Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-04-13
HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
From the First Settlement to the Close OF
the Revolution.
From the Yorkville Enquirer Of 1875.
INSTALLMENT xxx.
Effect of the Revolution.

Effect of the Revolution.
The transition from one form OF gov
ernment to another Is ever attended
with inconveniences. A revolution,
whatever, may be it's final results. is
at the time of its consummation' at
tended with sacrifices. Most OF the
great revolutions which have taken
place have been perfected with blood,
A revolutionary period is commonly
period of blood. Such, however, was
not the case in South Carolina dur
ing the revolution of 1719 and 1720.
II was a peaceable revolution. NO
lhIood was shed. Still it had been at
tended with bitter feelings and harsh
land provoking words. So intense had
been the interest of the people in the
movement that everything else was
partially neglected. Agriculture and
commerce were in languishing condi-
ton. Science and religion flourish only
In times of peace.
The transition from the proprietary
to the royal government was not SO
labrupt as most other revolutions. IL
was not a revolution from a republic
to a monarchy; for the proprietary
government of South Carolina, as II
existed from the settlement of the COL
ony until 1719 was neither a monarchy
nor vet a republic; but a kind of mon
grel aristocracy. A few mobiles often
with little sense and less prudence,
ruled. These mobiles were themselves
the subjects of England. Perhaps no
Ibetter description could be given OF
the proprietary government than TO
call it a kind Of feudal system. The
inhabitants Of the colony were of Brit
ish descent and British in all Of their
motions of government. They loved the
English laws and they loved the Eng
llish manners and customs. Hence
there was nothing abrupt In the change
from the proprietary to the royal gov
ernment. They were bound to England
by the strongest ties. 1t was the ma
tive land of large numbers of them' ana
the native land of the fathers Of by FAR
the largest portion of the remainder
They called England home. Even that
portion of the inhabitants who had
come from other countries, preferred
the government of England to that OF
the weak and inefficient government OF
the proprietors. Such being the true
condition of things in the colony OF
| No OF tho time nf the first
revolution, the transition was easy and
attended with but few of those evils
that follow in the wake of revolutions
generally.
Nicholson a Good Governor.
The king was fortunate In the ap-
pointment of a governor, Francis Mich
olson was eminently qualified for such
a position at such a time. BY educa-
ton a soldier, and possessed of fine ad-
ministrative powers, the only blemish
THAT attached to his character was thai
he was irreligious and profane. AS
we will learn from his subsequent his
tory in connection with the colony OF
South Carolina, he presented one OF
those anomalous instances of an indi-
vidual, impious himself, but not ap-
proving of impiety in others.
, So soon as Governor Nicholson ar
lrived. which was about the middle OF
the year 1921, the waves of popular tu'
multi ceased to roll. He was met by
the advocates of both the royal and
| with nnaT
hands and open hearts. Joy pervadeo
every bosom. Governor johnson, we
are almost prepared to say, gladly
yielded up all pretensions to power, ano
united with the people in their demon
strations of joy. We are not to con-
clude that Robert Johnson was a mar
blown about by every popular breeze
He remained true to the proprietors
until the change of government was lie.
gally effected and then yielded. Tc
have done otherwise would have beer
treason. The determination seems tc
have been formed by every individua
to bury the past. No references were
made to the past difficulties; but al
Nleu WIFI tdCIl ollltl III NiiN
: peace and prosperity of the settle
ment.
At this period but a very small por.
ton of what Is now the state of Soutf
Carolina was settled by Europeans
No one except some traders ever ven-
, tured more than fifty miles from the
r sea. All of the middle and upper Sec
5 tions of the state were in the undis-
: turbed possession of the Indians. Al
Dorchester and Wilton a few families
had settled and constructed something
, that at least bore the name and tC
some extent served the purpose Of for
: tifications against the attacks of theil
: Indian neighbors. The great majority
l of the inhabitants were settled in and
around Charles Town. During and af-
ter the Yamassee war, many of the
frontier settlers removed to Charles
: Town for protection. This. together
) with immigrants who, from time tc
time Joined the colony, tended tc
: spread the town beyond the fortifica-
tions. Still Charles Town, in 1719, was
: but a small place.
: Restoration of Good Feeling.
The first thing that Governor Mich
olson did on assuming the government
was to order an election to be held fol
members of the assembly. The elec-
tion passed off to the satisfaction OF
all parties, and the assembly, on con-
vening, chose James Moore their gov
ernor, speaker. Governor Nicholson
confirmed their choice. Among the
first things done by the assembly was
to pass an act recognizing King
George l, as the lawful and undoubted
sovereign of Great Britain. France and
Ireland, and especially of South Caro-
lima. The wisdom and goodness of the
king was acknowledged for appointing
General Francis Nicholson, governor
of the colony.
So far as it could the assembly, with
the assent of the governor and his
council, blOtted out everything that
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