The Life of George Washington, Vol. 1 (of 5)
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{1729}
Letters were soon received from these agents, inclosing a report from
the board of trade, before whom they had been heard by council,
entirely disapproving the conduct of the house. The letters also
indicated that, should the house persist in its refusal to comply with
the King's instructions, the affair might be carried before
parliament. But, should even this happen, the agents thought it more
advisable that the salary should be fixed by the supreme legislature,
than by that of the province. "It was better," they said, "that the
liberties of the people should be taken from them, than given up by
themselves."
The governor, at length, refused to sign a warrant on the treasury for
the wages of the members. "One branch of the legislature," he said,
"might as well go without their pay as the other." The act, and the
reason for it, were alike unsatisfactory to the house.
[Sidenote: Death of Governor Burnet.]
After a recess from the 20th of December to the 2d of April, the
general court met again at Salem. Repeated meetings at that place
having produced no accommodation, the governor adjourned the
legislature to Cambridge. A few days after the commencement of the
session, he was seized with a fever, of which he died.
Mr. Burnet is said to have possessed many valuable qualities; and, had
he not been engaged, by a sense of duty, in this long contest, he
would, in all probability, have been a favourite of the province.[129]
[Footnote 129: Hutchison.]
{1730}
[Sidenote: Arrival of Governor Belcher.]
Mr. Belcher, who succeeded Burnet, arrived at Boston early in August
where he was cordially received. At the first meeting of the general
court, he pressed the establishment of a permanent salary, and laid
before them his instructions, in which it was declared that, in the
event of the continued refusal of the assembly, "his majesty will find
himself under the necessity of laying the undutiful behaviour of the
province before the legislature of Great Britain, not only in this
single instance, but in many others of the same nature and tendency,
whereby it manifestly appears that this assembly, for some years last
past, have attempted, by unwarrantable practices, to weaken, if not
cast off, the obedience they owe to the crown, and the dependence
which all colonies ought to have on the mother country."
At the close of these instructions, his majesty added his expectation,
"that they do forthwith comply with this proposal, as the last
signification of our royal pleasure to them on this subject, and if
the said assembly shall not think fit to comply therewith, it is our
will and pleasure, and you are required, immediately, to come over to
this kingdom of Great Britain, in order to give us an exact account of
all that shall have passed on this subject, that we may lay the same
before our parliament."
The house proceeded, as in the case of governor Burnet, to make a
grant to Mr. Belcher of one thousand pounds currency for defraying the
expense of his voyage, and as a gratuity for his services while the
agent of the colony in England; and, some time after, voted a sum
equal to one thousand pounds sterling to enable him to manage the
public affairs, &c.; but fixed no time for which the allowance was
made. The council concurred in this vote, adding an amendment "and
that the same sum be annually allowed for the governor's support." The
house not agreeing to this amendment, the council carried it so as to
read "that the same sum should be annually paid during his
excellency's continuance in the government, and residence here." This
also was disagreed to and the resolution fell.
The small-pox being in the town of Cambridge, the assembly was
adjourned to Roxbury.
{1731}
Two or three sessions passed with little more, on the part of the
governor, than a repetition of his demand for a fixed salary, and an
intimation that he should be obliged to return to England, and state
the conduct of the house of representatives to the King. Some
unsuccessful attempts were made by his friends to pass a bill fixing
the salary during his administration, with a protest against the
principle, and against that bill's being drawn into precedent. Failing
in this expedient, and finding the house inflexible, he despaired of
succeeding with that body, and turned his attention to the relaxation
of his instructions. He advised an address from the house to his
majesty, praying that he might be permitted to receive the sum which
the legislature had offered to grant him. This was allowed by the
crown; with the understanding that he was still to insist on a
compliance with his instructions. Leave to accept particular grants
was obtained for two or three years successively; and, at length, a
general permission was conceded to accept such sums as might be given
by the assembly.[130]
[Footnote 130: Hutchison.]
[Sidenote: Contest concerning the salary terminated.]
