the rivers. The country there was also higher and healthier, and was beautifully variegated, with hills and dales. In it, the necessaries of life were procured with facility, and in the greatest abundance. A knowledge of these circumstances induced a rapid stream of migration, from the more northern provinces, especially Pennsylvania, to the western parts of North Carolina. These were quickly filled with inhabitants, and a wilderness was subjected to immediate cultivation. Care had not been taken to co-extend religious instruction, education, and a legal administration of justice, in any degree suitable to the extent of this recent and rapid population. Among the new comers, were several whose characters were exceptionable, and to whom the strict administration of justice was inconvenient. These inflamed the passions of others, better than themselves, almost to madness, by high coloured representations of real or supposed grievances. A pretext was furnished by taxes, which were laid to defray the salaries, and provide for the accommodation of civil officers. These taxes, together with the fees of lawyers, sheriffs, clerks, courts, and other instruments of legal justice, all said to be unreasonably high, were pronounced to be intolerable grievances. The inhabitants of these western parts, calling themselves regulators, and complaining of oppressions practised in the administration of law, and by the officers of the courts, rose in arms, to the number of fifteen hundred. To shut up the courts of justice, and destroy the lawyers, were said to be their objects. They were without proper leaders, or any concerted system of operations; and many of them without arms. Governor Tryon marched against them, with about one thousand militia, and, in a battle fought at Alamance, totally defeated them. Three hundred of the regulators were found dead, on the field. Twelve of the insurgents were tried and condemned, for high treason; and six of them were executed. The country was restored to peace, and the reign of law and justice re-established. The expense of quelling these infatuated, wicked, or misled men, for there were some of each description, was great.. A less sum, judiciously expended in supporting and diffusing the means of civil and religious instruction, co-extensively with the advancing settlements, would probably have prevented the insurrection; especially if the real grievances of the people had been redressed, and efficient systems, for promoting justice, and punishing crimes, had been early adopted. These matters had been too much neglected. Crowds of people, rapidly brought together, several of whom were without either principle or property, and with a slender portion of information, and too often destitute of the means of being taught their civil or religious duties, were easily led astray, by artful and designing men. In four years, after this insurrection was subdued, the American revolution commenced. It was observed, that they who were the first to regulate, were the last to resist Great Britain. Having experienced the royal power to punish, they were afraid to risk its vengeance. They generally took part with the friends of the British government, and, as such, were subjected to many inconveniences. Among these, some were found, who lamented their doubly hard fate; having suffered equally when fighting for and against their king. A great majority of the province supported the cause of America; but the opposition was considerable. Few, if any, of the provinces, increased more rapidly in population, for the thirty years immediately preceding the revolution, than North Carolina. In that period, it more than trebled its numbers. In 1775, it was supposed to contain 248,139 inhabitants. It suffered less from Indian wars, than the adjoining states. With the exception of the insurrection of the regulators, it generally enjoyed a great share of political happiness, and internal peace. SOUTH CAROLINA. South Carolina, being settled later than Virginia and New England, had fewer difficulties to encounter. The British empire in America had then acquired some considerable strength; but nevertheless, its inhabitants underwent a dis tressing infancy, of forty-nine years, under a feeble proprie tary government, injudiciously administered. In this, they had to defend themselves, against Spaniards, Indians, and pirates; and finally, against the proprietors of the province. Revolting from their inefficient government, by an irregular effort, they threw it off, and cast themselves on the liberality of the crown. They were cordially received, and prospered under its government, for more than half a century. For the first thirty or forty years of the settlement, it was comparatively seldom and partially disturbed, by the Indians. From 1720, till 1755, its internal peace was not seriously interrupted; but, from 1712, to 1718, the inhabitants had severe wars with the Tuscaroras, in North Carolina, and the Yamassees in their own province. These two wars were undertaken by the Indians, with a view to the extermination of the white settlers. They were too late for that purpose; but nevertheless thinned their numbers. From 1755, to 1763, the province was extensively distressed, by the Cherokees, who made incursions into the frontier settle. ments, and broke them up. For the first eighty years, settlements had not extended, more than an equal number of miles, in advance from the sea coast, westwardly, and chiefly by emigrants from Europe. In the next twenty-five years, a flood of inhabitants poured into the western woods of South Carolina, from the more northern provinces. From the want of a convenient administration of justice, these new settlers, under the name of regulators, took the law into their own hands. Their grievances, which furnished an apology for these illegal proceedings, were promptly redressed, by the circuit court law, passed in 1769. This