The internal resources of South Carolina are so great, and its population is so rapidly increasing, that it ranks among the first commercial states in America. Of the amount of its exports for the first fifty years after its settlement, nothing is known with certainty. There is reason to believe, that it began to export rice about the beginning of the 18th century ; for Anderson states, that between the years 1720 and 1729, 264,488 barrels were exported to England, and that 429,525 barrels were exported in the course of the ten following years. About the year 1740, the trade of the province began to be con siderable. It then contained about 4000 negroes ; for whom, and for all other articles of importation, payment must have been in rice, naval stores, lumber, peltry, and furs. To these articles of export was added, from 1747, tobacco from 1782, and cotton from 1792. The minor articles of export are, Indian corn, coco pease, beef, pork, leather, shingles, staves, rosin, tur pentine, &c. The aggreg.,te value of exports was in a course of such rapid increase, that in the last year of the 18th century, it zunounted to 10,554,842 dollars, and in the first year of the 19th century, to 14,304.045 dollars. Previous to the revolution, all the trade of South Carolina centered in Great Britain and her dependencies ; with the exception of as much rice as, under a special act of parliament, was exported to the southward of Cape Finis term. During- that period the trade of Carolina was daily increasing in prosperity; and notwithstanding the many circumstances of exasperation which necessarily occurred in a Country which was long the scene of civil contention, peace was no sooner restored than the com merical intercourse with Great Britain was renewed, and carried to a greater extent than it had ever reached at any Ibrin•r period. We cannot ascribe this to any friendly disposition on the part of Carolina, for no state of the union was more inveterate or more determined in its enmity to the country by which it had been long and peculiarly cherished. Interest is the only tie which note ronmets this state with Great Britain. The ing-enuity of our manufacturers, the long credit which our mer chants can afford to give, and the facility of making remittances to this country as the purchaser of a great portion of the native commodities of Carolina, have secured to its all the advantages which we could have derived from that state, had she continued in her former relation of provincial dependence. She has of late, indeed, been more profitable to us than she would ever have been, perhaps, in that relation ; for while we are freed from the responsibility of governing, and the ex pellee of protecting and fostering her, her exports to Great Britain far surpass their former amount, and her own politicians acknowledge, that the trade between the two countries For a single year of general peace, would now be of greater value to England than all she derived Trout Carolina for the lirst half of her colonial existeiice.
Few colonies have ever been established under cir cumstances inure favourable to their literary improve ment than those cujoyed by the first settlers in South Camlina. Tile country from which they emigrated was then in the full meridian of literary splendour ; and the facilities for the diffusion of knowledge were greater than they had ever been at any previous period in the history of the world. Though in the first years of their settle ment their attention must have been chiefly occupied in preparing the soil for cultivation, and providing the ne cessaries of life, this was no sooner accomplished than they began to adopt measures for their own literary im pros (anent, and for bequeathing to their posterity the inestimable blessings of knowledge. So early as the
year 1700, xve find a law enacted, t, for securing the pro vincial library in Charleston." Libraries were soon after formed in the different parishes, though chiefly for the use of the rectors and minisn rs. A free school was erected in Charleston about the year 171 2; another was established at Childsbury, in St John's parish, in 1733; and a third, at Dorchester, in 1734. Besides these, se veral other seminaries were instituted and supported by general contribution, or by the donations and legacies of public spirited individuals. The corporations of these schools were cherished by government. 'racy were fa vou•ed in taking up lands, which have ever since been increasing in value. They were enriched by the gifts and bequests of the charitable, and from the triple source oh tuition money, public money, and private liberality, a fund was created which diffused the means of education far beyond what could have been effected by uncombined and desultory exertions.
In 1795 the citizens of Beaufort obtained a charter for the establishment of a college in their vicinity, with the privilege of such funds as they could collect from the sale of escheated and confiscated property in the district, and of vacant lots in the town of Beaufort. These funds turned out extremely valuable, and there is every reason to expect that the seminary will in time realize the warmest hopes of its founders. By far the most important litera ry institution in South Carolina is the state college esta blished at Columbia, the seat of government, by an art of assembly in 1801. This e ollege, its infant y, possesses a select and extensi‘e library, and a philosophical apparatus, not inferior to any on the Arne rican continent. Pt rsons of any country or of any roll glom denomination, if qualified by their literary or sci entitle attainments, are eligible to the 'Mice of prof •ssors in this seminary. The number of qudents at this col lege in 1809 was eighty-seven ; and two classes had ut that time graduated to the number of about forty. Stu dents at Columbia, if not wanting to thunselves, may be amply instructed in every language, art, and science, necessary to prepare them for the servic e of their coun try. Thought such exertions have been made for the advancement. of learning, its progress in South Carolina has not hitherto been great. In genius its natives arc far from being deficient; their apprehension is quick, their imaginations lively, their enthusiasm ardent. But they are too apt to shrink from that steady p-rsevering exertion, by which alone the candidates for lit( racy fame can overcome the difficulties which they meet with in their progress, and securing the ground over which they have already passed, prepare themselves for farther ad vances and acquisitions.
For almost all our infotination relating to South Caro lina, we are indebted to a valuable history of that st.ite, published by Dr David Ramsay of Charleston, so late as the year 1809. Of that history, yet unkta,ven i.i Eu rope, we procured a copy directly from Cnarl stout, through the kindness of Mr Heutry of C iaries ton, now studying at the university of h, who, uniting genius with invincible industry, 1)19,111-s, one day to be an ornament to his native land. S,:e also Chalmer's Political Annals of the United Co/unit ; I 1 cw at's History of South Carolina and Georgia ; Dray ton's View of South Carolina ; Travels in .Vorth America by Liancourt, Dukc de la Roc ci mean ; Morse', Ame rican Grograthy ; Torso's American Ga=erceer ; Ogil by's Grcgrathiral Account of America ; and Campbell's History of America.