succeed with them, to apply directly to the King. Being
dissatisfied with his reception by the proprietors, he petitioned the
house of commons, who addressed the King, praying his interposition,
and immediate assistance to the colony. The King referred the matter
to the lords commissioners of trade and plantations, whose report was
unfavourable to the application, because the province of Carolina was
a proprietary government. They were of opinion that, if the colony was
to be protected at the expense of the nation, its government ought to
be vested in the crown. On receiving this opinion, the proprietors, in
a general meeting, avowed their inability to protect the province, and
declared that, unless his majesty would graciously please to
interpose, they could foresee nothing but the utter destruction of his
faithful subjects in those parts.

A government unable to afford protection to the people, was ill
adapted to the situation of Carolina.

The dissatisfaction growing out of this cause was still farther
augmented by the unpopular, and, in some instances, unwise acts of the
proprietors.

To relieve the distress produced by war, considerable sums of paper
money had been issued; and the proprietors, on the complaint of the
merchants, of London engaged in the trade of the province, had given
instructions to reduce the quantity in circulation.

{1715 to 1717}

The assembly had appropriated the country of the Yamassees, to the use
of such of his majesty's European subjects, as would settle it.
Extracts from the law on this subject being published in England, and
in Ireland, five hundred men from the latter kingdom emigrated to
Carolina. The proprietors repealed this law; and, to the utter ruin of
the emigrants, as well as to the destruction of this barrier against
the savages, ordered the lands to be surveyed, and erected into
baronies, for themselves.

While the population was confined to the neighbourhood of Charleston,
all the members of the assembly had been elected at that place. As the
settlements extended, this practice became inconvenient; and an act
was passed, declaring that every parish should choose a certain number
of representatives, and that the elections should be held, in each, at
the parish church. As if to destroy themselves in the province, the
proprietors repealed this popular law also.

Heavy expenses being still incurred for defence against the inroads of
the southern Indians, the people com