A state of natural distrust between the English colonists and the native Indians, was coeval with the settlement of Virginia, which, in 1622, eventuat ed in a massacre of the former by the latter, in which 347 persons perished. To the absurd and arbitrary government of the London Company was thus added Indian warfare. The vexatious mea sures of the Company were arrested in 1624 by in terference of the crown. The colony was made royal and ruled by commission. The royal gover nors were little if any more wise or steady in their administration, than had been the agents of the London Company. To these petty tyrants there was one exception in Sir William Berkeley. This nobleman ruled with wisdom and moderation, and in 1729, restored the legislature of the colony by calling an assembly of the burgesses.
As an English colony, Virginia was royal in its features, and imparted congenial feelings to the in habitants. In the long revolutionary struggle in England from 1642 to 1660, the Virginians sided with the royal party. Compelled by force to sub mit to parliamentary authority, they seized the first favourable moment to act upon their real senti ments, and Charles II. was acknowledged in Vir ginia before he was in England. The restoration of a pageant was alike a failure in both countries; but weak and defenceless the colony of Virginia suffered most, and the monopolising spirit of the mother country was felt in its effects upwards of a century,—to the revolution in 1775.
The Church of England was established by law in 1662, which, with exactions in trade, large grants of land to royal favourites, and the caprice of royal governors, excited and fostered a resistance which prepared the public mind to meet the catastrophe which produced the independence of the United States.
As early as 1732, the future hero of the United States was born in Virginia, and had become mature in years when his services were demanded to give the kings and people of the earth the most salutary lesson they have either ever received. In the colo nial war, commenced in 1775, George Washington, and the Virginians generally were truly distinguish ed, and in consummating the revolution the part acted by that state was glorious in the true intent of the term.
Since the revolution, no great event particular to Virginia occurred until October 1829, when a con vention met to revise the constitution.
The first constitution of Virginia was adopted the 5th July 1776, but the then existing settlements were in great part east of the Alleghany chain, and were even thin on the Great Valley contiguous to and west from Blue Ridge. As the population gradually extended to the Ohio, the provisions of the first constitution were regarded by the western settlers as partial and oppressive. After many abor tive attempts, a convention met, and on the 14th of January 1830, reported the existing constitution, which was ratified by the people and is now in ope ration.
That most important of all rights, the right of suffrage is secured by very complex provisions. The right of voting is extended to every white male citizen of the commonwealth and resident therein, who has attained the age of 21 years and upwards, and who would have been entitled to vote under the former constitution; or if owner of a freehold of 25 dollars value; or if the holder of a joint inte rest in a freehold to the amount of 25 dollars; or who has a life estate in, or title in reversion to land of 50 dollars value, and had been in full possession of such an estate or reversionary title, six months before the election at which he offers to vote; or who shall own and be in the actual occupation of a leasehold estate, have put such title on record, two months before he shall offer to vote; original term at least five years, and rent value 200 dollars; or who has been a housekeeper and head of a family twelve months before offering to vote; and shall have paid a state tax within the preceding year.
The legislative power is vested in a Senate and House of Delegates, who together bear the style of General Assembly of Virginia." The House of Delegates consists of 134 members, chosen annually and apportioned as follows. Thirty-six from tide water district; 42 from that above tide-water and below Blue Ridge; 25 from the third or mountain district, and 3 t from that of Ohio or the western district. Senate 32 members, 19 from the eastern and 13 from the western side of the Blue Ridge: the senators elected for four years, and one-fourth going out of office annually.
The apportionment of the relative numbers of the members of both houses to take place in 1341, and decennially afterwards, but the ultimate numbers of the senators limited to 36, and of the delegates to 150.