Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-09-30
Ai5turg uf $. Garplina.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
Early Settlement of South Carolina.
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.

CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.
The manifest intention of the inhabitants
of South Carolina, during the period at which
we have arrived, was to throw off the yoke Of
the proprietary government and place them,
selves under the government OF England
They we're, in a certain sense, English subjects
not directly, but through the proprietors
They enjoyed some peculiar privileges; but
on the other hand, they were deprived Of
many advantages. The proprietary govern
ment was nothing but a kind Of tenantry
Under it the people never could have accom-
plished anything, either for themselves or for
the world, 50 far as advancing the arts Of civ
ilization is concerned. Still, had the propri'
etors been wise and prudent, they might have
retained their government over South Caro-
lima for long time The people had no dis
position to rebel. They were goaded to it.
Nicholas Trott contributed more than any
other man to bring about the Revolution of
17l9. The proprietors were extremely fond OF
Trott, and he possessed the power of deuding
the proprietors. They granted him all amount
of power, in managing the affairs of South
Carolina, which it was said, at the time, nc
other man in the world possessed and Trott
was disposed to exercise all the authority
granted him.
The time when the South Carolinians be-
gan to think of throwing off the proprietary
woke, was very favorable for such an under
taking. The English people, generally, were
anxious that all the proprietary governments
be abolished. The merchants of the kingdom
were desrous that the change be made, and
George the First was stranger TO the indl.
yiduals who at first obtained the charter for
settling South Carolina. Still, there was nc
disposition on the part of the Crown of Eng.
land to act hastily in this matter. The par
lament of England at this time, was the most
scrupulously honest legislative body in the
world. 1t determined to act in this matter
only when dire necessity required it. Clearly
had it been proven to the parliament, that
through the influence of their secretary and a
few others, the proprietors had forfeited their
charter; but since some of their number did
not approve of their unconstitutional acts, the
charter was not taken from them.
AS saiAbefore, Governor Johnson, on re-
ceivin gsAllB instructions from the proprietors,
which were conveyed to him from the pro-
prietors by Francis Yonge, who had taken
over the memorial of the colqpists to England
he prepared to carry them 6ht to the very
letter. The newly appointed Council, consist
ing of Nicholas Trott, Ralph lizard, William
Bull, Samuel Wragg, Charles Hart, Benja'
min de la Consilliere, Peter St. Julien, Will
liam Gibbon, Hugh Butler, Jacob Satur
Francis Yonge and Jonathan Skrine, were
called together and as many Of them as would
were qualified. The old Assembly was dis
solved and new one elected. AS might have
been expected, it was even less favorable tc
the proprietors than the one dissolved.
In the interval between the regular time
for the assembling of the Colonial Legislature
and the election, Governor johnson received