established six new districts. Order, law, and justice were re-established, and continued till the revolution commenced. Of the parties growing out of that event, the regulators generally took part with their country. They who were in opposition, or the subjects of regulation, were mostly royalists. The exports of the province, for the first twenty-five years, were lumber, peltry, and naval stores. In the last years of the seventeenth century, rice, which had been introduced by Landgrave Smith, became the most prominent staple. To this was added, about the year 1748, indigo, which had been introduced by Miss Lucas. In the hundred and six years of its colonial existence, the population of South Carolina increased, from a handful of settlers, brought out from England in two vessels, to 248,139. With this population, and all her resources and energies, she joined her sister colonies, in their revolutionary contest for independence.* GEORGIA. Georgia, though originally comprehended in the Carolina patent of 1663, was the last settled province of the thirteen, which, revolting from the government of Great Britain, established their independence. General Oglethorpef is the only * A particular history of South Carolina was published by the author, in 1809; to which he begs leave to refer for further information. He ardently wishes that, where it has not been already done, some competent citizen would publish the history of each state, in detail. Till the interior economy of the late colonies is better known, the history of the United States, and of the American revolution, will be incomplete, and descend to posterity under great disadvantages. He hears, with great pleasure, that such a history of the state of New York is now preparing for the press, by the learned, eloquent, and industrious Samuel Miller, D. D. †James Oglethorpe, the founder of Georgia, was born in England, about the year 1688. Entering the army at an early age, he served under prince Eugene, to whom he became secretary and aid-de-camp. On the restoration of peace, he was returned a member of parliament, and distinguished himself as a useful legislator, by proposing several regulations for the benefit of trade, and a reform in the prisons. His philanthropy is commemorated in Thomson's Seasons. In 1732, he became one of the trustees of Georgia. In the prosecution of this trust, Mr. Oglethorpe embarked in November, with a number of emigrants, and, arriving at Carolina, in the middle of January, 1733, proceeded immediately to Savannah river, and laid the foundation of the town of Savannah. He made treaties with the Indians, and crossed the Atlantic several times, to promote the interests of the colony. Being appointed general and commander in chief of his majesty's forces, in South Carolina and Georgia, he brought from England, in 1738, a regiment of six known instance, in modern times, of the founder of a colony living to see it established, as a sovereign state. This unexampled change took place in Georgia, within the period of its first half century. That tract of country, which lies between the river Savannah and Altamaha, though claimed both by England and Spain, for two centuries, was, in the year 1732, totally unoccupied by Europeans. hundred men, to protect the southern frontiers from the Spaniards. After the commencement of the war between Great Britain and Spain, in 1739, he visited the Indians, to secure their friendship; and, in 1740, conducted an unsuccessful expedition against St. Augustine. As the Spaniards laid claim to Georgia, three thousand men, a part of whom were from Havanna, were sent, in 1742, to drive Oglethorpe from the frontiers. When this force proceeded up the Altamaha, he was obliged to retreat to Frederica. He had but about seven hundred men, besides Indians: yet, with a part of these, he approached within two miles of the enemy's camp, with the design of attack. ing them by surprise, when a French soldier, of his party, fired his musket, and ran into the Spanish lines. His situation was now very critical; for he knew that the deserter would make known his weakness. Returning, however, to Frederica, he had recourse to the following expedient. He wrote a letter to the deserter, desiring him to acquaint the Spaniards with the defenceless state of Frederica, and to urge them to the attack. If he could not effect this object, Oglethorpe directed him to use all his art to persuade them to stay three days at fort Simon's; as, within that time, he should have a reinforcement of two thousand land forces, with six ships of war; cautioning him, at the same time, not to drop a hint of admiral Vernon's meditated attack upon St. Augustine. A Spanish prisoner was entrusted with this letter, under promise of delivering it to the deserter: but he gave it, as was expected and intended, to the commander in chief, who instantly put the deserter in irons. In the perplexity occasioned by this letter, while the enemy was deliberating what measures to adopt, three ships of force, which the governor of South Carolina had sent to Oglethorpe's aid, appeared on the coast. The Spanish commander was now convinced, beyond all question, that the letter, instead of being a stratagem, contained serious instructions to a spy; and, in this moment of consternation, set fire to the fort, and embarked so precipitately, as to leave behind him a number of cannon, with a quantity of military stores. Thus, by an event beyond human foresight or control, by the correspondence between the artful suggestions of a military genius, and the blowing of the winds, was the infant colony providentially saved from destruction, and Oglethorpe gained the character of an able general. He now returned to England, and never again revisited Georgia. In 1745, he was promoted to the rank of major general, and was sent against the rebels, but did not overtake them; for which he was tried by a court |