Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-10-14
alistprp ut 8. Garulina.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
Early Settlement of South Carolina.
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.

The transition from one form of government
to another is ever attended with inconver-
fences. a revolution, whatever may be its
final results is, at the time of its consumma.
ton, attended with sacrifices. Most of the
great revolutions which have taken place,
have been perfected with blood. A revolu-
tionary period is commonly period of blood.
Such, however, was not the case in South
Carolina during the revolution of 1719 and
1920 1t was a peaceable revolution. No
blood WAS shed. Still it had been attended
with bitter feelings and harsh aud provoking
words. So intense had been the interest Of
the people in the movement that every thing
else was partially neglected. Agriculture and
commerce were in languishing condition.
Science and religion flourish only in times of
peace.
The transition from the proprietary to the
royal government, was not go abrupt as most
other revolutions. 1t was not a revolution
from a republic to monarchy; for the pro-
prietary government Of South Carolina, as it
existed from the settlement of the colony un-
til 1918, was neither monarchy nor yet
republic; but kind of mongrel aristocracy.
A few mobiles, often with little sense and less
prudence, ruled. These mobiles we're, them.
selves, the subjects of England. Perhaps no
better description could be given of the pro.
prietary government than to call it kind of
feudal system. The inhabitants of the colony
we're British by descent and British in all
their notions of government. They loved the
English laws and the English manners and
customs. Hence, there was nothing abrupt
in the change from the proprietary to the roy
al government. They we're bound to England
by the strongest ties. 1t was the native land
Of large number of them, and the native land
of the fathers of by far the greater number Of
the remainder. They called England home.
Even that portion of the inhabitants who had
come from other countries, preferred the gov
ernment Of England to that Of the weak and
inefficient government of the proprietors.
Such being the true condition of things in
the colony of South Carolina at the time of
the first revolution, the transition was easy
and attended with but few of those evils
which follow in the wake Of revolutions gen.
orally.
The king was fortunate in the appointr ent
of Governor Francis Nicholson was emf
nently qualified for such position at such
time. By education soldier, and possessed
of fine administrative powers, the only
blemish attached to his character, was that
he was rreligious and profane As we will
learn from his subsequent history and con-
uection with the colony of South Carolina, he
presented one of those anomalous instances Of
an individual, impious himself, but not ap-
proving of impiety in others.
So soon as Governor Nicholson arrived,
which was about the middle of the year 1921,
the waves of popular tumult ceased to roll.
He was met by the advocates of both the
royal and proprietary governments, with open
hands and open hearts. Joy pervaded every
bosom. Governor johnson readily, and we
are almost prepared to say, gladly yielded up
all pretentions to power, and united with the
people in their demonstrations of joy. We
are not to conclude that Robert johnson was
man blown about by every popular breeze.
He remained true to the proprietors until the
change of government was legally effected,
and then yielded To have done otherwise
would have been treason. The determination
seems to have been formed by every individ-
ual, to bury the past. No references were
made to the past difficulties, but all wed with
each other in promoting the peace and pros
perity of the settlement.
At this period, but a very small portion of
what is now the State of South Carolina, was
settled by Europeans. No one, except some
traders, ever ventured more than fifty miles
from the sea- All the middle and upper Sec
tions of the State were in the undisturbed
possession of the Indians. At Dorchester and
Wiltown, few families had settled, and con-
structed something that at least bore the name
and to some extent, served the purpose of for
tifcations against the attacks of their Indian
neighbors. The great majority of the inhabi-
tants were settled in and around Charles
Town. During, and after the Yamassee war,
many of the frontier settlers removed to
Charles Town for protection. This, together
with immigrants who, from time to time,
Joined the colony, tended to spread the town
beyond the forti6cation. Still, Charles Town,
in 1719, was but small place.
The first thing that Governor Nicholson
did on assuming the government, was to order
an election to be held for members Of an as
sembly. The election passed of with salts
faction to all parties, and the Assembly, on
convening, chose James Moore, their late
Governor, speaker. Governor Nicholson con.
6rmed their choice. Among the first things
done by the Assembly, was to pass an act re-
cognizing King George the First as the law
full and undoubted sovereign of Great Britain,
France and Ireland, and especially of South
Carolina. The wisdom and goodness of the
King was acknowledged for appointing Cen
eral Francis Nicholson Governor of the pro.
vince.
So far as it could, the Assembly, with the
assent of the Governor aud his council, blot
ted out every thing that tended in any way
to foster bitter feeling between the late par
ties This effort to reconcile the late adhe-
rents of James Moore aud those who espoused
the cause of Robert johnson, was entirely
successful.
Governor Nichsolson now directed his at
tention to strengthening the colony against its
enemies. Previous to his departure from
England, treaty Of peace between Eng land
and Spain had been 81 yned, in which it was
agreed that the Spanish colony in Florida
should not molest the English colony in South
Carolina; neither should the English colony
in South Carolina modest the Spanish colony
in Florida. This was a favorable circum-
stance BY the terms of this treaty, the In
dians residing within the territory claimed by
the two colonies, were to be restrained from
depredations on the settlers. Governor Mich
olson had the foresight to discover that the
good will Of the neig ghboring tribes of Indians
was necessary to the peace and prosperity of
the infant colony. On learning that the In
dians had, in most instances, been provoked
to acts of cruelty and blood by the rapacious
and unjust acts of the whites, he called a con-