Page:The Life of George Washington, Volume 1.djvu/62

 32 INTRODUCTION. chap.h. England being opened, and the members of 1607. the council made known, they proceeded to elect a president, when Mr. Wingfield was chosen. But under frivolous and unjustifiable pretexts, they excluded from his seat among them, John Smith, whose courage and ta- lents seemed to have excited their envy, and who, on the passage, had been imprisoned, on the improbable and unsupported charge of intending to murder the council, usurp the government, and make himself king of Vir- ginia. 15 ' The colonists soon found themselves em- broiled with the Indians, who attacked them suddenly while at work; but the fire from the ship drove them terrified into the woods ; some short time after which, a temporary accommo- dation with them was effected. Newport, although named of the council, was ordered to return with the vessels to England, and the time of his departure ap- proached. The accusers of Smith, affecting a degree of humanity which they did not feel, proposed that he should return with Newport, instead of being prosecuted in Virginia; but with the pride of conscious innocence, he demanded his trial, and, being honourably ac- quitted, took his seat in the council. About the 15th of June, Newport sailed for England, leaving behind him one of the barks, b Robertson,.,.Chalmer....Stith.