An Historical Account of the Rise and Progress of the Colonies of South Carolina and Georgia, Volume 2

Part 1

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AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE COLONIES OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA

In Two Volumes.

VOL. II.

By ALEXANDER HEWATT

CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME

CHAP. VII.

The form of legal governments. Sir Alexander Cumming sent out to treat of peace with the Indians. Brings with him to England seven Cherokees. Who enter into a treaty of peace and alliance. Speech of a Cherokee warrior. Robert Johnson governor. Several indulgences granted the people. Happy effects of peace and security. A project formed for planting a new colony. James Oglethorpe carries a colony to Georgia. He treats with Indians for a share of their lands. Tomochichi's speech to the King. His Majesty's answer. Indians easiest managed by gentle and fair means. The colony of Switzers brought Carolina. Eleven townships marked out. A struggle about lands. State of the colony. The regulation of the Trustees. Their impolitical restrictions. Two colonies of Highlanders and Germans sent out. Thomas Broughton Lieut.-governor of Carolina. Oglethorpe fortifies Georgia. Which gives umbrage to the Spaniards. The brave Chickesaws defeat the French. Religious state of the colony. The association of Presbyterians. Remarks on paper currency. Small progress of Georgia. Hardships of the first settlers. An Irish colony planted.

CHAP. VIII.

Trade obstructed by the Spaniards of Mexico. William Bull Lieutenant-governor. Oglethorpe's regiment sent to Georgia. The Spaniards try in vain to seduce the Creeks. Matters hastening to a rupture with Spain. Mutiny in Oglethorpe's camp. A negro insurrection in Carolina. A war with Spain. A project for invading Florida. Measures concerted for this purpose. General Oglethorpe marches against Florida. Invests Augustine. Raises the siege. A great fire at Charlestown. A petition in favour of the rice trade. Remarks on the treatment of slaves. The hardships of their situation. Oppressed with ignorance and superstition. James Glen governor. Lord Carteret's property divided from that of the Crown. The country much exposed to invasion. The Spaniards invade Georgia. A stratagem to get rid of the enemy. The Spaniards retreat to Augustine. Ill treatment of General Oglethorpe. His character cleared, and conduct vindicated. The Carolineans petition for three independent companies. The colony's advantages from Britain. Its advantage and importance to Britain.

CHAP. IX.

All commotions and oppressions in Europe favourable to America. Cultivation attended with salutary effects. Mean heat in Carolina. The diseases of the country. Climate favourable to the culture of indigo. The manner of cultivating and making indigo. The common methods of judging of its quality. Nova Scotia settled. The great care of Britain for these colonies. Low state of Georgia. Complaint of the people. Troubles excited by Thomas Bosomworth. With difficulty settled. The charter surrendered to the King. George Whitfield's settlement. Whitfield's orphan-house. Sketch of his character. A congress with Creeks. The Governor's speech to them. Malatchee's answer. A hurricane at Charlestown. The advantages of poor settlers in the province. The advantages of money-lenders. And of the borrowers. Great benefits enjoyed by the colonists. Progress of the province.

CHAP. X.

A dispute about the limits of British and French territories. A chain of forts raised by the French. The distracted state of the British colonies. General Braddock's defeat in Virginia. Colonel Johnson's success at Lake George. Governor Glen holds a congress with the Cherokees. And purchases a large tract of land from them. Forts built in defence of Carolina. Its excellent fruits and plants. Its minerals undiscovered. The British forces augmented. Their first success in America. The cause of the Cherokee war. Governor Lyttleton prepares to march against them. The Cherokees sue for peace. Governor Lyttleton marches against the Cherokees. Holds a congress at Fort Prince George. His speech to Attakullakulla. Attakullakulla's answer. A treaty concluded with six chiefs. The Governor returns to Charlestown. The treaty of peace broken. Occonostota's stratagem for killing the officer of the fort. The war becomes general. Colonel Montgomery arrives. And marches against the Cherokees. Chastises them near Etchoe. And returns to Fort Prince George. The consternation of the inhabitants from Indians. Great distress of the garrison at Fort Loudon. The terms obtained for the garrison. Treacherously broken by the savages. A proposal for attacking Fort Prince George. Captain Stuart escapes to Virginia. The war continues. The Highlanders return to Carolina. Colonel Grant marches against the Cherokees. Engages and defeats them. Destroys their towns. Peace with the Cherokees. A quarrel between the commanding officers. A whirlwind at Charlestown. Of the heat at Savanna.

