Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-04-27

tant mobiles met at Edinburgh and
signed a paper which from it's nature
was called a covenant In this docu-
ment they solemnly covenanted that
we, by Gods grace shall, with all dill
igence, continually apply our whole
power. substance and our very lives to
maintain, set forward and establish the
word of God and his congregation; and
shall labor at our possibility to have
faithful ministers, purely and truly to
minister Christ's evangel and sacra-
ment to his people," The object of
this document was simply volunta-
ry pledge on the part Of the signers
to be for God in opposition to all pop
ish errors. They pledged their lives and
their sacred honor in this holy cause.
On the 31st Of May, 1859, this covenant
or rather another covenant similar in
import was again signed. From the
nant, these people were prosecuted as
none others ever had been. The
trials and difficulties to which they were
exposed beggared description. Old
men, leaning on their STATS, were tied
to the stake and burned to death,
whilst young men were confined in
dark dungeons to draw out a misera-
BILE existence. No people ever more
dearly loved liberty. They detested
both civil and ecclesiastical tyranny.
Patrick Henry reiterated their senti-
ments when he said, "Give me liberty
or give me DEATH"
Again in 1888 the Covenanters as
sembled at their capital and proceeded
to the Greyfriars church. 1t was the
2Sth of February, day ever memora-
BILE in Scotch history. At daybreak the
commissioners met and read the cove
nant over. People at an early hour
began to assemble. The capacious
house was soon filled: then the grave
yard. Henderson led the vast multi
tude to the throne Of grace. The COW
enant was produced and unrolled and
read by Johnson. This done, the ST.
lence Of death followed. All present
felt that upon the transactions of
that hour depended the prosperity Of
the church Of God for years in the fu-
ture. At last the awful silence was
broken by the Earl of Sutherland, tot
tering beneath the weight Of years,
making his way through the dense
crowd, and with trembling hands sub
scribing his name to the document.
The spell was not broken. Name after
name was added until finally, that
more room might be secured, the COW
enant was taken out and spread upon
one Of the tombstones in the grave
yard Here the scene became intense
ly affecting. Multitudes wept aloud
while others added. after their names.
It'll DEATH" and others opened the
veins in their arms and with the warm
blood thus obtained, subscribed their
names pledging themselves to God.
In after times, sorely were the sign
ers of this covenant prosecuted by the
of Rome. Their children and
grandchildren shared the same fate;
but still they were noble, generous and
brave. Many of them In the reign OF
Charles the Second, fled to Ireland and
settled in the county Of Down. Here
they remained for a period Of about
sixty years, and then being oppressed
by landlords they turned their eyes
toward America. In 1888 a company
of these Scotch-Irish or Covenanters
came to Charles Town, South Carolina.
A petition was sent to the counsel by
James Pringle and other Protestant
Irish asking that their passage be paid.
The council agreed that their passage
would be paid and supplies furnished
them. provided they would settle
township as had been done by the
Swiss at Purrysburg. On their arriv-
al, a quantity of corn, peas, beef and
salt was furnished them, and they made
their way up the Black river and set
tied in Black River township. Anoth-
er supply of provisions was. by the
counsel, furnished these settlers, when
those previously granted were ex-
hausted. They, on their arrival, found
but two settlers in this section Of the
state-one by the name of Finley and
the other by name Of Rutledge. These
two individuals had come from Charles
Town up Black river for the purpose
of raising rice; but failing, returned.
Coming of the Irish.
The first Irish settlers came up Black
river and landed at Potato Ferry
Lands were laid out to them on the
Santee. The name-Williamsburg
in honor of William III, Prince OF
Orange, was given to the settlement.
1t grew but slowly at first. The cli-
mate and the great labor of clearing
up the forest and preparing 1t for cul-
tivation proved more than many OF the
settlers could bear Their number
was greatly reduced by death; but
from time to time others came and
Joined them, and the merchants sold
them slaves, by whom they were re-
lieved of much toll The settlement
began to grow, both in numbers and
in wealth. No section Of the state can
show a brighter record than that OF
Williamsburg. Those Scotch-Irish
acted out what Patrick Henry said.
During the Revolutionary war. there
was not one Tory among their de-
scendants, and but one Royalist. No
people are more ready to take up arms,
where liberty is at stake, than the
Scotch-Irish. Find them where you
may, you will find men of great moral
courage and physical endurance.
Story of Trials and Sufferines.
These trials which these early set
tiers were called to pass through we
may learn in part from the history of
the Witherspoon family written by
Robert WitherspoOn who, in company
with his father emigrated from the
county Down, Ireland, in 1874. AS
was common at that time, part OF
the family preceded the rest in order
to make preparations for them. The
preparation often amounted to no
more than constructing a pole hut and
covering it with dirt. 1--WE went on
shipboard," SAYS Robert Witherspoon,