The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-07-11
a Reply to Mr.. Nei1a.
FLOR the Dispatch.

Wingteld, the first president. OF the VIZ
ginia Colony. The writer has adopted
Wingfeld's own account Of his troubles IN
the Colony, and thus makes an unfavorable
impression as to his opponents, who constl-
tuted the balance Of the Colony, or nearly
So Mr.. Neill is mistaken in saying. that on
the 18th Of September Wingfeld was. ar
raigned before Smith, Martin, and Ratcliffe,
and deposed by them on the frivolous
charges which he gives us. Wingfeld
himself says he was deposed by war
rant on the 10th Of September, and re-
lates that on the next day he was brought
before the Council and Colony, and the new
President, Ratclifie, made a speech to ac-
quaint them why he was deposed. After
the statements OF personal grievances by
some of them. it is related by Wingield
that Ratcliffe pulled out a paper book,
loaded with articles against him. which
seems to have contained the complaint OF
the Council, and Archer produced another
which be read in the name OF the colony.
The contents of these formal articles OF
complaint are not given by Wingfeld, but
we learn from the writings OF the Colonists
the grounds OF his deposition.
Purchas, contemporary, in his "Pil-
grims," following the writings OF Thomas
Study, cape merchant OF the Colony, and
others whose writings We're used In the his
torical part OF the Oxford Tract OF 1912,
after relating the sutterings OF the Colony
subsequent to the departure Of Captain
Newport, adds: "Had we been as
free from all sins rs gluttony and
drunkenness we might have beene canon
lied as saints; but our President Wing
Iield) would never have beene admitted, for
engrossing to his private, otemeale, sack
aqna-vita, beife, egges, or what not, but the
kettel; that indeed he allowed equally to be
distributed, and that was halle q pinte OF
wheat, and as much barly boiled with water
for man q day, and this having fryed some
six and twentie weekes in the ships hold,
contained as many wormes as graines; so
that wee might truly call it rather so much
bran than corne. Our drink was water,
our lodgings castles in aire, with this lodg-
ing and diet, our extreme toile in braieng
and planting palisades, so strained and
bruised us, and our continual labour
in the eXtremitie of heat SO weakened
us as were cause sufficient to have made US
as miserable is our native countrey, or any
other place in the world. From May to
September those that escaped lived upon
sturgeon and sea-crabs; fftie in this time
are buried. The rest. seeing the Presi-
dents projects to escape these miseries in
our pinnace by flight (who all this time had
neither felt want nor sickness), so moved
our dead spirits as wee deposed him."
The accusation of Wingfeld against Cap
tain John Smith, "that he begged in Ireland
like rogue without license" is very dii-
ticult to be understood. If it means, as it
seems to mean, that he begged without
license, and that it was rogulsh to do so,
then his fault was not that he was beggar,
but that he had not been licenscd-one
would think quite yenial fault in beg
gar.
There is no account by any one else that
have seen that Smith was ever in Ireland;
but il in his youth and poverty-for his
guardian embezzled his estate-he found
himself in Ireland, and forced to beg his
way, he might we'll be excnsed for this
youthful indiscretion, as he afterwards quit
the business, and not only earned his living.
but by his exertions supported and pre-
served the Virginia Colony in its feeble in-
fancy, when about to be strangled by the
savages, after being starved by the misman-
agement, not to say improper appropria-
tions, Of its provisions to himself and his
fayorites by President Wingfield.
The charge of Wingfield that Smith was
an accomplice in an intended mutiny on
shipboaId before the arrival OF the Colony
in Virginia was abundantly disproved ac-
cording to the authorities used by Purchas,
and Wingneld himself states that he was
fined by jury e2O0 at the suit Of Smith for
SANDER in regard to this charge. This re-
covery we learn from Smith he refused to
use for himself, but let it go for the benefit
of the Colony.
Mr.. Neill is strongly preiudiced against
Smith, and seems to accept as true any and
every statement made by his enemies to his
injury. Unfortunately for him, the great
weight of testimony is on the side of Smith,
and il Neilps readers will only examine
both sides they will hardly concur in his in
justice to this great man. w. W. 81.