d, on the Rapidan.[381:A] The place settled by these
Germans was called Germanna, afterwards the residence of Spotswood.
These immigrants, being countrymen of the new sovereign, could claim an
additional title to the royal favor on that account. Spotswood was at
the time endeavoring to extend the blessings of a Christian education to
the children of the Indians, and although the beneficial result of this
scheme might to some appear too remote, he declared that for him it was
a sufficient encouragement to think that posterity might reap the
benefit of it. The Indian troubles, by which the frontier of Virginia
had of late years suffered so much, the governor attributed mainly to
the clandestine trade carried on with them by unprincipled men. The same
evil has continued down to the present day. In the before-mentioned
address to the assembly, Spotswood informed them that since their
preceding session he had received a supply of ammunition, arms, and
other necessaries of war, sent out by the late Queen Anne.

During eleven years, from 1707 to 1718, while other colonies were
burdened with taxation for extrinsic purposes, Virginia steadily adhered
to a system of rigid economy, and during that interval eighty-three
pounds of tobacco per poll was the sum-total levied by all acts of
assembly.[381:B] The Virginians now began to scrutinize, with a jealous
eye, the circumstances of the government, and the assembly "held itself
entitled to all the rights and privileges of an English parliament."

The act of 1642, reserving the right of presentation to the parish, the
license of the Bishop of London, and the recommendation of the governor,
availed but little against the popular will, and there were not more
than four inducted ministers in the colony. Republicanism was thus
finding its way even into the church, and vestries were growing
independent. The parish sometimes neglected to receive the minister;
sometimes received but did not present him, the custom being to employ a
minister by the year. In 1703 it was decided that the minister was an
incumbent for life, and could not be displaced by the parish, but the
vestries, by preventing his induction, excluded him from acquiring a
freehold in his living, and he might be removed at pleasure. The
ministers were not always men who could win the esteem of the people or
command their respect. The Virginia parishes were so extensive that
parishioners sometimes lived at the distance of fifty