Thus was terminated, the stubborn contest concerning a permanent
salary for the governor. Its circumstances have been given more in
detail than consists with the general plan of this work, because it is
considered as exhibiting, in genuine colours, the character of the
people engaged in it. It is regarded as an early and an honourable
display of the same persevering temper in defence of principle, of the
same unconquerable spirit of liberty, which at a later day, and on a
more important question, tore the British colonies from a country to
which they had been strongly attached.
{1733}
The immense quantity of depreciated paper which was in circulation
throughout New England, had no tendency to diminish the complaints of
the scarcity of money. Massachusetts and New Hampshire were restrained
from farther emissions by the instructions to their governors, who
received their appointments from the crown. Connecticut, engaged
chiefly in agricultural pursuits, suffered less from this depreciated
medium than her neighbours, and was less disposed to increase its
evils. Rhode Island, equally commercial with Massachusetts, and
equally fond of paper, chose her own governor, and might therefore
indulge, without restraint, her passion for a system alike
unfavourable to morals and to industry. That colony now issued one
hundred thousand pounds on loan, to its inhabitants, for twenty years.
The merchants of Boston, apprehensive that this capital would transfer
the stock of Massachusetts to Rhode Island, associated against
receiving the new emission; and many of them formed a company which
issued one hundred and ten thousand pounds, redeemable with specie, in
ten years, a tenth part annually, at the then current value of paper.
The association against receiving the new emission of Rhode Island was
not long observed; and the bills of New Hampshire and Connecticut were
also current. Silver immediately rose to twenty-seven shillings the
ounce, and the notes issued by the merchants soon disappeared, leaving
in circulation only the government paper.
{1739}
Great uneasiness prevailed through Massachusetts on this subject. The
last instalment of the bills would become due in 1741, and no power
existed to redeem them by new emissions. Serious consequences were
apprehended from calling in the circulating medium without
substituting another in its place, and the alarm was increased by the
circumstance that the taxes had been so lightly apportioned on the
first years, as to require the imposition of heavy burdens for the
redemption of what remained in circulation. The discontents excited by
these causes were manifested in the elections, and were directed
against the governor, who was openly hostile to the paper system.
[Sidenote: Land bank.]
The projector of the bank again came forward; and, placing himself at
the head of seven or eight hundred persons, some of whom possessed
property, proposed to form a company which should issue one hundred
and fifty thousand pounds in bills. By this scheme, every borrower of
a sum larger than one hundred pounds, was to mortgage real estate to
secure its re-payment. The borrowers of smaller sums might secure
their re-payment either by mortgage, or by bond with two securities.
Each subscriber, or partner was to pay, annually, three per centum
interest on the sum he should take, and five per centum of the
principal, either in the bills themselves, or in the produce and
manufactures of the country, at such rates as the directors should,
from time to time, establish.
{1740}
[Sidenote: Company dissolved.]
Although the favourers of this project were so successful at the
elections as to obtain a great majority in the general court, men of
fortune, and the principal merchants, refused to receive these bills.
Many small traders, however, and other persons interested in the
circulation of a depreciated currency, gave them credit. The directors
themselves, it was said, became traders; and issued bills without
limitation, and without giving security for their redemption. The
governor, anticipating the pernicious effects of the institution,
exerted all his influence against it. He displaced such executive
officers as were members of it, and negatived the speaker, and
thirteen members elected to the council, who were also of the company.
General confusion being apprehended, application was made to
parliament for an act to suppress the company. This being readily
obtained, the company was dissolved, and the holders of the bills were
allowed their action against its members, individually.[131]
[Footnote 131: Hutchison.]
About this time governor Belcher was recalled, and Mr. Shirley was
appointed to succeed him. He found the land bank interest predominant
in the house, and the treasury empty.
{1741}
In this state of things, he deemed it necessary to depart from the
letter of his instructions, in order to preserve their spirit. A bill
was passed declaring that all contracts should be understood to be
payable in silver at six shillings and eight pence the ounce, or in
gold at its comparative value. Bills of a new form were issued,
purporting to be for ounces of silver, which were to be received in
payment of all debts, with this proviso, that if they should
depreciate between the time of contract and of payment, a proportional
addition should be made to the debt.
