An Historical Account of the Rise and Progress of the Colonies of South Carolina and Georgia, Volume 1Hewatt, Alexander
History
An Historical Account of the Rise and Progress of the Colonies of South Carolina and Georgia, Volume 1
Hewatt, Alexander
Georgia -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775; South Carolina -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
This memorial, however, was far from satisfying the Proprietors, some of
whom inferred from it, that the people seemed to be industrious in
searching for causes of dissatisfaction, and grounds of quarrel with
them, with a view to shake off the proprietary authority, and renounce
their allegiance. Their letters from Trott served to confirm the truth,
which intimated that Yonge, though an officer of the Proprietors, by mean
subtilty and chicane had assisted the people in forming plausible
pretences for that purpose. For three months Yonge attended the
Palatine's court, to give the board all possible information about the
state of affairs in their colony, and to accomplish the ends of his
appointment. After all, he was given to understand, that the business on
which he was sent was extremely disagreeable to them; that both the
trouble he had taken, and the office he had accepted as agent for the
people, were inconsistent with his duty as one of their deputies, bound
to act agreeable to their instructions. They declared their displeasure
with the members of the council who had joined the lower house in their
complaints against Trott and removed them from the board, appointing
others in their place, and increasing the number of members; and told
Yonge, that he also would have been deprived of his seat but for the high
respect they had for Lord Cartaret the absent Palatine, whose deputy he
was. With respect to Chief Justice Trott, they had too much confidence in
his fidelity and capacity to remove him from his office. On the contrary,
they sent him a letter, thanking him for his excellent speech in defence
of their right of repealing all laws made in the colony; together with a
copy of the articles of complaint brought against him, on purpose to give
him an opportunity of vindicating himself; at the same time acquainting
him, that it was their opinion and order, that he withdraw from the
council-board whenever appeals from his judgments in the inferior courts
shall be brought before the Governor and council as a court of chancery.
[Sidenote] And letter to the governor.
How far Governor Johnson, in their opinion, had deviated from his duty,
in joining the other branches of the legislature in their representation,
may be learned from the Proprietors letter, brought over to him by Yonge,
which runs in the following words: "Sir, we have received and perused
your letters and all your papers, delivered us by your agent Mr. Yonge;
and though we are favourably inclined in all our thoughts relating to our
Governor, yet we must tell you, we think you have not obeyed the orders
and directions given you to dissolve that assembly and call another
forthwith, according to the ancient usage and custom of the province, and
to publish our repeals of the acts of assembly immediately upon the
receipt of our orders aforesaid; but we shall say no more on that subject
now, not doubting but our Governor will pay more punctual obedience to
our orders for the future.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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