Year: 1875

of the Indians and the tear or spanish lnVa-
sion, the settlers generally preferred that Sec
tion which was most densely populated.


In 1878 John Culpepper got into difficult
ty with the authorities of the Ashley river
colony and went to the Albemarle colony.
There, in 1877, he got into a more serious
difficulty, which has, with some good ground,
been regarded as the beginning of fforcible re-
sistance to the exactions ofthe British govern.
ment in America. This was about one hum
dred years before the American Revolution,
and more than fifty years before Carolina was
divided into North and South Carolina. Cul-
peppers difficulty in Albemarle colony was
simply this:


The British government levied tax Of two
pence on every pound of tobacco sold in the
colony, or not sent to England. The object,
evidently, was to give England monopoly
of the tobacco trade At the time, a man by
the name of Miller filled the Offices Of COVER
nor, collector and secretary ofthe colony. He
proceeded to collect the tax on tobacco, and
made himself both odiousa and oppressive to the
people. Culpepper resisted his acts. The Gov
ernor was seized, and all the money foundin bis
possession was taken from him and appropria.
ted to the resistance of what the people
thought big h handed measures and to the de.
fense of the colony. The fact that Albemarle
colony now, since it did not have to pay
tax on tobacco, enjoyed great advantage
over the colonies in Virginia and Maryland,
made the latter discontented. .'-


A plan was set on foot to subdue Culpep-
per, and in order that he might receive justice,
he went to England for the purpose of making
an appeal to the ruling sovereign for repeal
of the tax and to beg for mercy for having
resisted royal authority. He was arrested;
but Shaftesbury managed to get the matter
euashed, fearing lest it would ultimately come
before the House of Commons and put an
end to his ministry. Shaftesbury openly de-
clared that the laws of England did not ex-
tend to the remote and insignificant province
of Carolina, and that the difficulty was only
a petty feud amongst the people of Albemarle
and their rulers It is hard to reconcile this
declaration of Shaftesbury with the fact that
Miller had collected, by authority, fourteen
thousand dollars off the people Of Albemarle.


So soon as he was out of this difficulty,
Culpepper came to Carolina and engaged in
laying out the original streets of what is now
the CITY of Charleston. This was in 1880;
but in 1879 the people generally had become
disposed to cross over the Ashel river and
settle on Oyster Point. The proprietors were
duly informed of this fact, and also of the
advantage to be gained by making a change
in the location of the colony. This met the
hearty appreciation of the proprietors. On
the 18th of May, 1880, they wrote to the
Governor and Grand Council in the follow
ing words: 1--WE again desire you to take
note that the Oyster Point is the place that
we do appoint for the Porte Town, web
(which) you are to call Charles Towne," &c.
The same Instructions, in almost the identical
words, had been sent to the Governor and
Grand Council by the Richmond frigate, on
the 18th of December, 1879. We quote those
of May, 1850, to show that the proprietors
felt much interest in the contemplated change
of location. No doubt, before the last in.
structions arrived, the change had been effect.
3D. All the public Offices had been removed
to Oyster Point, and at that point the Grand
Council was summoned to convene. The
town, in obedience to the instructions of the
proprietors, was duly named Charles Town.
For the first two years it was, in contradis-
tinction from the place that had been left,
called New Charles Town but, gradually, Old
Charles Town was abandoned, and until after
the close of the Revolutionary war, the name
Charles Town was retained.


The streets we're ordered to be laid out east
and west, intersected by others at right angles.
This, no doubt, was done, at least as well as
the nature of the location and the circum-
stances of the case would admit. The pro-
prietors were particular to enjoin it upon the
Governor and Council to pay particular at
tention to the "regularity and straightness of
the Streets" The houses were not built so as
to correspond with the surveyors lines. The
section of the city first laid out was that which
at present lies between Broad and Water
streets, from the Cooper river, westward, to
Meeting street. 1t is in this quarter We find
Zig-Zag alley.


There is good reason for concluding that
the change from Old Charles Town to New
Charles Town, was made in the spring Of the
year. Thirty houses were erected ; but what
the exact number of the colony was, it is i'm
possible to say with certainty. In order to
increase the growth Of the town and give it
an Importance which it could not otherwise
have, the proprietors ordered that all ships be
loaded and unloaded at it. In laying out the
town, lot of five acres was to be laid out for
each of the proprietors, wherever they might
see fit, either in persons or by their agents, to
select it. Any individual who took up lot
was required to lay the foundation of house
upon it within one year, and have a house
erected upon the foundation within two years.
Any person taking up lot and failing to
comply with this requirement. forfeited all
his claim to the lot; and the Grand Council
could grant the lot to any one else, and he
would be at liberty to build upon it. The ob-
iect of this proviso, no doubt, was to preclude
speculation. Any person could take up as
many lots as he desired, provided he would
build upon each extra lot, within twelve
months, house at least thirty feet long, six
teen feet wide, and two stories high, besides
garrets.


Immigrants focked in from all quarters.
England, Ireland, the West Indies and the
colonies in the northern part of North Amer
lea each sent its quota, and the town grew
rapidly. Land increased in value. Within
two years after its settlement, hundred
houses were built. Land sold for five dollars
per acre and rented for half as much per an.
mum. Almost from its very foundation, the
town began to assume a commercial aspect.
In November, 1850, sixteen ships-some Of
them large for that period of the world-en-
tered the harbor at one time.


Heretofore the colony had been without
any church building or regular church organ
ization. A FIVE acre lot had been reserved,
as we have seen, in one of the contemplated
settlements, for church; but we have no
evidence that any church was erected upon