The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-07-20


FKIDA ....J Y ~ ~ 8 s
presuilscasfon OF IgastOrvs
rsxpTAHNs i fe sI M 81 ~ HI u .
No. 10. m. versus Efsv. Edward De 'Nciti.
M.ssrs. iisors of TIE Dispase
- without offensive nee may pe
allowed 70 venture the hops tnat 4 nave as
d;s;nterestedly4a &c heart tho veal and fame
- Virainfa MS any among her sons, and YET
Tmay d;sclaina tue presence Of any daun-
a;cei saint ii, my feaity to operate blind.
sne,v 10 my perception OF any aoiblo Sec
,;aSnslIv Inscribed or Imputed those owing
! NAY natal allegiance, or yetsto ititerpose as q
hsas ar bar to rational. COW tction Oh my
part . !. ,n;s ,, ,x, nsrsennl,y.
20 aSnyy for captain John Smith, Ia his IN
ss,,-;d,,al rffarts in promotion and IN susie
Sa,,ca az virginia colonization, and ~ the
s,,,thnrance snd development OF the: mari
,t, ~ - i,seresfs OF New England, the highest
nd most ,,nreserYed admiration. Indispn-
sahIy in indomitabie resolution, clear, IN
s.;s,vc Judgment, and perspicuoue sag clty,
no loaned as nastersspirit among the ad'
yens,riag Virginia colonists, ms compan par
ions. 1855 r. 81 500, - n. L., :.
the light Of physical and natural endoW-
rneutss ], would yet beg to withhold my
fully-ratiiying Judgment as to his rmora at,
tributes, his educational quailncatfons. ana
his prime accuracy as a historian, untli !ur-
Their data from original and dnly-aushorized
sources. directly and definitely convincing,
may be adduced; for 1t is my right 70 ciaim
that special pleading and relteTatlon aoes
mot s,ibssaptiate. This much in explana-
ton. II it be needed, Of my accredited
agency In The presentation in your columns
of serial matter highly Important las mus'
SIN be allowed to regard it, in Its bearing
upon and elucidation OF curly Virginia his
tory. i. @...,. q Z, s5s :ai ,',.,..,l- ;
..iahoredv and Observation-Disclosures OF the
merits Of CAPTAIN John Smith in his sevc-
raI,y.c,aimed attributes anal qualifications,
: r am constrained by the relation l have suS-
tanned toward Mr.. Neill, and by the regard
IN which I hold his personal virtues and his
SIGNAL services las deem them) in behalf OF
American history, to enter my protest
againsta palpable infraction OF conventional
nronriety on the part OF my friend - w.
". y who, in an article in your issue OF
tbis date, appears ~ the volunteer and I'M
cited counsel OF Captain John Smith, In de
fence of certain exceptions taken to his
toricai sketch personally unaggressive) I'M
der the title OF Captain John Smith, and APP
pearipg in your issues OF the 18th and 18th
instant. .,
The articles from Mr.. Neil narrating the
occurrences and features OF the presidential
terms OF Edward Maria Wingfeld and John
Smith were both prepared and forwarded
by him some time after 8 personal attack
upon his accuracy by !'W. w. d." IN reply
to some statements In former article which
had been published by you, forwarded by
me to Mr.. Neill and received by him; but
vet he net the personality by what am
sincerely confident he deemed to be hlstorl-
cal t-uths and conscientious deductions.
Yet all other attack OF I" w. w. H." follow
ing the appearance OF the article Edward
Maria Wingfeld," was forwarded to Mr.
Neill, and to which he has made no allusion
in his correspondence with me.
Our friend CIV. w. H." cogniZant OF
these facts, but valorous i'm his champion
ship Of " doughty" John Smith, again takes
tilt in your issue OF this date. Now. how
ever commendable We Virginians may re-
gard all this, and however gratifying it may
be to any one Of us personally, an objection
pointed charge therein appearing, which is
less "warrantable y assuredly than anything
offered by Mr.. Nein as yet, objected to by
~W. W. H."-to wit: !" Mr.. Neilps fault is
not lack Of industry or materials, but lack
of impartiality, and that to such degree
that he can neuer fmy italicsl be safely fol-
lowed when he attempts history 4ss
/ ask it, Could our friend have been cog
INFANT OF the sweeping import OF this bold
and comprehensive assumption, and OF the
depth of imputation conveyed when ne in
dfted the paragraph containingit? Iwould
fain hone not, for know and esteem him
as nan and revere him as Christian; but
in contemplation OF his knowr historical
research and bis ready ability am affected
with wonder at his oversight OF o literary
reputation Of daily, ackno Wledged authority.
Surely he cannot mean to apply the lam
guage used in Its full significance to Mr..
Neili. Is he obliYious Of the fact that MIR.
Neil has been writer on general American
history for quite thirty years; that he is OF
Virginia extraction, though born 10
Philadelphia; that he has illustrated by
standard works, which are. unassailed
authorities, the histories Of Maryland
and Minnesota as well as Virginia;
that he has been an earnest, industrious,
and eyer-honored contributor to the peri.
otlicals and to the benefacting newspaper
press OF the country on every occasion to be
snatched from onerous ayocations and daily
duties necessary to his subsistence during The
long period stated, and that oil these efforts
were from spontaniety OF his nature, and
so far as know, without pecuniary emolu'
ment or return; that since 1849 he has been
an ordained and actively officiating minis
ter of the Presbyterian Church, and that al
present and for some years past, in addition
to the duties of his pastorate, he has been
the efficient head OF a standard educational
institution The self-confdence OF wv
W.H.o may well provoke amazement. TC
adopt his own special line OF argument
am justified in demanding substantiation
of his asseveration that Mr. Neill scan
,,eper be safely followed when he attempts
history" e ltja Y IS 49,. s.
would it not have been more graceful
and charitable In CIV. w. HIP to have
ascribed the want of credulity in Mr.. Neil,
causing a difference in Judgment with him
in the light OF Mr.. NeilPs long-continued,
asborious, and critical Investigations, and
consequent enlightenment and quickeDed
sagacity-toa conscientious desire for ire
fragible accuracy? s f.s t.z .sss g Z. &.
The attempt on the part OF CIV. w. H..os
to inyalidate the testimony OF the eminent
divine and acute and learned polemical and
biographical writer Thomas Fuller IS dis
ipgenuous-to wit: e seHm
-9 g Mr.. Nell closes his labored ri attack on
Smith by quoting Thomas FlHer's estimate
Of him in his & Worthless OF England. This
book appeared thirty years after Smiths
ueaL1e