Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-04-03
HISTORY SOUTH CAROLINA.
From the First Settlement to the Close OF
the Revolution.


they had accomplished the business
in which they were engaged.
The proprietors also ordered a re-
peal Of the law which laid an import
duty on negroes, liquor and other arti-
cles brought into the colony. This
part Of the law because it was IAN
order of the King in Council" the
governor and the deputies asked the
assembly to repeal, since 1t was the
wish of the king.
Charges Against Trott.
Governor Johnson and the depu-
ties of the proprietors used every ef-
fort to keep the instructions and or
ders of the proprietors secret from
the assembly. They were unsuccess-
full. So soon as the facts became
known, the assembly flew into vio-
lent rage. 1t was boldly asserted that
the proprietors had encroached upon
the chartered rights of the province.
Immediately preceding this juncture
of affairs, the lawyers Of the province
had brought before the assembly a
complaint Of thirty charges against
Chief Justice Trott. Amongst the
complaints brought against him, he
was charged with devising a multi
tude of ways by which his fees were
increased. He was also charged with
giving advice to parties having cases
pending in his court Everything
now tended to ALLEVIATE the minds of
the people Of the colony from the
the lawyers Of the crown of Eng
land had declared that the proprie-
tors had forfeited their charter, and
the people Of the colony now became
anxious that the change be made.
During the reign of Queen Anne.
application had been made by the
colony to the proprietors for aid, and
they not being disposed to render
the desired assistance, application was
made to the crown. The queen man.
ifested a willingness to assist the COL
ony, but declared that she could not
consistently do 50, since the colony
was under a proprietary form Of gov
ernment. The people Of the colony
complained that they were under al
form of government that could not
render them assistance when in great
need; and yet it stood in the way of
their receiving aid from the crown Of
England. Many of the grievances of
which the people complained, were
of such a character that they could
be removed only by the authorities in
England.
Chief Justice Trott held his office
during good behavior, and could be
tried only before the proprietors.
The assembly drew up representa-
ton Of the administration Of
Trott and desired the governor and
his council to join with them I'm pc
titioning the proprietors, II they did
not see fit to remove the chief justice,
at least to limit his Jurisdiction. That
they might better succeed In this un-
dertaking, it was thought proper to
send the memorial by Francis YOnge,
surveyor-general of South Carolina
Yonge arrived in London In May,
1719, and presented the memorial on
the 4th of June. In this memorial,
in which the governor and mpst of
his council Joined with the assembly,
the general condition and necessities
Of the colony were plainly and earn
estly brought to the attention Of the
proprietors. Several requests were
made. They were asked to make a
donation Of six thousand acres Of
land, for the purpose Of erecting
three garrisons. One on the Savan-
nah river at a point called Savannah
town; another at Congaree, and the
third at the Apalachocoles. The pro-
prietors were also asked to make
some provisions for the custom house
offices at Port Royal. since the town
at that point had commenced to in
crease and was favorably situated
for carrying on the commerce of the
colony. In this memorial presented
by Francis Yonge, complaint was
made respecting the unbounded pow
ers of Chief Justice Trott, and the
former arbitrary action of the pro-
prietors in repeating certain laws
With this memorial, Governor John
son sent the charges brought against
Trott. Several other documents were
sent to the proprietors, all Of which
were designed to give them a clear
and correct idea of the real condi-
ton Of things in the colony.
After a delay of three months,
Yonge was sent back to the colony
with sealed packages, containing the
decision of the proprietors. During
the time that Yonge was consulting
with the proprietoIs, Trott was cor
responding with them, and his power
over the proprietors was much great
er than that of YOnge or anyone else.
This letter brought by Yonge from
the proprietors to Governor Johnson
revealed the minds of the proprie-
tors very clearly. Governor Johnson
was gently censured for not carrying
out, to the very letter, his previous
instructions respecting the dissolving
of the present assembly and causing
another to be chosen according to
the mode originally in existence In
the colony. He was now instructed
to put his former instructions into
execution. They peremptorily refused
to make a grant of land for garrisons
or any other purpose. They increas-
ed their power in the colonial parlia-
ment by appointing twelve individ-
uals as their deputies. Heretofore
there had been but eight: seven dep
uties. who represented the seven pro-
prietOrs, and the governor, who rep
resented the oldest proprietor, or pal
atine. Trott's power. instead OF being
lessened, was increased; and he in
stead of being censured for malfea-
sance In office was thanked
This reply of the proprietors to the
memorial sent up by the assembly,
stirred up a spirit of revenge i'm ev-
cry BOSOM except that of Trott. Evi-
IDENTIFY. the proprietors designed pun