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CHAPTER V-SOUTHERN COLONIES

33. Andros's and Nicholson's Administrations
(1690-1705)

BY ROBERT BEVERLY (1705)

Beverly was a Virginian of wealth and high social position. His history of Virginia is of great value, though not impartial. He had a private grudge against Nicholson. — Bibliography: Tyler, American Literature, II, 264–267; Winsor, Narrative and Critical History, V, 278-284; Channing and Hart, Guide, § 99. — For previous history of Virginia, see Contemporaries, I, ch. x.

§. 132. A

NNO 1690. Francis Nicholson, Esq; being appointed Lieutenant-Governor under the Lord Effingham, arrived there. This Gentleman discoursed freely of Country Improvements, instituted public Exercises, and gave Prizes to all those, that should excel in the Exercises of Riding, Running, Shooting, Wrestling, and Cudgeling. When the Design of a College was communicated to him, he promised it all imaginable Encouragement.

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§. [1]34. Anno 1691, an Assembly being called

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The Assembly was so fond of Governor Nicholson at that Time, that they presented him with the Sum of three hundred Pounds, as a Testimony of their good Disposition towards him. But he having an Instruction to receive no Present from the Country, they drew up an Address to their Majesties, praying that he might have leave to accept it, which was granted, and he gave one half thereof to the College.

§. 137. Their Majesties were well pleased with that pious Design of the Plantation, and granted a Charter, according to the Desire of Mr. Blair, their Agent. . . .

It was a great Satisfaction to the Archbishops and Bishops to see such a Nursery of Religion founded in that new World; especially for that it was begun in an Episcopal Way, and carried on wholly by zealous Conformists to the Church of England.

§. 138. In this first Assembly, Lieutenant-Governor Nicholson pass'd Acts for Encouragement of the Linen Manufacture, and to promote the

Leather Trade, by Tanning, Currying, and Shoe-making. He also in that Session pass'd a Law for Cohabitation, and Improvement of Trade. Before the next Assembly he tack'd about, and was quite the Reverse of what he was in the first as to Cohabitation. Instead of encouraging Ports and Towns, he spread abroad his dislike of them; and went among the People, finding Fault with those Things, which he and the Assembly had unanimously agreed upon the preceding Session. Such a violent Change there was in him, that it proceeded from some other Cause, than barely the Inconstancy of his Temper. He had receiv'd Directions. from those English Merchants, who well knew that Cohabitation would lessen their consign'd Trade.

§. 139. In February, 1692, Sir Edmund Andros arrived Governor. He began his Government with an Assembly, which overthrew the good Design of Ports and Towns: But the Ground-work of this Proceeding, was laid before Sir Edmund's Arrival. However, this Assembly proceeded no farther, than to suspend the Law, till their Majesties Pleasure should be known. But it seems the Merchants in London were dissatisfied, and made public Complaints against it, which their Majesties were pleased to hear; and afterwards refer'd the Law back to the Assembly again, to consider, if it were suitable to the Circumstances of the Country, and to regulate it accordingly. But the Assembly did not then proceed any farther in it; the People themselves being infected by the Merchants Letters.

§. 140. At this Session Mr. Neal's Project for a Post-Office, and his Patent of Post-Master-General in those Parts of America, were presented. The Assembly made an Act to promote that Design; but by reason of the inconvenient Distance of their Habitations, and want of Towns, this Project fell to nothing.

§. 142. Sir Edmund Andros was a great Encourager of Manufactures. In his Time Fulling-Mills were set up by Act of Assembly. He also gave particular Marks of his Favour towards the propagating of Cotton, which since his Time has been much neglected. He was likewise a great Lover of Method, and Dispatch in all Sorts of Business, which made him find. Fault with the Management of the Secretaries Office. And, indeed, with very good Reason; for from the Time of Bacon's Rebellion, till then, there never was any Office in the World more negligently kept. Several Patents of Land were enter'd Blank upon Record; many original Patents, Records, and Deeds of Land, with other Matters of great Consequence, were thrown loose about the Office, and suffer'd to be dirtied, torn, and

eaten by the Moths, and other Insects. But upon this Gentleman's Accession to the Government, he immediately gave Directions, to reform all these Irregularities; he caused the loose and torn Records of Value to be transcribed into new Books; and order'd Conveniences to be built within the Office, for preserving the Records from being lost and confounded, as before. He prescribed Methods to keep the Papers dry and clean, and to reduce them into such Order, as that any thing might be turn'd to immediately. But all these Conveniences were burnt soon after they were finished, in October, 1698, together with the Office itself, and the whole State-house. But his Diligence was so great in that Affair, that tho' his Stay afterward in the Country was very short; yet he caused all the Records, and Papers, which had been sav'd from the Fire, to be sorted again, and Register'd in Order, and indeed in much better Order, than ever they had been before. In this Condition he left 'em at his quitting the Government.

He made several Offers to rebuild the State-house in the same Place ; and had his Government continued but six Months longer, 'tis probable he would have effected it after such a Manner, as might have been least burthensome to the People, designing the greatest Part at his own Cost. . . .

