USA > North Carolina > The history of North Carolina from the earliest period, Volume II > Part 1
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Gc 975.6 M36h v. 2 1686595
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02419 1352
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA.
THE
HISTORY
OF
NORTH CAROLINA.
FROM THE EARLIEST PERIOD.
BY FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARTIN.
Colonia autem jura, institutaque populi Romani, non sui arbitrii habebant.
GEL. lib. 16, cap. 28.
V. 2 VOLUME II.
NEW ORLEANS:
PRINTED BY A. T. PENNIMAN & CO. Corner of Chartres aud Bienville Streets.
1829.
..
1686595
Eastern District of Louisiana, ss.
BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine. and of the independence of the United States the fifty-third, FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARTIN, of the said district, hath deposited in the Clerk's office for the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Louisiana, the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as author, to wit;
"The History of North Carolina, from the earliest period. By François-Xavier Martin.
Colonia autem jura, institutaque populi Romani, non sui arbitrit, habebant.
GEL. lib. 16, cap. 23,
In conformity to an act of Congress of the United States, entitled " An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therem mentioned;" and also, to the act entitled " An act sup- plementary to an act, entitled ' an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned,' and ex- tending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving and etching historical and other prints."
FRANKLIN W. LEA, Clerk of the United Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/historyofnorthca02mart
pages 411-417 mwsoon.
NORTH CAROLINA HISTORY.
North Carolina feels the loss of ruanu- serp's bearing upon the history of that Saate, and an effort is now ranking to pre- rant Further disasters of the sort. The peo- : pi : are confident that the Old North State has suffered because the record has been in- perfectly preserved so than the real worth of ! her sons and their activities have been only partially recited. Particularly is there re- gret that the authennaty of the Mecklen- bug declaration of independence is doubted, an incident which shows so much glory upon the manals of that commonwealth.
There are important records on file in London respecting North Carolina history, and it is proposed to have these manuscripts . icried. The trustees of the state library, Uf permitted to do so. will undertako the publication of descriptions of events which have ill uminared the course of the State, or been leterminetive of its history. The col- iretion of these documents would be a work which the State conkl accomplish without grat cost, and which later generations Would find of higher valute than any repre- sented by the mere outlay involved.
One of the trustees of the library has sug- gevied that the material be published in four par's or volumes, as follows: The drst part wouldgive the council journal under the propuestas government from 1712 to 1729, amat the council journal under the royal 57Amis Burrington ant Johnston from ITFito 1754. No journal is found as yet of the rines house of the colonial legislature Prior to 1.54. The second volume would cover Governor Arthur Dobb's administra- tion fruit 1754 to 1705. The third part would Live the story of William Tryon's adminis- tration from 17/5 to 1771, and be comprised of connell aud legislative journals and the governor's letter book, and the last volume would take up Governor Josiah Martin's Miministration, 1771 to 1778, presenting the journals of the two houses of the colonial legslatare of the governor's council, the jouranis of several provincial congresses, of the Wilmington committee of satety, and also liters of Governor Martin.
The writer of a town or city history a constituency that extends th udout the country. The compiler of Hamel documents is domy service to putting the endto endntr ; under by preserving and publishing
Muro are important records on file in Lados respecting North Carolina history, trois of proposed to have these manuscripts
: 1. The treaters of the star library, : united to do so, will undertake the medication of descriptions of events which have itinafinared the course of the Store, or buon determinative of its history. The col- benend of these documents would be a work which the State could ar wieich without grat erst, and which later generations would find of higher value than any repre- sen ed by the mere ontlav involved,
One of the trustees of the library has sug -. gestell that the fanterial be published in four Paris or volamies, as follows: The first part would give the connoi journal under the proprietory government from 1712 to 1723, and the council journal under the royal governors Barrington and Johnston from Nu jurnal is round as yet of or the colonial legislature 11: 10 354. The second volume would (ver Governor Arthur Dobl's administra- tas ir puisse to log. The third part would . give the story of William Tryon's adminis- rrarien from Ifco to Lift, and be comprised of oubefand legislative journals and the governor's letter book, and the last volume would take up Governor Josiah Martin's administration, 1771 to 1776, presenting the journais of the two houses of the colonial legislature of the governor's council. the journals of several provincial congresses, of the Wilmington committee of safety, and also letters of Governor Martin.
