USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina V. I, Pt. 1 > Part 27
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New Style
The French invasion
Hardly had President Rowan been qualified before matters of great importance claimed his attention. In view of prob- able encroachments by the French in the interior, the king had directed the governors of the American colonies to be prepared for such an emergency. In possession of Louisiana and of Canada, the French claimed the whole intervening territory, and upon their first movement toward taking pos- session along the western slope of the Alleghanies, the Ohio Company in 1750 sent to North Carolina for Christopher Gist, then at his home on the banks of the Yadkin, where it approaches the Virginia line, and emploved him to visit the Ohio region and make friends of the Indians. Crossing the mountains on the head waters of the Potomac, he went far into the Indian country, breaking the hold of the French upon the tribes there. and the next year he went again to the same region and established the first English settlement
*The shortest day in the year had fallen on December 10th; now by this rectification of the calendar it became December 21st. March 25th was. centuries earlier, the date of the vernal equinox, and hence was originally made the beginning of the new year.
283
GIST VISITS THE OHIO
across the mountains. Governor Dinwiddie now proposed 1754 an embassy to the lakes, and a party was formed consisting of George Washington, an interpreter, two Indian guides, and Gist. On the return, Washington, taking Gist as his sole companion, separated himself from the others and success- fully completed the journey that made him famous, even at that early age. But the French were not to be deterred from C. R., V, 392 their purpose, and speedily invaded western Virginia. To meet them, Governor Dinwiddie proceeded to organize an army, and North Carolina was called on to assist. In March the Assembly voted an aid to the king of £40,000, of which £12,000 was for the purpose of organizing a regiment of seven hundred and fifty men for service in Virginia : several thousand for the construction of forts, and £6,000 for Starkey's public school : and under this act £22,000 of paper money was struck off. At the moment it was thought that Virginia would provide the supplies for these troops, but that province would not furnish the needed provisions, so in view of the larger expense than was at first contemplated the number of men to be enrolled was reduced to two hundred and fifty. President Rowan appointed Innes to the command Innes' regiment 1754 of the regiment : and the other officers were Caleb Granger, lieutenant-colonel: Robert Rowan, major; and captains Thomas Arbuthnot, Edward Vail, Alexander Woodrow, Hugh Waddell, Thomas McManus, and Moses John DeRos- set. At that early period North Carolina learned the lesson that war is largely a question of finance. The northern counties would not circulate the new currency, as they did not recognize the legality of the Assembly, nor would they pay the taxes laid to meet these bills. This currency would not, therefore, pass in Virginia ; so without specie, and our currency being at a great discount abroad, in order to supply these troops the Carolinians drove beef cattle and hogs to Virginia, where they had to be sold at a sacrifice.
Governor Dinwiddie, knowing the capabilities of Colonel Innes, on June 3d tendered him the appointment of com- mander-in-chief of all the forces to be employed against the French. At that time Colonel Innes was in North Carolina superintending the departure of his regiment, but he hastened to the front, and two days after the Great Meadows disaster
C. R., V, 3:3
C. R., V, 125 Innes commander- in-chief
284
DOBBS'S ADMINISTRATION, 1754-65
1751 --
C. R., V, 130-133
reached Winchester, and hurrying on to Wills Creek. took formal command. After that reverse it appeared to Gov- ernor Dinwiddie that the available force was not sufficient to attack the French, who had fifteen hundred men, while Innes had but seven hundred and fifty; and because it was not thought well to advance for the want of provisions, Governor Dinwiddie suggested that the troops be scattered, some being sent to Alexandria and some stationed at Win- chester. The supplies for the North Carolina troops becom- ing exhausted, and Virginia being unwilling to furnish any, on August IIth, at Winchester, the North Carolina regiment was disbanded and sent home, leaving for defence only about one hundred and fifty troops, which Virginia had at the front. Colonel Innes remained in command until October, 1754, when he was superseded by Governor Sharpe. of Maryland, who had been particularly designated by the king to be the commander-in-chief: but although superseded. Innes con- tinued in service as camp master general, completed the con- struction of Fort Cumberland, made treaties with the Indians, and organized the forces.
Decision of the vexed question
While these matters were in progress North Carolina affairs had received attention in London. Upon being in- formed of the death of Governor Johnston, the king, on January 25, 1753, appointed Arthur Dobbs to succeed him.
