F289 .M37 1835 ■MM ^.• .V o a k\ 4> ^^ ° ^S^ % ;^ A- .^' ^^ '^^ a"^ -'. •A A <. -.^ 5 ■^- I ^"v -^ ^ .^^ -^^ 1 ^ 3, ~ '^ ■^• r\^ n " o 0' V-!^.-,,*^ %;.!f:%t.-,.-^ ^,--f|K" .^^'^ t^-o^ v , - "'•{/ fjW VN" -» v.- 'W>^- -.1 r: ^; .0 . -'^■■;V qO '^^.'^ 0' , °^ V' '.'^ ol ,> 9. -^--0^ .^■ c. ,-rV * ,V /yM ^. <^. 'r^. .0 v 4 o ,-0- -'VMVv,9:>ev\\a\MltA 1 AN ACCOUNT, • Shewing the PROGRESS of the Colonj of GEORGIA IN AMERICA, FROM IT'S First Establishment- Published per Order of the Honorable the Trustees. L O ND O N : Printed in ttie Year M,DCC,XL1. ^MARYLAND: Reprinted and Sold by Jon«s Green, aih\s PRlNTINCi-OFFlCE, in Annapolis. 1742. p. Force, Washington, 1835. THE PREFACE. TNthe Year 1141, there iv as Printed and Published hyP.T. ^ in Charles-Town in South-Carolina, for the Authors P. T r, M. D. H. A n, M. A. D. D s, and Others, Land— holders in Georgia, (at that Time in Charles— Town) a Pamphlet entitulcd, A True and Historical Narrative of the Col- ony of Georgia in America, Ste. Dedicated to his Excellency, James Oglethorpe, Esq; General and Commander-in-ChieJ oj his Majesty's Forces in South-Carolina and Georgia, ^c. The Dedication seems a very just Introduction to such a Narrative, and both the one and the other, the real Offspring of such fac- tious and turbulent Authors ; being a mean low-witted Sneer, a malicious ill-natured Invective, against that honorable Gen- tleman, wherein the Authors, without any regard to Good Man- ners or Common Civility, treat his Excellency (as it were to his Face) with such Rudeness as ill becomes any Person to use even to an Inferior : However, I cannot say but a very ft Prelude to such an inconsistent, sjjiteful, false Narrative, as is sidjoincd to the Dedication ; a Narrative founded in Lies and Misrepresen- tations, pjrojected and published by a few Persons of no Estate, and as little Character, Persons sour'd in their Tempers, be- cause not humoured in their endeavours of subverting, or at least altering, the Constitution of a new settled Colony, even in it's Infancy, and before any great Experiment was made of Advan- cing and improving it ; Persons, ivho were under a necessity of Banishing themselves from a Colony, where, for their seditious and rebellious Practices, and turbulent restless Spirits, they were every day in danger of being calVd to Account, as stirrers up of Discontent, and as Incendiaries against the Peace of the Government ; Persons who had shared deeply in his Excellency's Favours, and therefore guilty of the most monstrous Siii in na- ture, viz. Ingratitude ; for Si ingratum dixeris, Onniia. In short, they are Persons to whom do most justly belong the Char- acter given by the Right Honourable Sir William Young, in a Debate concerning the Printer of a seditious Paper, " that "' they are Men ivhose daily Employment has been, for some •• time, to misrepresent the Publick Measures, to disperse Scan- •^ dal, and excite Rebellion; loho have industriously propa- '•^ gated every Murmur of Discontent, and preserved every " Wliisper of Malevolence from perishing in the Birth." — Gent. Mag. Supplement to 1741, p. 682. B. These are the mighty Authors and Publishers of the Scur- rilious Narrative ! the Design of which seems to be pointed IV* THE PREFACE. chiefly towards obstructing the Peopling, and further Settling' f the Colony of Georgia, and sullying the Character and Admin- istration of a Gentleman^ ivho may (icithout Flattery or Fals- hood) be justly termed the Romulus, Father, and Founder of Georgia; a Gentleman who, without any Views but that of en- larging his Majesty^s Dominions, propagating the Protestant Religion, promoting the Trade of his Country, and providing for the Wants and Necessities of indigent Christians, has voluntarily banished himself from the Pleasures of a Court and exposed himself to the repeated Dangers of the vast Atlantic Ocean, in several perillous and tedious Voyages ; instead of allowing himself the Satisfaction, ivhich a plentiful Fortune, powerful Friends, and great Merit, entitle him to in England, he has inured himself to the greatest Hardships, that any the meanest Inhabitant of this new Colony could be exposed to; his Diet has been mouldy Bread, or boiled Rice instead of Bread, Salt Beef, Porh', ^"C. his Drink has been Water, his Bed the damp Earth, without any other Covering than the Canopy of Heaven to skelter him ; and all this to set an Example to this new Colony, how they might bear with such Hardships in their new Settlements. His Conduct in War, falls nothing short of his Prudence in private Life, and Policy in Publick Stations, however the same might have been misrepresented to the World, with respect to the Miscarriage before St. Augustine, the true Causes of which are justly to be laid at the Door of Two Sorts of Men, con- cerned in that Expedition ; first those under a Command dif- ferent from, the General, upon lohose Assistance the Success 0/ that Expedition chifly depended, but who entirely left him when their Asssitancc ivas rnost wanted. The Second Sort were those Out— Guards, loho were to give the Alarm to the Main-Guard, rvhen the Spaniards advanced ; but, who, instead of f ring their Pieces, and giving the Alarm, flung down their Arms and ran away ; by ivhich Means, the Slaughter of the Men at Musa happened : And yet, Ill-Nature tvill lay the Blame of all to his Excellency , when indeed the Miscarriage was occasioned by either Neglect of, or Disobedience to, the Military Orders that his Excellency had given ; or by not being supported by those under a different Command, on whom he chifly depended for Success of that Attach ; but (to his Excellency's