In the summer, to the horrors of war, the ravages of the yellow fever were added to the misfortunes of the colonists, and the Governor fell a victim (September 8th, 1712).

The Deputies of the Lords Proprietors selected George Pollock, the Deputy of Lord Carteret, as President and Commander in Chief to succeed him.

To liquidate the heavy debts* of the colony, in consequence of the Indian wars, eight thousand pounds of bills of credit were issued by the colony.

This was the first emission of paper money in the State of North Carolina.

CHAPTER V.

FROM 1712 TO 1729.

Charles Eden governor (1713)-Tuscarora Indians humbled, and make a treaty-Black Beard, the pirate; his life and death-Edenton established -Eden's death (1722)-Copy of his tombstone-Thomas Pollock succeeds as governor; and, in 1724, on his death, William Reed, as President of the Council, is governor-In 1724 Governor Burrington arrives-His character -His opinion of the people of North Carolina-Sir Richard Everhard appointed governor, 1725-Dividing line between Virginia and North Carolina, 1727-The lords proprietors surrender to the crown, July 1729, except Lord Granville-Population and divisions of the colony at this time -Portion of Lord Granville.

On the 13th of July, 1713, Charles Eden was appointed Governor of North Carolina.

From 1693 to January 1712, the northern part of the province. (Albemarle), was ruled either by deputy governors appointed by the Governor of Carolina at Charleston, or by the President of the Council, elected by the deputies of the lords proprietors. In all other respects the two governments, North and South Carolina, were independent, separated by a wilderness, and a well defined boundary, the Santee River.

The Tuscarora Indians, now humbled, entered into a treaty (June 1718), and a tract of land on the Roanoake, in the present county of Bertie, was granted to them by Governor Eden. Finally, this tribe joined the nations in New York, holding, until a few years past, the fee simple in a portion of the soil of Bertie County.

In the administration of Governor Eden, a character notorious for his crimes as a pirate, Edward Teach, commonly called Black Beard, lived in North Carolina. So daring were his adventures. that he defied the government; he had a ship of forty guns well armed, and spread terror along the coast. The colonial government finding itself unable to resist his power, it was deemed proper

* Martin, 1264.

that the king's pardon should be issued to all pirates, who, within a limited time, should surrender themselves to any of the colonial governors (George I. 1717).

Teach, and twenty of his men, surrendered themselves to Governor Eden. His associates dispersed themselves, and some went to work. Teach's habits were illy suited to a life of peace and industry. His ill-gotten wealth was soon squandered in licentious courses. He fitted out a sloop at a place which now bears his name, within Ocracoke Inlet, called Teach's Hole, and again sallied forth on piratical adventures. Such was the annoyance of his depredations, that the Assembly of Virginia offered one hundred pounds reward for his apprehension.

Lieutenant Maynard, taking with him two small coasters, sailed from Hampton Roads on the 17th of November, 1718, in quest of Teach. He found him at his usual place of rendezvous, near Ocracoke. The action immediately commenced. Teach, with horrid oaths, boasted that he neither asked nor gave quarters. At one broadside, nineteen of Maynard's men were killed; to save them from such murderous fire, he ordered his men below, directing himself his vessel. The pirates board his ship; at this moment the lieutenant calls his men on deck; a fierce and deadly combat, hand to hand, ensues. The two commanders meet. They rush to combat, and the pirate Teach falls covered with blood. Eight of his fourteen men were killed, and the other six wounded, so that they could no longer fight. Maynard sailed up to the town of Bath with the head of Teach hung to the bowsprit of his vessel.

Thus died, amid his vices and crimes, a man whose valor was worthy of a better cause, and whose name is given to a place well known to every shipper on our coast. To this day, superstition still preserves his name with heaps of buried treasure. The character

of Governor Eden suffered much by a supposed intimacy with Teach. Edward Mosely, who was a prominent man in the colony, declared* that "the Governor could raise an armed posse to arrest honest men, though he could not raise a similar force to apprehend Teach, a noted pirate;" and on Teach's dead body was found a letter of his secretary, Tobias Knight, intimating proof of Knight's friendship and Eden's respect.

Mosely was subsequently arrested for misdemeanort himself, and tried by the General Court, convicted, fined one hundred pounds, silenced as an attorney, and declared incapable of holding any office in the colony during three years. The Governor laid before the Council, 1719, an account of his proceedings against Teach. The Council expressed their approbation of his conduct.

In August, 1720, the Governor met the Legislature, assembled at the Court House in Chowan. At this session, a town which had been some time before established, was called, in honor to the Governor, Edenton.

* Williamson, ii. 11.

† Martin, i. 286.

Governor Eden died 17th March, 1722, aged forty-nine.

On Salmon Creek, in Bertie County, the stone that marks his grave has this inscription :

"Here lyes y body of

CHARLES EDEN, Esq.,

who governed this Province eight years to the great satisfaction of the Lords
Proprietors, and ye ease and happiness of y people.
He brought the country into a flourishing condition, and died much
lamented, March ye 26, 1722, ætatis 49.

And near this place, lyes also y body of
PENELOPE EDEN,

his virtuous consort, who died Jan. the 4th, 1716, ætatis 39.

Thomas Pollock (March 30th, 1722) again succeeded as President of the colony; on 30th August following, he died. On 7th September, William Reed was president; during the period, uninterrupted peace prevailed.

On the 15th January, 1724, GEORGE BURRINGTON; who had been appointed to succeed Governor Eden, opened his commission as governor.

In February, 1731, Governor Burrington thus officially to the Duke of New Castle, gives us his opinion of the inhabitants of North Carolina:

"The people of North Carolina are neither to be cajoled or outwitted. Whenever a governor attempts to effect anything by this means, he will lose his labor and show his ignorance."