§. 145. In November, 1698. Francis Nicholson, Esq; was removed from Maryland, to be Governor of Virginia. But he went not then with that Smoothness on his Brow, he had carry'd with him when he was appointed Lieutenant-Governour. He talk'd then no more of improving of Manufactures, Towns, and Trade. But instead of encouraging the Manufactures, he sent over inhuman Memorials against them, opposite to all Reason. In one of these, he remonstrates, That the Tobacco of that Country often bears so low a Price, that it would not yield Cloaths to the People that make it; and yet presently after, in the same Memorial, he recommends it to the Parliament, to pass an Act, forbidding the Plantations to make their own Cloathing; which, in other Words, is desiring a charitable Law, that the Planters shall go naked. In a late Memorial concerted between him and his Creature Col. Quarrey, 'tis most humbly proposed, That all the English Colonies on the Continent of North America, be reduced under one Government, and under one Vice-Roy; and that a standing Army be there kept on foot, to subdue the Queen's Enemies; surmising that they were intending to set up for themselves.

§. 146. Soon after his Accession to the Government, he procured

the Assembly, and Courts of Judicature, to be remov'd from James Town, where there were good Accommodations for People, to Middle Plantation, where there were none. There he flatter'd himself with the fond Imagination, of being the Founder of a new City. He mark'd out the Streets in many Places, so as that they might represent the Figure of a W, in Memory of his late Majesty King William, after whose Name the Town was call'd Williamsburgh. There he procur'd a stately Fabrick to be erected, which he placed opposite to the College, and graced it with the magnificent Name of the Capitol.

§. 147. In the 2a Year of this Gentleman's Government; there happen'd an Adventure very fortunate for him, which gave him much credit; and that was the taking of a Pyrate within the Capes of that Country. . . .

§. 148. This Governor likewise gain'd some Reputation by another Instance of his Management, whereby he let the World know, the violent Passion he had to publish his own Fame.

To get Honour in New-York, he had zealously recommended to the Court of England, the necessity that Virginia shou'd contribute a certain Quota of Men, or else a Sum of Money, towards the building, and maintaining a Fort at New-York. The Reason he gave for this, was, because New-York was their Barrier, and as such it was but Justice, they shou'd help to defend it. This was by Order of his late Majesty King William proposed to the Assembly: But upon the most solid Reasons, they humbly remonstrated, That neither the Forts then in being, nor any other that might be built in the Province of New-York, cou'd in the least avail to the Defence and Security of Virginia; for that either the French, or the Northern Indians might invade that Colony, and not come within an hundred Miles of any such Fort. . . .

§. 149. Neither was he contented to spread abroad this Untruth there; but he also foisted it into a Memorial of Col. Quarry's to the Council of Trade. . . .

Certainly his Excellency, and Col. Quarry, by whose joint Wisdom and Sincerity this Memorial was composed, must believe that the Council of Trade have very imperfect Intelligence, how Matters pass in that Part of the World, or else they would not presume to impose such a Banter upon them.

But this is nothing, if compar'd to some other Passages of that unjust Representation, wherein they took upon them to describe the People of Virginia, to be both numerous and rich, of Republican Notions and Principles, such as ought to be corrected, and lower'd in time; and that

then, or never was the Time to maintain the Queen's Prerogative, and put a stop to those wrong pernicious Notions, which were improving daily, not only in Virginia, but in all her Majesty's other Governments. A Frown now from her Majesty, will do more than an Army hereafter, &c.

With those inhuman false Imputations, did those Gentlemen afterwards introduce the Necessity of a standing Army.

§. 150. Thus did this Gentleman continue to rule till August 1705. . . . [Robert Beverly], The History of Virginia (London, 1722), 87-97 passim.

34. Report of an Investigating Agent in Carolina

(1699)

BY EDWARD RANDOLPH

Randolph was sent over by the king as a special agent to investigate the manner in which the colonies carried out the British laws. - Bibliography: Winsor, Narrative and Critical History, V, ch. v; Channing and Hart, Guide, § 102; Contemporaries, I, No. 133. - For previous history of the Carolinas, see Contemporaries, I, ch. xii.

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FTER a dangerous voyage at Sea, I landed at Charles Town, in the Province of So. Carolina, & soon after my arrival, I administered the Oath to M'. Jos. Blake, one of the Proprietors & Governor of this Province. But he is not allowed of by his Matys. Order in Council to be Gov., the Act of Parl'. for preventing frauds being not taken notice of by the Proprietors.

There are but few settled Inhabitants in this Province, the Lords have taken up vast tracts of lands for their own use, as in Colleton County & other places, where the land is most commodious for settlement, which prevents peopling the place, & makes them less capable to preserve themselves. As to their civil Govern'., 'tis different from what I have met with in the other Proprieties. Their Militia is not above 1500 Soldiers White men, but have thro' the Province generally 4 Negroes to I White man, & not above 1100 families, English & French.

Their Chief Town is Charles Town, and the seat of Govt. in this Province, where the Governor, Council & Triennial Parliam'. set, & their Courts are holden, being above a league distance from the entrance to their harbour mouth, weh. is barred, & not above 17 foot water at the highest tide, but very difficult to come in. The Harbour is called by the Spaniards, St. George; it lyes 75 leagues to the Northward of

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