it may be said that in spite of his bad traits, there was a warm-heartedness and politeness about him, in his best hours, which attract the sympathy of the investigator. 30 66 In 1710, Alexander Spotswood became Governor of Virginia. His was a nobler character than either of the other two mentioned. He was an old soldier. From his boyhood he was brought up in the army and served under the Duke of Marlborough. He was in the battle of Blenheim and was badly wounded by the first fire of the French." He rose to the rank of colonel and hence had learned to command and expect obedience without gainsaying. This spirit he, of course, brought with him when he came to Virginia as governor. While liberal in some of his views, he was ardent for the royal power and for its transfer to the governor of Virginia. He made one of the best governors the colony ever had. For many years there was perfect friendship" between him and Dr. Blair. He gave the college his support and at his instance the Assembly, in 1718, voted the college one thousand pounds." He gave special encouragement to Indian education. On the other hand, President Blair supported Spotswood's favorite enterprise the crossing of the Blue Ridge and discovering the valley beyond." But after seven or eight years had passed disagreement began to rise between the two. The discord was due to two things: the rather extreme dominion exercised by the governor and the confused relations of Church and State. The spirit of freedom that always existed in a Virginia House of Burgesses was not exactly suited to the prerogative of a soldier governor." A quarrel arose between Spotswood and the Burgesses. Colonel Byrd, with others, was sent over to England to prefer 30 Lord Orkney was still figurehead Governor. 31 Spotswood's Letters, Vol. i, p. 9 (preface). Campbell's Virginia, pp. 378, 379. 32 34 Spotswood's Letters, Vols. i and ii, p. 12 (preface). Spotswood's Letters, Vol. i, pp. 132, 139; Vol. ii, pp. 219, 220. charges against him, and because Dr. Blair would not take sides with him the governor tried to injure the Commissary. Again the governor appointed men, other than members of the Council, judges in the high court of Oyer and Terminer." The Council opposed this, as well as other high-handed actions, and, led by Blair, drew up a remonstrance against the governor to the Lord Commissioner of Trade and Plantations, whereupon the governor besought the Commissioners to petition the queen to dismiss the whole Council and appoint another. The other cause of Blair's opposition to Spotswood is found in the matter of inducting ministers. To the governor, as ordinary, belonged in ecclesiastical affairs, induction of minsters, probating wills and granting of licenses. No man was more anxious for preachers to be inducted than was the Commissary. The point in dispute was this: Spotswood claimed the right of inducting a minister into a parish as soon as the parish might become vacant, that is, as soon as it needed a preacher." The Commissary claimed that it was the function of the vestrymen, in the name of the parishioners, to present a minister to the governor for induction, and in case the vestrymen should not present a candidate for the place in six months from the time the parish became vacant, then the governor could induct a preacher without presentation," According to the practice of former governors, the opinion of Attorney-General North and the act of the General Assembly, the Commissary was right." To the convention of the clergy at Williamsburg in 1719, Governor Spotswood addressed a letter accusing the Commissary of not wanting ministers inducted, of deserting the cause of the Church, and of allowing laymen to conduct services in church and at burials." Dr. Blair readily an "Spotswood's Letters, Vol. ii, pp. 221, 223, 259, 260. swered these, for the first two were absolutely untrue. As to the third, a few times, when indisposed, Blair had allowed a layman to read for him and then preached and conducted the rest of the services. In distant parts of the colony he had a time or two ridden by a cemetery when some grave layman was conducting the burial service." These charges seem to us at the present time petty and trivial, but at that time when everything was done according to stern and rigid custom, they were regarded as of no little importance. During the disagreement many letters were written by both parties to the Bishop of London. In 1721, Dr. Blair made a trip to England. The triumph of the old parson over the old soldier was complete. Spotswood was recalled in 1722 and Drysdale was made governor. The opposition between the Commissary and Spotswood had much to do with the removal of the governor." In all of these conflicts between the governors and the Commissary one thing is most apparent, namely, the friction between the Church and State. These disturbances did not rise. altogether from the fault of these individuals but from conceptions of government which had been inherited from Europe. With Spotswood, Dr. Blair's troubles with governors passed away. Hardly, if ever, are the manly struggles of life suffered to be in vain. The old parson president saw the storm and the clouds, which darkened the morning of his life, pass away, and heavenly peace crowned his later years. For twenty years more the venerable Commissary toiled on for the religious, educational, and political good of the colony. Considering the many offices Dr. Blair held and his relations to others, it may be granted that he concerned himself at times a little too much with the affairs of others, though of this there is no evidence in the records. Perry, 226-233. Meade, Vol. i, pp. 160, 161. "William and Mary Historical Papers, Vol. i, pp. 68, 69. Earnestness, sincerity, and labor are the most noticeable things in his life from the time he landed in Virginia to the end of his career. His life was one of philanthropic service. It was ever above reproach. After having been a preacher for more than sixty-five years, Commissary fifty-four years, a member of the Council fifty years, and President of the College half a century, Dr. Blair died April 18, 1743, in his eighty-ninth year. He was buried at Jamestown. Having had no children, he left the residue of his estate, except some small legacies, to his nephew John Blair and his children. To the institution which he so long served he left his library and five hundred pounds." "William and Mary Historical Papers, Vol. i, p. 69. Meade, Vol. i, p. 168. APPENDIX The following is the inscription on Dr. Blair's tomb, as copied by Hugh Blair Grigsby in the middle of this century:" "H. S. E. (Hic sepultus est) Vir Reverendus et Honorabilis Jacobus Blair, A. M. In Scotia natus, In Academia Edinburgensi nutritus, In qua parte tenarum Consiliarii Concilii Praesidis Coloniae Prefecti munera sustinuit oravit um oris venusti Decus, ate hilari sine (?) hospitali muncipient issimo egenis largo Collegio bene diversam eus Bibliothecam suam id alenda Theologiae studiorum Juventutem pauperiorem instituendam Testamento legavit Cal. Maii in die aetat: LXXXVIII am desideratissimi is nepotibus commendabunt pene mamore perenniora." Meade, Vol. ii. Appendix, p. 486. |