EARLY ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE THE COUNTRY. PART I. first intro of the nation for the occupation and settlement of the country. One of the principal products cultivated by the natives was tobacco; which was at this date first Tobacco introduced to the acquaintance of civilized society; duced into specimens of it were taken to England, and, says the England. historian of those times, "the use of it was fondly adopted by Raleigh and some young men of fashion." a Sir Walter Early in the succeeding year Sir Walter Raleigh fitted out a third expedition to America, under the direction Third expedition of Captain John White, which was composed of large under the number of adventurers with their wives and families. Patent to This company was regularly organized; they received Raleigh, a charter naming them The Governor and Assistants 1587. of the City of Raleigh, in Virginia. Capt. White was The first appointed their Governor, with twelve assistants, who ted comtogether constituted a board or council, in whom were pany. vested the executive, judicial, and legislative powers of the Colony. incorpora ment of Capt. White was instructed to plant the settlement on Re-settlethe shores of the Chesapeake, but arriving at Roanoke Roanoke. in the month of July, when everything combined to give the most favorable impressions of the station, he determined to remain there, and at once set about organizing his infant community. But after the first flow of joyful emotion on account of their safe arrival had subsided, and they began to realize their true con-Embardition, these adventurers were surprised to find them-rassments selves on a shore covered with dismal swamps, with tlers. thick and seemingly interminable forests, inhabited by naked savage tribes, and withal to learn that they were but poorly provided with the means of sustenance, or the appliances necessary for their permanent settlement, safety, and comfort, in so wild a region. White sent for relief. A request was unanimously made that Capt. White Capt. would return and solicit from their patrons at home such to England supplies as were needful for the maintenance and preservation of the plantation. His appearance in England on this errand happened at a most unfavorable juncture; The result just as the famous Armada of the second Philip of Spain of his mission. He returns to Virgin was threatening the kingdom. Raleigh and his coadjutors were now occupied with the more thrilling and momentous interests of the mother country; the few and enfeebled adventurers who languished on the distant coast of America were forgotten or neglected, and left to perish without sympathy or consolation. Governor White came over again to America in the ia, 1590. year 1590, with supplies and recruits for the colony, but they found no traces of its existence, nor a soul to tell the experience or the fate of those who had so nobly dared to remain in it, and they returned again to Eng Returns The settlement of America again abandon Here and thus terminated the last attempt made during the reign of Elizabeth to settle Virginia. Sir Wal ter Raleigh, whose commanding genius and splendid ed, 1590. accomplishments gave lustre and energy to whatever enterprise he extended his patronage, had conceived a new project of settling a large district in Ireland, of which he had received a grant from the Queen. Other projects equally fascinating, and rendered the more attractive to his adventurous spirit because of the difficulty of their achievement, at the same time interested of his his attention and supplanted the late favorite idea of Transfer settling Virginia. He transferred all his interest in it, patent by by assigning his patent to Sir Thomas Smith and a comSir Walter pany of merchants, under whose auspices several voyRaleigh. ages were made for the purposes of traffic with the Indians, but they were not attended with any noticeable or praise-worthy efforts to meliorate the condition of the country. Condition Thus at the decease of Elizabeth, in 1603, notwithof Virginia standing all the enterprise that had been lavished, the cease of lives which had been sacrificed, and the wealth which Elizabeth, 1603. had been expended, there was not one white man known to be living in America. Without staying to speculate upon the various causes which had operated to prevent a permanent settlement in the country, otherwise than CONDITION OF AT THE DECEASE OF ELIZABETH. PART I. of its con as our narrative has developed them, the fact is one which addresses itself with singular interest to the reflective mind. The conviction can hardly be resisted The moral that this portion of the New World was marked out by dition. the Omniscient Ruler of mankind, as the spot where should be witnessed the rise of a nation, the history of whose government and institutions should mark the developement of elements in the human character, and in human government, such as the annals of our race had never yet recorded. Neither the time nor the occasion for its origin had yet fully come. It was not ambition, nor gain, nor rank, nor wealth which were ces com America. destined to accomplish it. These shores did not, like Its aspect those discovered by the Spanish and Portuguese navi- and resourgators, abound in mines of gold or of silver ore; they pared with the Spanpresented only an extended territory, a