CHAP. XI.

A peace, and its happy effects respecting America. Boundaries of East and West Florida. The southern provinces left secure. Encouragement given to reduced officers and soldiers. Georgia begins to flourish. A plan adopted for encouraging emigrations to Carolina. A number of Palatines seduced into England. Sent into Carolina. And settled at Londonderry. Some emigrate from Britain, and multitudes from Ireland. And from the northern colonies, resort to Carolina. Regulations for securing the provinces against Indians. John Stuart made superintendant for Indian affairs. Decrease of Indians, and the causes of it. Present state of Indian nations in the southern district. Mr. Stuart's first speech to the Indians, at Mobile. A description of Charlestown. The number of its inhabitants. A general view of the manners, &c. of the people. And of their way of living. The arts and sciences only of late encouraged. The militia and internal strength of the province. Of its societies formed for mutual support and relief. Of its merchants and trade. Of its planters and agriculture. An interruption of the harmony between Britain and her colonies, and the causes of it. The new regulations made in the trade of the colonies give great offence. A vote passed for charging stamp-duties on the Americans. Upon which the people of New England discover their disaffection to government. An opportunity given the colonies to offer a compensation for the stamp-duty. The stamp-act passes in parliament. Violent measures taken to prevent its execution. The assembly of Carolina study ways and means of eluding the act. Their resolutions respecting the obedience due to the British parliament. The people become more violent in opposition to government. The merchants and manufacturers in England join in petitioning for relief. The stamp-act repealed. Which proves fatal to the jurisdiction of the British parliament in America. And gives occasion of triumph to the colonies.

THE HISTORY OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE COLONY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

CHAP. VII.

From that period in which the right and title to the lands of Carolina were sold, and surrendered to the King, and he assumed the immediate care and government of the province, a new aera commences in the annals of that country, which may be called the aera of its freedom, security, and happiness. The Carolineans who had long laboured under innumerable hardships and troubles, from a weak proprietary establishment, at last obtained the great object of their desires, a royal government, the constitution of which depended on commissions issued by the crown to the Governor, and the instructions which attended those commissions. The form of all provincial governments was borrowed from that of their mother country, which was not a plan of systematic rules drawn before-hand by speculative men, but a constitution which was the result of many ages of wisdom and experience. Its great object is the public good, in promoting of which all are equally concerned. It is a constitution which has a remedy within itself for every political disorder, which, when properly applied, must ever contribute to its stability and duration. After the model of this British constitution the government of Carolina now assumed a form like the other regal ones on the continent, which were composed of three branches, of a Governor, a Council, and an Assembly. The crown having the appointment of the Governor, delegates to him; its constitutional powers, civil and military, the power of legislation as far as the King possesses it; its judicial and executive powers, together with those of chancery and admiralty jurisdiction, and also those of supreme ordinary: all these powers, as they exist in the crown, are known by the laws of the realm; as they are entrusted to Governors, they are declared and defined by their commissions patent. The council, though differing in many respects from the house of peers, are intended to represent that house, and are appointed by the King during pleasure, for supporting the prerogatives of the crown in the province. The Assembly consists of the representatives of the people, and are elected by them as the House of Commons in Great Britain, to be the guardians of their lives, liberties, and properties. Here also the constitution confides in the good behaviour of the representatives; for should they presume in any respect to betray their trust, it gives the people more frequent opportunities than even in Britain, of chusing others in their stead. The Governor convenes, prorogues, and dissolves these Assemblies, and has a negative on the bills of both houses. After bills have received his assent, they are sent to Great Britain for the royal approbation, in consequence of which they have the force of laws in the province. This is a general sketch of the royal governments, which are intended to resemble the constitution of Great Britain, as nearly as the local circumstances of the provinces will admit, and which, notwithstanding its imperfections, is certainly the best form of government upon earth. By the instructions which the Governor receives from time to time from England, his power no doubt is greatly circumscribed; but it is his duty to transmit authentic accounts of the state of his province, in order that the instructions given him may be proper, and calculated for promoting not only the good of the province, but also that of the British empire.

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