The writer of a town or city history addresses a constituency that extends throughout the country. The compiler of historical documents is doing service to every State as well as his own. North Caro- lina will be putting the entire country under obligation by preserving and publishing manuscripts which will throw light upon the earlier life of that part of the Union. . Is The years go on, and the living witness fails, tho testimony of the written or privred page must be relied upon. The historian, who is hut content with superficial work, is dis- tressed when a break in the testimony The opportunity for conferring a genuine benefit is offered North Carolina, and it is to be hoped that the wise sugges- thomas of its citizens will be adopted in the matter of perfecting the records of the State.
1
THE
HISTORY
OF NORTH CAROLINA.
CHAPTER I.
CAROLINA, on its becoming the property of the crown, was divided into two distinct provinces, and on the 29th of April, 1730, George Burrington, who a few years before, had presided over the northern part of the province, under the authority of the lords proprietors, was appointed governor of North Car- olina. He did not reach his government till the middle of the month of February; Sir Richard Eve- rard yielded him the supreme authority without any struggle, and he qualified at Edenton on the 25th. None of the former officers were continued. Wil- liam Smith was appointed chief justice, Nathaniel Rice, secretary, Edmund Porter, judge of the ad- miralty, John Montgomery, attorney general, and Robert Holton, provost marshal. Those officers were named as councellors, in the governor's com- mission. John Palin, Joseph Jenoure, John Bap- dist Ashe, Cornelius Harnett, John Lovick, Edmund Gale and Mathew Rowan were either named with them in the same instrument, or called into the king's council, during Burrington's administration.
His instructions provided, that three members of the king's council should constitute a quorum; they required him, in case of a vacancy, to forward with N. CARO, !I, 1
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CHAPTER [1730
the information of it, the names of a number of res- pectable planters, whom he might deem proper persons to fill it; but, in case the board was reduc- ed to less than seven members, they authorized him, with the advice of the council, to fill vacancies, until that number was complete. He had power to suspend any member of the council, on just cause, from his seat at the board, until the king's pleasure was known; to grant reprieves in cases of treason, and pardons for all other offences, and to collate to all ecclesiastical benefices.
He was directed, with the advice of the council, to call assemblies of the freeholders of the prov- ince, according to former usage, and authori- sed, with their consent and that of the council, to- exercise legislative powers: but the provincial acts were to be transmitted to the king in council for his revision, and on his disallowance they were to cease having any force.
With the assent of the council, he was also em- powered to establish courts of justice, fairs and markets, and to dispose of vacant lands.
The governor and council were authorized to hold a court of error, and take cognizance of all suits, in which the matter in dispute exceeded in value the sum of one hundred pounds, and from them an appeal lay to the king in council, in Eng- land, if it exceeded three hundred pounds sterling.
The lords of the admiralty had granted to gov- ernor Burrington a commission of vice-admiral in the province.
The vice-admiral, members of the council, commanders of the king's ships in the province,
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THE FIRST.
chief-justice, judge of the vice-admiralty, secretary, receiver and surveyor-general, were constituted a court for the trial of pirates.
The prosperity of the king's new acquisition depending in a great degree on the tranquility of its inhabitants, it had been judged by the British ministry, an object of primary importance to secure the friendship of the nations of Indians, by whom there was most reason to apprehend it might be disturbed. For this purpose Sir Alexander Cum- ming was sent to conclude a treaty of alliance with the Cherokees. at that time a warlike and formida- ble nation. They occupied the land on the back part of the settlements of both the Carolinas, to- wards the Appalachean mountains. The country they claimed as their hunting grounds was of im- mense extent, and the boundaries of it had never been ascertained. The inhabitants of their differ- ent towns were computed to amount to more than twenty thousand, six thousand of whom were war- riors, fit to take the field on any emergency. An alliance, with this nation, was an object of impor- tance to the Carolinas, and likewise to the mother country, who now engaged their protection and de- fence. Sir Alexander arrived at Charleston about the same time that governor Burrington reached Edenton. He lost no time, and in a few weeks after met the chiefs of the Cherokee lower towns, at Keowee; they received him with marks of friedship and esteem. Messengers were immedi- ately sent to the towns in the middle, valley and over hill settlements to summon a general meeting of the chiefs, for the purpose of holding a congress
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with Sir Alexander, in the month of April, at Requassee.