C. R., IV, 73
Governor Dobbs had apparently been interested in North Carolina matters as early as 1733, and in 1735 had a grant of twelve thousand five hundred acres on Deep River and one for sixty thousand acres on Black River, in New Hanover Precinct. He also had a grant for a large territory between Salisbury and the Catawba Indians, and on these tracts in 1757 there were some seven hundred inhabitants. His inter- est in North Carolina was so active that in 1749 he had co-operated in the movement to have Johnston removed.
Following his appointment, the Board of Trade being directed to prepare instructions, were confronted with the various undecided questions relating to the province that had been so long before them, and which they now took steps to have determined.
C. R., V. 87, 108, 11 3-116
The whole constitution and all the laws of the province were at their instance subjected to a very close examination.
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1. ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, EDENTON
2. ARTHUR DOBBS
3. HUGH WADDELL
4. COURT HOUSE, EDENTON
285
OPINIONS OF LAW OFFICERS
The law officers thought that the usage which had prevailed, 1754 by which the old counties had five representatives, was not . shown to be illegal; but they considered that fifteen might properly be a quorum of the Assembly. In their opinion the C. R., V, 81, king's prerogative extended to the establishment of counties IOS, 113-116 and the incorporation of towns, and fixing their right of representation, and they held that those matters were not within the cognizance of the legislature.
Since fifteen was held a quorum, the Assembly of 1747, which was still in existence, was a legal body, and all its acts were valid until repealed. But the act depriving the northern counties of their five members, it was considered, had been passed by management, precipitation and surprise, and that, together with the act fixing the seat of government and establishing the circuit court was for that reason declared inoperative. In conformity with the recommendation of the law officers, instructions to Governor Dobbs were drawn, di- recting the repeal of all laws establishing counties, and order- ing him to issue charters for counties and for towns and to fix their representation in the Assembly ; and also to repeal all laws establishing places for holding the courts and for a seat of government. Likewise the acts relating to quit rents were repealed, and the rents were again declared to be pay- able only in money ; and also many other laws that had long been in use in the province were now annulled by the king. Indeed, the whole constitution was reformed and the Assembly was shorn of many of the powers it had exercised. Still, the exclusive right to levy taxes remained to that body, and the power now claimed by the Crown to fix the seat of government and establish courts could avail but little if the Assembly would not provide the means to make it effec- tive. Since the acts establishing counties and allowing repre- sentation were annulled and no longer in force, the governor was directed to issue his writ for the election of an Assembly to consist of sixty members, each county having the par- ticular representation which the Crown had fixed and allowed it, being, however, exactly the same as before the act of 1747, except that some counties and towns were overlooked and inadvertently omitted.
About the end of July, 1754, Governor Dobbs sailed from
Instructions to Governor Dobbs C. R., V. 1107
286
DOBBS'S ADMINISTRATION, 1754-65
1754
C R., V, 161 Population
England, and reached Virginia after a voyage of ten weeks. For more than a month he was engaged in arranging with Governor Dinwiddie and Governor Sharpe of Maryland the details of a plan of campaign against the French, and he reached New Bern only at the close of October. Immedi- ately on arriving he proceeded to make himself acquainted with the affairs of the province, and called for a militia return. As indicating the extension of population at that time, Bertie reported 720 men for military duty ; Northamp- ton, 737 men, which was thought to be 200 short : Edge- combe, 1317 ; Granville. 734; Orange, 490 ; Anson, 790 ; and Rowan, 996. At Wilmington. Governor Dobbs found seventy families and at Brunswick twenty. There were six- teen vessels in the Cape Fear River, while it was estimated that one hundred came in annually. Eighteen feet of water was reported at the bar. At Wilmington a good town house had been built, and a brick church stood ready for the roof ; while at Brunswick the church, also of brick, was not quite so far advanced. Forts had been begun below Brunswick, at Ocracoke and at Beaufort.
