Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-05-08
HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
From the First Settlement to the Close OF
the Revolution.
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM. ID. ID.
From the Ynrkville Enquirer Of 1875,
INSTALLMENT XXXVI.

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against Spain was publicly proclaim
ed in London. For this event, the Eng
lisb people. with a few honorable ex-
ceptions, had been clamoring. The
streets were crowded with idle vaga-
bonds, following the heralds, shouting
for Joy. The bells were rung ana
great were the demonstrations OF de-
light. Walpore, now unpopular, but
with more prudence and foresight than
the multitude Of the nation, ominously
whispered to himself, they may ring
the bells now; but soon they Will be
ringing their hands" This war with
Spain is q, blurred page in Englands
history. 1t was unjust-it was un-
righteous. It was a war for trade
England, Spain and France each had
its own colonies in the New Worlo.
Every foot Of the continent and most
of the islands, had been claimed by one
or the other Of these nations. Bounds
vague and lily defined, 1t Is admitted
but still bounds-had been fixed as
lines of demarkation, separating the
possessions of one from the possessions
of the other two. Each claimed the
profit from the trade arising In Its own
colonies. The English forbid her COL
onies from sending their rice. tobacco
indigo and peltries to any but Englisn
ports, and in anything but Engilsh
ships. This was the plan adopted py
the government in order that 1t might
he remunerated for the expense or
the purchase and maintenance OF the
colony. In fact when the Crown OF
England purchased the Carolina. colony
from the original proprietors, 1t bought
the soil and the Inhabitants then set
tiled upon It, England, although she,
in her tyranny, claimed the sole right
to traffic with her colonies and allow
ed them to traffic only with or for her.
she utterly refused to grant this right
to Spain. She at least. winked at her
merchants smuggling goods In the
Spanish towns in America. This was
not all. At that time no trade was SO
profitable as the traffic in slaves. Eng
land desired the privilege not only OF
furnishing her own colonies with ne
sroes stolen from Africa: but she COW
eted the privilege of furnishing the
Spanish colonies also with these mis-
erable and unfortunate creatures. This
privilege she would enjoy even II
II would cost her bliod and treasure.
A company of reckless adventurers
was formed, whose stock consisted In
the main of certificates of indebted
ness. To explain this more definitely
we may say that the company was
thus formed and it's capital stock In
creased. Persons holding claims
against the English government, either
sold these claims to the South Sea
company, or deposited them as SO
much stock. The government paid the
claims held by this company by grant
ing a right to trade in the Gulf Of Mex
leo and in the Pacific ocean, otherwise
called the South Sea. In other words,
the company was granted the privilege
of destroying the Spanish commerce In
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Vagabonds encouraged and protected
by the flag of England, fitted out YES
sells, and soon the coast Of Africa was
lined for thirty degrees, or more than
two thousand miles with English slave
vessels. Not only the South Sea COM
pany. but other companies, and even
private individuals encouraged by roy
al favor protected by British legisla-
ton, and more than this forced by
English common law, engaged In kid
mapping the ebony sons and daughters
of Africa.
The colonial commerce of Spain was
spoiled. 1t dwindled from fifteen tnou-
sand tons to two thousand. Spain be-
gan to retaliate by seizing smugglers
and plundering vessels. An attempt
was made to settle by negotiation,
the difficulties between the nations.
The English people were incensed that
such a course should be resorted to-.
The nation was clamorous for war. 1t
was decided that Spain should be paid
three hundred and forty thousand dol
lars for damages done her commerce;
but that she shall pay the South Sea
company four hundred and seventy
five thousand dollars damages done 1t
by seizing its vessels.
| With this the English nation claimed
that 1t had nothing to do: but she did
claim for her merchants the right to
maraud and smuggle when and where
they pleased To obtain this right, the
nation voted for war to the hilt. 1t
was confidently expected that all the
Spanish dominions in America would,
by easy transition, pass over into the
hands of the English. Idlers imagined
that they would grow speedily rich,
and prodigals hoped to find In the
balmy regions of Spanish America
everything that could be desired by
their wasteful spirits.
With this war, any further than 1t
affected the English and especially that
of South Carolina, we have nothing to
do. Hostilities commenced on the 21st
of November, 1889, by an attack on
Porto Bello by Edward Vernon. 1t
was a success. The next day he was
in full possession of both the town and
castle, besides 500 of booty. 1t
was a victory sad in its results to the
English colonies. Vernon returned to
Jamaica, and England determined to
send the largest fleet that had ever
sailed on the Gulf of Mexico. call
was made for each Of the colonies to
furnish men. No one Of the colonies
failed to respond promptly. The men
were furnished and some of the colo
MES voted supply of money.
General Oglethorpe was placed In
command of the South Carolina and
Georgia forces. His darling idea was
to capture st. Augustine and maintain
the boundaries of the English colony
as far south as the st. Johns river.
The English nation had commenced Of
fensive operations, and her two colo
MES, South Carolina and Georgia, had
caught the spirit Oglethorpe had re-
70 or on nffanSiVp In