[Sidenote: Affairs of New York.]
While these transactions were passing in New England, symptoms of that
jealousy which an unsettled boundary must produce between neighbours,
began to show themselves in Canada and New York. The geographical
situation of these colonies had, at an early period, directed the
attention of both towards the commerce of the lakes. Mr. Burnet, the
governor both of New York and New Jersey, impressed with the
importance of acquiring the command of lake Ontario, had, in the year
1722, erected a trading house at Oswego in the country of the Senecas.
This measure excited the jealousy of the French, who launched two
vessels on the lake, and transported materials to Niagara for building
a large store house, and for repairing the fort at that place. These
proceedings were strongly opposed by the Senecas, and by the
government of New York. Mr. Burnet remonstrated against them as
encroachments on a British province, and also addressed administration
on the subject. Complaints were made to the cabinet of Versailles; but
the governor of Canada proceeded to complete the fort. To countervail
the effects of a measure which he could not prevent, governor Burnet
erected a fort at Oswego; soon after the building of which, while Mr.
Vandam was governor of New York, the French took possession of Crown
Point, which they fortified; and thus acquired the command of lake
Champlain. Obviously as this measure was calculated to favour both the
offensive and defensive operations of France in America, the English
minister, after an unavailing remonstrance, submitted to it.
CHAPTER IX.
War with the southern Indians.... Dissatisfaction of
Carolina with the proprietors.... Rupture with Spain....
Combination to subvert the proprietary government....
Revolution completed.... Expedition from the Havanna against
Charleston.... Peace with Spain.... The proprietors
surrender their interest to the crown.... The province
divided.... Georgia settled.... Impolicy of the first
regulations.... Intrigues of the Spaniards with the slaves
of South Carolina.... Insurrection of the slaves.
{1715}
In Carolina, the contests between the inhabitants and the proprietors,
added to the favour with which the Queen heard the complaints of the
dissenters, had turned the attention of the people towards the crown,
and produced a strong desire to substitute the regal, for the
proprietary government. This desire was increased by an event which
demonstrated the incompetency of their government.
[Sidenote: War with the Indians.]
The Yamassees, a powerful tribe of Indians on the north east of the
Savanna, instigated by the Spaniards at St. Augustine, secretly
prepared a general combination of all the southern Indians, against
the province. Having massacred the traders settled among them, they
advanced in great force against the southern frontier, spreading
desolation and slaughter on their route. The inhabitants were driven
into Charleston; and governor Craven proclaimed martial law. He also
obtained an act of assembly empowering him to impress men; to seize
arms, ammunition, and stores; to arm such negroes as could be trusted;
and, generally, to prosecute the war with the utmost vigour. Agents
were sent to Virginia and to England to solicit assistance, and bills
were issued for the payment and subsistence of the army.
At the same time, the Indians entered the northern part of the
province, and were within fifty miles of the capital. Thus surrounded
by enemies, the governor took the course which was suggested equally
by courage and by prudence. Leaving the less active part of the
population to find security in the forts at Charleston, he marched
with the militia, towards the southern frontier, which was invaded by
the strongest body of Indians; and, at a place called Salt Catchers,
attacked and totally defeated them. The victors pursued them into
their own country, expelled them from it, and drove them over the
Savanna river. The fugitives found protection in Florida, where they
made a new settlement, from which they continued long afterwards, to
make distressing incursions into Carolina.
The agent who had been sent by the legislature to England to implore
the protection of the proprietors, had received ulterior instructions,
should he not succeed with them, to apply directly to the King. Being
dissatisfied with his reception by the proprietors, he petitioned the
house of commons, who addressed the King, praying his interposition,
and immediate assistance to the colony. The King referred the matter
to the lords commissioners of trade and plantations, whose report was
unfavourable to the application, because the province of Carolina was
a proprietary government. They were of opinion that, if the colony was
to be protected at the expense of the nation, its government ought to
be vested in the crown. On receiving this opinion, the proprietors, in
a general meeting, avowed their inability to protect the province, and
declared that, unless his majesty would graciously please to
interpose, they could foresee nothing but the utter destruction of his
faithful subjects in those parts.
