intimidated, fled to a distance. About three hundred persons had been killed. The war was now vigorously conducted. The Indian king was made prisoner, and died in captivity. The English, being again on their guard, felt little apprehension. Though the warfare continued, and the hunter and the solitary traveller often fell victims, no further attack was made on the colony. In the fall of 1646, peace was established, with the conditions of submission and a cession of lands by the natives, 1646 who now withdrew from the settlements. They have contin ued to retreat, as the white inhabitants have increased, until the names of the rivers and mountains have become their only memorial in Virginia. The colonists now enjoyed a state of prosperity, and ships with emigrants were frequently arriving. Their commerce had increased so much, that in 1648 upwards of thirty ships were engaged in trade with New England and different parts of Europe. The population was 20,000. When the disputes commenced between Charles I and the parliament, Virginia espoused the cause of the king; and Submission to the Commonwealth. after his execution, recognized his son, not because they loved monarchy, but because they cherished the liberties Charles had bestowed upon them. When the parliament had gained the ascendency in England, it did not long permit its authority to be denied by the British colonies in America. A numerous squadron was sent to reduce the Virginians to submission; and at the same time a law was established prohibiting the intercourse between Virginia and the other colonies. The liberties of Englishmen were offered in case of adherence to the commonwealth, with a general pardon for their former loyality. In case of resistance, war was threatened. Under these circumstances the Virginians gave up all thoughts of opposition, and contended only for the freedom of their institutions, which was granted them, and the government continued to be entrusted to their own assembly. Although Episcopacy had been the religion of the colony, there were Puritans who had been left unmolested. When religion subsequently became a political question in England, conformity to the establishment was enforced in Virginia, by disfranchisement and exile. But under the commonwealth, religious liberty was again allowed. 1652 CHAPTER IV. STATE OF THE CONTINENT WHEN FIRST VISITED BY EUROPEANS. Manner of subsistence. Division into tribes, &c. WHEN the continent of North America was first visited by Europeans, it was, with little exception, one unbroken forest. In the woods, the natives gathered nuts and fruit of different kinds; and in small patches which had been cleared by means of fire and edged tools made of stone, they cultivated, among other vegetables, some now in common use, such as maize or Indian corn, pease, beans, pumpkins, etc.; also some bulbous roots, which they dried, and used as bread; and flax and hemp, equal in quality to that used in Great Britain. Their main dependence for food was on the chase and fisheries. Their only drink, before their intercourse with white men, was water. The North American Indians, although divided into distinct tribes, differing in some respects from one another, and often at enmity, may be considered as one class, possessing in common most traits of character. Every town or village had a sachem or chief. Each tribe included a number of villages, with one chief over the whole. A nation or confederacy consisted of several tribes under one grand sachem, to whom all the others were subject. Their records were kept by strings of wampum. Their councils were orderly conducted, and their treaties, usually secured by smoking the calumet, or pipe peace, were kept inviolate. The Indian was firm and of |