C. R., V, 153
The Indian inhabitants C. R., V, 161,321
The Indian war being in progress,* particular inquiries were made as to the location of Indians in North Carolina. In Bertie County there were reported a hundred warriors of the Tuscaroras and two hundred women and children. In Chowan, two men and three women and two children. In Granville County there were the Saponas, with fourteen men and fourteen women. The Meherrins had seven or eight fighting men in Northampton. The report concludes : "These are all the Indians except about eight or ten Mattamuskeet Indians, and as many on the islands or banks, a total of twenty." The reports of the colonel of Bladen County and of Captain William Davis, who had a troop of light horse, both said "no Indians" in that county. Colonel Rutherford of that county, who was also the receiver-general, added this mem- orandum: "Drowning Creek, on the head of Little Peedee, fifty families, a mixed crew, a lawless people, possess the
*At the first session of the general court for the southern counties. including Rowan, after the arrival of Governor Dobbs, the grand jury. in an address to him. stated that seventeen persons had been murdered and ten carried off by the Indian enemy.
287
REPORTS ON INDIAN INHABITANTS
lands without patent or paying quit rents ; shot a surveyor for coming to view vacant lands, being enclosed in great swamps. Quakers to attend musters or pay as in the northern counties." These reports show that there were no Indians there, but that some fifty families of mixed blood had settled themselves on Drowning Creek. These doubtless were the same people who in more recent times have been called Croa- tan Indians. Their origin is obscure, but probably they came up from South Carolina-"a mixed crew." Quakers had settled at Carver's Creek as early as 1740.
Governor Dobbs on his arrival issued a proclamation dis- solving the Assembly of 1747, and calling for the election of new members. His writs were directed to all the counties conformably to his instructions, and five members were once more returned from the northern counties. Thus the end had come of the "Long Assembly," and the northern counties rejoiced in their right to send five representatives, while the new counties had but two.
When the new Assembly convened, in December, 1754, the C. R., V, 154 animosities that had so long existed between the sections had not subsided, and for speaker there was a tie vote, the candidates being Sam Swann, the speaker of the last Assembly, and John Campbell, who respectively represented the warring factions. Some of the northern members had Campbell speaker not then come in, while Swann had no hope of any consider- able accessions to his supporters, and so, realizing his defeat, he withdrew from the contest and Campbell was unanimously chosen. In their reply to the governor's address the Assembly said: "We shall endeavor to obliterate the remembrance of our former contests and the ill consequences that attended them ;" and in an address to his Majesty they re- turned their sincere thanks that he had been pleased "to examine the constitution of the province and to repeal several laws repugnant thereto, whereby the people, by your Majesty's favor, are restored to their ancient rights and priv- ileges, and the contests which subsisted among us are happily terminated."
After Governor Burrington's time the governors had kept their instructions private, except such as were particularly intended to be made public. Governor Dobbs now laid before
1754
The Croatans
The unarmed rebellion successful
C. R., V, 213, 249, 254
288
DOBBS'S ADMINISTRATION, 1754-65
1754
the Assembly his instructions claiming for the king the right to select a place for the seat of government and to designate the places at which courts should be held. Although this was in derogation of the long-established power of the legis- lature, the Assembly without making any point of it con- formed its action to the king's command, and when consider- ing a bill establishing supreme courts of justice, requested the governor to designate the several places where he would appoint the courts to be held. The governor designated New Bern and Edenton for the counties near those towns ; Enfield for Northampton, Edgecombe and Granville; Salis- bury for Rowan, Orange and Anson, and Wilmington for the Cape Fear counties. Thus a new court law was passed in 1754.
Court law
In regard to the repeal of the acts establishing counties, the Assembly requested the governor to solicit the king not Counties and towns re- established to repeal them because of the many inconveniences that would ensue, and further, that he would allow the Assembly to continue to establish new counties, reserving to the king the power of granting charters to towns, establishing fairs and appointing places for holding courts of justice. Agree- ably to this request, the governor recommended to the Board of Trade that the desire of the Assembly should be complied with, and in June, 1755, additional instructions were given, C. R., V, 406 allowing the Assembly to re-enact all laws establishing counties and towns, provided that they should contain no clause allowing representation, as that was to be the exclusive right of the king.
C. R., V, 342 Tower Hill as site for capitol
For the seat of government the governor selected a site at Tower Hill, near Stringer's Ferry, on the Neuse, but he had been instructed not to definitely locate it except after consultation with the Assembly. In 1756 he brought that site to the attention of the legislature, and a committee was appointed to examine and report upon it, which they did favorably.
Governor Dobbs also communicated to the Assembly a proposition from George Vaughan, of Lisbon, Ireland, who had called his nephew, John Sampson, home from Duplin County and arranged the details of a plan to trans- port immigrants to that county, and had purchased a ship
.
