e. Settlement in
America
Scottish trade with
America was facilitated and encouraged by the immigration of
settlers from Scotland, who were doubtless anxious to keep up a
connection with the mother country. Large numbers were sent over
during the Commonwealth period, especially after the battles of
Dunbar and Worcester. In New England at any rate they seem to have
been well treated. A letter to Cromwell from that colony says that
"we have been anxious, as far as we could, to make their yoke
easy.... They have not been sold for slaves to perpetual servitude,
but for 6 or 7 or 8 years...and he that bought most of them buildeth
houses for them...and promiseth that as soon as they can repay him
the money laid out for them he will set them at liberty." Many of
these, having served their time as servants, settled down, and
became prosperous planters or merchants. The settlers in New Jersey
found many of them when they went over in 1683, having "purchased
notable plantations for themselves, both in Barbadoes Maryland and
else-where and live very plentifully accounting themselves happy in
that providence that brought them there, and extremely regrating the
Condition of many of their friends at home, and wishing them Sharers
of their prosperities After the Restoration, and all through the
latter part of the century many others went of their own free will
to seek their fortunes in America and in the Indies. As colonists,
and as servants, they were highly appreciated. In Barbadoes they
formed an important element of the population. When the settlement
of St Lucia was under consideration, it was suggested that Scots
should be allowed to come, as they would " strengthen the place
well, besides they are hardy people to endure labour and have been
the cheif instruments of bringing Barbadoes to it's perfection." It
was thought desirable, too, in Jamaica, that "all prudentiall means
bee used to encourage ye Scotts to come hither as being very good
Seruants." In Virginia, also, the Governor found them useful
settlers. He wrote in 1666 to Lord Arlington at the "solicitation of
some Scotch Gents." Pegging leave for them to settle there, as "in
this dangerous time they have been very useful to us."
A number also were
transported because their presence was unwelcome at home. His
Majesty's Plantations were a dumping ground for " strong and idle
beggars vagabonds Egiptians common and notorious theives and other
dissolut and lous persones banished or stigmatised for grosse crymes."
Although persons thus designated would not seem to be very desirable
members of a community, there was a great demand for their services
in America, and merchants and ship masters found them a very
profitable commodity to export. In fact people were often kidnapped
and taken off to the Plantations. The Privy Council frequently gave
orders to search ships "bounding" for America, " and if they find
any persons yr who are not of their owne consent and freewill
content to be caryed to the said plantations or are not condemned
yrto by ye sentence of a judge That they bring them a shore and
dismiss them." Of the "vagabonds" it was said that "severall
persones so sent away within these 9 or 10 years have become very
active and virtuous persones Their idleness and poverty having
formerly corrupted them." Another class of persons transported were
"obstinat phanaticks" and "absenters from the church." The Council
was anxious to "empty the prisons and be ride of thos vermine," and
numbers were sent to America, generally to Virginia, Maryland,
Barbadoes or the Carib-bee Islands. A number of Presbyterians also
emigrated on their own account. As early as 1680 there were Scottish
Presbyterian meeting houses and congregations in Virginia, Maryland
and also in New Jersey, even before part of the colony came under
the Scottish proprietors. Some of the members of these congregations
were from Ulster, descendants of the Scottish colonists there. In
Maryland about seven hundred of these Scottish-Irishmen settled
between 1685 and 1695. They began linen and woollen manufactures,
which were strongly objected to by the authorities, as they feared
that they would in time supply the colonies, and thus destroy the
market for English manufactures. There were also Scots settlers
scattered about in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and New York.