Immediately after his qualification, governor Bur- rington issued a proclamation for convening the first legislative assembly of the province, under the immediate authority of the crown. They were called at Edenton, and required to meet on the 13th of April, 1731. With a view to secure the friendship of the Indians, who were immediately on the western frontier of his government, he sent John Brikell, a physician, to meet them. The doc- tor sat off in the latter part of February from Eden- ton, attended by a company of ten men and two Indians as huntsmen and interpreters .. The detail of his journey affords an accurate idea of the state of the country, at that time. He had provided him- self with fire arms, ammunition, horses. two mari- ner's compasses. rum. salt, pepper, Indian corn. and other necessaries. After they had passed the plan- tations of the whites. they camped every evening an hour before sunset, tied their horses to trees, which they made the Indians climb up to procure a sufficient quantity of moss for the horses, and to make beds for the men. They then sent the Indians to hunt, and, in the mean while, made a large fire of broken limbs of trees, which they found plentifully scattered through the woods; they piled them up, in order to continue burning all night, to prevent wild beasts or pernicious insects from" approaching them or their horses.
As soon as the Indians had discharged one or two shots, and given signal of their success by hallow- ing, some of the party were despatched to their as-
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1780]
THE FIRST.
sistance to bring to the camp the game they had kill d: and they seldom returned without more then a sufficient quantity of venison, wild turkeys and other game, for the support of the whole company. When thus supplied with meat, they roasted and · boiled a portion of it for supper, parched some Indian corn to serve instead of bread, and sat down to their meal with good appetite, whetted by the keen air; their tables, dishes and plates being the bark of trees. Supper being over they made a large gourdful of punch, and, when disposed to rest. lay on beds of moss near the fire, the company keeping a constant watch by turns, every four hours. After a journey of fifteen days, they reached the foot of the mountains, without having met any hu- man being on their way, since they had left the set- tlements of the white people. On their approach, they were discovered by a party of the Iroquois Indians, a powerful nation, continually at war, and wandering between the gulf of Mexico and the river St. Lawrence. As soon as they perceived the doctor's party they disappeared, and gave no- tice to their chief, who despatched one of his cap- tains, painted as red as vermillion, with a strong guard, armed with bows and arrows. When the party came in sight of the doctor's camp, which was in the middle of a large savannah, they halted, and the leader, attended by one Indian, advanced, holding a green bough in his hand. He gave the doctor to understand that he was sent by his chief, who desired to know whether the white people came for peace or war, or what other business had brought them hither. The doctor informed him.
[1790
CHAPTER
through one of his interpreters, that his views were / friendly, that be had no other object than to culti- vate a good understanding and view the country. On receiving this answer he sat down and despatch- ed the Indian, who had approached with him, to convey the doctor's answer to the chief. The doctor regaled his guest with punch, and made him a present of a few toys, with which he appeared much pleased. On the return of the Indian, his messenger, he went to meet him at a small distance, and receiving bis message, returned to inform the doctor, that it was the wish of the chief that his party would pay him a visit, assuring them of his friendship. The doctor and his men were w first unwilling to comply, fearing some untoward coase- quence might attend the acceptance of this invita- tion: at length, encouraged by the assurances their guest gave them of the sincerity of the chief's friend- ship, they consented to visit him, determined on de- fending themselves to the last extremity, in case any violence was offered. They marched, attended by all the Indians that had come out, and towards six o'clock reached the Indian town, and were con- ducted to the state house, where the chief and his war captains were met to receive them. On their entering they all rose, and the chief placed the doctor near him: he enquired into the motives of the journey of his party, and after the health of his brother, meaning the governor of the whites. On receiving the doctor's answer, he welcomed him and his companions, shaking every one of them by the hand, assuring them of his great regard, and of the friendship he entertained for their nation.
