Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-06-10

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Governor Ludwell did all, perhaps, that ne
could, situated as he was, to make South Car
olina what report said it was. The stubborn
English cared little for what report said about
America, or the world thought of their action
They determined that the French should
have no power in the government OF the colo
ny. Hence, here in the wilds Of the New
World, they commenced putting in execution
the English alien laws.
All this, at this day, seems strange; but
human nature is stranger thing. The Purl-
tans of New England, who had themselves
fled from persecution, inaugurated system OF
persecution. The uniformity act' had driven
them, first to Holland, and then to America.
One would be ready to conclude that men
who would not submit to uniformity act"
would be the last men in the world to estab-
lish uniformity act" Such, however, was
not the case. The Puritans banished Roger
Williams from Massachusetts, for the same
reason that the Puritans were banished from
England. No doubt, many of the first SET
tiers of South Carolina were mere adventures,
but the majority of them had come to Amerl-
ca that they might escape the suferings OF
"Popish succession" as it was called. In
their fear, they we're correct. James the
Second, with Lord Chancellor Jefreys and
Colonel Kirk as tools, brought stain upon
old England, which all time cannot wipe out.
To avoid the terrible events which brought
about the revolution of 1858, many had left
England and come to South Carolina. The
French, on account of the revocation of the
Edct of Nantz, by Louis the Fourteenth, had
came to the same place. The same cause had
brought both people to the same place.
Hence, we might have reasonably expected
that they would have embraced each other as
brothers, and lived together in perfect harmo-
ny. We might have expected that similar
history would have filled their hearts with
sympathy for each other. Such, however, as
we have seen, was not the case.
That which distressed the French colonists
most, was that in accordance with the English
alien laws, they would not be able to dispose
of their property when they died. They felt
that they might labor during a long life and
overcome any amount of obstacles and accu-
mulate competency for their children, but
they had no surety that their natural heirs
would ever be permitted to enjoy it.
The French brought their own clergymen
with them from France. To these they
we're devoted. One of the strange and most
unreasonable demands made by the English
population, was that service should commence
in the French churches at the same hour that
it did in the English church. This betrayed
prosecuting spirit in perfect harmony with
the times; but an unreasonableness which is a
disgrace to the human family. Both French
and English were Protestants. In their creeds
and mode of worship, there were some minor
points of difference; but as far as men can
agree, they were one in faith and one in prac-
tice. We are sorry that we are called to re-
cord these facts, but they are facts.
Although the attempt certainly was made
to deprive the French settlers Of Craven coun-
ty from sending representatives to the Colo
NAL Parliament, it was not effected, at least
not permanently; for in 1892 six members
from Craven county came and took the oath
of allegiance to William and Mary, the sue
cessors of James the Second. To relieve the
French settlers with regard to their fears
concerning the forfeiture of their estates, and
also to correct the ill-de6ned notions of the
English settlers, the proprietors wrote to the
Governor and their deputies in the province
that the French settlers, in many instances,
had bought the lands on which they were set
tied from them, and, consequently, in case it
was forfeited, it would escheat to them, and
the English settlers would in no way be the
gamers. One of the grounds Of complaint
which the French, had was that the English
declared that since the French parents were
not married by regularly ordained ministers,
that is, by ministers of the Church of Eng
land, their children in the eyes of the law
we're only bastards. This was, the proprie-
tors declared, contrary to the spirit and even
the letter of the constitution which granted
liberty of conscience, and it was even higher
ground than had ever been taken by the Eng
lsh at home. eve have here" Gin England)
say they, "persons who have been married in
Dutch and French churches by ministers that
never were ordained, and yet we have never
heard that the children begotten in such mar
riages are reputed unlawful or bastards."
In this connection, we must not omit to no
tce the glaring inconsistencies which were, at
times, manifest in the actions of both proprie-
tors and people. In May, 1851, during the
administration of Sothell, the Colonial Parlia-
ment passed a law by which all French and
Swiss immigrants were made free born. 2
Statutes at Large, No. IS. This law, because
it was passed during the administration of
Sothell, was, by both people and proprietors,
repealed. 1t does seem that spirit Of con-
trariness often had full possession of both
people and proprietors. There WASH concert
in their actions. A bad state of feeling had
been engendered, and it was determined by
both parties to keep it up.
1t would be a difficult matter to give cor
rect picture of Governor Ludwell. BY all,
he was regarded as gentle and humane man
but there is not wanting evidence that he was
at least, on certain occasions, harsh man.
When he first assumed the government, the
Assembly petitioned him to exercise clemency
toward the offenders under the previous Gov
ernor. An act of "free and general indemni-
a ohl;u;on ond nonGrmatinn Of oil III.