Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-02-23
HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
From the First Settlement to the Close OF
the Revolution.
From the Yorkville Enquirer OF 1875.
INSTALLMENT XVI.
Governor Blake.

| lNSIALLmENI ANl.
Governor Blake.
On the departure Of John Arch
dale, Joseph Blake, as previously stat
ed, commenced his gubernatorial ca
reer. The circumstances were auspic-
ious Of tranquil and prosperous ad-
ministration. The difficulties between
the proprietors and people, some OF
which had been of long standing, were
II not settled to the satisfaction Of all
parties. so smoothed over and adjusted
as to enable Blake to commence his
administration without any particular
prejudice against him from any quar-
ter. There were no difficulties to be
compromised or settled before he
could commence a direct administra-
ton Of the affairs Of the colony.
There was another circumstance
greatly IN Governor Blakes favor. He
was we'll and favorably known, through
his father and uncle, to all the leading
persons In the colony. He was not an
upstart. Such being in part the sur
rou1dings of Joseph Blake, he was
looked upon as the "fttest person. -
says Archdale, ito succeed to the gov
ernment. and in which Office he be-
haved himself to the satisfaction of
the country, which he governed with
quail prudence and moderation"
Revision Of the Constitution.
When John Archdale returned to
England, he reported to the other pro-
prietors the condition of the colony. In
this report he suggested certain changes
which should be made in the "unalter-
able constitutions" A meeting Of the
lords proprietors was held and the
matter was taken into serious consid-
Grafton. and the original one hundred
and twenty laws Of Carolina" or ar
ticles Of the Fundamental Constitu-
tion. were reduced to forty-one. Much
that was contained in the first set of
Fundamental Constitutions relative to
the system Of nobility which the pro-
prietors at first evidently contemplated
establishing in Carolina, was left out
of the last set, as they were called.
No, doubt. Archdale told the proprie-
tors that 1t was impossible to establish
in America such a government as was
contemplated by the Fundamental
Constitutions. The new laws which
which were called the Last Funda-
mental Constitutions" were signed by
John, Earl of Bath; Palatine, Anthony,
Lord Ashley, the Lord Craven, the
Lord Carteret, the Earl of Bath, Sir
John Colleton, William Thornburgh,
merchant, Thomas Amy, and William
| Thornburgh." These last Fundamental
Constitutions were signed on the 11th
Of April, 1898. Major Daniel was en-
trusted with the duty Of bringing these
last constitutions to the colony and
through the governor, Joseph Blake,
presenting them to the Colonial AS
sembly for adoption. This was done;
but the assembly, as stubborn as on
former occasions, coldly saw fit to lay
| them on the table to be considered at
|
Of the people was to adopt no laws or
| Fundamental Constitutions" sent out
by the proprietors. Very little more
was ever said about these constitu-
tions Of forty-one articles and nothing
was done. They never were adopted.
More Discomfort.
Notwithstanding the many favors
granted by the proprietors during
Archdale's administration and the
many thanks returned by the people
for the same, II soon became manifest
that the people had not obtained all
they desired. In February, 1899, IAN
humble address and remonstrance'
was drawn up by "the House Of Com
mons" and sent to the proprietors. In
this address" there Is much f1attery,
some censure and no small amount OF
begging. The proprietors are lauded
and extolled for the many favors that
they had been pleased to grant the
colony. and at the same time they are
modestly cehsured because they had
done. or suffered to be done. some
things which were detrimental to the
prosperity of the colony. They are
most praised because they had sent
out John Archdale as governor of the
colony and they are censured because
the King of England was attempting
10 put I'm force the English navigation
act and "the act for the restraining of
prvateers and pirates" They COM
planned that the proprietors had In
many instances. made grants Of such
gre at tracts of land" as to be prejudi-
cial to the interest Of the colony. In
| this same address mary petitions are
made 1t was desired that no laws
might be put in force except those
which were passed by the consent OF
the Colonial Assembly, and that this
assembly might have power to enact
such laws as it might regard necessary
for the good of the colony, and change
any that were in force, prejudicial to
| the we'll being Of the settlement. The
proprietors replied to Governor Blake
that they were astonished at him, since
he was a proprietor, in suffering such
petition to be sent up. There were
other petitions but none of so grave a
character as that just mentioned. The
proprietors were begged to entreat the
King of England ito take off the duties
on rice. tar, pitch and turpentine," and
to grant the colonists such encourage
ment in the exporting of these articles
as might tend to the development of
the resources of the country.
Transferred to the Crown.
An effort had been making for some
time to bring all the American colo
MES into closer connection with the
government of England. The king
council complained to the proprietors
Of Carolina, that the laws Of England
were either disobeyed or evaded by the
colonists. in various particulars. To
shield themselves from blame, the
proprietors censured the governors
1t is evident that the proprietors were
anxious to retain sole possession OF
the province. And defect that might
be in the management of the colony
L