Books: An Historical Account Of The Rise And Progress Of The Colonies Of South Carolina And Georgia, Volume 2

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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.

[Sidenote] The form of legal governments.

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.

[Sidenote] Sir Alexander Cumming sent out to treat of peace with the
Indians.

After the purchase of the province, the first object of the royal concern
was, to establish the peace of the colony on the most firm and permanent
foundation; and for this purpose treaties of union and alliance with
Indian nations were judged to be essentially necessary. Domestic security
being first established, the colonists might then apply themselves to
industry with vigour and success, and while they enriched themselves,
they would at the same time enlarge the commerce and trade of the
mother-country. For this purpose Sir Alexander Cumming was appointed, and
sent out to conclude a treaty of alliance with the Cherokees, at this
time a warlike and formidable nation of savages. These Indians occupied
the lands about the head of Savanna river, and backwards among the
Apalachian mountains. The country they claimed as their hunting grounds
was of immense extent; and its boundaries had never been clearly
ascertained. The inhabitants of their different towns were computed to
amount to more than twenty thousand, six thousand of whom were warriors,
fit on any emergency to take the field. An alliance with such a nation
was an object of the highest consequence to Carolina, and likewise to the
mother-country, now engaged for its defence and protection.

[Sidenote] Brings with him to England seven Cherokees.

About the beginning of the year 1730, Sir Alexander arrived in Carolina,
and made preparations for his journey to the distant hills. For his
guides he procured some Indian traders, well acquainted with the woods,
and an interpreter who understood the Cherokee language, to assist him in
his negociations. When he reached Keowee, abort three hundred miles from
Charlestown, the chiefs of the lower towns there met him, and received
him with marks of great friendship and esteem. He immediately dispatched
messengers to the middle, the valley, and over-hill settlements, and
summoned a general meeting of all their chiefs, to hold a congress with
him at Nequassee. Accordingly in the month of April the chief warriors of
all the Cherokee towns assembled at the place appointed. After the
various Indian ceremonies were over, Sir Alexander made a speech to them,
acquainting them by whose authority he was sent, and representing the
great power and goodness of his sovereign King George; how he, and all
his other subjects, paid a cheerful obedience to his laws, and of course
were protected by him from all harm: That he had come a great way to
demand of Moytoy, and all the chieftains of the nation, to acknowledge
themselves the subjects of his King, and to promise obedience to his
authority: and as he loved them, and was answerable to his Sovereign for
their good and peaceable behaviour, he hoped they would agree to what he
should now require of them. Upon which the chiefs, falling on their
knees, solemnly promised fidelity and obedience, calling upon all that
was terrible to fall upon them if they violated their promise. Sir
Alexander then, by their unanimous consent, nominated Moytoy commander
and chief of the Cherokee nation, and enjoined all the warriors of the
different tribes to acknowledge him for their King, to whom they were to
be accountable for their conduct. To this they also agreed, provided
Moytoy should be made answerable to Sir Alexander for his behaviour to
them. After which many useful presents were made them, and the congress
ended to the great satisfaction of both parties. The crown was brought
from Tenassee, their chief town, which with five eagle tails, and four
scalps of their enemies, Moytoy presented to Sir Alexander, requesting
him, on his arrival at Britain, to lay them at his Majesty's feet. But
Sir Alexander proposed to Moytoy, that he should depute some of their
chiefs to accompany him to England, there to do homage in person to the
great King. Accordingly six of them agreed, and accompanied Sir Alexander
to Charlestown, where being joined by another, they embarked for England
in the Fox man of war, and arrived at Dover in June 1730.

[Sidenote] Who enter into a treaty of peace and alliance.

We shall not pretend to describe their behaviour at the sight of London,
or their wonder and astonishment at the greatness of the city, the number
of the people, and the splendour of the army and court. Being admitted
into the presence of the King, they, in the name of their nation,
promised to continue for ever his Majesty's faithful and obedient
subjects. A treaty was accordingly drawn up, and signed by Alured Popple,
secretary to the Lords Commissioners of trade and plantations, on one
side; and by the marks of the six chiefs, on the other. The preamble to
this treaty recites, "That whereas the six Chiefs, with the consent of
the whole nation of Cherokees, at a general meeting of their nation at
Nequassee, were deputed by Moytoy, their chief warrior, to attend Sir
Alexander Cumming to Great Britain, where they had seen the great King
George: and Sir Alexander, by authority from Moytoy and all the
Cherokees, had laid the crown of their nation, with the scalps of their
enemies and feathers of glory, at his Majesty's feet, as a pledge of
their loyalty: And whereas the great King had commanded the Lords
Commissioners of trade and plantations to inform the Indians, that the
English on all sides of the mountains and lakes were his people, their
friends his friends, and their enemies his enemies; that he took it
kindly the great nation of Cherokees had sent them so far, to brighten
the chain of friendship between him and them, and between his people and
their people; that the chain of friendship between him and the Cherokees
is now like the sun, which shines both in Britain and also upon the great
mountains where they live, and equally warms the hearts of Indians and
Englishmen; that as there is no spots or blackness in the sun, so neither
is there any rust or foulness on this chain. And as the King had fastened
one end to his breast, he defied them to carry the other end of the chain
and fasten it to the breast of Moytoy of Telliquo, and to the breasts of
all their old wise men, their captains, and people, never more to be made
loose or broken.

