not be here this term."

Weldon then remarked, "I suppose the Major has gotten to be pretty
well off and doesn't have to attend all the courts in the Circuit."

"Yes," replied Lincoln, "Stuart is pretty well to do, pretty well to
do."

"How much is the Major probably worth, Mr. Lincoln?" asked Mr.
Weldon.

"Well," replied the latter, after a moment's thought, "I don't know
exactly; Stuart is pretty well off; _I suppose he must be worth
about fifteen thousand dollars."_

Another incident characteristic of Mr. Lincoln, was related by his
friend Judge Weldon.

During the gloomiest period of the war, and while our seaboard
cities were in constant apprehension of attack, a delegation of
business men from New York visited Washington for the purpose of
having a gunboat secured for the defence of their city. At
their request, Judge Weldon accompanied them to the Executive
Mansion and introduced them to the President. The spokesman of
the delegation, after depicting at length and in somewhat
pompous manner, the dangers that threatened the great metropolis, took
occasion, in manner at once conclusive, to state that he spoke with
authority, that the gentlemen represented property aggregating
in value many hundreds of millions of dollars. At this, Mr. Lincoln
interposing impatiently, and in a manner never to be forgotten,
said:

"It seems to me, gentlemen, that if I were as rich as you _say_
you are, and as badly _scared_ as you _appear_ to be, I would,
in this hour of my country's distress, _just buy that gunboat
myself!"_

XLII
THE FIRST LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY IN AMERICA

FAR-REACHING EFFECTS OF THE FOUNDING OF THE VIRGINIA HOUSE OF
BURGESSES--VIRGINIA'S GIFT OF TERRITORY TO THE GOVERNMENT--KASKASKIA
CAPTURED FROM THE BRITISH--JAMESTOWN THE SCENE OF THE FIRST BRITISH
COLONY--THE BEGINNINGS OF COLONIAL SELF-GOVERNMENT--SALUTARY
LAWS MADE--POCAHONTAS--GOVERNMENT BY CHARTER--DESPOTISM OF JAMES
I--MACAULAY ON THE STUART DYNASTY--THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL COLONIES--
UNJUST TAXATION--PROGRESS OF REPUBLICAN PRINCIPLES--VIRGINIA NOTABLE
FOR HER STATESMEN.

On the thirtieth of July, 1907, at the Jamestown Exposition, was
celebrated the anniversary of the assembling of the House of
Burgesses of Virginia, the first legislative body to assemble upon
the Western continent. The meeting was presided over by the present
Speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses, and by invitation of the
President of the Exposition addresses we