Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-12-09
Mistorp ut 8. GaruIua.
Written for the Yorkvlle Enquirer.
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES
Early Settlement of South Carolina,
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

| CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.
On the 18th of October, 1887, war against
Spain was publicly proclaimed in London
For this event, the English people, with few
honorable exceptions, had been clamoring
The streets of the city were crowded with idle
vagabonds, following the heralds, shouting for
joy. The bells were rung and great were the
demonstrations of delight Walpole, now
unpopular, but with more prudence and fore
sight than the multitude of the nation, omin-
ously whispered to himself, "they may ring
the bells now, but they will soon be wringing
their hands," This war with Spain is
BLURRED page in Englands history. 1t was
unust-it was unrighteous. Itwas war for
trade. England, Spain and France, each had
its own colonies in the New World. Every
foot of the continent, and most of the islands,
had been claimed by one or the other of these
three nations. Bounds-vague and lilly de-
fined it is admitted, but still boupds-had
been fixed as lines of demarcation, separating
the possessions of one from the possessions Of
the other two. Each claimed the profits Of
the trade arising from its own colonies. The
English forbid her colonies from sending their
rice, tobacco, indigo and peltries, to any but
English ports, and in anything but English
ships. This was the plan adopted by the gov
ernment, in order that it might be remunera-
ted for the expense of the purchase and main.
tenance of the colony. In fact, when the
Crown of England purchased the Carolina
colony from the original proprietors, it bought
the soil and the inhabitants then settled upon
it. England, although she, in her tyranny,
claimed the sole right to traffic with her colo.
nies and allowed them to traffic only with her
or for her, she utterly refused to grant this
right to Spain. She, at least wiuked at mer-
chants smuggling goods into the Spanish
towns in America. This was not all. At
that time, no trade was so profitable as the
traffic in slaves. England desired the privi-
lege of furnishing not only her own colonies
with negroes stolen from Africa but she COW
eted the privilege of furnishing the Spanish
colonies also with these miserable and unfor-
tunate creatures. This privilege she would
enjoy, even if it cost her blood and treasure
A company of reckless adventures was
formed, whose stock consisted in the main of
certificates of indebtness. To explain this
more definitely, we may say the company was
thus formed and its capital stock increased.
Persons holding claims against the English
government, either sold these claims to the
South Sea Company, or deposited them as so
much stock The government paid the claims
held by this company by granting right to
trade in the gulf of Mexico and in the Pacific
ocean, otherwise called the South sea. In
one word, the company was granted the priv
ilege of destroying the Spanish commerce in
America if it could. 1t was success. Vaga-
bonds, encouraged and protected by the flag
of England, fitted out vessels, and soon the
coast of Africa was lined for thirty degrees,
or more than two thousand miles, with Eng
lish slave vessels. Not only the South Sea
Company, but other companies, and even pri-
vate individuals, encouraged by royal favor,
protected by English legislation, and more
than this, forced by English common law, en-.
gagged in kidnapping the ebony sons and
daughters of Africa.
The colonial commerce of Spain was spoil
ed. 1t dwindled from fifteen thousand tons
to two thousand. Spain began to retaliate by
seizing smugglers and plundering vessels.
An attempt was made to settle, by negotiation,
the difficulties between the two nations. The
English people were incensed that such a
course should be resorted to. The nation was
clamorous for war. 1t was decided that Spain
should be paid three hundred and forty
thousand dollars for the damages done to her
commerce, but that she should pay the South
Sea Company four hundred and seventy-fve
thousand dollars for damages done by seizing
its vessels.
With this the English nation claimed to
have nothing to do; but she did claim for her
merchants the right to maraud and smuggle
when and where they pleased. To obtain
this right, the nation cried for war to the hilt.
1t was confidently expected that all the
Spanish dominions in America would, by an
easy transition, pass over into the hands of
the English. Idlers imagined that they would
grow speedily rich, and prodigals hoped to
find in the balmy regions ofSpanish America,
every thing that would be desired by their
wasteful spirits.
With this war, any farther than it effected
the English colonies, and especially that Of
South Carolina, we have nothing to do. Hos
tilities commenced on the 2lst of November
; 1879, by an attack upon Porto Bello, by Ed.
ward Vernon. 1t was success. The next
day he was in full possession of both the town
and castles, besides ten thousand dollars OF
booty. 1t was victory sad in its results to
, the English colonies Vernon returned to
Jamaica and England, determined to send
the largest fleet that had ever sailed Oh the
gulf of Mexico. A call was made for each Of
the colonies to furnish men. No one of the
colonies failed to respond promptly. The
men were furnished, and some of tie colonies
voted supply Of money.
General Oglethorpe was placed in command
of the South Carolina and Georgia forces
, His darling idea was to capture St. Angus
, tine and maintain the boundaries Of the Eng.
l lish colony as far south as the ST. Johns river
The English nation had commenced offensive
operations, and her two colonies-Georgia