SOUTH CAROLINA. 46S 



other at right angles ; those running east and west extend about a 

 mile from one river to the other. The public edifices are an ex- 

 change, a state-house, a bank, an armory, a public alms-house, an 

 orphan house, and sixteen places of religious worship. In 1787, it 

 was computed that there were 1600 houses in this city, and 15,000 

 inhabitants, including 5400 slaves. In 1800, there were 18,824 in- 

 habitants, ol whom near one half were slaves; and in 1810, 24,711, 

 of whom 11,671 were slaves. This city has often suffered much by 

 fire : one very destructive happened in June 1796. The last, in which 

 400 houses were burned, happened in 1810. The neighbourhood of 

 Charleston is beautiful beyond description. Georgetown contains 

 about 2000 inhabitants. 



Columbia is a small town in Kershaw county, on the east side of 

 the Congaree, just below the confluence of the Saluda and Broad 

 rivers. It is now the seat of government ; but the public offices 

 have, in some measure, been divided for the accommodation of the 

 inhabitants of the lower counties, and a branch of each retained in 

 Charleston. 



Trade.. ..The little attention that has been paid to manufactures 

 occasions a vast consumption of foreign imported articles ; but the 

 quantity and value of their exports generally leave a balance in favour 

 of the state. The principal articles exported from this state are 

 cotton, rice, indigo, tobacco, skins of various kinds, beef, pork, 

 pitch, tar, rosin, turpentine, myrtle-wax, lumber, naval stores, cork, 

 leather, snake-root, and ginseng. In the most successful seasons, 

 there have been as many as 140,000 barrels of rice, and 1,300,000 

 pounds of indigo, exported in a year. The cultivation of the latter 

 article is now much neglected, it having been superceded by cotton. 

 In 1791, the exports from this state amounted to 1,693,267 dollars; 

 in 1795, to 5,998,492 dollars; in 1802, to 10,690,000 dollars; and in 

 1811, to 4,861,279 dollars. 



Government. ...The government of South Carolina, as in the other 

 states, is administered by three branches, executive, legislative, and 

 judiciary. The executive power is vested in a governor and lieutenant 

 governor, both chosen by the legislature for two years. The qualifi- 

 cations required in these magistrates are a residence of ten years, 

 the age of 30 years, and an estate worth 6600 dollars. Their powers 

 are not extensive. They have no negative or suspensive power in 

 the passing of laws, and make but few appointments. They may 

 remit fines, and grant reprieves or pardons in certain cases. The 

 legislative, or supreme power of making laws, is lodged in a general 

 assembly, consisting of a senate and house of representatives, both 

 elected by the people ; the senate for four years, with a biennial 

 rotation of one half, and the representatives for two years. They 

 grant money, lay taxes, and make most of the important appoint- 

 ments to office. The judiciary are appointed by the general assem- 

 bly, hold their commissions during good behaviour, and receive cer- 

 tain stated salaries while in office. A residence of two years, a free- 

 hold of 50 acres, a town lot, or the payment of a tax amounting to 

 three shillings, entitle to a right of voting at elections. 



Religion... Since the revolution, by which all denominations were 

 put on an equal footing, there have been no disputes between differ- 

 ent religious sects The upper parts of this state are settled chiefly 

 by presbyterians, baptists, and methodists. There are some episco- 

 palians, but the presbyterians and independants are most numerous. 



