Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-05-06
Aistury nj $. Garnlina.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
EarIy Settlement of South Carolina
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.

On the 10Th of April, 1872, Joseph West
retired from the office Of Governor of the
colony settled at Ashley river, and Sir John
Yeamans was publicly proclaimed. This was
the beginning of series of calamities, both to
the immigrants and the proprietors.
Yeamans had won for himself, at last, the
appreciation of the proprietors by the manner
in which he had conducted their affairs at
Cape Fear. 1t is, however, doubtful whether
or not be ever had any thing in view except
the reparation of his own ruined fortune
The proprietors, from the beginning, were
favorably disposed toward Yeamans. He and
they had many views, respecting men and
things, which were common. The majority
of the proprietors were Cavaliers, and so was
Yeamans.
Whatever may be said regarding Yeamans'
gubernatorial career at Cape Fear, he signally
failed at Ashley river. He commenced a
course of conduct which showed that he had
no desire either to advance the welfare of the
infant colony or to promote the interests OF
the proprietors His acts resemble those OF
selfish land.holder. He who had ruled at
Cape Fear with the affection Of father, now
grasped with the rapacity of miser. No
sooner was be proclaimed Governor than the
whole face of things was changed. On the
2Oth of April, the very day after he assumed
the office, the people were assembled and a
new Parliament chosen. Stephen Bull, Chris
topher Portman, Richard Conant, Ralph Mar.
shall and John Robinson were chosen mem.
bers of the Grand Council. The deputies Of
the proprietors were Colonel West, Captain
Thomas Gray, Captain John Godfrey, Mau.
rice Matthews and William Owens. The in
Auence of West was not lost, notwithstand-
ing the fact that he was removed as Govern
or. He remained true as steel, both to the
people and the proprietors.
Yeamans had plantation in Barbados,
and he had definite knowledge of the wants
of that community. He knew the kind of
merchandise that was in the greatest demand
there and which would command the great
est amount of money. All Yeamans seems
to have had in view was the amassing of a
fortune for himself. To effect this purpose,
he commenced buying up the produce of the
settlers and shipping it to Barbados. The
colony was thus, if not impoverished, retarded
in its progress and the proprietors, in their
efforts to support the colony, were involved
in heavy debt. They became disheartened, !,
and concluded that in the future they would
be more sparing in granting supplies. The
colonists asked for a supply of stock. This
was refused them by the proprietors, on the
ground that it was not the intention of the
latter to establish a colony Of graziers, but OF
planters.
The official character of Yeamans has been
supported by certain class of old writer's
but it is clear that they we're favorable to him
because of his political notions and ecclesias'
tical connections Those who defend him
said that he incurred the disapprobation of the
proprietors by making too many and too
large demands upon them for the welfare OF
the colony. This conclusion is not we'll sup.
ported. The inhabitants of the colony would
scarcely have been dissatisfied with Govern
or who was thus zealously striving to advance
their interest The propretors complained
because they had expended so much, and
there was no prospect that the demand upon
them for supplies would come to an end.
There is one fact which must settle this matter
forever. It is this: Sir John Yeamans was
poor when he was made Governor of the col.
ony, and when he died, in August, 1874, he
was rich. He had no other means OF making
his fortune, except his plantations and his
traffic with the colonists.
During the infancy of the colony, the man
ual labor was all, or nearly all, performed by
white servants who had been brought from
England, and by Indians who had been either
bought from their enemies or captured in war,
and sold into slavery to defray the expense OF
the war. 1t was customary for the llnml-
grants to hire an Indian hunter. Such an
individual could be procured for less than five
dollars year, and he would supply family
in meat of the choicest kind all the time.
In May, 1914, Joseph West was again COM.
missioned Governor and made landgrave
by the proprietors. Sir John Yeamans, on
account of bad health, had, previous to this
time gone to Barbados, where he died in
August of the same year. On the departure
of Yeamans the people selected West to be
their Governor, and the selection was con-
frmed by the proPrietors. .,a 49,,
When West commenced his second term OF
office, the colony was in a bad condition.
Dissension had sprung up, and old animosi.
ties which had been lulled to sleep, were
aroused in all their original strength. The
very existence of the colony was threatened.
Yeamans, by purchasing the products OF the
people and sending them to Barbados, had
reduced the colony to the greatest extremity.
Famine began to stare them in the face. The
cry for bread was heard in various quarters.
Open rebellion was plotted. The facts con.
cerning it are few, but the inferences are plain
and easy.
The proprietors, with the exception of Ash
ley COOPER were Cavaliers; the people were
mostly Dissenters. Ashley Cooper and John
Locke, who were intimately connected from
the beginning with the planting of the col.
ony, were favorable to the Dissenters, whilst
it was the evident intention of the other pro-
prietors to establish in Carolina the Church
of England. The members of the Church of
England we're favored. They we're regarded
as men of culture and honor, whilst the Dis.
senters were regarded as an ignorant and
quarrelsome set of people. No doubt, there
was some truth in this. The probability is,
that whilst the Dissenters had more mental
power, the Cavaliers were more refined
class. They had no love for each other, and
hence could not live long together in har-
mony.
1t is true that the first set of laws drawn up
by the Iiroprietors granted each individual the
greatest liberty in religion. In these Funda-
mental Constitutions there is no denomina-
tionalsm. 1t is evident that some peculiar
and only temporary circumstance induced the
proprietors to be so liberal. This liberality
was due to Ashley Cooper and John Locke
mainly, however, to the latter. None OF the
proprietors were men eminent for piety and
although Ashley Cooper was nominally a