The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-07-12

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RICHMOND, Y
that there should be 20 discharge OF old
officers upon the arrival ot the fleet, Cap
tain John Smiths time having expired,
Francis West, brother OF Lord Delaware,
was elected President pro tena., in the cx-
pectation that Sir Thomas Gates would ar
rive In q brief period; but in October, as
there sMas no 9intet etEigehee from the Sea-
setteps sea.p wss easted ppssIaent and Francis
West, John Martin, md Captain Ratcliffe
were made Councillors, while Captain
John Smith was sent to England "to an
s,rer sunSry misdemean0rs. Smith never
srrain resided In ~ Nirginia5 and docs not :apa
near to have had the confidence OF the
London COMPANY: He IN d few years was
engaged by merchants in developing the
fisheries OF the North Colony OF Virginia,
and in 1914, about the last OF April, ar.
rived with two ships on the coast OF New
EngIstsd5 made SNAP, JOf the Country giY-
ing the name Of Boston and other OF the
present names to the capes and 'headlands,
and returned to Sngland in the latter part
OF August. Liter this bis feet never
touched American soil. Several interest
ing letters were written with his name at
tached, which contain. the, texagserations
and self-assertlons Of an adyenturer. TO
Lord Bacon, Councillor OF England, m
1918. he wrote, urging the Advancement OF
the New England fisheries
/" Right Honorable: .r,3,s q. .s,,,,;,
"Hayilig noe better 'mneanes to acquaint
yo. r Ip with my meaning than this paper,
the zeale, love, and dutie to God, my coun-
Etrie. and yo.r honor, humbly crave, may
he nv apologize. This 19 yeares have en-
countared noe fewe dangers TO fearne what
here I write ia these ,feWe leaves; and
though the lines they cortaine are more
lrudely phrased than ia meete ,fori the We've
of 80 great judgment, their truites, am
certayne, may bring both wealth and honor
for Crowne and Kingdom to his Ma ties
posterity. The profits already returned,
with so small charge and facillitie according
Ito proportion, emboldens me to say it.
With stock of $4,000. burst venture TO
effect 1t, though more than E10O, 900 hath
been spent lin Virginia and. 1.-The Ber-
mudas to small purpose, about the pro-
curing whereof many good men knowes
I have spent noe small TYNE, labor, nor
money, but all in vaine. Notwithstanding
WlGulA OHCnC AoWSI y Sll % law OSSas
stoned twice $4,000, to be employed that
way; But great tidesynesA to engross it hath
bred 80 many particular humors, as they
have their willes; I, the loser; and the
greatest good, the wrong. Should I pre-
sent it to the Biskaquers, French, or
Hollanders,s srthey have made me- large
offers-But Nature doth binde me thus, to
begge at home, whome strangers have
pleased, to make o Commander abroad. The
business being OF such consequence, hold
it but my duty to acquaint it, to tyo.r
honor, knowing you are not only chiefe
Patron Of yo.r Countrie and State, but also
the greatest favour OF all good designes and
their authors. Noe moe, but humbly be-
seeching 'yo.r goodness TO pardon my rude
ness, and ponder my plaine meaninge, in
the balance Of good-wille, I leave the sub
stance to the discretion of your most ad-
mired judgment, ever resting
,is"Yo.r honors y" s." ~ =.
"ever most truly devoted
.;l-..a! - "Jo. SMITH"
From the letter it appears to have been
nineteen years since he BECAME Wanderer,
about three years after his fathers death,
and when he was nineteen years OF age.
When he wrote to Bacon it had been but
twelve years since he sailed from Virginia.
In one of his books be states that he was
thirteen years old when he commen ced his
journeyings, WHICH is incompatible with
other statements. Accompanying the letter
o..Bacon was sasdescription, OF New Eng
land, which concluded with the following
statement: Chow have lived, spent my
TYNE, and beene employed, I am otashamed
who will examine. Therefore I humbly
beseech yo.r Hon:r seriously to consider Of
it, and lett not the povertie OF the author
cause the action to: be- less respected, who
desynes no better fortune than he would
find there. In the interim, I humbly de-
syre yo.r Hon.r would be pleased to grace
me with the title Of yo.r L'd'ps servant.
Not that desyre ,tc strut. upp the
rest Of my ). dayes lin. the chamber of
ease and idlene.s, but that thereby may
be the better rcountenaDced for the presecu-
ton OF this Ing 1nost' desyred voyage; for
had I the patronage Of 50 mature a judg-
ment as yo.r Honors it twoqld not only induce
those to believe what I know to be true in
this matter; who win now hardly, youc chsafe
the perusall of my relations, but also be a
meancs to further it to- the uttermost OF
their powers with their purses. Lord
Bacon did mot see fit to become his patron
and take him tosIlis house. and on the 10Th
;of April, 1921, Captain Smith proposes to
the London Company to. compile. q general
history OF Virginia. In his presentation OF
the subject be said 'asWhat effect, such
general history would work throughout
the Kingdom with the general and common
subject may, be gathered by the little PAM
phlets or declarations lately printed. The
London Company took NO notice Of the
proposition. ~ .y,42 AZ e X
! ..1,3str., 49,, - fT0iBE Continued 'i5i-=l ).