The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-02-03
Things in Which ). G. Has Been First
South Carolina was the first.

probably the only, colony in the new
world to confer titles of nobility.
The lords proprietors bestowed the
titles of "Landgrave" and "Cacique
on large land owners in their Ameri-
can plantations, and their estates
were called baronies. Many we'll
known South Carolina families trace
their descent from some OF those old
landgraves. The lesser title, cacique,
was never actually given to anyone.
The first effort was to offer the larg-
er inducement to title loving Eng
lishmen to migrate.
2. The first public library in
America was established in Charles
ton in 1898.
5. The first free school in the
South, and one Of the earliest in the
country. was founded in Charleston
in 1710.
4. The first negro school in Amer
lea, perhaps the first in the world,
was established in Charleston. In
the Rev. Alexander Garden,
rector of St. Philips church, adver-
tises in "The South Carolina Gazette
that the English Society for the
Propagation of the Gospel had about
fifteen months before purchased two
promising young negro and Indian
children. Mr.. Garden stated that
"they will be ready for their work in
a few months MORE" and makes an
appeal for subscriptions for the erec-
ton of school house on the church
property for the purpose, and states
that the children shall receive in
struction free of cost to their mas
ters. In the same paper, about a
year later, he acknowledges the re-
ceipt of 226 pounds, and makes a
statement as to how it has been
spent. The school was continued for
twenty-five years, and fiourished un-
der the direction of Mr.. Garden and
his successors until the death of An
drew, one of the teachers.
5. The first musical society in
America was the St. Cecilia in Char
lesion, founded in 1852. The first
song recital of which there is any
record was in/Charleston in 1853,
in which it was stated in the adver-
,tisement that none but English and
Scotch songs would be sung.
6. The first decisive victory of the
Revolution was that of Fort Moul-
trie in Charleston harbor, June %,
1915.
7. The first instance of cremation
of the dead in America was that of
the body of Henry Laurens, who left
instructions in his will that such dis
position should be made of his re-
mains.
s. South Carolina was the first
colony to establish an Independent
form of government; it adopted a
constitution, and elected John Rut-
ledge president, nearly four months
before the Declaration of Independ-
ence was made. .',
9. South Carolina boasts minia-
ture Declaration of independence an
te-dating those of Mecklenburg. and
Philadelphia by some months. On
November 5, 1774, William Henry
Drayton presided at meeting of the
circuit court in Camden, and in re-
sponse to his stirring charge the
grand jury of Camden district re-
turned a veritable little Declaration
of independence. The third clause
of this remarkable document reads
as follows: 1--WE present as griev-
ance of the most dangerous and
alarming nature, the power exercised
by the parliament to tax, and to make
laws to bind the American colonies
in all cases whatsoever. We con-
ceive such power destructive to our
birthrights as freemen, descended
from English ancestors, seeing such
freemen cannot be coastitrtionally
taxed or bound by any law without
their consent, expressed by them
selves, or implied by representatives
of their own selection-a consent
which the good people of this colony
have never tsignifed, to be taxed or
bound by laws in the formation OF
which we have n participation
row that the body Of this district
are legally assembled, as one step TO-
wards the defence of our constitn-
.ional rights, which are dearer tc
us than cur lives and fortunes, We
think it our Indispensable duty to