Canada -- Description and travel; Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France); Indians of North America -- Canada
deferred for future consideration, every portion of this new
Constitution that appeared unsuitable to their condition, alleging that
its provisions were in violation of the promises that had induced them
to adopt the country.
Carolina for a long time progressed but slowly. The colonists had no
fixed religion,[362] and their general morals and industry were very
indifferent. They drew largely upon the resources of the proprietors
without giving any return, and when at length that supply was stopped,
they resorted to every idle and iniquitous mode of raising funds. They
hunted the Indians, and sold them as slaves to the West Indies, and
their sea-ports became the resort of pirates. These atrocious and
ruinous pursuits soon reduced them to a state of miserable poverty, and
the baneful influence of a series of profligate governors completed the
mischief. One of these, named Sette Sothel,[363] was especially
conspicuous for rapacity and injustice. (1683.) His misrule at length
goaded the people into insurrection; they seized him, and were about to
send him as a prisoner to England, but released him on a promise of
renouncing the government, and leaving the colony for a time. After
these and some other commotions, they succeeded in re-establishing their
ancient charter in its original simplicity.
Carolina now began to improve rapidly, from the influx of a large and
valuable immigration. The religious freedom that had been secured under
the old charter was continued unrestricted even under Mr. Locke's
complicated Constitution. Many Puritans flocked in from Britain to seek
refuge from the persecutions of Charles II., and by their steadiness
and industry soon attained considerable wealth. New England had also
furnished her share to the new settlement of useful and energetic men
who had been expelled by her Calvinistic intolerance. But the
narrow-minded jealousy of the original emigrants soon interrupted the
prosperity of the colony. Under the hypocritical plea of zeal for the
Church of England, to which their conduct and morals were a scandal,
they obtained, by violent means, a majority of one in the Assembly, and
expelled all dissenters from the Legislature and government. They even
passed a law to depose all sectarian clergy, and devote their churches
to the services of the established religion. The oppressed Dissenters
appealed to the British Parliament for protection. In the year 1705, an
address was voted to the queen by the House of Commons, declaring the
injustice of these acts, but nothing was done to relieve the colony till
in 1721, when the people rose in insurrection, established a provisional
government, and prayed that the king, George I., would himself undertake
their rule. He granted their petition, and soon afterward purchased the
rights of the proprietors. (1727.)[364]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account