Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/150

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
126
ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF THE CAROLINAS.
[Bk. I.

injury. Discontent and insubordination, 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 dissatisfaction 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 depend solely on their own resources. The proprietaries ascribed their disappointment, 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 perplexing. 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 occurred 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 emigrants 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 breeding of silk worms. Some Scotchmen also emigrated, and many of the Huguenots, who migrated to America after the Edict of Nantes, settled along the banks of the Santee.

After the death of Stevens, the governor of Albernarle, 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 the case to the proprietaries. Millar, a person of eminence in the col-