Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-09

rious doubt arising from the pressure
of negative evidence. But bearing III
mind that 1--WE live and learn IN tnls
world and that the true spirit OF ms
tory Is the humble and teachaDle spir,',
and that affirmative evidence, IL IL pe
competent clear, and strong, Is aue-
ouate TO establish Il fact in history
tboretofore unknown, / Immediately
wrote TO Judge Clark at Raleigh, n. "
stating the interest excited by the SUD-
iect. and asking him to furnish TO me
statement Of, OF reference 10, the au-
thorities on which he relied. lie re-
plied promptly, courteously. and fuliy:
He sent also copy OF the News anu
Observer of Raleigh containing soiie-
what more detailed statement or MS
views than that l had read. He made
some references TO correspondence and
researches on the subject, but for evil
dence amply sufficient to justify MS
position he referred me to Justin VIM
sor's Critical and Narrative History
of America, Volume H., pages 2lo' al 49,
and notes." and added: I'm these you
will find a summary Of the facts with
references to the original documents.
on reading his letter, my doubts grew
stronger. rather than weaker. or course
no doubt could possibly exist as 10
Judge Clarks full and honest conVic-
lions on the subject. And as he re-
lied on Winsor's historical differences, II
was equally certain that the plain state
ments of that compilation would sus-
tain the theory of Judge Clark.
But the question instantly arose. on
what historic evidence did Justin WIN
sor venture to make the statement!
And If the statement was only an in
ference, did the facts justify the IN
ference so fully as to exclude reasonable
doubt?
WINSOR'S WORK.
Justin Winsor. the learned and studious
librarian of Harvard University, has done
a great and valuable work in the interests
of American history. His compilation
already numbers eighteen or twenty
volumes. Before writing the students
United States" I had carefully examined
this great work, and have made reIe-
rences to ii in the preface and on a num-
Der of pages. Within a few weeks past
/ have cautiously and critically examined
every part of Winsor's volumes referred
to by Judge Clark, and in when tnls
alleged Spanish settlement on the site
of what was afterwards jamestown Is
asserted.
THE result has been a definite judy
ment that the evidence from the very
authorities on which Justin Winsor re-
belief he expresses as to the place or
settlement is unsound; that the Affirmative
evidence supposed to point to the site or
jamestown is insufficient, and that the
negative evidence against 1t is so strong
that it scatters to the winds the whole
theory.
Lucas vasquez D'Ayllon was we'll
known character In Spanish American
Colonial history. He lived and held office
in ST. Domingo. and was enterprising
and money-loving His first adventure
to the North American Continent was In
1870. when one OF his ships came TO the
coast of South Carolina, to region call
ed Chicora, and entrapped and carried
off as slaves a number OF native Indians.
There IS reason to believe that dayton
did not authorize or approve this kdnap-
ming outrage. But he continued his APP
plications to the King Of Spain for a
license for a settlement on the main
land. And he became involved In a
lawsuit with Matienzo-his co-1us.ic!ary
in st. Domingo who sought to abrogate
the license to DAYTON. on the ground
of prior exploration by Matienzo. This
suit worried and delayed DAYTON. and 1t
Is In the papers OF this litigation that all
the evidence is found which points to the
jamestown theory. They do not estab-
lish the fact Of any such settlement.
D'AYLLON's EXPEDITION.
D'Ayllon came, with his 900 settlers.
priests, horses and cattle, to a region
on a river called the st. John the Bap- |
fist, or the Jordan. and which. according
to all the authorities cited by Winsor,
was In the latitude Of IS degrees. 80 min |
utes. north. This would be Just about |
the central point Of the seacoast or
South Carolina After some examination
Of the gocalities dayton abandoned the
purpose OF making his settlement In that
region. His license from the King
authorized him to explore the coast OF |
America for 800 leagues north, OF theJuan |
de Baptistor river. l'his would have |
brought him. n no chose to 80 30 far. up |
70 the cold regions Of Massachusetts ana
Canada! Winsor says he naturally SAIL
ed northward from the region OF 70 de-
grees. 30 minutes. 49,,
Well. we may admit this. ana
tbia IL really the whole founda-
ton of the Jamestown-site theory A
frail foundation truly Yet without any
further Identification, OF the route that
DAyllou took, Winsor immediately d.