Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-03-20
HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
From the First Settlement to the Close OF
the Revolution.
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM, ID. ID.
From the YorkVille Enquirer OF 1875
INSTALLMENT XIII.
Estimate of Johnson.

Estimate OF Johnson.
The administration of Nathaniel
Johnson extended from 1902 to 1903.
1t was a period of trouble and vexa-
ton. Governor Johnson, was in some
repects, a strong man; and in others
weak man. An old writer speaks
of him as having transmitted the
civil differences i'm the colony into a
religious controversy" Governor
Johnson's strong point was his skill
in military affairs, and his weak
point was his hatred to all Dissent
ers. He was evidently the tool OF
Lord Granville. The laws establish
ing the Church of England in the
colony, will stand as a blot on the
names Of Granville, Johnson and Trott,
The thing itself was not so odious
as the manner in which 1t was
brought about and the intrigues by
which it proposed to perpetuate It,
Religious Toleration.
The proprietors, beyond all doubt,
contemplated from the beginning,
the establishment of the Church OF
England in the colony; but at the
same time, the greatest liberties were
granted by the charter to all de-
nominations of Christians. None eX-
cept Papist were excluded. This is
not the place to criticise this restric-
ton; but we may be permitted to
remark, in passing, that no colony In
America enjoyed greater peace and
prosperity than the Catholic colony
of Lord Baltimore. in Maryland.
1t was only, by taking advantage
of the people, that the objectional
laws were passed. So soon as the
people became aware Of what the
governor and his council were de-
termined on doing, and the parlia-
ment. assembled in full numbers, all
the church laws from 1897 were re-
pealed. This was done before the
action of the Queen was known.
Another law was enacted which to
all intents and purposes. established
the Church of England as the church
of the colony. The Objectionable
features Of the previous enactments
were, however, left out, and religious
liberty was granted to all sectS.
This law continued in force until af-
ter the Revolution of 1875.
The disputes of the inhabitants
amongst themselves, and the inva-
sion of the French and Spaniards
accompanied with the ravages of the
yellow fever in 1906, had involved
the colony in debt and materially i'm
peded it's progress. During the ad-
ministration of Johnson, but few i'm
migrants were received into the COL
ony, whilst some few persons emf
grated.
Population In 1908.
The population of the state In the
latter part of 1908. was $3.50. OF
this number, 1860 were free white
men, and 900 free white women. In
the colony there were 120 white ser
wants, one half of whom were males
and the other half females. The ex-
cess of the male population over the
female is accounted for by the fact
that many single men came over
from various portions of Europe. In
the colony there were $500 negro
slaves 1900 of whom were male.
There were also 1900 negro chill
dren in the colony. These also were
slaves. Besides the whites and ne
groes above enumerated. there
were, at the time mentioned, 1,4OO
| Indian slaves I'm the colony. or the
$3.50 inhabitants $3.50 were free
slaves or in a state Of servitude.
Near one-third of the whole popula-
ton was i'm Charles Town.
The negro slaves were Africans,
stolen from their native land by the
nations of Europe and brought to
America. For a number of years
the traffic in negroes was carried
on between the Islands Of Barbados
and Jamaica and South Carolina. The
| first negro slaves that were ever
brought into the state were brought
| from Barbados, by Joseph Yeamans,
shortly after the colony was planted.
| The first negro slaves that were ever
brought into the English colonies In
America, were brought in the month
of August. 1620-two hundred and
| fifty years ago. These were brought
| by the Dutch. The Indian slaves,
| hnn6nPa
captives sold by their enemies.
The colony was weakened by the
yellow fever and other causes. during
the five years preceding 1908, about
two hundred adults; whilst the chill
dren had increased five hundred dur
ing the same period. In those five
years, five hundred negroes had been
imported into the state.
The military strength of the prov
ince was nine hundred and fifty
white men. They were organized
into two regiments. consisting or
eight companies in each regiment.
The French, on Santee. had one COM
pany of forty-five men, and a patrol
or ten men. lne SONellol uouS
guard consisted of forty men. By an
action of the assembly, each captain
was required to arm. with either gun
or lance, and drill an able-bodied
negro slave for every white man in
his company. This would make the
military force of the state about two
| thousand.
Early Commercial Developments.
The commerce of the colony was
carried on with the English colo
| nies i'm the north. with the islands
of the south. and with England. The
principle exports were rice. pitch. tar,
skins of various kinds barrel slaves
and white oak timber. Some silk
was also exported. Indians slaves
were sent to Boston, Rhode Island,
Pennsylvania. New York and Vir-
ginia, and sold. To Barbados, ia
maica. Antigua, and the Bahama Is
lands. slaves. hoops, shingles. beef,
pork, rice. tallOw, butter. peas and
Ieaaher were sent and exchanged for
fmolaSSeS sugar. cotton, salt, negro