Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/221

] frontiers. The proprietaries, most unwisely as well as unjustly, refused to sanction the proceedings of the Assembly, and deprived these emigrants of their lands. Reduced to extreme poverty, some perished from want, while others resorted to the northern colonies; and thus a strong barrier between the old settlements and the savages was removed, and the country again exposed to their incursions. The people were exasperated, and longed for a change of masters; and the corrupt and oppressive conduct of Trott, the chief justice, and Rhett, the receiver-general, increased the discontent. Of the former, the governor and Council complained to the proprietaries, and asked for his removal; bat the authorities at home refused. Johnson, the governor, was ordered to dissolve the Assembly, which he did, despite the excited state of the public mind. The newly-chosen representatives, elected in December, declined to act as an Assembly, and assumed the character of a revolutionary convention. Johnson refusing to join them, the members of the Convention selected Colonel James Moore to govern the colony in the king's name, and entered into an association for common defence, as well against the Spaniards as the proprietaries. An agent was sent to England in behalf of the colonists, and after a hearing, legal process was taken for vacating the Carolina charter; pending this process the administration of South Carolina was assumed by the Crown.

Sir Francis Nicholson came out to South Carolina with a commission as provisional royal governor. Taught by experience of the temper of the colonists, Nicholson desired to make himself popular, and favored as much as he could the wishes of the people, by appointing Middleton president of the Council, and Allen, chief justice, both active in the late movements against the proprietaries. He also gave his sanction to a large additional issue of paper money. Great confusion and sharp contests for a number of years followed on this subject.

North Carolina had not joined in the insurrection against proprietary authority. Some years afterwards, however, the proprietaries of the province made an arrangement by which they sold out their rights to the crown, for about £22,000. Robert Johnson was appointed royal governor of South Carolina; and Burrington, who had been in disgrace previously, was reappointed to the same office in North Carolina. Burlington was succeeded, in 1734, by Gabriel Johnston. The president of the Council, William Bull, succeeded Broughton, in South Carolina, in 1737.

In the early part of 1730, Sir Alexander Cumming was sent out to effect an amicable arrangement with the Cherokees for peacable settlement on the lands near the Savannah River. Gumming was successful in his mission, and a treaty was drawn up by which the sovereignty of the king was acknowledged and privileges of settlement in the Indian territories freely accorded. The Cherokees, in consequence of this treaty, for many years