genial climate, ish discov a luxuriant and fertile soil. They opened no fountains eries in whence the possessors might draw instant wealth, without labor or industry, but their value was to be known and their profit gathered only in the fulfillment of the anathema "in the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat thy bread." No votary of pleasure, no lover of indolence or of luxury, no effeminate scion of royalty, could find a place convenient for him on these desolate and inhospitable shores. This great continent was destined to be the abode of a mighty, magnanimous, and influential people, and must be settled by hardy, industrious and well-bred adventurers, who must conquer its heathenism, people its territories, subdue its forests, level its mountains, cultivate its plains, and plant the institutions of a free government and a free religion broadcast over its extended surface, before they or mankind should know where lay buried its heaps of gold and its treasures of silver. It is not till after the accession of James I. to the throne that we find recorded any further attempts at a settlement of the continent of North America. The Creation of first permanent one was made under the auspices of the First and Sec his reign. He divided that portion of the country which ond Colo- lies between 34° and 45° N. L. into two parts nearly ny of Virginia, equal. The one he called THE FIRST, the other THE April 10, SECOND, COLONY OF VIRGINIA; and distributed them, under a charter dated April 10th, 1606, as follows, viz.: 1606. ter of James I. THE FIRST CHARTER OF JAMES I. First char- I. James I., by the "Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Preamble. &c. WHEREAS our loving and well disposed subjects, Sir Thomas Gates, and Sir George Somers, Knights; Richard Hackluit, Clerk, Prebendary of Westminster; and Edward-Maria Wingfield, Thomas Hanham, and Raleigh Gilbert, Esqrs.; William Parker, and George Popham, Gentlemen; and divers others of our loving subjects, have been humble suitors unto us, that we would vouchsafe unto them our licence, to make habitation, plantation, and to deduce a colony of sundry of our people into that part of America, commonly called Virginia, and other parts and territories in America, either appertaining unto us, or which are not now actually possessed by any Christian Prince or People, situate, lying and being all along the sea coasts between four and thirty degrees of northerly latitude from the Equinoctial line, and five-and-forty degrees of the same Limitations of latitude, and in the main land between the same fourthe grant. and-thirty and five-and-forty degrees, and the Islands thereunto adjacent, or within one hundred miles of the • coasts thereof. II. And to that end, and for the more speedy accomplishment of their said intended plantation and habitation there, are desirous to divide themselves into two Preamble. several colonies and companies; the one consisting of certain knights, gentlemen, merchants and other adventurers, of our city of London and elsewhere, which are and from time to time shall be, joined unto them, which do desire to begin their plantation and habita DIVISION AND DESIGNATION OF BY JAMES I. PART I. the First 1606. tion in some fit and convenient place, between four-and- Creation of thirty and one-and-forty degrées of the said latitude, and Sec alongst the coasts of Virginia and coast of America afore- ond Colony of Virsaid; and the other consisting of sundry knights, gentle-ginia, men, merchants, and other adventurers, of our cities of April 10, Bristol and Exeter, and of our Town of Plimouth, and of other places which do join themselves unto that Colony, which do desire to begin their plantation and habitation in some fit and convenient place, between eightand-thirty degrees and five-and-forty degrees of the said latitude, all alongst the said coast of Virginia and America as that coast lyeth. III. We greatly commending and graciously accepting of, their desires for the furtherance of so noble a work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the Glory of His Divine Majesty, in Motive of the grant. propagating of Christian Religion to such People as yet live in darkness and miserable ignorance of the true knowledge and worship of God, and may in time bring the infidels and savages, living in those parts, to human civility, and to a settled and quiet government; Do by these our letters pattents, graciously accept of, and agree to, their humble and well intended desires.< and loca IV. And do therefore, for us, our heirs, and suc-Patentees cessors, grant and agree, that the said Sir Thomas Gates, tion of the Sir George Somers, Richard Hackluit and Edward-First ColoMaria Wingfield, adventurers of and for our City of ny. London, and all such others as are, or shall be joined unto them of that Colony, shall be called THE FIRST COLONY: and they shall and may begin their said first plantation and habitation, at any place upon the said Coast of Virginia or America, where they shall think fit and convenient, between the said four-and-thirty and one-and-forty degrees of the said latitude; and that they shall have all the lands, woods, soil, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, mines, minerals, marshes, waters, fishings, commodities, and hereditaments whatsoever, from the said first seat of their plantation and habita |