Mary Baldwin College - Bluestocking Yearbook (Staunton, VA)

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LnDncaoJ E i£][lDcQ[iJ LDEhiJt! ®hr Ktttglit of thr alftptt l nrHrHltnp [f m Prize Essav LEXANDER SPOTSWOOD was not, as most people consider him, the Governor of Virginia. He was only I I Lieutenant-Governor for the Earl of Orkney, who never -I I 1 I M came to this country to fill his office. Spotswood was the n LJ I I second substitute for the Earl, Lieutenant-Governor Nich- olson being the first. Q When Spotswood arrived in Virginia in 1710, he was received with great rejoicings. Did he not bring with him the long-desired Writ of Habeas Corpus ? Was not that enough to rejoice over? The Virginians had asked for this privilege long ago, but for some reason it had been withheld. As English subjects, they had a right to all the privileges of the British people. Why should they not have this great and good law? They had the other rights, why not this? But they now possessed what they had desired for so long, so they made merry over the arrival of their new executive, and they re- ceived him with a royal welcome. Q, No doubt Spotswood had heard the glowing reports of this new land; but the condition of the colony at his coming was not so prosperous as he per- haps expected it to be. Still, Spotswood set to work in the right way. He did not sit down and waste time because he was disappointed. He started immediately to improve the condition of certain products and to help the colony in every way possible. Q, Spotswood had served under Marlborough and had left the army on account of a bad wound in his breast, therefore he had a splendid martial training and he could keep the militia in good training, which was certainly needed. Just ait this time, the Indians were at peace with the Virginians, but some tribes were opening hostilities with the Carohnas and no one knew when they might break out against the Virginians. So it was well to be ready and waiting for any danger that might arise from that quarter. Q, And to avoid any such breaking out of the tributary Indians, Spotswood very wisely commanded that some of the sons of the chiefs, kings and queens, should be sent to William and Mary College. Here they had their own building, The Brafferton, and were students at the College; but in reality they were just twenty hostages, held for the good behavior of their people. c D=ic£l[]=l 3 n-,i-nn- k][]=.t£l [p ' T]c=r kitjcDiii. -nrL, J-i T- n-iP kiDn kiGzi LoOn f P LdL fsp kCb p]P kt f P pUP Lot P kiCb P pP p P kt -n rUrJInJ LnR-, cDtL c3dJ cDcJ cQcJ dJuA cQdJ r£]QJ

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£l[!=)c£][H £l[bc£][]J =afcc£]cJ z£]lLcaDJj =3P CT LDEhcDoi -U|j- ' -1JLj- Latic£lt! Q He also did what a great many other able and efficient governors failed to do — he undertook the education of the Indians, sending them good teachers and doing everything possible for their improvement. At Fort Christanna he built a school for them. This was composed of five houses, each one protected by a cannon — one of which is now on the campus of William and Mary College — and all surrounded by palisades. Spotswood often made trips to the school in all conditions of weather or of seasons, his interest in it was so great. At one time it was thought that it was kept up at his expense, but then it was discovered that it was run by the Indian Company. For all his care and interest not many results were noticed. Still Spotswood said that he would be glad if the coming generations would reap the benefit, that they couldn ' t expect wonderful changes immediately. Q An incident is related in the Makers of Virginia History about one of Spotswood ' s visits to the school. Fifteen of the Saponeys had been killed by the Genitoes, an Indian tribe, and when Spotswood came to inspect the school, they asked permission to send fifteen of their young men in order to avenge themselves. This request was granted, and pretty soon the young men came forth in full dress; their hair cut in curious shapes, their bodies painted blue and red, and wrapped in red and blue blankets. They had a very disagreeable odor from greasing their bodies with bears ' oil and from staying in their smoky cabins a great deal. They looked wild and were mighty shy of an Englishman. Q, Spotswood also helped the colony by the use of stringent methods with the pirates. During his administration all up and down the coast the pirates were ravaging the country, carrying ruin and destruction everywhere. Spots- wood soon captured some of less renown; but John Teach, known as Black- beard, and the most dangerous of all, eluded his vigilance for quite a time. At last Captain Henry Maynard surprised and captured him in Pamlico Bay in 1718. Blackbeard, as soon as the engagement had begun, had stationed a man at the powder magazine to blow up the ship if they should have to surrender. For some reason, the man failed to light the powder. And as the enemy were boarding his ship, Blackbeard started to stab the man, but fell dead as he reached over towards him. The crew was soon captured and taken to Williamsburg. Spotswood presided at their trial there. These men were soon afterwards hanged on the road that is now called Lovers ' Lane, because it is the popular promenade for the young people of that city. Q, Though Spotswood had a gentle breeding and a manly bearing, which was much loved by the Virginians, he often quarreled with the Burgesses and Council. He also combined the quality of obstinacy with Scottish candor and freedom of speech. L Dzicat! = P i j= p c f P t Lnn-,cJ[H k]Diic£lcz[ F P Cn