CH. XIV.]

LOCKE'S "GRAND MODEL."

125

of the fort erected by the Huguenots, they finally settled at a spot between two rivers, which they called the Ashley and the Cooper, the family names of Lord Shaftesbury, and where they laid the original foundations of Charles

is to be worshipped; and thirdly, that it is lawful, and the duty of every man, when called upon by those in authority, to bear witness to the truth, without acknowledging which no man was to be permitted to be a freeman, or to have any estate or habitation in Caro- | ton, whence they removed, however, lina. But persecution for observing different modes and ways of worship was expressly forbidden, and every man was to be left full liberty of conscience, and might worship God in that manner which he in his private judgment thought most conformable to the Divine will and revealed Word. Every freeman of Carolina was declared to possess absolute power and authority over his negro slaves, of what opinion or religion soever."

Such, in brief, was the complicated scheme of government proposed by John Locke, a scheme which, as Mr. Hildreth justly remarks, " included and even exaggerated some of the worst features of the feudal system," and which, when attempted to be carried out, was found to be wholly impracticable. The colonists, meanwhile, were doing for themselves all that their necessities required in the way of legislation, and were little disposed to favor any action which they could dispense with on the part of the proprietaries. After long delay three vessels were sent out with a body of emigrants, under the command of Captain William Sayle, who had some years previously been employed in a preliminary exploration. An expense of £12,000 was incurred in providing necessaries for the plantation of the colony. Touching at Port Royal, where they found traces

some years afterwards, to the more commodious situation occupied by the present city. Before this removal took place, Sayle died, and was succeeded by Sir John Yeamans, 1672. governor of Clarendon, who introduced a body of negroes from Barbadoes, afterwards recruited so largely that they were twice as numerous as the whites. Slave labor soon became thus established in Carolina, to the soil and climate of which it was peculiarly adapted. In consequence of the considerable distance at which the new settlement was from Albemarle, the proprietaries established a separate government over it; and in this way arose the distinctive appellations of North and South Carolina.

The trials and distress which attended the first efforts of the colonists were aggravated by the intrigues and assaults of the Spaniards at Fort Augustine. They sent emissaries among the settlers at Ashley River, in the hope of moving them to revolt; they encouraged indentured servants to abandon their masters, and fly to the Spanish territory; and they labored so successfully to instil into the savage tribes the most unfavorable notions of the English, whom they hated as heretics, that these deluded Indians took up arms to endeavor to extirpate a race who neither wished nor had ever done them any

1672.

injury. Discontent and insubordina- pend solely on their own resources. tion, as was but natural, were produced by the trials and hardships to which the colonists were exposed; and as might be expected, it led to various insurrectionary movements soon after; but these were easily suppressed by the governor. The Spanish garrison at Augustine receiving intelligence of their dissensions, a party advanced from that fortress under arms, as far as the island of St. Helena, to dislodge or destroy the settlers; but fifty volunteers, under the command of Colonel Godfrey, marching against them, they evacuated the island, and retreated to their fort. During the governorship of Sir John Yeamans, two ship loads of Dutch emigrants from New York arrived, and many other Dutch colonists soon after determined to remove. The proprietaries encouraged them in this determination, and made them liberal offers of land and other privileges.

The colonists in Carolina were for several years dependent on the proprietaries in England for considerable supplies of provisions and stores, and were by them liberally assisted to the extent of several thousand pounds; but the proprietaries finding, instead of any indications of repayment with a corresponding profit, only demands for further supplies, became discouraged with a result so contrary to their sanguine expectations. Mutual dissatis1677. faction commenced, which embittered all future intercourse between the parties, although it afforded instruction to the colonists which was very beneficial, as it led them to de

The proprietaries ascribed their dis-
appointment, in a great measure to the
mismanagement of Sir John Yeamans,
who, early in this year, was compelled
by the state of his health to lay aside
the duties of governor, a relief that was
ineffectual for the desired purpose, as
he did not long survive. The factions
and confusion in which the colony was
shortly after involved, have rendered
the annals of this period extremely per-
plexing, and have very considerably
obscured the order and connection of
events. Yeamans abdicated his office,
and the council appointed Joseph West
as his successor; several changes oc-
curred within a few years, in the office
of governor. Between 1680 and 1685,
it had changed hands five times. There
was, however, a steady increase in the
population. Quite a number of emi-
grants from England came to Carolina,
and in 1679, a ship load of
foreign Protestants was sent out
by Charles II. to introduce the culture
of the grape and olive, and the breed-
ing of silk worms. Some Scotchmen
also emigrated, and many of the Hugue-
nots, who migrated to America after
the Edict of Nantes, settled along the
banks of the Santee.

1679.

After the death of Stevens, the governor of Albemarle, or North Carolina, the Assembly, in 1674, elected their speaker, Cartwright, to the vacant office, the limits of which being doubtful under the "grand model," he sailed for England, accompanied by the new speaker, Eastchurch, to submit 1676. the case to the proprietaries. Millar, a person of eminence in the col

CH. XIV.]

DISTURBANCES AMONG THE COLONISTS.

127

new governor, Seth Sothel, a man of
sordid character, who, during an ad-
ministration of five years, pillaged both
the proprietaries and the colon-
ists, until the Assembly deposed 1688.
him, banished him for a twelvemonth,
and compelled him finally to abjure
the government for ever.

ony, had been accused of sedition, but being acquitted, had also repaired to London with complaints, and his treatment being disapproved of, he was rewarded for his troubles with the office of secretary to the colony. Eastchurch being appointed governor, was, on his return, delayed in the West Indies by a wealthy marriage; while Millar proceeded to execute his functions, and to enforce the obnoxious provisions of the navigation act, which pressed heavily upon the rising commerce of the planters. The public discontent broke out into an insurrection, headed by John Culpepper; Millar was imprisoned; a popular assembly established; and when Eastchurch appeared to assume his government, the people refused their submission. Confident in the justice of their cause, they sent Culpepper, who had been appointed by them collector of customs, to England, to obtain the consent of the proprietaries to the recent changes; but Millar, having in the mean time made his escape, charged Culpepper as he, having effected his object, was about to embark, with "treason," for collecting the revenue without the authority of the king. It may seem strange, but he was defended from this charge by no other than Shaftesbury himself-then aiming at popularity—on the ground that the offence was not towards the crown, but the planters; a plea so successfully urged that Culpepper was acquitted by the jury. The proprietaries finding it useless to attempt to carry out the "model" by force, agreed to a compromise with the settlers, promised an amnesty, and appointed a | But connivance at piracy was not the

1680.

1683.

During the period when the changes in the office of governor were so frequent in South Carolina (1680-85), the farfamed buccaneers appeared at Charleston to purchase provisions, and whether from fear or interest, the people, and even the governor himself, seemed to have connived at and even encouraged their visits. This dreaded body of freebooters had sprung up in the West India seas, where the Spaniards had once destroyed their haunts, but during the war with Spain they appeared anew, and obtained privateering commissions to harass the commerce and attack the cities of that country in America: ; armed with which power they so increased their numbers by desperadoes from every clime, and entered upon such daring and successful enterprises, that their exploits inspired an admiration, with which, however, a feeling of terror was largely mingled. One of their leaders had even been 1684. knighted by Charles II., and another created governor of Jamaica. But the horrible abuses of such a system of licensed outrage and plunder had survived the occasion which led to its permission, and the peace with Spain had withdrawn from them the countenance of the English government, who now desired their desired their suppression.