1730]
THE FIRST.
Some punch was made for the chief and his cap- tains, and a few knives and glass beads were pre- sented him. which proved so highly acceptable that he gave orders to all his people to treat his guests in the most friendly manner, and supply them with whatever they had occasion for, while they chose to tarry among them: they were conducted to one of the chief's houses, which had been pre- pared for their reception, where they lay upon benches, covered with bear-skins. The Indians took particular care of their horses, and supplied the doctor and his men, with venison, wild fowls, fisb, various kinds of dried fruit, pulse and water, no stronger liquor being to be met among these people.
The chief's houses were in the center of the town; the rest of the buildings being erected in a confused order, without any regular streets, shops. or any handicraft trade being found among men.
The news of the arrival of the doctor, brought a number of men and women around him, and, also, boys and girls, who were stark naked. These would come to the white people, touch their clothes and gaze on them, with admiration and wonder.
The chief endeavored to amuse his guests, by making men and women dance before them, and the lads shoot with bows and arrows, and perform their warlike exercises. The doctor finding him- self in favor with his host,- requested a sight of his quiogoson, or chamel house, and was indulged; he observed it was the largest he had ever beheld.
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CHAPTER [1750
Having spent two days in town, the doctor beg- ged the chief to permit him to depart, which was reluctantly granted; he presented him with a bot- tle of rum, and was forced to accept, in return, some venison, Indian corn and dried fruit. The Indians accompanied their visitors about half a mile out, and took leave, wishing them health, and entreating them to call again, on their return. The: party proceeded westwardly, and at eve, reached the top of a high mountain, where they halted. They found it difficult to provide, for their horses, the moss, which had, hitherto, nourished them, not being to be found on the mountains. They made a large fire, and gathering the withered leaves together for their beds, went to sleep. The next morning, they started very early, and setting forward, they reached, at eve, the western side of the first ridge of mountains, and got into an even beautiful valley, adorned with woods and savannahs, of a very rich soil. Here they en- camped that night, after having made the longest day's journey, since their first setting out; for the country they had traversed was barren, and destitute of run- ning water, having met none but what was found by chance, in the hollow parts of the rocks, which was so bad that the horses would not drink it. The next morning, they set forward, with great cheerfulness, having plenty of water and all kinds of provisions. They met with an Indian in the woods, who, as soon as he espied the party, fled. and, notwithstanding they endeavored, by calling him, and making signs, to in- to induce him to stop, he soon disappeared. After
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THE FIRST.
two days' journey, they reached another ridge of rocky mountains, with large trees in several places, and little or no pasture, like the former; much higher, and having a beautiful prospect of large woods and forests, as far as the sight could extend: hence, they returned eastwardly and, in thirty two days, reached the settlements of the white people.
Early in the month of April, the chief warriors of the Cherokee towns met Sir Alexander Cumming, at the place appointed, and acknowledged king George, for their sovereign lord, and, on their knees, promised fidelity and obedience to him. Sir Alexander, by their unanimous consent, appointed Moytoy, comman- der in chief of the Cherokee nation, and the warriors of the different tribes, acknowledged him for their king, and promised to be accountable to him, for their conduct. Sir Alexander made several useful presents to the Indians, and the congress broke up to the sat- isfaction of all. The crown, or diadem of the nation, which consisted of five eagle-tails and four scalps of their enemies, was brought from Tennessee, their chief town, and Moytoy presented it to Sir Alexander, de- siring him, on his return, to lay it at the feet of his sovereign; but at his request, the Indian king deputed six of his warriors to carry it to England, and there do homage with it to the king. They accompanied Sir Alexander to Charleston and embarked on board the Fox ship of war.
