The History of the Thirteen Colonies of North America 1497-1763Jeffery, Reginald W. (Reginald Welbury)
History
The History of the Thirteen Colonies of North America 1497-1763
Jeffery, Reginald W. (Reginald Welbury)
United States -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
Sir Herbert Jeffreys had a difficult task before him in trying to purge
the Assembly. Within a year of taking up office he died, leaving no
lasting memorial of his skill as Governor, but he is "to be remembered
as the first of a long series of officers of the standing army who have
held the governorship of a colony."[62] Jeffreys' successor, Sir Henry
Chicheley, only held office for a few months, and at his departure the
old type of governor disappears. The year 1679 is remarkable for the new
method of administration, a method which proved injurious to the
colony. Thomas, Lord Culpeper, was the first of the new scheme, and
though he resided in the colony for four years he did nothing for its
inhabitants. The appointment of Culpeper was most ill-advised, as he was
already detested owing to the grant of 1672. He took up his office at
identically the same time as the burgesses acquired the right of sitting
as a separate chamber, and he found the council refractory, the colony
unprosperous, and the Company of his Majesty's Guards in "mutinous
humours."[63] His tenure of office expired in 1684, and he was succeeded
by Lord Howard of Effingham. It cannot be said that the new Governor was
idle, but whatever he did was to the disadvantage of Virginia and the
Virginians. By a scandalous system of jobbery he inflicted grievous
financial injury upon individuals, and at the same time retarded the
progress of the colony by a system of new imposts. By his skill he
obtained for the Governor and the Council the right of appointing the
Secretary to the Assembly, which ought not to have been allowed by a
free representative body. From this time the evils of the English
colonial system became apparent, and it is now that absentee governors
enrich themselves at the expense of their settlements, the actual
administration being left to lieutenant governors in the confidence of
their chiefs, who remained at home.
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