289
FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
for that purpose, and also to engage in trade, with a view of creating a fund for the establishment of a seminary, with the expectation that the Assembly would lay a tax on all the negroes in the province to increase it: but the Assembly did not act upon the subject of the seminary. On the contrary, the £6,000 then in hand to establish a public school was diverted for purposes of defence.
The war had been conducted with but ill success, and now a company of one hundred men was raised to serve at the north for a year and ten months, and fifty men were enlisted to defend the western part of the province. Of the former, the governor's son, Edward Brice Dobbs, an officer of the British army who had accompanied his father, was appointed the captain, and that company joined the army in Virginia, then under the command of General Braddock. General 1755 Braddock was sent from England with several British regi- ments and was invested with supreme command of military affairs in the colonies. He led his forces into the mountains near Fort Duquesne, where on July oth he suffered a terrible defeat, himself being killed. Captain Dobbs's company was fortunately not in this disastrous engagement, being with Colonel Dunbar, at that time scouting in the woods. After this defeat, Colonel Dunbar, who succeeded to the command, precipitately withdrew to Philadelphia, leaving Colonel Innes in command at Wills Creek, and the North Carolina com- pany remained there with him on the frontier. However, during the summer Colonel Innes, being very much dissatis- fied with his situation and the management of affairs, re- signed and returned home.
On our own western frontier some of the Indians had become hostile. in one settlement having slain some fifteen persons and carried off captive about an equal number. They ranged at will through the frontier settlements and caused much apprehension in the western districts. To arrest them, Captain Waddell, with a company of frontiersmen, scouted along the mountains.
In the summer of that year, 1755, Governor Dobbs visited the western part of the province, passing through Salisbury, which then consisted of seven or eight log houses and the court-house. He viewed his extensive tract of land in that
1755
The French and Indian war
The frontier
10
290
DOBBS'S ADMINISTRATION, 1754-65
1755 C. R., V. 355, 356 Dobbs visits the West
vicinity, lying on Rocky River and its branches, which had been patented in 1746, and he found seventy-five families located on it. He visited between thirty and forty of them, each having from five to ten children, who went barefooted and with a single garment in warm weather ; while no woman wore more than two thin garments. They were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, who had settled together in order to have a teacher of their own opinions and choice. Besides, there were twenty-two families of Germans or Swiss, all industri- ous. They raised horses, cows, hogs and sheep ; Indian corn, wheat, barley, rye and oats ; made good butter and tolerable cheese, and had made good success with indigo. Captain Waddell was then on the frontier, and Governor Dobbs selected an eminence with good springs on Third Creek for a fort of refuge for the settlers, which was afterward begun by the people and finished by direction of the Assembly. It was named Fort Dobbs in his honor. The southern Indians, however, remained faithful to the whites, and the troubles at that time were soon quieted.
C. R., V, 357
1753 Moravians
C. R., V, 1148
Clewell, Hist. of Wachovia
Weeks, Press of North Carolina in Eighteenth Century, 16
In November, 1753, the Moravians, coming by way of Winchester and Saura Gap, made their first settlement on the land Bishop Spangenberg had purchased on the Yadkin, calling it Bethabara. The hostile Indians at the north now drove many settlers from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, where they located on Muddy Creek, South Fork, and neigh- boring streams. Many also stopped at Bethabara. For pro- tection against the Indians the Moravians enclosed their mill and settlement with palisades, but they were not interfered with. In 1758. many Cherokees and Catawbas, going north to aid the English. passed through the Moravian settlement, being well provided there with provisions and otherwise kindly treated. It was during this period of war, when in- formation of passing events was eagerly sought, that the first newspaper was published in the province. Franklin, the postmaster-general for the colonies, in the summer of 1755 appointed James Davis, the printer, postmaster at New Bern; and the following October the Assembly authorized a post to be run every fifteen days between Suffolk and Wilmington, Davis undertaking to send the messengers ; and he also conveyed at stated periods letters and packages to
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PASDAY, O. S52ER 18, 1759. THE [ Nun:b. 202. ] VOM CAROLINAGAZETTE.
With the Frefejt Advices, Foreign and Domettic.
FENICE, May 17.
