GENESIS OF AGRARIANISM IN THE U. S. 109 



to travel to the town from the interior for this pur- 

 pose. The proprietors were unpopular in the 

 assembly and their influence with the members of 

 this body was, therefore, very limited. The planters 

 realized that the time was opportune for reform. 

 They demanded that future elections be held in the 

 parishes at places accessible to the people. At the 

 same time the assembly decided to appoint its own 

 collectors of taxes from the Indian trades. 



These were radical changes in policy. The pro- 

 prietors promptly vetoed both measures. The 

 people assumed a rebellious attitude, but before 

 concerted action was taken South Carolina was 

 threatened by invasion from the Spanish in Florida. 

 The militia were called out by the Governor to de- 

 fend the colony, but these soldiers promptly revolted 

 against proprietary rule. As a means of preventing 

 violence, it was decided to hold an election at which 

 delegates to a convention were to be appointed. 

 The convention repudiated the proprietors and re- 

 sulted in a petition to the King that transformed 

 the colony into a royal province. While the pro- 

 prietors retained their rights to the land until 1729, 

 their power was greatly restricted by the united 

 influence of the plantation owners. 



The Attitude of the Colonial Farmers toward the 

 Revolution 



That the mass of American farmers gave whole- 

 hearted support to the Revolution, is a matter of 

 authenticated history. The farmers in the colonies 



