frowned on chitchat and idle talk. He and Edgar Cullis sat in their chairs, teacups in hand, and waited for their host’s answer. The ticking of the floor clock was interrupted by the muffled hammering of the workers on the water tower.
After a moment, Hugh smiled and said, “I have pondered for some time the question of whether or not I could tolerate a stint as burgess — provided I am elected. And, yes, I am willing to mount the hustings.”
Vishonn breathed a sigh of relief, as did his companion. “Your election will be practically guaranteed, sir. You have more friends in this county than you may realize.”
Hugh frowned, and took a sip of his tea. He asked, “Why solicit me, sir, and not, say, Mr. Frake?”
Edgar Cullis chuckled, glanced once at his companion, then leaned forward and addressed Hugh. “I warned the gentleman that you would ask that question, Mr. Kenrick. Truly, I did.”
The older planter by then had marshaled his thoughts, and cleared his throat. “Because, sir — and forgive me if I speak frankly about your friend, and mine — his views are too, well,
violent
. Written in stone, so to speak. I am in agreement with many of them, of course, but not all, mind you. However, there are many planters and freeholders here who would not agree with him on the quality of a leaf or ale, never mind any matter that concerns the Crown. I confess that I fear him, but only a little. Others, though, tremble at the thought of him speaking his notorious mind in the Assembly.” Vishonn assumed an apologetic look. “
That
is why we have never solicited Mr. Frake’s candidacy.”
“But that is what the Assembly is for, sir,” said Hugh. “For our representatives to speak their minds.”
Edgar Cullis shook his head. “Pardon me, sir, but not at the price of repeated prorogations by the Governor, which surely would happen every time Mr. Frake rose to speak. And that would happen if Mr. Robinson or Mr. Randolph or Mr. Wythe failed to move for a censuring of him.”
Hugh grinned in concession. “You have answered half my question,” he said to the older planter. “And you have portrayed Mr. Frake as a kind of golem, when in truth he should be dubbed Gog to my Magog. My views are compatible with his in every aspect. Surely you know that.”
Vishonn shook his head this time. “Not in every aspect, sir. Whereas you hold out hope of persuading the Crown of the value of these colonies — and of Virginia in particular — Mr. Frake seems resigned to the worst possible predicament, and is adamantly fatalistic in that regard.”
“That is true, insofar as we differ about a resolution. But that is our sole difference.”
“It is a difference that makes you a far more eligible candidate, sir.”
“And a far more credible one,” added Edgar Cullis.
“And now I answer the second half of your question,” said Vishonn. He rose and paced back and forth before Hugh’s desk. “It is through steadfast moderation that we have a chance to outflank and foil the forces that require our absolute obedience and observance of the Crown’s laws. There is a coolness in your wit, sir, that has seduced many of us in Caxton. And it is cool heads that will be wanted in the Assembly in the future. The Assembly is at this time roughly balanced between men of Mr. Cullis’s generation, and men of my own. Younger, hotter blood, however, is beginning to be returned by the counties, and these are impetuous youths who I believe would prefer to send fire-ships of rhetoric to king and Parliamentover civil remonstrances and addresses. Their immoderate language could only invite reprimand and retribution.”
Hugh put down his cup and saucer and thought for a moment. Then he asked, “If you believe that the Crown is of that character, why would you wish to clasp the hands of men whose first impulses are reprimand and retribution, and not reason?”
“We do not believe that all ministers are determined to bridle us, Mr.
After a moment, Hugh smiled and said, “I have pondered for some time the question of whether or not I could tolerate a stint as burgess — provided I am elected. And, yes, I am willing to mount the hustings.”
Vishonn breathed a sigh of relief, as did his companion. “Your election will be practically guaranteed, sir. You have more friends in this county than you may realize.”
Hugh frowned, and took a sip of his tea. He asked, “Why solicit me, sir, and not, say, Mr. Frake?”
Edgar Cullis chuckled, glanced once at his companion, then leaned forward and addressed Hugh. “I warned the gentleman that you would ask that question, Mr. Kenrick. Truly, I did.”
The older planter by then had marshaled his thoughts, and cleared his throat. “Because, sir — and forgive me if I speak frankly about your friend, and mine — his views are too, well,
violent
. Written in stone, so to speak. I am in agreement with many of them, of course, but not all, mind you. However, there are many planters and freeholders here who would not agree with him on the quality of a leaf or ale, never mind any matter that concerns the Crown. I confess that I fear him, but only a little. Others, though, tremble at the thought of him speaking his notorious mind in the Assembly.” Vishonn assumed an apologetic look. “
That
is why we have never solicited Mr. Frake’s candidacy.”
“But that is what the Assembly is for, sir,” said Hugh. “For our representatives to speak their minds.”
Edgar Cullis shook his head. “Pardon me, sir, but not at the price of repeated prorogations by the Governor, which surely would happen every time Mr. Frake rose to speak. And that would happen if Mr. Robinson or Mr. Randolph or Mr. Wythe failed to move for a censuring of him.”
Hugh grinned in concession. “You have answered half my question,” he said to the older planter. “And you have portrayed Mr. Frake as a kind of golem, when in truth he should be dubbed Gog to my Magog. My views are compatible with his in every aspect. Surely you know that.”
Vishonn shook his head this time. “Not in every aspect, sir. Whereas you hold out hope of persuading the Crown of the value of these colonies — and of Virginia in particular — Mr. Frake seems resigned to the worst possible predicament, and is adamantly fatalistic in that regard.”
“That is true, insofar as we differ about a resolution. But that is our sole difference.”
“It is a difference that makes you a far more eligible candidate, sir.”
“And a far more credible one,” added Edgar Cullis.
“And now I answer the second half of your question,” said Vishonn. He rose and paced back and forth before Hugh’s desk. “It is through steadfast moderation that we have a chance to outflank and foil the forces that require our absolute obedience and observance of the Crown’s laws. There is a coolness in your wit, sir, that has seduced many of us in Caxton. And it is cool heads that will be wanted in the Assembly in the future. The Assembly is at this time roughly balanced between men of Mr. Cullis’s generation, and men of my own. Younger, hotter blood, however, is beginning to be returned by the counties, and these are impetuous youths who I believe would prefer to send fire-ships of rhetoric to king and Parliamentover civil remonstrances and addresses. Their immoderate language could only invite reprimand and retribution.”
Hugh put down his cup and saucer and thought for a moment. Then he asked, “If you believe that the Crown is of that character, why would you wish to clasp the hands of men whose first impulses are reprimand and retribution, and not reason?”
“We do not believe that all ministers are determined to bridle us, Mr.
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