Governor Burrington met the legislature, according to his proclamation, at Edenton, on the 13th of April. In his speech, at the opening of the session, he inform- ed the house, he had the king's commands to recom-
N. CARO. II. 2
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CHAPTER
[1730
mend it to them, to settle an adequate and permanent revenue on the king and his heirs, for defraying the necessary charges of government in the province; to allow a salary to his governor, suitable to the dignity of his office; to make provision for defraying the ex- penses of the members of the king's council and the house of assembly, and the emoluments and fees of the officers employed in the administration of justice. The lower house did not recognize, in this catalogue of requisitions, any of the advantages, which the people had been taught would attend the change of ownership: they were not prepared to receive it with complacency, and but little attention was paid thereto.
Justice now began to be administered in the king's name, and Cullen Pollock, George Martin and Isaac Hill, were appointed assistant justices of the supreme court. Chief justice Smith did not recognize his American brethren, as persons whose opinions were to have much influence in forming the judgment of the court. He contended that, as his commission gave him "full power to hold the supreme court of the province," he needed no assistant in the exercise of that power. He was willing to allow them to sit on the bench, provided they would confine themselves to yielding their advice, as the master of the rolls and sometimes the chief justice of England assist the lord chancellor. Perhaps, his displeasure arose from their being persons appointed by governor Burrington between whom and himself, a considerable misunder- standing subsisted. The chief justice charged the governor with attempts to screen from punishment. several officers, who had been guilty of great abuse
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THE FIRST. ,
and oppression, under the late administration, and he even insinuated that the governor had shared the profits of their ill practices. -
On the 30th of June, the Fox ship of war, on board of which Sir Alexander Cumming and the six Che- rokce chiefs had embarked, arrived at Dover. - They proceeded to London, were introduced to the king, and laid the regalia of their nation at the foot of the throne. Considerable presents were made to them, of cloth, guns, shot, vermillion, flints, hatchets, knives, &c. They entered into a treaty, by which they submitted themselves and their people, to the sovereignty of the king and his successors: they en- gaged not to suffer their people to trade with any other nation than the English, nor to permit white men of any other nation to build forts or cabins, or plant corn among them ; and, in case any such attempt was made, to give information of it, to the king's gov- ernor, and do whatever he would direct, for the main- tenance and defence of the king's right to the country. They engaged to apprehend runaway negroes and deliver them to their owners or the governor; a gun and watch-coat were agreed to be given them, for every negro they apprehended and brought back. Provision was made for the punishment of any Eng- fishman killing an Indian, and the surrender of any Indian killing an Englishman, was stipulated. They were sent back, in the ship which had brought them, and met their countrymen, with the highest idea of the power and greatness of the English nation, and not a little pleased with the kind and generous treat, ment they received.
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[1731
The animosity which subsisted between chief jus- tice Smith and governor Burrington, continuing to increase, the former, fearing likely at the meeting of the council in the spring of the following year, that the latter would exercise the power he had, of sus- pending him from his seat at that board, sailed for England, with private instructions from the coun- cil, and laid their complaints against the governor, at the foot of the throne.
At the third session of the parliament, which was convened on the accession of George II. to the crown, a statute, of importance to the Carolinas, was passed. Rice having become the principal staple commodity of the southern province, and of that part of the northern which borders on the river Cape Fear, the regulation which required that species of produce to be landed in Great Britair, before it could be shipped to any other part of Europe, had been found extremely burden- some. This commodity, being bulky, could not well bear a double freight, and the circuitous route to which it was confined, before it could reach the countries, in which there was the greatest demand for it, often pre- vented its arrival at market, in as seasonable time, and in as good condition, as that from other places, less distant, and from which, it was more immediately ship- ped. To remedy this evil, permission was granted to the king's subjects, of transporting rice from the Car- olinas, to the ports of Europe, to the southward of cape Finisterre, in vessels built in Great Britain, or owned by the king's subjects, residing there, navi- gated according to law, and clearing out, in any port of Great Britain, for the Carolinas. Persons avail- ing themselves of this facility, were compelled to give
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