CAMDEN COUNTY. 141 



two past have' greatly marred their beauty, and in some in- 

 stances nearly destroyed them ; yet they still form an interest- 

 ing feature in the place. Lat. 30° 50^ Lon. 4° 51'. 



Centreville, six miles from Coleraine, and three from St. Ma- 

 ry's river. Hides, 6z;c., are brought here in large quantities 

 from the contiguous counties. 



Coleraine, forty- five miles above St. Mary's. It was once 

 in a flourishing condition, but is now almost deserted. 



Burnt Fort, on the St. Ilia, forty-eight miles from its 

 mouth. 



Climate, Diseases, Longevity. — The climate is warm. 

 The diseases are such as prevail in the lower sections of the 

 State. Lewis Welford died at the age of 95 or 100. 



Nature of the Soil, Productions. — The lands upon the 

 St. Ilia are celebrated for their fertility. Productions are rice 

 and cotton. ♦ 



Name. — Of the illustrious members of the British Parlia- 

 ment, there were many who zealously advocated the cause of 

 the injured colonies, but none with the activity and perseve- 

 rance of the Earl of Camden, after whom this county was 

 named. In every debate upon America he spoke at great 

 length, and many of his speeches are still preserved. In his 

 place in the House of Lords, opposing a bill respecting the Brit- 

 ish forces in America, this fearless champion of American Lib- 

 erty said : " I 'was against this unnatural war from the begin- 

 ning. I contend that America has been driven by cruel neces- 

 sity to defend her rights from the united attacks of violence, 

 oppression, and injustice." By the friends of the ministry 

 this language was denounced as violent, and in reply he 

 said : " I do assure your lordships that I am heartily tired of 

 the ineffectual struggle in which I am engaged. I would thank 

 any of your lordships that would procure a vote for silencing 

 me ; but until that vote has received your lordships' sanction, 

 1 must still think, and as often as occasion may require continue 

 to assert, that Great Britain was the aggressor; that our acts 

 with respect to America were oppressive, and that if I were 

 an American I should resist to the last, such manifest exertions 

 of tyranny, violence, and injustice." On another occasion he 

 said : " My position is this ; I repeat it, I will maintain it to my 

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