The colony which sailed from England, under the aus pices of the proprietors in 1669, and which was continu increased by new accessions of adventurers from the same country, was the stock from which the present population of South Carolina has sprung. On this stem, however, several foreign branches have been at various times engrafted. France, Switzerland, Holland, and Germany, have each contributed largely to the population of this country, which was long regarded as the best for the oppressed and unfortunate. Of these foreign emigrants by far the largest proportion were French Protestants and German Palatines. Ireland sup plied an immense number of adventurers; Scotland no inconsiderable share ; and many likewise emigrated from the more northern states of America. In the course of 141 years, the population of South Carolina has increased from a handful of adventurers to 414,935 inhabitants, its population in 1810. Now, however, the new states, and territories to the southward and westward, draw to them so many of the inhabitants of South Carolina, that any casual accessions to its population are more than coun terbalanced by its emigrations ; so that its future popu lation must depend chiefly on the natural increase of its own inhabitants.
A population derived from so many various sources, cannot yet be expected to present such an uniformity of manners as is necessary to establish a national character. The various groupes of emigrants, particularly from foreign countries, having settled in so many separate co lonies, still retain many of those peculiarities, in manners and habits, which characterized the nations to which they originally belonged. As the connection between the different parts of the state is becoming daily more intimate, these peculiarities arc gradually disappearing. The native languages and dialects of the different colo nies are beginning to give place to the English ; and there is even now such a similarity among the present inhabitants of Carolina, that a stranger would find it dif ficult to ascertain, from the language or manners of any portion of them, from what country their ancestors had emigrated. People living under the influence of the same climate, and the same government, must necessa rily, indeed, acquire a strong resemblance in many of their physical and moral qualities. While there prevails among the Carolinians a diversity of character, which marks them out as the descendants of different races, there are at the same time a few general properties which they all possess, and which may therefore be re garded as the endemic qualities of the nation. Of these qualities the most pernicious are indolence, intempe rance, and a propensity to contract debts; all of which have been induced either by the influence of climate, or by some peculiar circumstances in their condition.
These faults, however, are more than redeemed by several valuable qualities, though some even of these are apt to be carried to an excess that becomes culpable.
A jealous regard to individual and public liberty, the surest bulwark of their civil rights and privileges, is the leading feature in the character of the Carolinians. It is only to be regretted, that the love of liberty is carried, particularly by the young Carolinians, to an excess, which seems rather to threaten the subversion of public order, than to promise security to the invaluable rights which their ancestors have purchased by their blood. So jea lous arc these republican sparks of what they conceive to be the natural privileges of men, that they spurn the re straints even of parental authority ; and arc so impatient of subordination, that many people of business choose to import from Europe clerks trained to obedience, rather than be teazel by the refractory insolence of the saucy youths of Carolina.
With this love of liberty is connected a nice sense of honour, which, though favourable in general to polite ness and propriety of behaviour, is indulged to such an extreme sensibility, that the slightest breach of respect, however unintended, must be atoned for, either by a sub missive apology, or by a meeting- in the field. So fiery, indeed, arc the Carolinians, and so jealous of their ho nour, that more duels are [Might in Carolina, than in all the nine states north of ,laryltind. In Carolina, as in 0111• own country, the duelist who kills his antagonist, may be prosecuted for murder ; but there likewise, as with us, a verdict of simple manslaughter is uniformly given in by the jury, and the criminal who, by the laws of God and sober reason, is condemned as 11101'e guilty than the ordi nary murderer, is received into Society without any mark of abhorrence, or even ()I' disapprobation. Several strenuous efforts have been made in Carolina to repress this pernicious and criminal practice.
Virtues of a less stern complexion, and amiable even in their excess, form the more engaging features in the character or the Carolinians. Their hospilitality to stran gers. and charity to the indigent and distressed, are seal cely limited, even by their pecuniary circumstances. The doors of every Carolinian are opened, not without reluctance merely, but even whit eagerness, to decent travellers ; and the whole state may be traversed at very little expellee, by a person who, with or without letters of introduction, chooses to call at the houses of private gentlemen on his way. Among this generous people, the voice of misery is never raised in vain. Whatever can relieve the wants of poverty, or heal the pangs of distress, is administered with an unsparing bounty and affectionate sympati.y, which would cover more numer ous and more enormous sins than any which can be fairly laid to the charge of the Carolinians.