Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-07-08

and we're as anxious to retain the possession
of it as the king was to add it to the acqu's''
tions of the British crown. The proprletors
yielded to both the people of the province OF
Carolina and to the King Of England. At the
instance of the Crown, the proprietors were
induced to appoint Nicholas Trott, Attorney
General of the province. One of the princi-
pal duties devolving on Trott, in virtue of his
office, was to examine all the laws of the COL
ony, to ascertain if they were consistent with
the laws of England. This may be regarded
as an act done by the proprietors to secure the
perpetuation of the government of the colony
in their hands.
During the administration Of Joseph Blake
many legislative enactments were made.
From these we are enabled to form tolera-
bly correct idea of the real condition of the
colony. The laws of "a people may be regard
ed as fair index of their social and moral
character Laws designed to punish crime
show that there are lawless persons in the
community but they also show that there is
determination on the part of the rulers to
curb the lawless, protect the weak, and en-
courage justice and equity. Judging from
the character of the laws enacted and re'en-
acted during the administration Of Blake, we
may safely conclude that the colony of South
Carolina was at that time in healthy moral
conditional least as much so as could be
expected, when all the surrounding circum-
stances are taken into consideration.
Among the first enactments made, was one
relative to false or defective measures or
weights. This shows that the colonists were
commencing to trade in earnest, and to mer-
chandise in an upright way. David Maybank
was appointed by the Assembly, on the 9th
day of December, 1896, surveyor of all
weights and measures used in the colony.
All persons engaged in buying and selling, in
the colony, were required, within two months,
to bring their weights and measures to the Of
fee of David Maybank, that they might be
tested by the English standards. Those found
correct were to be marked thus -four
stars), and those incorrect we're to be immedi-
ately burned, broken or destroyed. The law
forbid, with heavy penalties annexed, any per-
son using two sets of measures or weights
one set to be used when any commodity was
bought, and another set to be used when
sale was effected.
At the same time law was enacted de-
signed to increase the number Of the inhabit-
ants and favor those coming into the colony
to settle. In this enactment Of the Assembly,
it was provided that no persons coming into
the colony could be sued or imprisoned for
debt during the period of two years after their
arrival. No doubt the assembly meant well
but such a law is, and always must be, un-
righteous. No court or legislative body has
any right to interfere between creditor and
debtor If any compromises are to be made
or favors shown, the persons themselves and
no one else, have the inalienable right to make
the negotiations This act for the relief Of
debtors was repealed by the King of England.
To prevent vessels coming into Charles
Town from being injured from want of
knowledge of the harbor by the officers, pilots
we're appointed by the Assembly to take
charge of all vessels, and conduct them into
the harbor safely. From this law we may
learn that only very small vessels could enter.
The pilots were not required to take charge
of any vessels that drew more than nine feet
of water. Up to this time the greater num-
ber of vessels entered the harbor through
what they called the "North Channel" but
measures were taken to learn the capacity of
the "South Channel" and to encourage ship
masters to enter through it. These, together
with many other laws, show that the settlers
were beginning to see what was for their ad'
vantage.
The most important enactment of this Pc
riod was San act for the making aliens free in
this part Of this province, and for granting
liberty of conscience to all Protestants." The
preamble to this act is worthy of note. In
the colony, at this period, there were persons
from many of the nations of Europe. The
preamble to the act referred to gives us brief
history of the causes which had brought these
men, who "could not speak the English Ian
guage," to the colony, and also of the manner
in which they had conducted themselves:
"Whereas, persecution for religion has forced
some aliens to this colony" This was one
reason why some we're in the colony. Perse-
cution on account of religion, brought to the
colony the main body of the first settlers on
the Santee, on Goose Creek, on the eastern
branch of Cooper river, on Sewee river, and
on Sewee bay. There was another cause why
so many aliens had come into the province.
This is thus stated in the preamble: "The
trade and fertility of this colony has encour-
aged others to resort to this colony" The
fame of South Carolina had spread all over
the world. 1t was regarded as the garden
spot of the New World. The preamble also
states the general character of the alien i'm
migrants. Gall have given good testimony of
their humble duty and loyalty to his Majesty
and the Grown of England, and of their
fidelity to the true and absolute lords and pro-
prietors of this province, and of their obedi-
ence to their laws, and their good affection to
the inhabitants thereof and by their indus.
try, diligence and trade, have very much en-
riched and advanced this colony and settle
went" \
t In view of these facts all Protestant aliens
we're, by an act of the assembly, ratified on
the 10th of March 1897, made free as those
born in ENGLAND. Those who heretofore lived