Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-03-05
The Late John smith.
DULUTH, MINI.


To he Editor Of G's Dispoich;
The art,ole ofMr. Alexander Brown con-
corning the John Smith controversy. IA
your issue of the sth. finds me az .his lal-
OF city and fully eDgrossed IN pusluess'
have not the time. ar nav ~. . ,.,S; ~,
elInstion. 10 continue discussion wpisu
ON the nart OF Mr.. Brown has assumed the
character OF mere assertion. his ntness
Tor writing on this subject may he allowed
to rcsi upon his own statement contalned IN
the following sentence: " de lMr. Henry
saws that | have perslssentiy attempteo
10 discredit everything written 10 the eo-
vantage Of Smith, ETC.. and as an act
Of ,ustice 10 ne he should have ssid
that NV reason for doing this
was because the acceptation Thereon
would be 20 the disadvantage OF
otners.- Here he admits his deter
mutation 10 discred,t everything TO sriths
advantage. under whatever circumstances
and by whomsoever written Can any one
regard Mr.. Brown rs possessed OF tns tiuc
persistentlv seeks the truth and fearlessty
prociams il, hurt whosn 1t m9y vi
course. with his admitted rnhistoT1e spirit,
n Is not TO be wondered at that ne REGARDS
the Oxford tract, edited by Is learned mn
lister. and "Purchas' Pilgrims" written py
one of the most eminent divirfes ana ms
toriaus Of his day, both taken from nara
tIves of o number OF coionists' as hiero -
parie publications. nor that ne fegaros
everything written by Smiths enemies az
entitled 10 full credence. do not care 10
discuss early Virginia history with WIFI
SO determined TO beiittie one OF IT'S neioes'
and will oniy refer TO some Insappreneh-
SONS into which Mr.. Brown has iaiicn
without exposing the mistakes OF MS ie'-
ter IN detail.
Mr.. Brown writes: II do not object 10
Mr.. Henry's regarding Smith az hero II
II suits him TO do so; but when Mr. heniy
asserts that am the Onty one TO deny lnat
honor 10 Smith he IS very much mistaken
indeed" Mr.. Brown has entirely MISTAKEN
my language. well knew that others 90
fore Mr.. Brown had attacked Smith IN the
most violent manner. and years ago read
q paper before the Virginia historian DO
ciety defending him from the at;
tncks OF Dean, Adams. Neil, ana
others. Mr.. Brown has defended hlnh-
self from this fancied charge by teiIlng Us
of the lover thousand letters from Ieao-
ing men Of letters and historians eou.
mendinc" his book highly ana tnut
hundreds OF them have taken pans 10
say that they agreed with me fuily as 10
CAPTAIN Jonn Smith and his history
and one Of the leading historians OF Eng.
land writes that Smith Was master liar,
Mr. Brown is evidertly innocent enough
TO believe that any one who has conmehu-
ed bis book agrees WIN every stutt -
il. As 10 those who commend his attack
on Smith, 4 doubt not they have bindiy
followed him without careful inVesLea-
ton. and If the blind lead the pima they
both shall fall into the ditch"
Mr. Brown is entirely mistaken IN say
ING that Mr. ArJer was under the I'M
preston that with the single exception OF
Tho Pocahontas Incident every Ter state.
ment in Smiths works was unguestlOneo.
Mr.. Arber defends Smith from attacks on
his veracty as q historian and gives
grounds for following him. lie had my
address and refers particularly to IT, ana
seems to have gone over the entire nelu oi
the controversy up to the time he wrote
Because / have argued that MIR. Brown mas
made an unjustifoble attack upon SMITH
he complains that l have treated him az
criminal at the bar. beg 10 assure him
that Impute nothing criminal TO HIM.
| simply consider him deluded and in
tended to excuse his course when | said.
:" he seemed TO be afflicted with an anti
Smith mania in al acute form" He gives
conclusive evidence of this ghen he in
sists that TO praise Smith is 20 condemn
every one else connected with the coloni-
zatiou of Virginia and ate mpts to con-
meet Smith. who saved the infant colony.
with the Roman Catholics who wished to
destroy il.
Expecting TO continue the enjoyment of
the privilege specially accorded me by Mr..
Brown of regarding Captain John Smith az
am. &c, W. w. HENRY.