Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/101

] were trading in Virginia ten ships from London, two from Bristol, twelve Hollanders, and seven from New England. The number of the colonists was already twenty thousand; and they who had sustained no griefs, were not tempted to engage in the feuds by which the mother country was divided. They were attached to the cause of Charles, not because they loved monarchy, but because they cherished the liberties of which he had left them in the undisturbed possession; and after his execution, though there were not wanting some who, from ignorance, as the royalists affirmed, favored republicanism, the government recognized his son without dispute. . . . . . The faithfulness of the Virginians did not escape the attention of the royal exile; from his retreat in Breda, he transmitted to Berkeley a new commission; he still controlled the distribution of affairs, and amidst his defeats in Scotland, still remembered with favor the faithful cavaliers in the western world. Charles the Second, a fugitive from England, was still the sovereign of England. 'Virginia was whole for monarchy, and the last country belonging to England, that submitted to obedience of the Commonwealth.'"

The Parliament, however, determined to enforce its claims to authority over the colonies. Sir George Ayscue was sent with a fleet to compel the obedience of Barbadoes. A separate expedition, to reduce Virginia, joined Ayscue. and together, in 1652, they reached the Chesapeake. The colony yielded without resistance, their rights and privileges being secured to them. Berkeley's commission was declared void, and Richard Bennet, one of the Parliamentary Commissioners, was elected governor. Cromwell did not interfere with the appointments of governors in Virginia, so that on the retirement of Bennet, Edward Diggs, in 1655, and Samuel Matthews, in 1658, were successively chosen to fill the office of chief magistrate. Matthews having fallen into a dispute with the House of Burgesses, claiming powers which were denied, endeavored to have the question submitted to the Protector; but the Virginians, jealous of their liberties, determined not to permit this, and to assert their independent powers. A declaration of popular sovereignty was made, the former election declared void, and then, to show their regard for Matthews, he himself was reflected to the very office from which he had just been removed. The governor submitted, and thus the spirit of popular liberty established its claims.

Matthews died in 1660, just at the time when Richard Cromwell's resignation had left England free to desire the return of the Stuart dynasty. The burgesses convened, declared afresh their inherent powers of sovereignty, and elected Sir William Berkeley governor, while waiting the settlement of affairs in England. Thus steadily intent upon securing the liberty which they enjoyed, the Virginians established the supremacy of the