SCMAR, Vol. XIII No. 4, Fall 1985
A petition from Greenville County South Carolina
Greenville County had been settled less than ten years at the time of this petition, which is found in the South Carolina Archives, General Assembly Petitions, 1792, #153.
To his Honour the President of the Honorable the Members of the Senate of South Carolina.
The Petition of the Subscribers Inhabitants of Greenville County Humbly Sheweth That your Petitions ever since the establishment of the County Court have conceived themselves very much aggrived by the Publick Buildings not being in a more central situation.
But previous to your Interferance it will be necessary you should think as we do, with that view we beg leave to lay a candid statement of the whole proceedings that have been had in that Business. The place where the Court House now stands, being one of notority, the Justices of the Original Appointment, at the time appointed by Law, for the first Court, thought proper, to assemble There. The Gentleman there Residant being himself an Influential member of the Court, found but little deficulty in procuring a Majority in favour of Its continuance; But as the Law required a Concurrence of Two thirds there could be as regular appeal, from the Determination In that situation the matter stood for some time, a Majority being always able to adjourn to that place. The Justices in the upper & other parts of the county, finding the friends of that place were Receiving all the advantages & Themselves & the rest of the Inhabitants, experiencing all the Inconveniences, that would Result from a permanent Establishment, agreed for the purpose of puting the Business in a train for a removal, that the Court House should continued there upon which an actual survey of the County was made and that place was found to be Ten Miles from the Center of the Habitable part Thereof a Representation of which accompanied by such other proofs & Documents as we thought would sufficiently substantiate the Justice of our claim to a Removal were laid before his Excellency who assigned a Day to hear the Case, the parties appear'd before him & the council, who upon hearing there proofs and allegations thought proper to Refer it to the Inhabitants of the County to be determined by a majority of Votes. & when we consider the Influence which Interest has over the Human mind in all situations & how Improperly votes are frequently obtaind on much more Important occasions, we shall not be surprised to find that the vigorous and united Exertions of a few particular characters soon Procured a Majority in favour of the first Establishment which were by them laid before His Excellency who Ever discovers to do Equal Justice, to all parties refused to come to any decision, But sent Notifications for the other party to appear & assigned another day of Trial But the Bearor Its probable gave himself himself but little Trouble to propagate the Information, however this we can with confidence assure was too late to attend the Trial & a number never knew of It untill open court, which Effectually deprived us from makeing that Opposition to the measure which we would otherways have done.
Your Honorable Body, we now appeal as the last Resort & hope you in your wisdom will devise some Equtable plan to do Equal Justice to all parties & Quiet the minds of a great number of the inhabitants & Your Petitioners as in duty Bound will ever pray
Richard Brasel
Robert Brasel
George Brasell
Valentine Brasel
James Brasell
and many others signed their names
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