"The great King and the Cherokees being thus fastened together by a chain
of friendship, he has ordered, and it is agreed, that his children in
Carolina do trade with the Indians, and furnish them with all manner of
goods they want, and to make haste to build houses and plant corn from
Charlestown, towards the towns of Cherokees behind the great mountains:
That he desires the English and Indians may live together as children of
one family; that the Cherokees be always ready to fight against any
nation, whether white men or Indians, who shall dare to molest or hurt
the English; that the nation of Cherokees shall, on their part, take care
to keep the trading path clean, that there be no blood on the path where
the English tread, even though they should be accompanied with other
people with whom the Cherokees may be at war: That the Cherokees shall
not suffer their people to trade with white men of any other nation but
the English, nor permit white men of any other nation to build any forts
or cabins, or plant any corn among them, upon lands which belong to the
great King: and if any such attempt shall be made, the Cherokees must
acquaint the English Governor therewith, and do whatever he directs, in
order to maintain and defend the great King's right to the country of
Carolina: That if any negroes shall run away into the woods from their
English masters, the Cherokees shall endeavour to apprehend them, and
bring them to the plantation from whence they run away, or to the
Governor, and for every slave so apprehended and brought back, the Indian
that brings him shall receive a gun and a watch-coat: and if by any
accident it shall happen, that an Englishman shall kill a Cherokee, the
King or chief of the nation shall first complain to the English Governor,
and the man who did the harm shall be punished by the English laws as if
he had killed an Englishman; and in like manner, if any Indian happens to
kill an Englishman, the Indian shall be delivered up to the Governor, to
be punished by the same English laws as if he were an Englishman."

This was the substance of the first treaty between the King and the
Cherokees, every article of which was accompanied with presents of
different kinds, such as cloth, guns, shot, vermilion, flints, hatchets,
knives. The Indians were given to understand, "That these were the words
of the great King, whom they had seen, and as a token that his heart was
open and true to his children the Cherokees, and to all their people, a
belt was given the warriors, which they were told the King desired them
to keep, and shew to all their people, to their children, and children's
children, to confirm what was now spoken, and to bind this agreement of
peace and friendship between the English and Cherokees, as long as the
rivers shall run, the mountains shall last, or the sun shall shine."

[Sidenote] Speech of a Cherokee warrior.

This treaty, that it might be the easier understood, was drawn up in
language as similar as possible to that of the Indians, which at this
time was very little known in England, and given to them, certified and
approved by Sir Alexander Cumming. In answer to which, Skijagustah, in
name of the rest, made a speech to the following effect:--"We are come
hither from a mountainous place, where nothing but darkness is to be
found--but we are now in a place where there is light.--There was a
person in our country--he gave us a yellow token of warlike honour, which
is left with Moytoy of Telliquo,--and as warriors we received it.--He
came to us like a warrior from you.--A man he is;--his talk is
upright--and the token he left preserves his memory among us.--We look
upon you as if the great King were present;--we love you as representing
the great King;--we shall die in the same way of thinking.--The crown of
our nation is different from that which the great King George wears, and
from that we saw in the tower.--But to us it is all one.--The chain of
friendship shall be carried to our people.--We look upon the great King
George as the Sun, and as our father, and upon ourselves as his
children.--For though we are red, and you are white, yet our hands and
hearts are joined together.--When we shall have acquainted our people
with what we have seen, our children from generation to generation will
always remember it.--In war we shall always be one with you. The enemies
of the great King shall be our enemies;--his people and ours shall be
one, and shall die together.--We came hither naked and poor as the worms
of the earth, but you have every thing,--and we that have nothing must
love you, and will never break the chain of friendship which is between
us.--Here stands the Governor of Carolina, whom we know.--This small rope
we show you is all that we have to bind our slaves with, and it may be
broken.--But you have iron chains for yours.--However, if we catch your
slaves, we will bind them as well as we can, and deliver them to our
friends, and take no pay for it.--We have looked round for the person
that was in our country--he is not here;--however, we must say he talked
uprightly to us, and we shall never forget him.--Your white people may
very safely build houses near us;--we shall hurt nothing that belongs to
them, for we are children of one father, the great King, and shall live
and die together." Then laying down his feathers upon the table he added:
"This is our way of talking, which is the same thing to us as your
letters in the book are to you, and to you beloved men we deliver these
feathers in confirmation of all we have said."

The Cherokees, however barbarous, were a free and independent people; and
this method of obtaining a share of their lands by the general consent,
was fair and honourable in itself, and most agreeable to the general
principles of equity, and the English constitution. An agreement is made
with them, in consequence of which the King could not only give a just
title to Indian lands; but, by Indians becoming his voluntary subjects,
the colonists obtained peaceable possession. The Cherokees held abundance
of territory from nature, and with little injury to themselves could
spare a share of it; but reason and justice required that it be obtained
by paction or agreement. By such treaties mutual presents were made,
mutual obligations were established, and, for the performance of the
conditions required, the honour and faith of both parties were pledged.
Even to men in a barbarous state such policy was the most agreeable, as
will afterwards clearly appear; for the Cherokees, in consequence of this
treaty, for many years, remained in a state of perfect friendship and
peace with the colonists, who followed their various employments in the
neighbourhood of those Indians, without the least terror or molestation.

[Sidenote] Robert Johnson Governor.

About the beginning of the year 1731, Robert Johnson, who had been
Governor of Carolina while in the possession of the Lords Proprietors,
having received a commission from the King, investing him with the same
office and authority, arrived in the province. He brought back these
Indian chiefs, possessed with the highest ideas of the power and
greatness of the English nation, and not a little pleased with the kind
and generous treatment they had received. The Carolineans, who had always
entertained the highest esteem for this gentleman, even in the time of
their greatest confusion, having now obtained him in the character of
King's Governor, a thing they formerly had so earnestly desired, received
him with the greatest demonstrations of joy. Sensible of his wisdom and
virtue, and his strong attachment to the colony, they promised themselves
much prosperity and happiness under his gentle administration.

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