Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-04-22

have any notice. took place three days after
the organization, or on the 28th OF August,
1871. The first matter that seems to have
merited its attention, was the form OF oath 10
be administered to each member Of the Coun-
Gil. One of the clauses of the oath bound
each member of the Council to "doe equal
right to the rich and poore." Each member
of the Council was required to swear as foi.
lows: "You shall not give, or be Of council
for favor or affection, in any difference or
QUARREL depending before you; but III all
things demeane and behave yourselte as to
equity and justice appertains."
The first item of business proper that came
up before the Council, was a petition from
John Norton and original Jackson against
Maurice Mathews, member OF the Council
and Others The difficulty, if such it really
was. seems to have been about seventeen
pieces of cedar timber. 1t may be thought
strange that men, in an almost unbroken for
est, would have any sort of difficulty about a
few sticks of "cedar timber" or would ever
have thought of petitioning dignihed Coun'
Gil about such thing 1t must be remember
ed that at that time cedar was regarded as
the most valuable of timbers. 1t was highly
priced for making boxes, chests and drawers.
1t was then supposed that it was perfect
preventive against moths. The case of
John Norton and original jackson against
Maurice Mathews and others was thus dis
posed of: at is ordered that the petitioner
doe appeare before the Governor and Councill
upon Saturday, the ninth day of September
next, peremptorily, to prosecute the said COM
plant against the Defendants" On the day
appointed (Sept 9, 1879 the Council met and
made this decision: Upon hearing the matter
of the petition of John Norton and original
jackson against Mr.. Maurice Mathews, Mr..
Thomas Gray and Mr. William Owen-both
parties having referred themselves to the de-
termination of the Governour and Councill-
that the said John Norton and original Jack
son shall have the sixteen pieces of cedar
timber desired, and one piece of cedar timber
more claymed by the said Mr.. Maurice Math-
ews, Mr.. Thomas Gray, and Mr.. William
Owen, &C."
These old documents possess an interest in
themselves, and they possess an interest on
account of the time in which they originated.
The English language, as will be readily per-
ceived by the spelling of several words. has
undergone great changes. When the petition
of John Norton and original Jackson was
read before the Grand Council, South Caro-
lima was less than two years old. In Novem.
Der of the same year, (1671) Henry Hughes
appeared before the Grand Council and "made
his complaint on the behalf of our sovereign
Lord the King, against Thomas Screman,
gentleman, for that the said Screman, upon
the - of October, 1871, at Charles Towne,
in this Province, did feloniously take and
carry away from the said Henry Hughes, one
turkey cock, of the price of tenn pence Of
lawful English money, contrary to the peace
of our sovereign Lord the King, his crowne."
This was complicated case. Thomas Sore.
man, from the fact that the title "gent." is
given him, was man ofsome position among
the colonists. Two other individuals-Joseph
Oldys and Capt. Lieut. Robert Donne-were
connected with Screman in this ofense. Donne,
in some way, assisted Screman to steal the tur-
key, and Oldys assisted him to conceal 1t.
Since Donne was an officer and Screman
gentleman, it is probable that this turkey was
"feloniously taken and carried away" in the
same spirit that boys of good birth and ire
proachable characters at home, sometimes,
while at college, make raids upon hen roosts.
Be this as it may, the Council thought it
grave ofense. 1t was ordered that Screman
be stripped to the waist, and Oldys, also
stripped to the waist, infict upon him nine
lashes, with whip prepared for the purpose.
1t was also ordered, that in December, Capt.
Lieut.. Donne, in full uniform, appear at the
head Of his company, and that his sword be
taken from him by the Marshal, and he be
further required to give security for good be-
havior in future, or otherwise to remain in
the custody of the Marshal. No doubt, this
was the first case of the kind that came before
the Council, and the punishment was we'll cal
culated to make it the last.
The Grand Council possessed almost unlim-
tied powers; but at first it acted in such
way as to secure peace and prosperity. Ihe
people obeyed, with promptness, all its orders,
and the result was that the colony was soon
placed in condition Of comparative security.
Those who, in any way conducted themselves
so as to be detrimental to the common good,
were punished severely. Idlers were regarded
as nuisances. No individual was allowed any
assistance from the public store, who did not
have two acres of corn or peas planted for ev-
cry member of his family. The whole colony
was we'll organized military post. Every
individual was required to be ready at mo-
ments warning to meet any foe that might as
sail the settlement The gunsmith, Thomas
Ashcraft, was required by the Grand Council
to keep the guns in complete repair. In tact,
every man woman and child, was required to
do something to produce supplies tor the
colony.
We cannot better show the state of things
in the colony, during the first two years, than
by quoting part of an ordinance passed by
the grand council at its meeting on February
10th, 1872. "It is farther advised, ordered
and ordayned by the Grand Council, that no
person or persons whatsoever (except before
excepted) shall have any benefit of the Lords
Proprietors' stores who shall not have two
acres of land at least, well and sufficiently
planted with corne, pease, or both, for every
person in his or her family and the same to be
we'll cultivated till the gathering of the next
crop. And if any person or per-
sons (except before excepted) during this
crop doe or shall loyter or slothfully spend
his, her, or their time, or doe exercise, or fol-
low any worke, labour or Employment not
hereby allowed or not especially directed, by
the Grand Councill, such person or persons soc
offending, upon notice thereof given, shall be
disposed and committed to the care and charge
Of such industrious planter as the Grand
Council shall judge convenient for the better
raising of provisions and their present main
tanance as aforesaid" Carpenters and smiths
were allowed permission to labor at their
trade. These are the classes of individuals
meant by the words Except before excepted"
in parenthesis.
We cannot but admire the wisdom which