EARLY GOVERNORS AND THEIR TROUBLES.
A. D. 1674 TO 1680.
1674. Samuel Stephens, upon his death in 1674, was succeeded by
George Carteret as Governor of Albemarle. The oldest member of
the council was entitled by law to the place, but the members of
the House of Assembly succeeded in obtaining the position for
their speaker. Governor Carteret found many difficulties in the
office he had assumed; and becoming disgusted with the continued
opposition of the people to the Fundamental Constitutions and the
navigation laws of 1670, he went over to London and resigned his
place as Governor.
1676.
2. When he reached England he found Eastchurch, who, as Speaker,
of the House of Assembly, had been sent over to remonstrate with
the Proprietors against the innovations they were proposing. His
friend Miller, who was accused of indulging in rebellious
language, had been carried out of the province for trial at
Williamsburg, in Virginia, and was also in London at this time
seeking redress for his alleged grievances.
3. Eastchurch was in London as the agent for Albemarle. The
people were paying him to procure the assent of the Proprietors
to some remission in the hard measure of the navigation laws;
also for the abrogation of the Fundamental Constitutions. He and
Miller betrayed their trusts, and became the willing tools of
Lord Shaftesbury and the Board of Trade.
4. As the price of their subservience, Eastchurch was appointed
Governor of Albemarle and Miller was made Secretary of State.
The authorities in London were fully resolved that the New
England vessels should be excluded from Carolina waters and that
the Fundamental Constitutions should be accepted as the system of
government.
5. This betrayal of a high trust was to bring its own punishment
on the heads of both Eastchurch and Miller. On their way to
America they stopped at the Island of Nevis, where the new
Governor of Albemarle met a Creole lady. His conduct in London
had been weak enough, but complete insanity seemed to have fallen
upon him at Nevis. For two years he was oblivious to all the
disorders and distresses of the people committed to his
government; and he surrendered everything else to his lovemaking.
1677.
6. Miller went on to Albemarle, and in July, 1677, assumed
control of public affairs. There were then in the colony two
thousand taxpayers. Besides Indian corn, which was the staple
production, eight hundred thousand pounds of tobacco were made
that year. The whole colony was enjoying such prosperity as a
fertile soil and good climate always give.
7. The new Governor conducted matters in an outrageous manner.
He imposed taxes upon all goods sent to other colonies, and in
this way soon realized five thousand dollars on the tobacco which
was sent to Virginia and Boston.
8. He was particularly emphatic in his orders forbidding trade
with New England vessels. George Durant, with a large majority
of the people, was determined to thwart him in this matter.
Governor Miller, on the other hand, was so determined in
enforcing his orders that he in person boarded a Boston vessel
and arrested the skipper.
1678.
9. Thereupon John Culpepper, with his followers, seized Miller,
and having put him in prison, assumed the government himself. He
imprisoned all the deputies of the Lords Proprietors. The king's
revenue, also, amounting to fifteen thousand dollars, was
appropriated by him; Culpepper, like Gillam, the skipper who had
caused the outbreak, was from New England.
1680.
10. At last, after two years delay upon his journey, Eastchurch
made his appearance in Albemarle. He had won his bride, but lost
everything else. Culpepper scouted his claims to the government.
He went to Williamsburg, in Virginia, to beg the Governor of that
province to aid him in regaining the place he had lost by his
folly; but so slow and ceremonious was his lordship, that
Eastchurch died of vexation before anything substantial had been
accomplished in his behalf.
11. Miller escaped from the confinement to which he had been
subjected by Culpepper, and again went to England to utter his
complaints. Culpepper followed him there, and though indicted
and tried for treason, was acquitted by aid of Lord Shaftesbury.
12. Thus it was, in the earliest days of our history as a people,
that the men of North Carolina found means to resist the
execution of laws enacted abroad for their oppression, and
commenced a struggle which was to continue for a century.
QUESTIONS.
1. Who succeeded Samuel Stephens as Governor? How did he obtain
the place? Why did Governor Carteret go to England?
2. What two men from Carolina did he find in England and what was
their mission?
3. What duty had the colonists entrusted to Eastchurch? How did
he fulfill the trust?
4. How were Eastchurch and Miller rewarded for their betrayal?
What was the determination of the London authorities?
5. What was the conduct of Eastchurch while on his way to Carolina?
6. What did Miller do in the meantime? What was the condition of
the colony at this period?
7. How did the new Governor manage affairs?
8. What trade did he forbid? By whom was his command thwarted?
What violent act was done by Miller?
9. What was done to Miller? Who assumed the government?
10. When did Eastchurch arrive at Carolina? How did he find
matters? To whom did he go for aid, and with what success?
11. What became of Miller and Culpepper?
12. What do the events of this lesson teach us?