The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-06-02

now was molied on that of the Brit
ish constitution. 1t consisted Of a
governor. a council, and commons
house. with the power Of making their
own laws.
After three years, trouble arose
with the Indians; with the French
who had settled on the Mississippi
river, and also political turmoil was
at hand. Early trade restrictions
were hurtful and the fact that the
high Offices in the government were
not within reach of young South Car
olinians, who had been educated in
England and were eminently fitted to
hold Office, but were filed with IN
cmopetent men sent from England,
whose only motive was to secure the
salary, were all causes of great dis
satisfaction. During the 18th CEN
tury South Carolina maintained a
semi-independence of the crown and
was aggressively patriotic during the
pre-Revolutionary struggle, being
the first state to form an independent
constitution.
We, D. A. RS, should all be ia
miliar with the struggle for independ-
ence for eight long years. South
Carolina had glorious record in this
war. 1877 engagements took place
within her borders and in lO5 OF
them, Carolinians alone fought. South
Carolinians suffered more, dared
more, and achieved more than the
men of any other state. Among The
many famous commanders South Car
olina furnished, we find Sumter, Mar
ion, and Pickens. The years follow
ing the Revolution were ones Of great
progress for South Carolina. The cul-
tivation of cotton expanded, roads
for travel and commerce opened, a
tremendous increase of population
was noted, free schools were provid-
ed, and, in general, the state was in
a prosperous condition.
The War of 1912 retarded but lit
tie the material progress Of South
Carolina. South Carolina furnished
her quota Of troops for the national
army. Many Of them were descend
ants of Revolutionary heroes and
some of them were themselves heroes
Of the Revolution. During this period
we find South Carolinians tshing
prominent part in affairs If the na-
ton. From 1S17-1820, John c. Cal
houn was secretary Of war; in 1914
Langdon Cheves was chosen speaker
of the house Of Representatives, and
in 1919, he WAC elected president of
the bank of United States.
Mexico declared war against Unit
ed States April 23rd, 1s46. For sew.
eral years relations between the two
countries had been strained and the
annexation of Texas by the United,
States was not recognized by Mexico,
so war was declared. The Palmetto
regiment did its part CALAMITY in
this war. A monument erected by
the general assembly in its honor, in
! the form of a bronze and iron pal
metto tree, now stands on the State
House grounds.
! Mexico ceded to the United States
the territory which has since become
California, Nevada, Utah, part Of
Colorado and the greater part of New
Mexico and Arizona. The extension
or prohibition of slavery into these
areas was now the issue Of the day.
It became the subject of famous de-
bates in congress. Two Of the great
est speeches in history were made in
1850 by Daniel Webster and John c.
Calhoun, South Cardinals greatest
statesman. This dispute was closed
,oy a compromise, permitting the en-
trance of California as free state
and enacting a very severe fugitive
slave measure. The first was often
sive to the North and the second to
! the South, so that the so-called COM
promise became the cause of added
bitterness between the two sections.
The breach widened as one by one
the bonds which held the North and
South together snapped. After years
of angry discussions, the crisis came
and the irrepressible conflict burst
into war. South Carolina and the
whole South rose to man. with no
sympathy or support from without to
resist invasion, in defense of state
autonomy and white supremacy.
South Carolina was the first to Sc
cede, December goth. 1860, and the
first battle of the war was fought at
! Fort Sumter in the following April.
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