Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-15
JUDGE CLARK's DISCOVERY.
The First settlement in This COun-
try Made by the Spaniards.
Raleigh News and Observer)

(Raleigh News and Observer
History frequently turns up in unex-
| pected places. Bancroft and other lead
ing historians have been telling us that
the Oldest European settlements made
within the present limits of the United
States were those made by the Spaniards
at ST. Augustine, Fla. in 1860. and Santa
Fe y. NJ. about the same date, the
first English settlements being Sir Wal
ter Ralegh's at Roanoke Island, in
1885, and next, John Smiths, at James
town, Va. 1901. But not long since an
investigator among the manuscripts
lying in the Royal Library at Simancas,
in Spain, thought to con over a bulky
mass Of legal papers. In doing so he
CHANGED upon the long forgotten litiga-
ton in regard 10 the cost. expenses, etc,
Of the first European settlement in
America, long antedatng all those above
mentioned. II contained the Royal
charters. commissions Of officers, official
acts. dispositions, and judicial decisions
which showed that in 1923. under au-
thority from tire King. Lucas Nalasquez
D'Aylon. sent an expedition 10 the
coast Of America TO find a location for
a settlement. Among other points. they
landed at the mouth OF the Cape Fear
After their return. DAYTON visited
Spain, had a personal interview with
Charles V. (King Of Spain and En-
peror of Germany, and obtained voyage
charters. commissions. and grants. under
authority Of which. on June 9. 1926, at
the head OF an expedition. consisting Of
three vessels. and containing 600 colo
nists-men, women. and children-he set
sail from Porto Rico. He carried along
q full supply of priests and physicians,
besides supplies Of all kind, including
horses. cattle sheep etc. Few Colonies,
If any. so well furnished or so preten-
tious ever after landed on our shores.
Entering between Capes Charles and
Henry he explored the James river and
selected as a site for his colony a PENN
sula. about fifty miles from its mouth,
which ne named Guandape. and he To-
Gated his colony thereon. which. In
honor Of his patron saint. ne styled San
Miguel. IL was the Identical spot on
which jamestown was located eighty
one years later. I'm 1901.
The winter proved an unusually severe
one to these sons of a southern climate.
and at it's worst some of the men LETT
on board of the vessel were frozen TO
death. dayton himself dying of ma
ldlld ana tNpOSuIts Il tifli Ndi bANh' NNe
over the succession to the governorshlp.
When IL was suppressed the rebel leader
was tried and executed for high treason.
Malaria, however. proved stih more fatal
as 1t did TO John Smith and his comrades
i'm the beginning of the next century.
After enduring about a year, the shat
tered fragments of the colony. disheart-
ened and decimated. returned 10 Porto
Rico. and the litigation began. whose
moth-eaten records. escaping the knowi-
edge OF Bancroft and many other MS
torians. have only OF late years given,
by their recovery back 10 the world the
proofs OF the existence OF this ambitious
but unfortunate and long forgotten at
tempt. which, II successful, might have
made this country Spanish. and not Eng
lish. Catholic. and not Protestant. Near
lv 100 wears later. when the English were
settled at jamestown. the Spaniards sent
an admiral from Florida. with the charts
of D'AyIIon, to see what the English
we're doing. and he found that the Eng
llsh settlement was on the same spot
marked on his charts as that OF san
Miguel de Guandape.
The above is n brief summary or an
interesting article furnished by Judge
Walter Clark TO a northern magazine.
Another recent article OF his, on more
modern subject 1.-THE Maladministra-
ton of the Post-Ofiice." which appeared
I'm the Trinity Archive." has been copied
largely by the press in the western
States. especially in the labor papers