VESSELS cleared out at the custom-house, Charleston, from November, 1785, to November, 1787, belonging to the following nations: The amount of the above exports in fterling money, has been estimated at £.505,279 19.5. In the moft fuccefsful feafons there have been as many as 140,000 barrels of rice, and 1,300,000 pounds of indigo, exported in one year. The average price of rice, fince the peace, has been from 12 to 14 fhillings fterling the hundred; and of indigo, of the different forts, 3 fhillings and nine pence. Since the peace of 1783, in confequence of the depopulation of labourers, the bad state of the fields, and from a fucceffion of bad feafons, the planters have made yearly but little more than half a common crop. The following abstract' from a gentleman accurately informed on the fubject, contains much useful information, and demands a place under this head. GINERAL GENERAL ABSTRACT of the DEBT of the State of SOUTH CAROLINA, N. B. Vaft quantities of goods imported in the above years, were, on account of foreigners, and fold at verdue and otherwise, greatly under their firft coft in Europe, and many bad debts were contracted, both which ought to be deducted from the above balance of £.1,626,761 16, which deducted, it is computed, will reduce the balance to about £.1,400,000.-It is computed that the goods now left in ftores, will amount to at least £.500,000; but as there was likewise a confiderable value at the evacuation, as well as debts contracted during the time the British held the city as a garrifon, no deduction can, with propriety, be made on that account. Statement of the Juppofed future trade of the ftate (allowing an aunual impor of the private debts of the State, 1,577,500 62,500 500,000 1,077,505 500,000 896,375 500,000 706,193 15 500,000 506,503 89 500,000 296,828 12 500,000 76,670 The from 1st January, 1783, to 1ft January, 1787, both inclufive. Suppofed value of exports here. 355,471 I 880,471 11783 to 1784 966,411 181,749,475 141784 to 1785 550,438 161,995,574 101785 to 1786 336,466 42,042,310 12 1786 to 1787 2,208,787 196,667,731 13 178,370 134,696 745,775 I 466,564 373,251 41,376,224 10 463,576 370,860 161,624,613 14 519,436 415,548 161,626,761 16 1,617,946 1,294,356 165,373,375 N. B. The above exports are the produce of South-Carolina, and are exclufive of dry goods, rum, fugar, falt, coffee, &c. fhipped to North Carolina, Georgia, Eaft-Florida, Bahamas and Savannah, neither are the exports from George-town and Beaufort included therein, though at a moderate calculation all thofe articles for the above years may be eftimated at In the exports, fpecie is not included, though it is thought that the fum annually fent from hence is from £.150,000 to £.200,000 at least. tation of 1000 negroes) to fhew the period of time necessary for the extinguishment on the foregoing principles. The balance of £500,000 fterling is the fuppofed amount of the foreign private debt of this ftate at the commencement of the late war. The foregoing calculations were made during the period the inftalment act was in progrefs in the legislature, and is more unfavourable to the state of the debt, than any other that was produced at that time, except fome that were calculated with a view to extend the inftalments as far as poffible; but as the importation of negroes is prohibited for three years, the balance of debt at the end of that time, fay March 1790, will be reduced to £.580,093. It is to be obferved that the value of exports in this calculation, are not rated higher than the nominal value here in the late bad feafons; fo that a few successful crops would decrease the debt in a much greater degree. Practice of the Law, Courts, &c.] From the first fettlement of this country in 1669, to the year 1769, a fingle court, called the Court of Common Pleas, was thought fufficient to tranfact the judicial bufinefs of the state. This court was invariably held at Charleston, where all the records were kept, and all civil business transacted. As the province increased, inconveniences arofe, and created uneafinefs among the people. To remedy these inconveniences, an act was paffed in 1769, by which the province was divided into seven districts, which have been mentioned. The Court of Common Pleas (invefted with the powers of the fame court in England) fat four times a year in Charleston. By the above mentioned act, the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas were empowered to fit as Judges of the Court of Seffions, invefted with the powers of the Court of King's Bench, in England, in the criminal jurifdiction. The act likewife directed the Judges of the Courts of Common Pleas and Seffions in Charleston diftrict, to divide, and two of the Judges to proceed on what is called the Northern Circuit, and the other two on the Southern Circuit, diftributing juftice in their progrefs. This was to be done twice in the year. This mode of adminiftering juftice continued till 1785, when, by the unanimous exertions of the two upper diftricts, an act was paffed, establishing county courts in all the counties of the four diftricts of Camden, Ninety-Six, Cheraws and Orangeburg; in the two laft, however, the law has not taken effect. The County Courts are empowered to fit four times in a year. Before the eftablishment of county courts, the lawyers all refided at Charleftor, under the immediate eye of government; and the Carolina bar was as pure and genteel as any in the United States. Since this establishment, lawyers have flocked in from all quarters, and fettled in different parts of the country, and law-fuits have been multiplied beyond all former knowledge. History.] The reformation in France occafioned a civil war between the Proteftant and Catholic parties in that kingdom. During these domeftic troubles Jasper de Coligni, a principal commander of the Protestant army, fitted out two fhips, and fent them with a colony to America, under the command of Jean Ribaud, for the purpose of fecuring a retreat from perfecution. Ribaud landed at the mouth of what is now called Albemarle river, in North-Carolina. This colony, after enduring incredible hardships, was extirpated by the Spaniards. No further attempts were made to plant a colony in this quarter, till the reign of Charles II. of England. Mention is, however, made of Sir Robert Heath's having ob |