Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-03-23
WHOLE NO. $50.
COLONIAL HISTORY OF NO. CAROLINA,
HISTORICAL SKETCHES BY COLONEL
GUILFoRD DUDLEY.
(CoNcLuDED.)


Tryon was succeeded in the administration
of the government of North Carolina about
the end of 177l, o. beginning of 1872. In
politcks he appeared TO be moderate and tenn
porising, but like his predecessors, attached TO
The supposed interests of Great Britain and
obedent to the mandates of the crown, and
the instructions of its ministers, For the first
two years Of his administration, there was a
ca m or kind of lethargy as 10 passing events,
pervading the people of North Carolina; hut
in IA their sympathies were awakened, when
it was known that the British Parliament had
passed the Boston port bill, by which that
port was 10 be shut up after the 1st day of
June, and its commerce cut off from all parts
of the world and this cruel measure was TO
be enforced by large army of British troops
and powerful fleet. Then the people awoke
and began 10 look about them. This bill ar
rived in the Spring of 1774, during the session
of the House of Burgesses, and threw the As
sembly into fermcnt, which prevented bust
ness from progressing. Gov. Martin found
the members refractory and unyielding TO his
measures. He could not procure the passage
of his money bills, (as it was usually called
nor succeed in any other of his favorite or
ministerial measures. The House adjourned
in discomfort and disgust, and the minds of the
people were alarmed and agitated. Whilst
these things were transacting in Newbern, the
Seat of Government, in IVA, the writer of
these sketches attained his eighteenth year,
and had his name Immediately enrolled on the
muster list of the Town company of Militia,
in Halifax, and in month or two afterward
had an opportunity, for the first time, of see
ing Governor Martin in his own town, for
two OF three weeks, several times every day
in the office where he wrote.
J. is we'll known to many that King Charles
the I'd granted 10 eight Lords proprietors that
extensive tract Of country lying South of Vir-
ginia, and extending along the Atlantic coast
to St. Marys river which divided it from the
Floridas, and west 10 the Mississippi river,
now including the two Carolinas and George.
The Lords proprietors (of whom the Earl oil
Greenvie was one,) after fruitless attempt
to colonze the country, from their own igno-
rance, cupidity and dissatisfaction with theil
purchase from the crown, all surrendered, for
stipulated price, their grant into the hands OF
the King. except Lord Greenville, who retain
ed his share, one degree in breadth, from what
is the Virginia line, in the North to the South
and extending from the Atlantic to the Mssip-
pi, in the west. After the surrender of the
other Lords proprietors, the country was divi-
ded into North and South Carolina, and Green
vile opened a land office in his share of the
former province, and placed an agent there.
for the disposal of lands on low terms, subject
, however to the payment of an annual tax
called quit to himself and his heirs, fer
ever, besides surveyors fees, the cost of re.
gisration of patents, &c j., &c. For severa
years previous 10 the disturbances in America
Col. Joseph Montfort, of Halifax, a wealthy
ronrcbopt md olc0 tho Do1,o1 h.
been the agent for the heirs of Lord Green
vile, though as far back as can recollect Of
had any knowledge of such transactions, the
land-office of L. I'd Greenville had been shn
up but the multifarious papers Including du
plicates of patents belonging to that office
still remained in the hands of Col. Montfort
but after the passage of the Boston Port bill
was known in North Carolina, and General
Gage with his feet and army had arrived al
Boston, in pursuance of the ministerial plan,
Governor Martin, with his private Secretary
Mr.. Nelson, repaired to Halifax, with written
instructions and an order from the heirs of
Greenvile, to receive all the papers of every
description belonging to that office. This
was early in the Summer of 1774, at which
time the writer was something more than
eighteen years old, and was assistant clerk in
the counting hoase and the Treasury Office
The Treasurer was a man advanced in years,
Of feeble constitution and sickly tempera-
ment, then langulshing on the bed of sickness,
but Wing; and although Governor Martin
and his suite were his guests for several weeks
had no doubt used much persuasion and ad-
dress to get the papers into his hands, vet the
Treasurer at first denurred, and for some time
wavered about their delivery, until he could
consult his friends about the propriety of the
measure, evidently shelving repugnance to
delivering them 10 his ExceIIency al ALL AT
last he consented. and procuring a confden-
tal friend Gor he was unable 10 attend him.
self to superntend and direct six or eight
clerks, all young men, among them myself, in
the business of taking schedule or inventory
not only of the duplicate grants, but of every
other paper belonging 10 the office, opening
and designating their import exactly in our in.
ventory and although we were all expert or
swift pensmen, yet it took us more than a
fortnight or three weeks, from before sun. rise
till dark every day, TO accomplish this ardu.
Gus work, notwithstanding the Governor was
usually three or four times day in our office
and with complacent smiles and courteous Ian
guage urging US on TO the completion of the
work. This done, and the papers being pack
ed up in large trunks, boxes and chests, and
three wagons procured Tor their removal 10
the palace in Newbern, his Excellency depart
ed in seeming triumph and satisfaction at the
i. acquisition of what he no doubt deemed an
immense prize, and the favor be should there
: by confer on the courtly heirs of Lord Green
vile. | presume this enormous bulk of pa
/, pers was Immediately shipped TO England by
Gov Martin, TO the legal representatives oil
, the old Grantee but their receipt awaited them
not at all, for in little more than two years
after, North Carolina, when she became an in.
> dependent State, and framed her own Consti.
tuition, virtually confscated this immense tract
of country, by clause in that instrument
which says that the soil belongs TO the
good people of this State" which also incIu.
ded the vacant or Incorporated lands belong
ing to the Crown. They confscated also, by
Act of Assembly. all other estates belonging
10 British subjects residing in Great Britain, OF
, any of its provinces or territories And thus
, the heirs of the Earl of Greenyille, the origi.
nal patentee, lost forever the greater part of
what remains to North Carolina, and two.
thirds of what now constitutes the State Of
Tennessee, and these by far the richest por.
lions. as to soil, situation and value, in botl
the States.
When the news OF General Gage having ar.
rived at Boston, with feet and army, and
eb,,t 41,n% ,,or4 roochnd North TdfnLino fhc