The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-07

TROUBLf: IN A1BEAARLE
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| Traitors vsegesnes
(Studies In North Carolina History by
W. c. Allen.)
In the summer Of I'LL the Tuscarora
and Coree Indians fell upon the white
settlements along the Palmico. Neuse.
Roanoke. and Chowan rivers In North
Carolina. without warning. md
slaughtered more than two hundred
settlers OF both sexes and all ages.
J The attack was a complete surprise
to the c%olonists. as there had been no
hostilities between h two peoples
previous to that time. and the settlers
were relying almost c~omplacently upon
the friendship OF the natives Various
opinions regarding the cause OF the
outbreak nave been advanced, but the
most plausible one seems to be that
the avages took advantage of the fac
tional fight, then going on among the
~colonists themselves regarding the
go~vernorship, 10 recover their lost
Sbo1Lo ~ AdA0G liz buA ~ ~ %
asserted also that the Indians were
urged or TO their acts OF violence by
secret emissaries from one OF the fac
tions that wanted either To rule or ruin.
There may be much truth in the lat
ter statement.
Citations from Lawson. the historian
OF the times. who lived in North Caro-
lima until he was killed in the massacre
OF I'LL, will be sufficient to show that
the settlers and the natives lived on
amicable terms until the time OF his
death. In 1909. just two years before
the outbreak. he wrote the following
words: 1T is remarkable that no place
on the continent Of America has seated
an English colony SO free from blood
| shed as Carolina. which is worthy OF
notice when We consider how oddly ii
was first planted with inhabitants"
This is a remarkable statement con-
sidering that Pennsylvania had been
settled twenty-Seven years before. The
fact remains, however, that DIP to that
time there had been no bloodshed
worthy OF. mention, n that the two
races seemed to be living together in
1.-The closest bonds OF friendship.
- Again our historian in speaking OF
life in the colony says, And the
neighboring Indians are friendly, and
in many cases Serviceable to US. in
making weirs to catch fish in, for a
small matter, which proves of great
advantage to large families, because
those engines TAX great quantities Of
many sorts OF fish that are good and
nourishing. Some Of them hum and
fowl for us at reasonable rateS,-the
country being as plentifully provided
with all sorts Of game as any part Of
| America"
l Thee and other words of like oh -
acter Mr.. Lawson wrote just on the
eve of the attack. little dreaming that
he wouid be one of the first victims OF
| the tOmahawk. Governor Archdale's
reports to the lords proprietors bear
evidence to the fact that the settlers
and Indians mingled together in bus
mess relations on friendly terms, and
that there were no hostilities OF any
kline previous to 1710. Indeed the white
planters hired Indian braves to culti-
vate their farms for them, housewives
had Indian girls to wat upon them.
and merchants had Indian boys to sell
goods for them.
What then led the savages to throw
aside the peace ~ipe and take up the
tOmdhaWk? The answer to the QueS-
ton is hard to find. Nevertheless a
brief glance at the history of the times
will be Serviceable to us in trying to
account for n of the most terrible
ca~tastropheS that ever befell our be-
loved state.
In 1705 Colonel Carey became COVER
nor OF the province Of North Carolina,
or as it vas called then Albemarle.
His accession to office was the begin
ming of civil strife which went on for
several years and finally eliminated
in the Indian massacre followed by war
resulting in the expulsion of the Tus-
carOras from the province.
1t so happened lat in the first part
OF Queen Anne's reign the English
parliament had passed AN act prescrib-
ing an oath which all persons appoint
ed to office should subscribe to before
they could exercise the powers of the
office. That act was evidently aimed
at the Quakers and was designed to
exclude them from office in the pro-
vince; for it was we'll known that they
had religious scruples about taking
any oath. At any rate Immediately
upon accession to power, Carey began
to enforce the provisions OF that act.
and when the Friends, who were large
ly in the majority, applied for office he
submitted the prescribed oath for them
to sign which they refused to do.
This action Of the governor exas-
perated the Quakers beyond measure.
dIlO When ne proceeded to place upon
themla fine for not taking the oath, they
broke into open revolt. John Porter.
the typical boss OF the period was des-
patched to England to lay their griev-
ances before the lords proprietors.
Porter proved to be a skillful diplomat:
for after a brief sojourn he returned
to Carolina armed with a new COM
mission by which Carey was removed
from office, new deputies appointed
and the privilege granted to the as
sembled deputies to elect a president
from their own number.
Before the day arrived for the cleo
ton to take place, Porter assembled his
who were in the majority,
and mad William Glover elected presi-
oent- glover was a member of the
/ est hliShAd church h,,. tLn n.--