The Scots, besides
settling amongst the English in different parts of the country, made
two attempts to found settlements of their own, in New Jersey and in
Carolina. New Jersey was granted by Charles to the Duke of York in
1665, and he granted the country to Lord Berkeley and Sir George
Carteret. The eastern part, Carteret's share, was later (1682)
vested in twenty-four proprietors, who possessed all powers of
government and jurisdiction. Twelve of these were Scotsmen, the Earl
of Perth, Drummond, Treasurer Depute, Mackenzie, Lord Register, and
others, lairds, merchants and advocates. One of their number, Gavin
Lawrie, was made governor, and instructions were given that all land
surveyed should be divided into two parts, one to be for the Scots
proprietors4. Plans were made for laying out a town at Amboy Point,
to be called Perth, and to be the capital of the province. The
country was not unoccupied at this time, the population amounting to
about 5000, some in townships and villages, and others scattered
about the country. These settlers were principally English, but
there were also some Scots and Irish, chiefly Presbyterians in
search of religious freedom.
The proprietors in
Scotland at once began to try and raise an interest in the project,
and to induce settlers to emigrate. They published in 1683 A Brief
Account of the Province of East New Jersey in America, "for the.
information of such as may have a Desire to Transport themselves or
their families thither." In this pamphlet the country was described,
and the advantages of colonies to Scotland were pointed out.
Settlement in America was a better means of ridding the country of
its superfluous population than allowing them to wander to the
Continent, and to serve in foreign armies. Younger sons especially
were "forced to go abroad upon their Shifts or hange upon the Laird
in a most slavish and sordide manner." The advantage which the
colony would afford Scotland as a market for her woollen and linen
cloths was pointed out, even though the Navigation Acts were in
force there. The plantation products were to be brought to England,
and the money got for them there was to be spent in buying Scottish
commodities to be exported, which would make "a Circulation of Trade
as Advantagious for us, yea more than if returns came straight
home." Special licence was given in the charter for transporting
settlers and everything necessary for their use from any of his
Majesty's dominions. Information was also given about the terms on
which land could be acquired. Large estates could be purchased at
£100 per 500 acres. Also, the town of Perth was to be divided into
lots of 10 acres at £20 each. Husbandmen providing themselves with
stock could get from 100 to 500 acres at 2«. 6d. per acre. Servants
after four years' service were to receive 25 acres, with "as much
Corne as will sow an acre and a sute of new Cloaths." Quite a number
availed themselves of this opportunity of settling in a new country.
The prospect of religious freedom doubtless was an inducement to
many. Those who, "upon account of their not going that length in
conformity required of them by the Law, do live very uneasie," found
that "besides the other agreable accomodations of that place many
there freely enjoy their own principles, without hazard or the least
trouble." Ships sailed from Leith, Aberdeen and Montrose, with
persons of all classes, proprietors, those who had purchased large
estates, ministers, husbandmen, tradesmen, servants. The voyage
generally took from six to eight weeks. It was said to be less
dangerous than crossing to Holland, but in any case the long
confinement in close quarters must have been most tedious and
unpleasant. Several would-be settlers indeed died on the voyage. The
discomforts of the journey over, they seemed to find the new country
all that had been promised. Extracts from letters of settlers are
given in a pamphlet published in 1685, "The Model of the Government
of the Province of East-New-Jersey in America And Encouragements of
such as Designs to be Concerned there." "I have great reason to
thank God that I am in a place which abundantly answers anything I
expected." "This country is beyond not only all our Expectations but
all that ever you have heard spoken of it." The Indians were found
to be "a harmless people and very kind to us; they are not a hairie
people as was said to us in Scotland." One writer enumerates the
occupations which may be followed. "In the first place Planting..
.in the second place there may be Fishing...in the third place for
one to have a Malthouse, a brew house and a bake house, to make
malt, brew bear and bake bisket for Barbadoes and the Neighbouring
Colonies;...Lastly for one to buy up the product of the countrey...and
export them to Barbadoes, and import Rumme and Molasses would
certainly be a good trade in Amboy, for the highest designe of the
old Buckskin Planters (I am just now drinking to one of them, our
Countryman, who was sent away by Cromwell to New England, a slave
from Dunbar, Living now in Woodbridge Like a Scots Laird, wishes his
Countrymen and Native Soyle very well, tho' he never intends to see
it. Pardon this Parenthesis) is to acquire a piece of money to drink
in the change house." Unlike the " Buckskin Planters," the new
settlers felt most the "need of good and Faithful Ministers." One
gay youth, however, brother of the Laird of Kinnaber, hoped that "in
a little time I shall want nothing but the company of the prettie
.Girls, to all whom who retain any remembrance of me, Let my
services be remembered."
