[Sidenote: Virginia prolific in great leaders.] For seventy years or more before the Declaration of Independence the matters of general public concern, about which stump speeches were made on Virginia court-days, were very similar to those that were discussed in Massachusetts town-meetings when representatives were to be chosen for the legislature. Such questions generally related to some real or alleged encroachment upon popular liberties by the royal governor, who, being appointed and sent from beyond sea, was apt to have ideas and purposes of his own that conflicted with those of the people. This perpetual antagonism to the governor, who represented British imperial interference with American local self-government, was an excellent schooling in political liberty, alike for Virginia and for Massachusetts. When the stress of the Revolution came, these two leading colonies cordially supported each other, and their political characteristics were reflected in the kind of achievements for which each was especially distinguished. The Virginia system, concentrating the administration of local affairs in the hands of a few county families, was eminently favourable for developing skilful and vigorous leadership. And while in the history of Massachusetts during the Revolution we are chiefly impressed with the wonderful degree in which the mass of the people exhibited the kind of political training that nothing in the world except the habit of parliamentary discussion can impart; on the other hand, Virginia at that time gave us--in Washington, Jefferson, Henry, Madison, and Marshall, to mention no others--such a group of consummate leaders as the world has seldom seen equalled. [Footnote 15: Ingle, _loc. cit._] QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT. 1. Why was Virginia more sparsely settled than Massachusetts? 2. Why was it that towns were built up more slowly in Virginia than in Massachusetts? 3. How was the great demand for labour in Virginia met? 4. What distinction of classes naturally arose? 5. Contrast the type of society thus developed in Virginia with that developed in New England. 6. Compare the Virginia parish in its earlier government with the English parish from which it was naturally copied. 7. Show how the vestry became a close corporation. 8. Who were usually chosen as vestrymen, and what were their powers? 9. Compare Virginia's unit of representation in the colonial legislature with that of Massachusetts, and give the reason for the difference. 10. Describe the county court, showing in particular how it became a close corporation. 11. Bring out some of the history wrapped up in the names of county seats. 12. What were the chief powers of the county court? 13. Describe the assessment of the various taxes. 14. What were the sheriff's duties? 15. Describe the organization and command of the militia in each county.