Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-03-02
HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
From the First Settlement to the Close OF
the Revolution.
REV. ROBERT LATHAM. ID. ID.
From the Yorkville Enquirer Of 1875
INSTALLMENT XVIII.
Governor Morton.

Governor Morton.
On the death of Joseph Blake, In
100, Joseph Morton, the oldest land
grave, was, by a majority Of the dep
uties of the proprietors, elected gov
ernor. The intentions of the Grand
Council were thwarted, and Morton
never entered upon the duties OF the
office In the colony there was man
by the name Of James Moore. This
Moore was a restless character, hope
lessly involved in debt Without ex-
traordinary endowments, he was amol-
tions, reckless and unscrupulous. Gov
erned in his acts, not by priaciple' but
by policy, he was ready to do anything
or espouse the cause Of any party, pro-
vided there was slight hope that
such a course on his part would re-
trieve his ruined fortune or exalt him
to position. Moore was one of those
strangely constituted men who are
never in their element unless oppos-
| ing some measure or some person.
Every time that Moore's name occurs
in the previous history of the colony,
| it is connected with some opposition
movement. He was not always on the
wrong side; for he was no doubt, one
of those vacillating creatures that
readily unites with any party, and as
readily quits 1t.
The history of James Moore and
Nicholas Trott is intimately associated
with all the events Of the colony, from
the time of which we are speaking up
to the time that 1t passed out of the
hands Of the proprietors into the hands
Of the crown of England; period OF
nearly twenty years. Both were un-
principled and designing men, and
were capable Of instigating others to
perpetrate base deeds.
Usurpation of Moore.
When the majority of the deputies
of the proprietors, in accordance with
the constitutional regulations OF the
colony. chose Joseph Morton as gov
ernor, James Moore, also one Of the
deputies, opposed the choice, on the
ground that Morton had been commits
stoned Judge Of Admiralty by the
King of England. All the previous
history Of Moore proves that this was
vile subterfuge. 1t was true that
Morton was Judge of Admiralty, and
had been advanced to this position OF
honor by the king; but this could not,
III t,o axar0fainQ
the Office Of governor Of the colony.
Neither the Charter nor the Funda-
mental Constitutions Of the province
made any provision for any such office
as Morton held. The necessity Of such
an office was admitted by all. Admit
ting that it was unsafe in any individ-
ual in the colony to hold office at the
same time under the proprietors and
under the King of England-or rather
to hold two offices at the same time
one under the proprietary government,
and the other under the Crown of Eng
land; James Moore was the last man
in the world that should have objected
to such a thing. He had, but short
time DCSl llC6oNioSHi5 "fSA
the King Of England to work the mines
of the province for the promotion Of
the interest of his majesty. So secret
had this negotiation in reference to the
working of the mines been conducted,
that 1t is very probable that few, II
any of the colonists, except those i'm
mediately concerned in the scheme,
knew anything about it. Had they
known this fact, it is reasonable to
suppose that they would have rebut-
ted Moore's argument against Morton
with his own conduct. The only rea-
son why James Moore did not hold a
commission from the King Of England
was that the English Board Of Trade
did not see fit to give him one.
The unblushing audacity of Moore
prevailed, and he, we may say, thrust
himself upon the people as governor.
He commenced his administration with
kind of political fraud and deception,
and its continuation was marked by a
series of outrages seldom equaled In
the annals of government. In fact the
commencement Of James Moores ad-
ministration marks the beginning of
the down fall of the proprietary gov
ernment in South Carolina.
A few individuals amongst whom
was Nicholas Trott, constituted them
selves into a kind Of oligarchal rulers
and inflicted upon the people trouble
oe o,I fnf al
erable expense. Sometimes these self
constituted managers of the affairs OF
the colony were agreed amongst them
selves, and sometimes they were not.
To these restless and evil-design.ng
spirits, it was a matter Of the utmost
importance to have the members OF the
Grand Council, and also Of the Assem-
bly,, either to think as they thought,
or to be wholly under their control.
In November, 1701, new assembly
was chosen. All kinds of frauds were
practiced. Persons, in every sense dis
qualified by law to vote, were taken TO
the polls and voted. Strangers, aliens,
negroes and mulattoes were not only
W NOlS, pul SoISilSu W Nv
so. In this fraudulent way some "men
of no sense and credit were chosen
members of the assembly. Those who
opposed such a course were rudely
treated by the frantic mob which es-
poused the side of the governor and
his party At this time Lord Granville
was Palatine, and he sanctioned the
course of Moore, first by confirming
him in the office of governor, and then
by treating with contempt any petition
that was sent up by the people of the
colony asking for relief from the high
handed measures of the governor.
investigation Frustrated.
Notwithstand nding the fact that Moore
had succeeded in having several indi-
viduals chosen members of the assem-
bly,, who were wholly under his con-
troll still the majority of the assembly
was true as steel. When the assembly
convened, petitions were sent up from
various quarters, but especially from
Colleton county. asking an investiga-