The infant colony
received all encouragement from Charles and James, but its
neighbours soon began to trouble the settlers. The Governor of New
York was anxious to bring New Jersey under his control1. The
Proprietors in 1684 asserted their rights of "Government, Ports, and
Harbours, free Trade and Navigation," and laid the matter before the
Duke, whom they found "verie just." Dongan, the New York Governor,
however, still continued to trouble them, especially by asserting
that Perth Amboy was not a port of entry, and that all vessels
trading in that part of the country must enter at New York. He also
seized some ships, and forced them to discharge there. The
Proprietors declared that they had "adventured great Stocks upon
that Bottom," and had sent "several hundred persons out of
Scotland," and should therefore be encouraged. They got their way
and New Perth was erected into a port of entry in 1687. Naturally it
was a favourite resort of Scots ships and merchants.
The population seems
to have been divided into two factions, English and Scottish. The
latter were encouraged by the appointment of a Scottish Governor,
Andrew Hamilton, in 1692, "a great favourer of the Scotch traders
his countrymen." But in 1697, as a result of the Act of 1696 which
was held to prevent all Scots from holding positions of public
trust, Hamilton was dismissed, although the Proprietors were most
anxious to retain his services. The Attorney-General declared,
however, that "a Scotchman borne is by Law capable of being
appointed Governor of any one of the Plantacons he being a natural
born subject of England in Judgement and Construccon of Law4," and
Hamilton was restored in 16995. Jeremiah Basse, who had been
Governor in the interval, had had great difficulties with the Scots,
partly because of his "discountenancinge the Scoch and pirates in
their illegall trades." Another reason was his issue of a
Proclamation forbidding intercourse with the settlers of the Darien
expedition. "The Scotch gentlemen amongst us," he says, "are growne
to a very great hight from the prospect of a Gentleman of their own
Nation filleinge the seat of Government in these provinces...and the
Success that. their Countreymen meet withall in their settlement
of... Golden Island...I cannot see but that the English interest and
trade must of necessity fall if some Spedy course be not taken for
their Stopeinge of their Groath. The principal traders in East and
West Jersey and Pennsil-vania are Scotch who some of them have
publiquely asserted that his Majesty dare not interrupt them in
their settlement of Golden Island lest It should make a breach
betwixt the two Nations publiquely." Basse complained later about
Hamilton's reinstalment, declaring that the "whole designe and end
of the Act of 1696" was to "Keepe the trade of the Plantations
intirely in a dependance on England and the great cause of making
itt being the Continued Complaints of an Illegal trade Carried on by
Scotchmen to Scotland Holland Curasoe etc and connived att by such
as are in Authority." Quary, the Customs Commissioner, reported that
in the eastern division of New Jersey the Scots "by means of the
Scotch Governor Carry things here with a high hand and irritate the
People against them8." The population increased considerably after
the Scots settlement, colonists coming both from England and from
Scotland. The English gradually outnumbered the Scots and were
therefore discontented with the proprietary government, under which
the Scots "had the sole rule." This form of government was not
considered in any of the colonies to be conducive to the best
results, either for the settlers or for the sovereign, and New
Jersey was no exception to the rule. Indeed the Scots influence
there made the system still more unpopular with the English
authorities. From 1699 to 1702 negotiations were being carried on
with a view to the surrender of the government to the crown, and in
1702 it was finally given up. In the next year Hamilton died, and
Lord Cornbury was appointed governor.