It. Phong having broke out in the fe- , al Macs of the Mica, and allows the anj cent Parts of Rut-ha, the Odli- c. : . itleaith have taken up's Len i .f .- noa the Din er at 'et. bon fionih.nce
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frevert and Veneza, and from thele Mad: to this 4: pud; and hate me sheed that the ordinary dra wee parlata ker", i all be made and to go Days complace, And printed Ordis are secondiogly publiind tor that Purmed .
Per IC. On the 45, at the Pievade and
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He thwould certainly have taken or
with a male at Vincennes, which who Carry & Bull ers Pacto, patine w re invented by one Fader, , fhootin; L muit through
e left behind him his Secret: In
trein Event d' sempre was the Point in Const, Care and Mainta me up in the Battle an able Fagineer, with best Weert i king Bombs, each of which helix ... det. 9 5to Men.
The finden att geral Officers employed in pre- paring for the Expression, feen intentible of the pre- fen pinve Security affected by the Enciith, and continue t .. wir Offonfinun, with as great an airdour as ever. The Cumpiculier. General wrote on the 234 to M. de bla- zicre, Farmer Central, to affft in forwarding to Eri- Rally 405 2axes of that alimentary Powder which is prepared at che llo:el Royale des Invalides, and of which Lfmall Genitiv is fficient to futfitt a Alan for a Day. Sau Hundred Fra s mere let out the Day before Yeler- day for Havre decirme.
Vienne, June 16. Oftare there has been a Coo'ne's buc.vsea our Chen and chat of Verfat !!. «; and, what is more remarkable, we have had no Minuter from France for fame Th'nin : Ant, it is ti, our Mimer h. s Jekt France. inder our Food Alles the Ruflians, we cant al wine is kind of them: Indeed, it is land.
other Hand, we are t " that to pan in Charge of all
of Citation. "The Purple her iss were very un
Towns of great it Importance. Jolt as the Largest y que facing out, Advice care of the forest of the Franco, who drew back to jom M. de Aivvader, and advance vati feuer waele Force againft me Alive. Ac.
His i Stigende been ilepe and F ....
ing of the Daywas on the f . 3 Fuss 24. We are recovered from the Fanich. inty which we were theoven b. the Meich of the french : As Prince Foremans remained on the other side of tre Water, we were apprehensive his Ciennemention with that i irer would he caton, and that the hauny pre if enter they Electorate ; but we are in The end ofthe west deceived the Franca, and by a matterlyon ke tij ne rallop Fata entered the Country of Risberg, wirst the Enemy's during to molett his hear. The Matis from the Army are fo full of the Praifes of Prince Fordi- rand. that we are now alnieit as euly as if weted no Enemy in the Field ; nevertheless, me 2: : taken :' eoc- c:ffury l'recautions to guard against a Surprize, the fa- ther as there is a Want of Harmony amongit the Gens. Faks, of which wile Feeple fear the Confequences.
Tation, Yane 23. The English Have To Redan to he pieafed with their Attack on our Mitte.'is the ber : It is faid, that the Captain of the Jeriey was killed ; fs- veral dead Bodies have been thrown allure, among.t which we can coatinguith fome'Officers ; we have reco- vared three Anchors, and three Cables, which they ware obliged to cut away that Day ; 2 of them weigh 68 Cie anu the other 64 Cwt. They have on theus the Names of the Jerfey and Guernsey of co Guns, and the Conqueror of 60. They have been carried to our Arfenal. The Engine Fleet, to the Number of 21 Sil, has appeared again.
Ford's so. They write from Silefia, that the King of i'ruffia is at fa 't in Motion ; and rhat MirGul Dan, on the first Advice thereof, thought primer to retire.
Paris, Yame 20. Our Advices from the Last In Vier are very favourable; and indeed we have Nead of home good News, to take off a little of the !!! ternefs of fach as we have received from the Welt Inder: We have
our Digraces are fought uponty by hotlines with have political Caule, and which it before the Us. verneient te prut: to ils Potom,
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FACSIMILE OF NORTH CAROLINA GAZEITE, 1759. EXACT SIZE OF ORIGINAL
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291
FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
every county in the province. This opened the way for Davis to issue a newspaper, and probably in December, 1755, he began the publication of the North Carolina Gasette. The Gasette continued to furnish its readers with "the freshest advices, foreign and domestic," at the price of sixteen shillings per annum, for six years, when, perhaps because unremunerative, the publication ceased.
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