The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-07-18

two others &odcd witheYery nvuI ~ oS yus NJ
bread and one to accom- one DEAN or otnc. ZOE a
panle me- a!misae eea 81 Jug az a.
~n Inclined the hearts@ Of
,,E&a istthose eterhe barhariars
with compassion
The four men who waited on bis person
were different from, or part of, the twelve
guides mentioned in the later narrative,
who were sent for an additional purpose,
as appears from Purchas, volume 4, page
1909. who quotes from the writings OF
Thomas Studley and Anas Todkill, two Of
the colonists. Says. this writer: s'Powha-
tan having sent with this Captaine divers OF
his men loaded with provisions. bee had
conditioned. and so appointed his trustie
messengers to bring but two OF three OF
our great ordinances, but the messengers
being satisfied with the sight OF one OF
them discharged, ran away, amazed with
feare.o AS Smith had previously de-
scribed to the Indians these cannon,
and messengers had been sent before to
Jamestown who had seen them, we must
conclude that the 8. divers men" sent to
bring two or three Of them to Powhatan
numbered twelve instead Of four, and as
tine greater includes The less the two ac-
counts are not contradictory. The True
Relation gives us abundant reasons also
why Smith should have been in dread OF
death, as he states in the History, all the
time Of his captivity notwithstanding their
feasting. His life was attempted by the
father OF an Indian he had killed when he
was captured, and he was carried to Tap
ahanocke that he might be identified by the
people, who supposed that he was the for
eigner who had the year before killed their
king. These incidents, given in the. True
Relation, would have been sufficient had
not che simple circumstance Of his being
the captive Of sayages sufficed to have kept
him in continual fear OF death.
z These are all Of the contradictions found
By Mr.. Neill in Smiths different accounts.
The attempt to fasten on Smith notorious
falsehood upon such proof as this must
strike the reader with surprise, il not indig-
nation. -.
Mr.. Neill has several times alluded to the
charge that Smith did not leave Jamestown
for England of bis own accord, but was
sent back to answer 'sundry misdemeanors.
1t is as well to state the facts as they are re-
lated in Purchas upon the authority of
Richard Pots, w. P, at page !, 731. After
relating that the accidental discharge OF
had injured him in "most
pitifull manner" and determined him to
return to England with Che ship about to
sail. he says his enemies, after he got
on ship-board, detained the ship three
weeks to get up colorado complaints
against him. lss Now all these which Smith
had either whipped, punished, or. any way
disgraced, had free power and iibertie to
say or sweare anything. Some that
knew not anything to say the Council
instructed, and advised what to sweare.
So diligent they were in this businesse, that
what any could remember he had ever done
or said in mirtb or passion, by some cir
cumstantiall oath, it was appiyed to their
fttest use, yet not past eight or nine could
say much. and that nothing but circum-
stances which all men cid know was most
false and untrue. Many got their passes by
promising in England:to say much against
him. Instead OF accusing him, I have never
heard any give. him better report than
many OF those witnesses themselves that
were sent only home to testiie against
HIM" The charges are given by Purchas,
and are most frivolous. Not to take up
space, Il will give only one as q specimen
I" Coe and Dyer, that should have murdered
him, were highly preferred for swearing
they heard one say, he heard Powhatan say,
that he heard man say, il the king would
not send that corne he had, he should not
robes he had sent him; yet those also sWore
he might have had corne for toales, but
would moi"
1.-The doubtful expressions OF the New
England historian Palfrey as to, the truth
OF some Of the incidents related by Smith
being coupled with doubt as to whether
they are given on the authority. OF Smith
himself, which Mr.. Neill quotes, cannot
shake our confidence in Smiths yeracity, as
Palfrey does not indicate what incidents he
doubts, so that we may see who relates
them. II he doubted everything, however.
Smith ever wrote, would sooner trust our
own careful and judicious historian, Stith,
who says expressly that Smiths statements
are undoubtedly true; and the more espe-
ciaIly as nearly every writer on Virginia
history has followed Smith as standard
authority. =
) Mr.. Neill closes his labored attack on
Smith by quoting Thomas Fulier's estimate
of him in his Worthless OF En- gland."
This book appeared thirty years after
Smiths death and this sketch is misera-
bic sacrifice Of truth-to wit: The combats
with the three Turks, instead OF being at
tested BY the tablet oyer his tomb alone, as
Fuller suggests, is attested BY the patent OF
Sigismund, Duke OF Transliyania, IN whose
service ne WAS, "AtCu UoS kOSo4A SN AAA VIZ
Register and Office of the Herald of-Arms
at Iondon. fSee page %, Richmond edi-
tion OF Smith q History Of Yirginia.) The
Statement OF Fuller that Smith alone is the
herald to publish and proclaim his deeds in
America Is grossly unjust. The historical
part Of the Oxford Tract, published In 1912,
was written ny Smiths companions, and
was Afterwards adopted by him as the text
- %hot v,art NJ his History Of. Virginia
which related to his stay in the Colony.
Purchas in his Pilgrims used the same book
i'm his account OF the same period. Both
1.-The History. and Purchas's book. which aI-
tpeared about the same time bad, some lew
additions from Smith q own narration but
nearly every incident other than his expe-
|rience, when prisoner some Jour sWe sta
canes IN ia uI,on the authority Of other
writer's, and Is abund dainty attested.
The testimony tp Smith History fur
I n,;si,ah nv his coniuaniGn s. which may be