Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-03-27
From the Yorkville Enquirer Of 1875
INSTALLMENT XIV.

INSTALLMENT XIV.
Craven Makes Encouraging Promises
When Charles Craven entered upon
the duties of the Office Of governor
he made, in April, 1912, an address tc
the House Of Commons, in which he
declared that the highest aim Of his
ambition was to advance the prosper
ity of the colony. Placing the colony
In a'proper state Of defence, and max
ing It the most fiourishing In America
would, he said, be more pleasing to him
than all the glory that might be at
tached to the fact of his being govern
or Of the province. The assembly had
the utmost confidence In the sincerity
and honesty of the man, and conse-
quently, the words, which he uttered
were believed not only by the assem-
bly,, but by the people. Charles Craven
was not only a popular man, but he
was a pure man. The inhabitants OF
the colony were aware Of this fact
New energy was infused into the peo-
pie and the arts Of civilization bega
to- grow and flourish under his benign
influence.
The First State House.
In June, the assembly voted seven
thousand five hundred dollars for the
purpose of building a convenient state
house for the holding the general as
sernbly. courts of justice and other
public uses" This sum, at present set
apart by the Legislature for building
OF Ia state house, would be niggardly
small and indicate miserably low
state of civilization; but when we con-
slider that the colony was only forty
years old, and that 1t had been involv-
ed In heavy expenses by a rash inva-
sion of st. Augustine under James
Moore: that 1t had been invaded by
the French and Spaniards and that 1t
had suffered by floods and diseases,
and its progress, had been impeded by
civil chickering's and contentious, when
we consider all these things, we are
prepared to conclude that seven thou
sand five hundred dollars appropriation
BY the general assembly Of South Car
oiina in 1712, was large sum, and In
dicates the liberality and refinement OF
the people at that time. From the oc-
curence Of the word convenient" In
the title Of the bill, we may infer that
previous to this time no suitable
house was in existence.
. Governors Mansion.
AT the same time that an appropria-
ton was made for the purpose OF build
ing a state house, five thousand ;.
lars were appropriated for purchasing
a tract of land and erecting house
upon It for the use OF the governor.
In the preamble to this act, 1t is stated
that the appropriation was made to
obviate in future. the necessity Of the
governor living at great distance
from Charles Town, and that the as
sembly might give an instance OF
that very particular Difference and res
pect, which Is so justly due to the
birth and merit of the Right Honorable
Charles Craven, ESQ.,, our present gov
ernor." This preamble very clearly In
dicates the good state Of feeling which
prevailed in the assembly and con-
seauently In the colony. Three COM
missioners- Charles Hart, William
Rhett and Hugh Grange-were ap-
pointed to purchase the land and builo
the house. They were charged no. 10
purchase less than one hundred acres
of land nor more than three hundred.
1t was to be within six miles OF Charles
Town. The house was to be a brick
building, constructed in such manner
as to be convenient. Prior to this
time, the governors had resided on
their plantations, except when neces-
sity demanded their presence In
Charles Town.
Industrial Enterprises Encouraged.
During the same session Of the as
sembly, laws were enacted establishing
schools in Charles Town and In the
province. Sums of money were appro-
priated to individuals who would erect
saw mills, invent rice mills. or improve
the mills already in use in the colony.
Premiums were offered invididuals for
making potash, and liberal offers were
made to induce settlers to come into
the country. The contentious OF past
years died away, and the frauds ceased
which had been practiced heretofore
in the elections. Chief Justice Trott
was engaged In arranging the stat
utes; and Col. William Rhett was ap-
pointed to several offices Of import
ance. The business In which Trott was
now engaged, was more congenial 10
his nature and education than the
broils in which he had been a conspic-
uous actor. Trott was a lawyer by
profession, and evidently a man OF de-
cided talent and extensive erudltlon.
William Rhett was a quarreling, car
ousing creature, who could 1--we III
peace with no one; but the vast
amount of work which was now I'M
posed upon him, kept him at least
quiet. Taking all things into consid-
Grafton, perhaps the colony never hau
been in so fiourishing a condition.
More Troubles With the Indians.
But In the history Of nations as In
the lives Of individuals. two extremes
are seldom far apart. The happy laugh
Is often quickly followed by the wall
of sorrow. Adversely treads on the
heels of prosperity. The Indians
throughout the entire province, en-
bracing both Carolinas, became less
friendly until they broke out In terri
BILE hostilities which, for time threat
ened the very existence of the colony
The cause of these Indian hostillties
was the INSCRIPTIONS conduct OF the
traders. To say that the Indians were
never In the wrong would not be true;
but 1t Is most certainly true that the
whites were more frequently the ag-
gressors. The traders, as general
rule, bad no respect for the rights oil
the Indians. In fact 1t was taken tor
granted by the Europeans generally
with the exception Of William Penn
that the Indians had no rights. Dur
in tho COLONY re-