Early career
John Smith is first positively seen in the public record in June 1648 when he is listed as an inhabitant of Warwick in the Rhode Island colony. [1] While the historian Thomas W. Bicknell echoes James Savage in stating that Smith sailed from England in 1631 or 1632,first settling in Salem in the Massachusetts Bay Colony,evidence that the John Smith of Salem is the same as the President John Smith of Warwick is lacking,and recent research does not show a definitive connection. [2] [3] However,the subject did reside in Boston before coming to Warwick as stated in a 1649 letter written by Roger Williams to Massachusetts Bay magistrate John Winthrop. [1] Smith was a shopkeeper or merchant,a stonemason,and an assistant from Warwick in 1648. The same year he was also the head of a "General Court of Trial" for the town of Warwick which apparently was active when the primary court was out of session. [2] In May 1649 he was chosen to be the President of the four-town colony,and served in this capacity for one year. [1]
Three years later,after William Coddington pulled the towns of Newport and Portsmouth from the union with Providence and Warwick,Smith was once again selected as the President,but this time only presiding over the latter two towns. [1] During this second term as president a landmark piece of legislation against negro slavery was passed in 1652,the first legislation covering the matter of general human servitude enacted on the North American continent. [2] The law stated,"let it be ordered,that no blacke mankind or white being forced by covenant bond,or otherwise,to serve any man or his assighnes longer than ten yeares,or untill they come to bee twentie four yeares of age,if they bee taken in under fourteen,from the time of their cominge within the liberties of this Colonie. And at the end of terme of ten yeares to sett them free,as the manner is with the English servants..." [2] The legislation was amended in 1676,adding that no Indian shall be a slave. [2]
Another piece of legislation during Smith's tenure concerned speaking evil of the magistrates and for uttering libellous and slanderous words;such outspokenness had come into common use,and was becoming a problem for colonial leaders. [2] Twice when Smith was elected as President,he declined the position,and this prompted the General Assembly to order that "if a President elected shall refuse to serve in that Generall office,that then he shall pay a fine of ten pounds." [2]
