The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-08-31
STAND1sH VS.. SMITH. The Richmond

STAND1sH vs. SMITH. The Richmond
Enquirer, quoting u paragraph from the
Baltimore Sun, in regard to the PROPOSE
ton in Massachusetts to erect monu-
ment to Miles Standish, the first military
leader Of the Plymouth settlers, says:
''Oapt. John Smith was II warrior
brave iii his time. and several miles
ahead of Miles Standish in reaching
America. Let him have monument in
the Square. A statue in full cavalier
dress, and ut the unveilihg all tho John
Smiths III the country should be on hand.
What IL sensation that would make! And
If the particular rock upon which his
head was placed to be nude level, by
that jolly old bruiser Powllntan, can be
dug up. lot it become the 'head Of the
corner
seriously, why should we not pay
proper honors To tho memory Of the
great captain? His name is associate Ell
with nll that is during aud romantic in
our earliest history, aud stands bright in
our annals, and his statue ought to find
place among the houored worthless Of
Virginia. He WIS our Romnlus, our
founder. and his memory should not be
neglected."
To which the Sun responds:
cit hns always been matter Of surpri 80
that n monument should not have been
rnised by Virginia to Capt. John Smith
Even in one Of the towns Of New lsug-
land, to which section he gave its numu,
that tribute hos baen paid to his memo
ry. To nu one more than to him liz the
settlement Of the North American coast
Justly due. Without him tho Virginia
colony would have miserably perisled
1o was the first to recommend the set
tlement Of New England, and spared
neither time nor labor in his efforts 10
advance the colonization of America.
He was looked upon with reverence by
the Indiana, and although ho sometimes
treated them with severity, they ad-
mlred the personal vnlor which WIS us
conspicuous in tho New World rs the
Old, and ugainst his justice thoy never
brought any complaints. Yet this bene.
fnctor of America, in Il statement to his
Mnlesty's commissioners for the refor.
nation of Virginia. probably written
about 1924. says that he has spent five
years aud more than G50D in the service
OF Virginia and New Englnnd;' yet, he
continues. in neither Of those two coun.
tries have one foot of land, nor the
very house builded, nor tho ground |
digged with my own hands THIS plain
tive ntterrnnce will bring to the readers
mind the closing scenes III the life of the
discoverer Of this continent, when,
seventy years old, his ciuims rejected by
the Spanish King. and broken in body,
although with intellect unimpaired, he
hnd, III his own words, mo plnce to re-
pair to except an inn, aud often with no.
thing to pay for his s,lstenancs.' The
marble tomb that was afterwards plnced,
for very shane's sake, over his remains,
with the inscription ordered by the King,
To CASTLE nnd Leon new world gave
Colon was one Of those tnrdy acts of
repnration which, while they come too
late for the dead. are never too late to
retrieve from imputation Of utter forget
fitness and ingratitude tho good name of
community. In regard To Capt. John
Smith, it has been no lack Of nppreoa-
ton on the part of Virginia that he has
not long ngo had suitable monument,
and indeed he has one in the civilization
which lie founded that will be more last
ing than bronze or granite. This, how
ever, should not, any more than in the
case of Washington and other illustrous
men, prevent the establishment of IN
outward and visible sign of the inward
sentiments Of the country towards a
great public bcnefactor."
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