Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-04-06
OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
From the First Settlement to the Close OF
the Revolution.
From the Yorkville Enquirer of 1875.
INSTALLMENT XVIII.

INSTALLMENT XVIII.
The manifest intention Of the i1hab-
itants Of South Carolina, during the
period at which we have arrived, was
to throw off the yoke Of the proprietary
government of England. They were,
In a certain sense, English subjects;
not dire city. but through the proprie-
tors They enjoyed some peculiar
privileges; but, on the other hand they
were deprived Of many advantages.
The proprietary government was moth
ing but a kind Of a tenantry. Under
it the people never could have accom-
plished anything, either for themselves
or for the world, so far as advancing
the arts Of civilization Is concerned:
lStill had the proprietors been. wise.
and prudent, they might have retained
Their government over South Carolina
for a long time. The people had no
disposition to rebel. They were goad-
ed to It, Nicholas Trott contributed
more than any other man to bring
about the Revolution of 1719. The pro-
prietors were extremely fond Of Trott
and he possessed the power Of deluding
the proprietors. They granted him an
amount of power In managing the af-
fairs of South Carolina, in which 1t
was said, at the time, no other man In
the world possessed: and Trott was
disposed to exercise all the authority
granted him.
The time when the South Carolinians
began to think of throwing off the pro-
pri6 tary yoke, was very favorable Tor
such an undertaking. The English
people generally were anxious that all
the proprietary governments be abol-
lished, the merchants Of the Kingdom
were desirous that the change be made,
and George the First was a stranger to
the individuals who at first obtained
the charter for settling South Carolina.
Still, there was no disposition on the
BART of the Crown Of England to act
hastily in this matter. The parlia-
ment Of England at this time was the
most scrupulously honest legislative
body in the world. 1t determined to
act in this matter only when dire nee
lessity required It, Clearly had 1t been
proven to the parliament. that through
the influence Of their secretary and
Flew others, the proprietors had forfeited
Ltheir charter; but since some Of their
number did not approve Of their un-
constitutional acts, the charter was not
taken from them.
L sAs said before, Governor Johnson,
ON. receiving his instructions from the
1 uroprietors, which were conveyed to
him. from the proprietors by Francis
Yonge, who had taken over the memo
rial of the colonlsts to England. he pre-
pared to carry them out to the very
letter. The newly appointed council,
consisting Of Nicholas Trott, Ralph
lizard. William Bull, Samuel Wragg.
Charles Hart Benjamin de la Con-
sillere, Peter ST. julien. William Glib
hon. Hugh Butler, Jacob Satur, Francis
Yonge, and Jonathan Skrine, were
called together and as many Of them
as would, were qualified. The old as
sembly was dissolved and new one
! elected. AS might have been expected.
1t was even less favorable to the pro-
prietors than the one dissolved.
| In the interval between the regular
time for the assembling Of the Colonial
Legislature and the election, Governor
| ipfi finn that the
Spaniards were planning an attack up
on the colony. He called his council
and as many of the newly elected
members of the assembly as were con-
venient together and made known to
them the conditio In which the prov
ince was situated. The fortifications
around Charles Town were In no con-
dition to resist an invading foe. HaV-
ing been hastily erected and co :struct-
ed out Of improper materials, the WINDS
and rains had greatly injured them.
The governor intimated that since
there were no funds on hand for ac-
complishing the work Of repairs. ana
as the time for the convening OF the
assembly had not arrived 1t would be
ne cessary to raise, by private subscrip-
ton, a sum sufficient to put the prov
ince in defensible condition. G 'ner-
ously he headed the list with SUD-
scription of about two thousand hVe
hundred dollars. This was generous,
manly and patriotic: but the die was
cast The members of the assembly
who were present affirmed that the
revenues arising from certain imports
were sufficient to meet the expense OF
repairing the forts. The governor told
them the proprietors had repealed the
law. The members of the assembly re-
piled that there was an order requiring
every man who refused to pay their
imports to be sued. and as for the re-
peal of the proprietors, it was their In
teAtion to pay no attention 10 II.
Chief Justice Trott. a member OF the
council. declared that If an action was
brought into his courts against any in
dividual for the purpose of forcing
him to pay the duty, he would give
Judgment in favor of the defendant
No subscription was raised. The coun-
Gil and what few members of the as
sembly were present. stood face to face
In determined opposition to each 9TH
er's views. The consultation effected
nothing but to widen the breach be-
tween the people and the proprietary
party. Rather than succumb to the
governor and his council, the assembly
men preferred to leave the province In
an unprotected state to be invaded by
their old and uncompromising enemies.
Governor Johnson. moved, no DOUBT
by praise worthy motives. and having
the prosperity of the colony at heart
since he could effect nothing through
his council and the members OF the as
sembly. ordered the military officers
of the colony to call out their men ana
appoint place of general rendezvous
This order the military captains ana
mon willingly obeyed, but with far dif-
ferent intentions from those contem-