Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-10-15
Matters of South Carolina History.

Matters Of South Carolina History.
On the first page Of today's Enqui-
rer we are printing a communication
/ from the distinguished secretary or the
State Historical Commission. calling
US to task for alleged inaccurate state
ments in connection with the political
history OF South Carolina.
Upon a careful reading of what Mr.
Salley has to say, We are strongly I'M
pressed with the idea that there is not
so much difference between US on the
score OF the facts in question as there
is in the politics involved. His writ
ing indicates his acceptance OF the
domination Of the Episcopal church
not only as q matter Of course, but as
a matter Of right. while we like those
early "refawmers." and other advo-
Gates OF civil and religious liberty
since, most emphatically dissent from
both considerations.
While we are not unmindful OF the
honor that has fallen to US in being
the object OF the attention Of such a
distinguished historian as is Mr.. SAL
| ley, we are hardly prepared to accept
the idea that he has given his time
and trouble altogether because Of the
alleged discrepancies he points out
These discrepancies. If indeed such
they be. are too obviously unimportant
to warrant so much effort, and we are
inclined to consider the communica-
ton as rather more political than his
torical.
When we said that the Episcopal
church was the established church OF
south Carolina from the first settle
ment OF the state, we did not mean our
readers to understand that the thing
was done by the first boat load or new
arrivals Immediately upon their reach
ing land. We had in mind the fact
that il was nearly a generation after
the arrival of the first colonists, many
of whom were moving from place TO
place. before the first settlement could
properly be said to be fairly estab-
lished.
According to DIR. David Ramsey,
who wrote in 1908. and whose accura-
CIV or fairness as a historian has never
been seriously questioned, so far as
we know. the first step toward the civil
establishment of the Episcopal church
was taken hcfor l7Oi. On this subject
the doctor says. in his Ecclesiastical
History of South Carolina:
In the year $685. one further step was taken.
by an Act ito settle a maintainance on min
lister Of the Church Of England in Charles
town" This excited neither suspicion nor
alarm among the Dissenters. for the minister
in whose favor the law operated was wof;hS
man and the small sum allowed him was H.
adequate for his services. The precedent thus
SET by the legislature being acquiesced in oy
the people. paved the way for an ecclesiastical
establishment. In the year 1904, when the
tween 5000 and 5000. when the Episcopalians
had only one church in the province. and the
Disorders three in Charleston and one IN the
country the former were so favored as TO oo-
tain a legal establishment.
We are told by DR.. Ramsey. fur
thermore. that most Of the proprietors
and public officers of the province,
and particularly the governor. Sir Ma
thaniel johnson. were zealously at
tached to the Church of England, and
here Is the way, according to the same
authority. that they managed to get
possession Of the religious situation
Notwithstanding that they were so
heavily in the minority:
Believing In the current creed OF the times
that an established religion was necessary 70
the support Of civil government. they concerted
measures for endowing the church OF the
mother country and advancing It in South Car
olina to legal pre-eminence. Preparatory
thereto they promoted the election OF members
of that church to seats In the Provincial legs-
iature and succeeded by surprise so far as to
obtain a majority. The recently elected men,
beers soon after they entered on their legisla-
tive functions took measures for perpetuating
the power they had thus obtained. for they
enacted law which made 1t necessary Tor
all persons thereafter chosen mempers Oh me
commons, house Of assembly. to conform to the
religious work Of the Church Of England and
TO receive the sacrament Of the Lords Supper
according to the rites and usages OF that
church."
However MIR. Salley looks ut it, and
however the main object of the offense
against civil and religious liberty here
described may have been, office and
power for somebody, we are unwilling
to admit the selfish desire for office
or power was the sole object Of the
opposition. 1t was the old, old ques-
ton Of the right of the individual to
worship God in accordance with the
dictates Of conscience, and OF all good
government deriving Just powers from
q
the correctness of our view let us con-
suit DR.. Ramsey again to see how the
matter was regarded in England:
The Dissenters appealed to the House Of
Lords. which boiy Yoted that the Act Of the
Provincial legislature was founded on falsity
OF matter of fact-was repuSnant To the laws
Of England-contrary TO the charter OF the pro-
prietors--was an announcement 70 atneism
and irreligion-destructive to trade, and tend
ed to the depopulation and ruin Of the prov
ince." The Lords also addressed Queen Anne.
beseeching her to use the most efectual meth
DDS to deliver the province from the arbitrary
oppression under which 1t lay and TO order the
authors thereof to be prosecuted according to
law" To whicl, her majesty rep!in'. that she
would do all in her power to relieve her sub
jects in Carolina. and protect them in their
just rights"
DR.. Ramsey says that 1t was because
of the act Of 1904, that the Dissenters
appealed to parliament, and Mr.. Sal
ley says that 1t was because Of the ap-
peal to parliament that the Provincial
legislature passed the Act Of 1704. Un-
less Mr.. Salley assumes to be final au-
thority himself. we would like him to
give us better authority than DIR. Ram
sey.
1t Is a fact that the act which ex-
cluded Dissenters from the Provincial
assembly was repealed in 1905. very
likely because otherwise 1t would have
led to the developments described by
liz n..itinh t,a,,ao of nd in nddi-