328 THE FEENCH BLOOD IN AMEEICA 



busy clearing and cultivating their lands, the English 

 settlers were reviving national antipathies, and classing 

 them as aliens and foreigners, legally entitled to none of 

 the privileges and advantages of natural born British 

 subjects. The proprietors, greatly to their credit, sided 

 with the refugees, and instructed their Governor Ludwell 

 to allow the French the same privileges and liberties 

 with the English colonists. But the people carried their 

 jealousy so far that the county in which the French lived 

 was not allowed a single representative in the assembly. 

 Wise measures served to lessen the friction, and by ex- 

 cluding the French from office the disturbers were satis- 

 fied. In process of time the national antipathies abated. 

 Gradual Union The Frcuch provcd their courage and fidelity, made 

 friends by their excellent behaviour, and when they pe- 

 titioned the legislature to be incorporated with the freemen 

 of the colony, an act was passed in 1696 making all 

 aliens then residents free, on petition to the governor and 

 taking the oath of allegiance to King William. This 

 same law conferred liberty of conscience on all Christians, 

 with the exception of Papists. With these conditions the 

 refugees, who were all Protestants, joyfully comj)lied ; 

 and the French and English settlers, being made equal in 

 rights, became united in interest and affection, and lived 

 together in peace and harmony thenceforward. 



The position held by the French settlers is indicated by 

 the fact that among the Council of Twelve nominated by 

 the proprietors of South Carolina in 1719, two were 

 Huguenots, Benjamin de la Cousiliere and Peter St. 



Julien. 



IV 



French in the It is whcn wc como to the Eevolutionary War, how- 

 Revoiution ^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^_^^^^ pUiyed by the French comes out in 



strong relief. It must be realized that South Carolina 

 had not the same present and living issues that stirred 

 Massachusetts to rebellion. To the South the questions 

 were more remote and of principle solely. The odious 



