two other magistrates who had signed he warrant for the punishment
of the female slaves were suspended.
actions caused an uproar among the influential white class and also
was opposed by House of Assembly members to whom he also appealed.
Members argued that corporal punishment for women was almost extinct.
matter came to a head over the Wildgoos affair. Wildgoos, a member
of the House of Assembly, owned a retail liquor store in Nassau
and was a slave owner. One of Wildgoos' female slaves received thirty-nine
(39) lashes by an attendant of the town goal and was also confined
there for a period. Additionally, Wildgoos caused a slave belonging
to his mother to be similarly treated by in Smyth's opinion, Wildgoos'
greatest sin was his visit to the prison about a month later to
see his own slave whipped again without being released from prison.
who saw this as a flagrant act of injustice appealed to the House
against Wildgoos. In typical style, it refused to interfere, retorting
that it was not their job to deal with Wildgoos but the Court's.
The Assembly resented Smyth's interference. After Smyth sent a second
message, the Assembly appointed a committee to inquire into the
proceedings of the slave court. This report charged Smyth with interference
in the administration of justice and requested Smyth's removal as
Governor. A petition was drawn up and when Smyth received the message
that the Assembly would conduct no further business with him, he
dissolved the House on 31 May, 1831. Smyth received the support
of the Imperial Governor in his action against Wildgoos.
while the Solicitor General saw Wildgoos' action as illegal, the
Attorney General and Chief Justice took the opposite view, and the
Grand Jury ignored bills of indictment against Wildgoos. Influential
public opinion was building up against Smyth, but he had some supporters
among some slave owners.
June 1831, twenty-six large slave owners petitioned in Smyth's favour
and praised him as a great humanitarian. Additionally, three hundred
and seventy-six persons of colour also petitioned and congratulated
Smyth, for advancing their freedom so far. A descendant of Smyth,
Miss Sara Colville still has the silver cup which was given to the
Governor by Bahamian "men of colour" for his efforts towards
their welfare. Smyth was to evoke yet more hostility among influential
whites against himself over the punishment of females slaves. His
removal, for the second time, of two magistrates, Anderson and Duncombe,
from the bench of the slave court, caused an attack by George Biggs,
editor of the Bahamas Argus, a newspaper
recently introduced from America and supported by Smyth's enemies
in the House of Assembly.
growing opposition towards himself in the House, Smyth urged its
members to grant further privileges to the black and free coloured
population. When the Amelioration Bill was introduced, the House
of Assembly was in a truculent mood, and refused to consider any
bill concerned with the matter while Smyth was Governor.
argued that many enactments which the new order wished to enforce
had already been included with consolidated slave acts. Refusing
to deal with Smyth, the Assembly petitioned for his removal. Smyth
then dissolved the House and took over the government of The Bahamas,
ruling with the aid of the Council. The House of Assembly withheld
the annual Revenue Bill and Smyth was forced to run the Colony on
the salt and tonnage duties.
Smyth was soon to encounter opposition in the Council. Taking advantage
of the absence of several members of that body, he appointed new
ones who supported him. The Secretary of State for the colonies
felt that Smyth's complaints against the Chief Justice, one of Smyth's
opponents were unwarranted. The Colonial Office warned Smyth to
to be deterred, Smyth, in January 1833, expressed his intention
not to call the House of Assembly until a year had elapsed. Already,
during the previous years, there had been outbreaks of violence,
and Penny, a Methodist Missionary, had reported that several skirmishes
had taken place and some "blood was spilled."
Smyth suspended two of the council members, more unrest occurred
in Nassau. The situation reached near crisis conditions over another
incident of a different nature.
influential whites, trustees of the Nassau Public School, had in
their possession some school supplies and refused to give them up.
When the Attorney General took action to reclaim the books by filing
a Bill in the Chancery, the trustees submitted, returned the supplies,
but did so ungraciously and with such "disrespectful remarks"
that Smyth, in his capacity as Chancellor, charged them with contempt
of court. They were all sentenced to three months imprisonment and
fined £50 (sterling), and while two apologized and were freed,
the other four, including Lewis Kerr, the Solicitor General, and
three members of the House of Assembly were imprisoned.
this time, the Colonial Office was becoming worried about Governor
Smyth. It warned him to separate his administrative duties and those
as Chancellor. Smyth was unable to avoid conflict and confrontation
for long. He soon clashed with the Attorney General and George Biggs,
editor of the Bahamas Argus, wrote a scathing condemnation of the
in January 1833, Goderich informed Smyth that he had been transferred
to the Lieutenant Governorship of British Guiana, in reality, a
promotion. It is perhaps ironic, that Smyth before leaving The Bahamas,
commissioned a statue of Christopher Columbus. It was later placed
in front of Government House where it remains today.
as he had admitted, had paid much attention to the amelioration
and emancipation of the slaves and of the freed coloured population.
He had been welcomed on his arrival by influential whites and members
of the House of Assembly who were mainly Nassau shopkeepers. However,
when he had showed sympathy towards the slaves, his popularity quickly
was belligerent and forthright and tended to make personal enemies,
but he was a man of principle. He was a humanitarian, and although
he failed to achieve greater amelioration of slave conditions, he
should be admired for his valiant efforts.
governor of Guiana, Smyth saw the Abolition Bill successfully through
the legislature. He oversaw the Apprenticeship System and minimised
the hardships he could not remove. When he died (of a fever) in
March 1838, the Government Secretary called him "the intrepid,
the just, the singularly successful ruler of this not easily governed
colony." Secretary of State Glenelg in reply said "there
is no public functionary of the Colonial Empire a the present time
whose continued services could have been of higher importance."
These words, although meant for the Smyth as Governor of British
Guiana, and not the Smyth of The Bahamas, must not be forgotten.
Smyth in his effort to better slave conditions and those of the
free coloured populations, must be seen as an early local hero.
Carmichael Primary School was called after the area in which it
is situated. It was named during the Governorship of Sir James Carmichael