A government unable to afford protection to the people, was ill
adapted to the situation of Carolina.
The dissatisfaction growing out of this cause was still farther
augmented by the unpopular, and, in some instances, unwise acts of the
proprietors.
To relieve the distress produced by war, considerable sums of paper
money had been issued; and the proprietors, on the complaint of the
merchants, of London engaged in the trade of the province, had given
instructions to reduce the quantity in circulation.
{1715 to 1717}
The assembly had appropriated the country of the Yamassees, to the use
of such of his majesty's European subjects, as would settle it.
Extracts from the law on this subject being published in England, and
in Ireland, five hundred men from the latter kingdom emigrated to
Carolina. The proprietors repealed this law; and, to the utter ruin of
the emigrants, as well as to the destruction of this barrier against
the savages, ordered the lands to be surveyed, and erected into
baronies, for themselves.
While the population was confined to the neighbourhood of Charleston,
all the members of the assembly had been elected at that place. As the
settlements extended, this practice became inconvenient; and an act
was passed, declaring that every parish should choose a certain number
of representatives, and that the elections should be held, in each, at
the parish church. As if to destroy themselves in the province, the
proprietors repealed this popular law also.
Heavy expenses being still incurred for defence against the inroads of
the southern Indians, the people complained loudly of the
insufficiency of that government which, unable itself to protect them,
prevented the interposition of the crown in their favour.
In this temper, governor Johnson, son of the former governor of that
name, found the province. He met the assembly with a conciliatory
speech, and received an answer expressing great satisfaction at his
appointment. His original popularity was increased by the courage he
displayed in two expeditions against a formidable band of pirates who
had long infested the coast, which he entirely extirpated.
{1717}
These expeditions occasioned still farther emissions of paper money.
The governor, being instructed to diminish its quantity, had influence
enough with the assembly to obtain an act for redeeming the bills of
credit, in three years, by a tax on lands and negroes. This tax
falling heavily on the planters, they sought to elude it by obtaining
an act for a farther emission of bills. The proprietors, being
informed of this design, and also of an intention to make the produce
of the country a tender in payment of all debts, at a fixed value,
enjoined the governor not to give his assent to any bill, until it
should be laid before them.
About the same time, the King, by an order in council, signified his
desire to the proprietors, that they would repeal an act passed in
Carolina, for imposing a duty of ten per centum on all goods of
British manufacture imported into the province. The repeal of this
act, and of one declaring the right of the assembly to name a receiver
of the public money, and of the election law, were transmitted to the
governor, in a letter directing him to dissolve the assembly, and to
hold a new election at Charleston, according to ancient usage.
{1718}
The assembly being employed in devising means for raising revenue,
their dissolution was deferred; but the repeal of the law imposing
duties, and the royal displeasure at the clause laying a duty on
British manufactures, were immediately communicated, with a
recommendation to pass another act, omitting that clause.
Meanwhile the governor's instructions were divulged. They excited
great irritation; and produced a warm debate on the right of the
proprietors to repeal a law enacted with the consent of their deputy
in the province.
{1719}
About this time, chief justice Trott, who had become extremely
unpopular in the colony, was charged with many iniquitous proceedings;
and the governor, the major part of the council, and the assembly,
united in a memorial representing his malpractices to the proprietors.
Mr. Young was deputed their agent to enforce these complaints.
Soon after his arrival in London, he presented a memorial to the
proprietors, detailing the proceedings of Carolina, and stating the
objections of the assembly to the right of their lordships to repeal
laws, which had been approved by their deputies.
This memorial was very unfavourably received, and the members of the
council who had subscribed it, were displaced. The proprietors
asserted their right to repeal all laws passed in the province,
approved the conduct of the chief justice, censured that of the
governor in disobeying their instructions respecting the dissolution
of the assembly, and repeated their orders on this subject.