The Carolina
settlement did not meet with as much success as the New Jersey
colony. Sir John Cochrane and Sir George Campbell were the promoters
of this effort, and bought some land from the proprietors of
Carolina in 1682. They intended the settlement to be a refuge for
those who suffered under the Stewarts' ecclesiastical policy. They
were therefore anxious to secure liberty when they emigrated, and
insisted on some alterations being made in the constitution. These,
however, were soon repealed, because they were "injudicious and
inapplicable." The land granted to them was to be some distance
inland, to prevent surprises from an enemy, some distance from the
nearest English settlement, and also to be in a healthy situation,
and well provided with water. Lord Cardross and several Scots
families went across in 1683, and the settlement was made at Port
Royal. Next year they were joined by other settlers.
Unfortunately the
colony got into difficulties, both with the English settlers and
government, and with the Indians and Spaniards. The English seem to
have been jealous of the Scots having anything to do with the
administration of justice, and the Scots resented any encroachments
on what they considered were their undoubted rights. A quarrel began
over the arrest of a Scotsman, on " Scotch precints," by English
officials. Some reprisal was made by the Scots and then Lord
Cardross was ordered to appear before the Council. On his neglect of
the summons, a warrant was issued against him for contempt. The
English Proprietors disapproved of this conduct towards Lord
Cardross, and wrote apologising to him. Cardross, however, returned
to Scotland. Before he left it was said that the Scots had incited a
neighbouring tribe of Indians to fall upon another tribe who were
under Spanish protection. The Spaniards thereupon attacked the Scots
settlement and destroyed it, in 1686, when the colony had only been
in existence for four years. Those who escaped settled elsewhere
amongst the English settlers, and no more attempts were made to form
an exclusively Scottish settlement.
A question of some
importance throughout this period, was that of the naturalisation
and denisation of the Scots. The English Navigation Acts declared
that ships must be sailed by crews which were two-thirds English.
Although Scotsmen had been naturalised in England since James VI's
reign, yet it was now asserted that for the purposes of the Acts
Scotsmen could not be considered Englishmen. The Acts also declared
that only Englishmen could be merchants or factors in the
Plantations, and on this point too the Scots were sometimes
challenged. There was much difference of opinion on the subject, and
the distinction was not always insisted on. The Scots resented very
much any attempts to enforce the Acts in this strict sense* One
instance is given in 1669 of a ship which was confiscated at
Barbadoes, because some of the necessary English proportion of the
crew were Scotsmen. They had paid customs and got coquets in England
and "'tis said that diuers of these Scottsmen dwell in England, and
did engadge with the hazard of their Lives in the last warres
against the Dutch in His Majesty's service who take it wondrous
unkindly to be thus debarred the Liberty of subjects." The Barbadoes
people considered it "a thing of much rigour" that the Scots should
be thus excluded. After a few years, however, it was decided that
Scots might navigate English ships. Also, although no legal opinion
seems to have been given on the subject, Scots were allowed to be
merchants and factors in the colonies. The Act of 1696, which
ratified and made more severe the former Acts dealing with
navigation, again gave rise to much discussion on these points. One
clause declared that places of trust in Courts of Law or Treasury
were to be held only by natives of England, Ireland, or the
Plantations; also that in cases concerning the infringement of the
Acts the jurors should be natives of England, Ireland, or the
Plantations only. Under this Act Hamilton, Governor of New Jersey,
was dismissed, but was reinstated again in 1699. The
Attorney-General and Solicitor-General decided that all Scotsmen
"are qualified to be owners, Masters and Mariners of ships in these
parts."
They declared also
that the words Englishman or native-born subjects of England
included Scotsmen. Nevertheless in many cases the colonial
authorities disregarded these decisions. A pamphlet published in
1703 declares that "of late years Scotsmen have been very
ill-treated in some of the Plantations, such of them as were
Justices of the Peace, Members of the Council, or in any other
publick office, were turn'd out: Scotsmen residing there have had
their Goods and Ships, seized and confiscated, and in many cases
they have been proceeded against as Aliens, and forc'd to sell their
ships to avoid these Vexations." The interpretation of the Acts
probably varied in different colonies, but the position of Scots
merchants, planters and seamen alike, was both uncertain and
unsatisfactory, and they were all doubtless anxious for union, to
obtain equal rights with the English as traders and as settlers.