Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-01-01
CHAPTER XI.

Why ShoulQ 1 out upon Hilne dhCieht
friend
And spare mine enemy?"
''The Oaks" the dwelling place OF
Colonel Walton. was one of those an
tique residences OF the Carolina plan
ters to which. at this day. there at
taches a sort of historical interest A
thousand local traditions hang around
them-a thousand stories of the solden
time, and of its associations Of peril
and adventure. The estate formed one
OF the frontier plantations upon the
Ashley, and was the site Of a colonial
barony. 1t had stood sieges of the In
dians In the wars of the Edistoes and
Yemassees: and from a block house
station at first, 1t had grown to be an
elegant mansion, improved in Euro
pean style, remarkable for the length
and deep shade of its avenues of SOL
emn oak, it's general grace of arrange
ment, and the lofty and considerate
hospitality OF it's proprietors. Such.
from its first foundation to the period
OF which we speak had been its repu-
tation; and in no respect did the pres
ent owner depart from the good tastes
and the frank, manly character of his
ancestors.
Colonel Richard Walton was gen.
tleman in every sense OF the word;
simple of manner. unpretending. un-
obtrusive, and always considerate, ne
was esteemed and beloved by all
around him. Born to the possession
of large estates, his mind had been ex-
ercised happily by education and trav-
ell: and at the beginning OF the revo-
lutionary struggle, he had been early
found to advocate the claims of his
native colony. At the commencement
of the war he commanded party OF
horse, and had been concerned in some
of the operations against Provost. in
the rapid foray which that general
made into Carolina. When Charleston
fell before the arms of Sir Henry Clin-
ton, overawed as was the entire coun-
try below the Santee by the immedi-
ate presence in force Of the British
army, he had rendered his submission
along with the rest of the inhabitants,
despairing of any better fortune. The
specious offers Of amnesty made by
AClinton and Arbuthnot, in the charac-
ter of commissioners for restoring
peace to the revOlted colonies, and
which called for nothing but neutral
ity from the inhabitants. had the ef-
feet of deceiving him. In common with
his neighbors. Nor was this submis-
sion so partial as We have been taught
To think It, To the southwark OF
Charleston. the militia, without sum-
mons, sent in a flag to the British
garrison at Beaufort, and made their
submission. At Camden, the inhabi-
tants negotiated their own terms of
repose. In Ninety-Six the submission
was the same; and, indeed. with the
S.exception of the mountainous borders.
tkhich were uninvaded, and heard only
hint echoes of the conflict from afar,
Ill show of hostility ceased through
out the colony-the people, generally
seeming to prefer quiet on any terms
to a resistance which, at that moment
of despondency, seemed worse than
idle.
This considerate pliability secured
Walton. as II was thought, in all the
immunities of the citizen, without
subjecting him to any Of those militia
ry duties which. in other respects, his
majesty had a perfect right to call
for from his loyal subjects. Such,
certainly. were the pledges of the
British ommanders-pledges made
with little reflection, or with
designed subterfuge. and violated with
as little hesitation. They produced the
effect desired. in persuading to easy
terms of arrangement the people who
might not have been conquered but
with great difficulty. Once disarmed
and divided. they were more easily
overcome. and it was not long. after
the first object had been obtained, be-
fore measures were adopted we'll CAL
culated to effect the other.
Colonel Walton, though striving hard
to convince himself of the propriety
Of the course which he had taken. re-
mained still unsatisfied. He could not
be assured of the propriety of submis-
sion when he beheld, as he did hourly.
the rank oppression and injustice by
which the conquerors strOve TO pre-
serve their ascendency over the doubt
full. while exercising it wantonly
among the weak He could not but
see how uncertain was the tenure Of
his own hold upon the invaders, whom
nothing seemed to bind in the shape
A~of solemn obligation. The promised
protection was that of the wolf, and
- hot the guardian dog: ii destroyed its
charge. and not its enemy; and strove
to ravage where it promised to Sc
cure. AS yet, ii is true, none of these
ills. in a direct form, had fallen upon
Colonel Walton: he had suffered no
abuses in his own person or family;
on the contrary, such were his wealth
and influence. that it had been thought
not unwiSe. on the part of the con-
uuerors. to conciliate and soOthe him.
Still. the colonel could not be insensi-
BILE to the gradual approaches of tyr
amy. He was not an unrehecting
man; and as he saw the wrongs done
to others, his eyes became duly open
To the doubtful value of his own Sc
curlties. whenever the successes of
the British throughout the state should
have become so general as to make
them Independent of any individual
influence. So thinking. his mind gave
q new stimulus to his conscience,
which now refused it's sanction to the
decision which, in moment of emer-
gency and dismay, he had been per-
suaded to adopt. His sympathies were
too greatly with the oppressed, and
their sufferings were too Immediately
under his own eyes, to permit of this:
and sad with the consciousness of his
error-and the more so as he esteemed
IL now irremediable-vexed with his