Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-02-13
From the Yorkville Enquirer Of 1875.
INSTALLMENT XIII.
Governor Smith.

Philip LudWell, was amongst the HrSl
settlers Of South Carolina. He was
native of Devonshire, England. On
account of the religious intolerance
and persecution which existed IN
England at that time, he, with his
brother James, came to South Caro-
lima in the year 1871. They were
amongst the first individuals who set
tied at Oyster Point, the present site
Of the City Of Charleston. The lots
owned by them were on the laying out
of the city at first, numbered Al and
81. They were living where Charleston
Is now situated as early as 1872.
James Smith left South Carolina and
went to Boston. Thomas Smith was a
man Of property and highly respected
removal of Colleton. he was chosen
governor, but Sothell coming into the
colony previous to his being formally
iaducted into Office, Sothell, asserted
his priority and was, as we have seen,
to the injury of all parties, made
governor. At different times the pro-
prietors had made grants Of land to
Smith, and he had purchased a large
amount besides. He also married the
widow Of John DArsens, to whom the
proprietors had made grant Of twelve
thousand acres Of land. In 1891 he was
made a landgrave, which, by the reg
ulations of the proprietors, entitled
him to the enormous amount Of forty
eight thousand acres Of land. The
whole summed up, must have made
Thomas Smith the owner Of not much
less than one hundred thousand acres
Of land. He had held several offices
in the colony before he was chosen
governor. He had been a deputy Of
the proprietors, sheriff of Berkeley
county, and honored and respected
generally. We may safely conclude
that Thomas Smith was a good man.
In 1893, after the departure of Ludwell
Smith entered upon the duties Of his
office as governor Of South Carolina.
His long and intimate connection with
the colony, led both proprietors and
people, to look upon his induction into
Office as the dawn Of new and pros
porous era in the history Of the colony.
The instructions which were given
to Ludwell were repeated to Smith.
The difficulties which had sprung up
between the people and proprietors
still continued-not however, so threat
ening in their aspect. From the outset
the Fundamental Constitutions, and
! generally the instructions given by the
proprietors to the governors, were
stubbornly, and sometimes violently,
resisted by the people. The charter
given by the king was not obpected to,
and both proprietors and people ap-
pealed to it. The former claimed that
the charter gave them all the powers
and prerogatives that they had insert
ed In the Fundamental Constitutions,
and in the instructions which, at var
ious times, they had sent to the differ
ent governors Of the province. This
was denied by the people, and giving
this Interpretation to the charter, they
persistently opposed everything that
seemed to them to be an encroachment
upon their chartered privileges. AT
different times concessions were made
and liberties granted by the proprie-
tors. but the people had become irri-
tated, and either could not or would
not see that the changes made In the
Fundamental Constitutions were for
their good. One Of the instances In
which the proprietors yielded to the
clamors among the people for more
liberty, is contained in the changes
which they were prevailed upon" to
make in 1882, on the Fundamental
Constitutions Of 1869. The following
Is the fifty-firs law Of what, by the
proprietors, was honored with the high
sounding title Of Fundamental Consti-
tutions, and which they unhesitatingly
said were to remain the sacred and
unalterable form and rule Of govern
me 1T of Carolina forever: THE Grand
Courcil shall prepare all matters to be
proposed in Parliament. Nor shall
any matter whatsoever be proposed In
Parliament, but what hath first passed
the Grand Council: which after having
been read there several days In the
Parliament, shall by a majority of
votes, be passed or rejected The
Grand Council, was composed Of the
governor, five individuals chosen by
the people and five deputies appointed
ty the proprietors. The deputies were
generally men of illiberal views, and
opposed and thwarted every effort OF
the governor in conducting the gov
crnme1t of the colony on democratic
principles The powers granted them
by the Fundamental Constitutions
were very great. The Parliament
could do but little more than approve
of what was done by the Grand Coun-
Gil. Whether for the interest Of the
colony, or whether from necessity, we
will not undertake to say, but in 1852
the fifty-first law of the Fundamental
Constitutions was so altered as to
grant the JuryeS OI tne couHtyeS "
propose laws to the Parliament. II
was also granted by the same instruc-
tions Of 1882 that in the event the
Grand Council had made no arrange
ment for the proposing of law likely
to benefit the colony, any member OF
the Parliament might take cognizance
Of 1t and propose 1t to the house.
This was a great concession on the
part of the proprietors, but the people
seem not to have seen 1t, or to have
been too much irritated in feeling, to
give the proprietors due credit for the
privilege. This practice continued In
the colony, and the Colonial Parlia-
ment began to resemble, more closely
that Of England.
Quit Rent Troubles.
Notwithstanding the character OF
Thomas Smith, he found 1t no easy
task to discharge the duties Of gov
ernor of South Carolina. The difficult
ties and feuds existing between the
English and French colonist had been
partially adjusted by Sothell, but Still
the line Of demarkation which sep
larated the two nationalities was clear