However the governor might disapprove the instructions given him, he
did not hesitate to obey them. The new council was summoned, the
assembly was dissolved, and writs were issued for electing another at
Charleston.
[Sidenote: War with Spain.]
The public mind had been gradually prepared for a revolution, and
these irritating measures completed the disgust with which the people
viewed the government of the proprietors. An opportunity to make the
change so generally desired was soon afforded. A rupture having taken
place between Great Britain and Spain, advice was received from
England of a plan formed in the Havanna for the invasion of Carolina.
The governor convened the council, and such members of the assembly as
were in town, and laid his intelligence before them. He, at the same
time, stated the ruinous condition of the fortifications, and proposed
that a sum for repairing them should be raised, by voluntary
subscription, of which he set the example by a liberal donation.
The assembly declared a subscription to be unnecessary, as the duties
would afford an ample fund for the object. The repeal of the law
imposing them was said to be utterly void, and would be disregarded.
[Sidenote: Combination to subvert the government.]
The members of the new assembly, though they had not been regularly
convened at Charleston, had held several private meetings in the
country to concert measures of future resistance. They had drawn up an
association for uniting the whole province in opposition to the
proprietary government, which was proposed to the militia at their
public meetings, and subscribed almost unanimously. This confederacy
was formed with such secrecy and dispatch, that, before the governor
was informed of it, almost every inhabitant of the province was
engaged in it.
The members of the assembly, thus supported by the people, resolved to
subvert the power of the proprietors.
The governor, who resided in the country, had no intimation of these
secret meetings and transactions, until he received a letter from a
committee of the representatives of the people, offering him the
government of the province under the King; it having been determined
to submit no longer to that of the proprietors.
Mr. Johnson resolved to suppress this spirit of revolt, and hastened
to town in order to lay the letter before his council. They advised
him to take no notice of it, until the legislature should be regularly
convened. On meeting, the assembly declared, "that the laws, pretended
to be repealed, continued to be in force; and that no power, other
than the general assembly, could repeal them: That the writs under
which they were elected were void, inasmuch as they had been issued by
advice of an unconstitutional council: That the representatives
cannot, therefore, act as an assembly, but as a convention delegated
by the people to prevent the utter ruin of the government: And,
lastly, that the lords proprietors had unhinged the frame of the
government, and forfeited their right thereto; and that an address be
prepared to desire the honourable Robert Johnson, the present
governor, to take on himself the government of the province in the
name of the King." The address was signed by Arthur Middleton, as
president of the convention, and by twenty-two members.
After several unavailing efforts, on the part of the assembly, to
induce Mr. Johnson to accept the government under the King; and, on
his part, to reinstate the government of the proprietors; he issued a
proclamation dissolving the assembly, and retired into the country.
The proclamation was torn from the hands of the officer, and the
assembly elected colonel James Moore chief magistrate of the colony.
[Sidenote: Revolution completed.]
After proclaiming him in the name of the King, and electing a council,
the legislature published a declaration stating the revolution that
had taken place, with the causes which produced it; and then
proceeded, deliberately to manage the affairs of the province.
[Sidenote: The proprietors surrender to the crown.]
While Carolina was effecting this revolution, the agent of the colony
obtained a hearing before the lords of the regency and council in
England, (the King being then in Hanover) who were of opinion that the
proprietors had forfeited their charter. They ordered the attorney
general to take out a _scire facias_ against it, and appointed Francis
Nicholson provisional governor of the province under the King. He was
received with universal joy; and the people of Carolina passed, with
great satisfaction, from the proprietary government to the immediate
dominion of the crown. This revolution was completed by an agreement
between the crown and seven of the proprietors, whereby, for the sum
of seventeen thousand five hundred pounds sterling, they surrendered
their right and interest both in the government and soil. This
agreement was confirmed by an act of parliament; soon after which John
Lord Carteret, the remaining proprietor, also surrendered all his
interest in the government, but retained his rights of property.[132]