Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-09-23
Aisturp uf $. Garolina.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
EarIy Settlement of South Carolina.
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.

The various calamitous events which had
during the first fifteen years of the eig ghteenth
century, transpired in the South Carolina col.
ony, reduced the settlers to great straits. The
most distant settlements from Charles Town
had been, by the attacks of the Yamassees, al
most exterminated. Vast numbers of the
people had been driven from their homes and
their property totally destroyed. Gloom set
tied upon the countenances of all. The Yam
assess had been conquered, and the capability
of the few settlers to contend, successfully,
with the combined tribes of the savages fairly
demonstrated; but this victory had cost the
province an enormous sum Of money and near
one fourth of its population. Many children
had been made orphans by the scalping knife
of the savages.
In the midst of these gloomy circumstances,
it became evident to all that the proprietors,
or some one else, must render the colonlsts
aid, or the colony must prove failure The
debt of the province had been increasing for
a number of years, until it amounted, at the
close of the Yamassee war, to not much less
than half million of dollars. At various
times, the Assembly had issued bills of credit.
These, at frst were taken at par but soon
they began to depreciate in value. 10 in
crease the exigencies of the colonists, they
and the propretors were not on good terms.
After the Yamassee war, bills of credit to the
amount of nearly four hundred thousand dol
lars, had been put in circulation by the AS.
sembly. These bills were made receivable,
dollar for dollar, for all debts Circumstan-
ces combined to cause these bills todepreciate
in value, 80 that they we're not worth more
than one-eighth of their face value. This loss
fell upon the London merchants and moneyed
men of Charles Town. The merchants of
England became alarmed, lest they would lose
ali that was due them.
Such was the financial condition of the
colony. There were other difficulties. When,
in 1713, Anthony Craven, the palatine, and
brother of Charles Craven, the Governor,
died, permission was granted Charles Craven
to leave the colony and return to England.
At the same time, they signi6ed their desire
that Robert johnson, the son Of the former
Governor, be his successor. The colony be-
ing involved in difficulties with the Indians,
Charles Craven, like true-hearted patriot,
would not quit the province until these diff.
culties we're adjusted.
On the 25th of April, 1716, the Yamassees
being subdued, he left Robert Daniel, Deputy
Governor. During the administration of
Daniel, the law respecting the mode of con-
ducting the elections was very materially
changed. Previous to this time, the members
of the lower house were all chosen at Charles
Town. This was attended with many disad-
vantages, aud was source of annoyance to
the people AS we have seen, the elections
were fraudulently conducted. Chief Justice
Trott and Collector Rhett were ever ready to
resort to unfair measures in order to secure
the election of party man. The law was at
this time so changed that the thirty-six men,
bers of the lower house should be elected in
the different parishes at the parish Churches.
This change gave general satisfaction.
On the 30th of April, l717, the proprietors
commissioned Robert johnson as Governor
of South Carolina. So soon as he arrived, he
called the attention of the Assembly to the
condition of their currency. He insisted that
the honor of the province demanded that the
bills in circulation be redeemed. The colony
was in bad condition for undertaking such a
huge work. Both the agricultural and COM
mercial operations of the colony had been
greatly injured by recent events. The far
mers bad been called from their fields to fight
the Tuscaroras and Yamassees, and the pi
rates were then making sad havoc on their
commerce. Notwithstanding all these things
the Assembly passed an act by which the pa:
per money of the colony WAS to be redeemed
in three years. To accomplish this, tax was
levied upon land and negroes. This law gave
general satisfaction.
No one was disposed to disturb the general
quiet except Trott and Rhett. These two in
diyiduals we're brothers-in-law, and were, in
some respects, very similar in traits of char
acter. Both were men of talents. Trott, es
pecially, was endowed with great mental
powers, which were developed by close study
Notwithstanding all this, he was man III
whom no dependence could be placed: One
great defect in his character was that he was
given to fawn upon the great. Another weak
ness in his nature was an avaricious love Of
money. At this time, Trott and Rhett op
posed the change in the election laws. They
saw that it would deprive them OF much o.
the influence which they were accustomed tt
exercise on election days. In spite of these
two individuals, the law went into operation
and was working to the satisfaction of al
others, and for the general good of the pro
vince.
Just when, however, the Assembly were
busily engaged in devising ways and means
for sinking the public debt, Governor John
son received an order from the proprietors tt