Hospitality, Friendship, Encouragement

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Government

This room is in Williamsburg's courthouse. The railing you see up front is called the bar. Only lawyers, clerks and the judges were allowed "past the bar." Hence the saying that lawyers have "passed the bar." Prisoners, or those who were having courtcases heard, stood at the bar on the public side, hence the saying "standing trial." Isn't history cool? There was a panel of judges made up of vestrymen from the local government, who also served in the church.

On a colony wide level, the Governor and his council worked in this room. He was the King's representative in the government. The men on the council also sat with the Governor on the supreme court, hearing felony cases for the whole colony.


The House of Burgesses. These men where representatives from every county in Virginia. 2 from each. Here they fought against unfair taxation, and also the seeds of liberty were born. When the Governor dismissed the House of Burgesses, they met secretly in the Raleigh Tavern. They set up a committee of correspondence so they could keep in touch with the other colonies, to find out what was happening with the British Government.


It is amazing to walk in the footsteps of these brave men, who risked everything, for freedom. We owe them a debt of gratitude.

8 comments:

  1. I just LOVE to sit in those rooms and know what transpired there. To know that these men were so very human yet used by God in such a powerful way to establish a country in which we are free.

    Sigh...

    I must go back ...without children...they take some of the meandering out of it...

    Becky K.

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  2. Oh, I forgot...thanks for your very kind comment.
    Becky K.

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  3. beautiful.

    our country has such a rich heritage and incredible legacy. i wish more people would take it seriously and visit where it all began.

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  4. I remember standing in Independence Hall and thinking the same thing. Imagining the men that stood where I was standing.

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  5. What a neat trip you had! Thanks for taking us along and sharing all those pictures!

    Yes, i've seen lots of shops here that you would really like! I keep telling Geoff "Oh, Aunt Deanna would love this shop!"

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  6. Melissa

    You are so sweet, and the next time I come to Florida I am going to take you to Mt. Dora! We need to have tea together!

    I am happy you have had a wonderful trip!

    Terrific memories for you all!

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  7. How cool are these pictures! So glad you had a good time!

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  8. What a wonderful trip- & thank you for sharing the history behind the pictures. This is a place we have always wanted to visit- I suggested it for Spring Break, but DC won out by a slim margin :-)

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