"The inhabitants of North Carolina are not industrious, but subtle and crafty; always behaved insolently to their governors; some they have imprisoned, others they have drove out of the country, and at other times set up a governor of their own choice, supported by men under arms."*

Tranquillity prevailed in the colony. The associates in the government were, Christopher Gale, Chief Justice; James Stanway, Attorney General; Edward Mosely, Surveyor general; Arthur Goffe, Receiver General; John Dunstan, Naval Officer; Henry Clayton, Provost Marshal.

The character of Governor Burrington had little to recommend him as a wise ruler, or sagacious statesman. He was appointed from family influence, his father having rendered service in promoting George I. to the English throne, and like all such appointments, when not based on merit, was unfortunate. Without any great talent, he was deficient in ordinary prudence in matters of state; while his private life was disgraced by broils, and breaches

MS. Documents on file in Offices of Board of Trade in London, from 1662 to 1769, procured through kindness of Honorable Geo. Bancroft.

of the peace. He had not been in the colony two years, when so many complaints were made of his rash and injudicious conduct, that he was removed, and in April, 1725, Sir Richard Everhard was appointed. He qualified at Edenton, on 17th July, 1725.

The legislature met at Edenton on 6th November following, and the boundary line between North Carolina and Virginia was run this year. The commissioners on the part of Virginia were William Byrd, William Dandridge, and Richard Fitzwilliams; those of our State, were Christopher Gale, Edward Mosely, and Samuel Swann. They commenced their labors 5th March, 1727.

The first of these (William Byrd) has left a record containing "the History of the Dividing Line," which has been published; and which is not very complimentary to North Carolina.* He states "the borderers laid it to heart if their land was taken in Virginia, they chose much rather to belong to Carolina, where they pay no tribute to God or to Cæsar."

The people of South Carolina had already revolted from the feudal sway of the Lords Proprietors, and Governor Johnston was compelled to leave his government, and this colony reverted to the crown. Although this feeling did not extend to North Carolina, yet the proprietors found that their possessions did not yield them any permanent advantage. It was believed that the restless and turbulent spirit manifested by the people against the deputy of their fellow-subjects, would yield a loyal obedience to the direct representative of the Sovereign.

Accordingly, the Lords Proprietors (except Lord Granville) surrendered the government of the province, and all the franchises under the charter of Charles II., as well as their property in the soil, to the English crown, for a valuable consideration. This was ratified by an act of Parliament (2 Geo. II. ch. xxxiv., 1729). Each of the proprietors received from the crown, the sum of two thousand five hundred pounds sterling.

John, Lord Carteret, Baron of Hawnes, as heir of his father (who died in 1696), was in possession of the share of Sir George Carteret. He was afterwards created Earl of Granville, and he thought fit to retain his eighth part of the soil. This was laid off, in 1743, for him, adjoining Virginia. Five commissioners were appointed by the crown, and five by Lord Granville. His territory was bounded on the north by the Virginia line, on the east by the Atlantic, on the south by a line in latitude 35° 34" from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, and on the west by the Pacific. A princely domain !

Thus ended the proprietary government of North Carolina, enduring sixty-six years after the charter from Charles II.

The population did not exceed ten thousand persons in North Carolina. Its primary divisions was into three counties.

* Westover MSS. Petersburg, 1841.

† Martin, vol. ii. 43.

1st. ALBEMARLE; which was subdivided into six precincts, Currituck, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Chowan, Bertie, and Tyrrell. 2d. BATH, into four precincts, Beaufort, Hyde, Craven, and Carteret.

3d. CLARENDON, one precinct, New Hanover.

CHAPTER VI.

FROM 1729 TO 1754.

North Carolina under the royal governors-Governor Burrington, 1729-His character, conduct, life, and death, in 1734-Nathaniel Rice, the Secretary, governor in 1734; who was succeeded by Gabriel Johnston, as governorLine between North and South Carolina-Computation of time altered by act of Parliament - First printing press in North Carolina, 1749-Fort Johnston built--Moravians purchase land in North Carolina-First revisal of the laws of North Carolina-Governor Johnston, after being governor for twenty years, dies (1752)-His life, character, and services-He is succeeded, for a time, by Nathaniel Rice; and, on his death, in January 1753, by Matthew Rowan-Population of North Carolina in 1754-Aid sent to Virginia, against the French, by North Carolina.

GEORGE BURRINGTON, who had been governor under the proprietors, was appointed, in 1770, by the king (George I.). He arrived in February 1731, and qualified as governor, at Edenton, on the 25th of that month. William Smith was Chief Justice; Edmund Porter, Judge of Admiralty; John Montgomery, AttorneyGeneral; Nathaniel Rice, Secretary of the Province. The Council of the Governor, named in his commission, were John Baptist Ashe, Cornelius Harnet, Matthew Rowan, and four others.

Governor Burrington did not begin his administration under such auspices as would tend to benefit the colony. His disposition was not fitted for his station. He soon became involved in difficulties with his council, the Assembly, and the judges. The records of the colonial offices and board of trade present evidence from Mr. Montgomery, the Attorney-General, Mr. Porter, one of the council, Mosely, Ashe, and others, of the misbehavior of Governor Burrington; while the records of the General Court, sitting at Edenton (March 1726), show that he was indicted for slanderous and vicious conduct; for breaches of the peace on the house of Sir Richard Everhard, on the persons of Robert Kenyon, Robert Rawle, the provost marshal, and others. His eccentric conduct created such a storm, that he found it impossible to resist its fury; and, under pretence of visiting South Carolina, he left the colony, went to Charleston, 1734, and soon after sailed to England. His death occurred soon after. Rioting, in his usual manner, all night, he was found murdered, in the morning, in the Bird Cage Walk, in the corner of St. James' Park, in London.