“ The short mild winters and the long summers, with plentiful rains, are conducive to farming. The soil, however, is generally much inferior to the soils of the Mississippi Valley, and the yield per acre very much less. There is a great variation of soil in the different physical divisions. The region of greatest fertility is the Shenandoah Valley, while the Piedmont district, extending across the State in a southwesterly direction parallel to the Blue Ridge range of mountains, is also well adapted for general agriculture. ”

“ The other third of the debt was considered to be the share of West Virginia, which share that State refused to acknowledge. The Legislature of 1872 repealed the tax coupon feature, but it was held by the courts that as $17,000,000 had already been funded in these bonds, the State was bound to receive them, even if their receipts kept the State treasury in chronic bankruptcy. Many offers of compromise were made, and many attempts to prevent the presentation of the coupons for taxes, leading to conflicts of jurisdiction between the State and the United States courts. ”

“ According to the Constitution adopted in 1902, the privilege of voting is limited to male citizens of the United States, 21 years of age, who have resided in the State two years, in the county, city, or town one year, and in the precinct 30 days, and have registered and paid their poll tax. Registration is limited to male citizens of the United States, of qualified age and residence, who, first, have personally paid to the proper officer the State poll taxes for the preceding three years ”

“ During the colonial days the financial needs were very small, and for almost a century the budget increased hardly 50 per cent., being £4200 in 1660, £4500 in 1700, and £6500 in 1754. The main sources of income were a poll tax and an export duty on tobacco. The Revolutionary War necessitated expenses for which there was no provision in the system of taxation, and thus a debt of about $2,000,000 was created. The debt was assumed by the Federal Government in 1790, and until 1820 the debt of Virginia consisted only of $343,139. ”

“ William Mahone became a leading figure in Virginia politics. The Readjuster Party, however, coöperated with the Republicans, and its major adherents were finally absorbed by them. The question, while a vital issue, had the effect of dividing the negro vote. In 1901-02 a constitutional convention was held, having for its chief objects retrenchment and suffrage restriction. The new Constitution was proclaimed without submission to the people, May 19, 1902. One result was largely to suppress the negro vote. From the beginning the State has been Democratic in national politics. ”

“ About one-fourth of the farms are operated by negroes, but such farms include only 11.2 per cent. of the total farm acreage. By far the most common and most valuable crop is corn, the acreage of which has grown in recent years. Wheat, the next most important cereal, has also increased its area since 1890. Oats, the only other crop of much importance, has declined in rank since the Civil War. Strawberries and other small fruits are extensively grown. Between 1890 and 1900 there was an increase of 88.5 per cent. ”

“ Considerable quantities of stone, principally granite, limestone, and slate, are quarried in the central and Piedmont districts. The annual value for the last decade approximated $500,000; in 1900 it was $670,000. Virginia is one of the important mineral-water States; the product of 39 springs aggregated $320,000 in value in 1899. Gold, silver, and some other minerals have been mined for a long time, but are at present of very little importance. ”

“ In the uplands the climate is dry and healthful, but malarial diseases are endemic in the tidewater section. West of the Blue Ridge the summers are cool and very pleasant, while the winters, especially on the mountains, are cold. The mean temperature at Staunton, in the Great Valley, is 33.4° for January and 74.6° for July. The minimum in this section may reach 8° below zero. The rainfall is sufficient throughout the State, and favorably distributed for agriculture. It is greatest in the central portion near Richmond, where the average is 48 inches. ”

“ The charter of 1609 had fixed the limits of the colony at 200 miles north and 200 miles south of Point Comfort and west and northwest from sea to sea. Under this vague description Virginia claimed that the northwest line was the upper one, and hence her territory increased as it went westward. Maryland and Pennsylvania had included territory that she claimed, but her title to the northwest was undisputed until French colonization expanded. Toward the middle of the eighteenth century English occupation of the territory began. ”

“ Virginia ranks close to Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland in the importance of sea fisheries. In 1897 there were 28,000 men employed in the industry, this being a decided increase over the beginning of the decade. ”

“ Judges of the City Court of Records are chosen by the joint vote of both Houses for terms of eight years. Judges may be removed by the concurrent vote of both Houses. There is an Attorney-General elected by the voters to serve for four years. The Legislature provides for the appointment or election of justices of the peace.
Local Government. In magisterial districts one supervisor is elected—the supervisors of all the districts constituting a Board of Supervisors for the county and having power to lay the county and district levies, etc. ”

“ Richmond became the strategic capital, and Virginia a great battleground of the Confederacy. Western Virginia had little sympathy with secession, and on May 13th delegates from 25 counties met at Wheeling, declared the ordinance of secession null anil void, and called a convention to meet June 11th, which elected Francis H. Pierpont (q.v.) Governor. Later the Restored Government of Virginia was established. Pierpont continued to exercise his office until the establishment of West Virginia (q.v.) as a separate State. ”

“ A judge is chosen for each circuit by the joint vote of the two Houses to serve for a term of eight years. Cities having more than 10,000 inhabitants have in addition to the Circuit Court a Corporation Court. Cities with less than 10,000 inhabitants may continue such Corporation or Hustings Court as may be in existence or may abolish it by a vote of the electors. ”

“ Mining. The mining industry has never reached any great development, but it has, nevertheless, for a long time been an important factor in the industrial history of the State. Coal (mostly bituminous) is mined in the Appalachian region. The total product of the State, as reported for the year 1882, was 112,000 tons, and increased to over 1,000,000 tons for 1888. There was then a steady decrease of product until 1892, when it fell to 675,205 tons. Subsequently, however, extensive developments in Wise County brought up the annual output again to more than 1,000,000 tons. ”

“ Other metals found in the mountain region are zinc, lead, tin, and copper, and manganese is widely distributed. Through the Archæan rocks of middle Virginia runs an auriferous quartz reef, and silver is also found in small quantities. Building stones, granite, limestones, and sandstones are found of great beauty and variety, and in inexhaustible quantities. Hydraulic limestone is also abundant, and in the southwestern corner of the State there are immense ledges of gypsum and rock salt. Even the tidewater section contains valuable minerals in the form of greensand marl. ”

“ After this war on Berkeley and the Crown, and reconstruction by English commissioners, royal Governors (Jeffreys, Chicheley, and Culpeper) by incompetence or rapacity increased popular dissatisfaction. In 1677 a lasting Indian peace was secured, and in 1692 William and Mary College, the second oldest college in America, was chartered. ”

“ Commerce. For the year ending June 30, 1900, the imports exceeded $3,000,000, and the exports were nearly $48,000,000. This was an increase of $19,000,000 over the exports of 1894. Newport News is the most flourishing port; the exports from this customs district alone amounted to $34,900,000, making it fifth in importance among the Atlantic coast ports. Nearly all of the balance of the exports was from the customs district of Norfolk and Portsmouth. Only a very small percentage of the total was foreign trade. ”