George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 7, 4th edition.

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Chapter 25:

Virginia Prepares for self-defence.

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March—April, 1775.

from prejudice, habit, and affection, the members of

Chap. XXV} 1775. Mar. 20.

the convention of Virginia, in which even the part of Augusta county, west of the Alleghany mountains, was represented, cherished the system of limited 20. monarchy under which they had been born and educated in their land of liberty. They were accustomed to associate all ideas of security in their political rights with the dynasty of Hanover, and had never, even in thought, desired to renounce their allegiance. They loved to consider themselves an integral part of the great British empire. The distant life of landed proprietors in solitary mansion houses, favored independence of thought; but it also generated an aristocracy, which differed widely from the simplicity and equality of New England. Educated in the Anglican church, no religious zeal had imbued them with a fixed hatred of kingly power; no deep seated antipathy to a distinction of ranks, no theoretic zeal for the introduction of a republic, no speculative