great Sur- prize) instead of sending their Boats and Men ashore, accord- ing to a Result of a Council of War, held on board one of his Majesty's Ships, to assist in order to destroy the Six Gal- lies, ivherein the Spaniards greatest Safe-guard lay, and which continually fired from- under the Walls over the River, on the hand Forces, hoisted their Sails and went away, without giving the least Notice of their Departure, by ivhich Means the Gar- THE PREFACE. V. risoii was relieved with Provisions through the Melanges, a small Inlet about Four Leagues to the Southward of the Bar, lohich might have been prevented, had those of a different Command done their Duty. Thus I leave any impartial Man, to judge the Consequence of their Departure at so critical a Juncture, and the fatal Event it produced to his Majesty's Land Forces. However, his Excellency's Conduct has been approved of at Home, and ivill soon appear in such a Light, that his Enemies will be ashamed of their impudent Lies, and perhaps pay for their own Folly ; and hoiv far the lll-JSature, and impotent Ma- lice, ofth' Authors of the Narrative, have carried them beyond the Bounds of Trulh or good Manners, will appear in the fol- loiving Sheets, which give a true and authentic Account of the Progress of that Colony, from it's first Establishment, to the Year 1741, which being published by the Order of the Honour- able the Trustees, and printed in London, Anno 1741, is now Re-printed here, ivith no other View, than to obviate the Pre- judices which may be raised in the Minds of People, by that Scandalous Narrative, and so may be a Means of delivering that Neiv Settlement, from the ill Effect of such Misrepresentations as are handed about by that Libel, to deter his Majesty's Subjects from settling in that Frontier Colony, so necessary for advancing and protecting the Trade of this, and our Mother Country, on the Southermost Part of North America, a7id extending our Colonies both on the Gulf of Florida, a7id the Bay of Mexico. Magna est Veritas, h prevalebit. AN ACCOUNT, Sliewing the Progress of tlic Colony of GEORGIA IN A M ERICA, From it's First Est ahlishment. HIS Majesty King GEORGE the Second, by his Let- ters Patent bearing date the i)ih Day of June, One thousand seven liundred and thirty two, reciting amongst many other things, that many of his poor Subjects were through Misfortunes and want of Employment reduced to great Necessities, and would be glad to be Settled in any of his Majesty's Provinces of -^/?^er^co, where by Cultivating the Lands Waste and Desolate, they might not only gain a comfortable Subsistence, but also, strengthen his Majesty's Colonies, and in- crease the Trade, Navigation and Wealth of his JMajesty's Realms, and that the Provinces in North America had been frequently Ravaged by Indian Enemies, more especially that of iSouih Carolina, whose Southern Frontier continued unsettled and lay open to the Neighbouring Savages, and that to relieve the Wants of the said Poor People, and to protect his Majesty's Subjects in South Carolina, a Regular Colony of the said Poor People should be Settled and Established in the Southern Frontiers of Carolina did for the Considerations aforesaid. Constitute a Corporation by the Name of the Trustees for Establishing the Colony of jGcpr- gia in America, with Capacity to purchase and take Lands, to sue'Tand To be sued, to have a Common Seal, and to Chuse Members of the said Corporation on the third Thursday in March Yearly, with restraining Clauses, that no Member of the said Corporation should have anj' Salary, Fee, Perquisite, Benefit or Profit whatsoever for Acting therein, or have any Office, Place, or Employment of Profit under the said Corporation, with a Direction for the said Corporation every Year to lay an Account in Writing before the Lord Chancellor, Chief Justice of the Kings Bench, Master of the Rolls, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and Chief Baron of the Exchequer, or any Two of them, of all Moneys or Efiects by them Received or Expended for Carrying on the good Purposes aforesaid, with a Power to make By-Laws^ Constitutions, Orders and Ordinances : And Granted amongst [ -^ j other things to the said Corporation and their Successors, under the Reservations therein mentioned, seven undivided Parts (the whole into eight equal parts to be divided) of all those Lands, Countries and Territories, situate, lying and being in that part of South Carolina in America, which lies from the most Northern Stream of a River there commonly called the Savannah, all along the Sea Coast to the Southward, unto the most Southern Stream of a certain other great Water or River, called the Alatamaha, and Westward from the Heads of the said Rivers respectively in di- rect Lines to the South Seas, To have and to hold the same, to them the said Corporation and their Successors for Ever, for the better support of the said Colony under the Yearly Rent of Four Shillings Proclamation Money of South Carolina, for every Hundred Acres of the said Lands for ever, which the said Cor- poration should Grant, Demise, Plant or Settle, but not to Com- mence until Ten Years after such Grant, Demise, Planting or Settling; And Erected and Created the said Lands, Countries, and Territories into one independent and separate Province by the Name of GEORGIA, and made the Inhabitants who should reside therein, free and not subject to any Laws, Orders, Statutes, or Constitutions of South Carolina, except the Commander-in- Chief of the Militia, and Authorized the said Corporation for the Term of twenty-one Years from the Date of the said Letters Pa- tent to form and prepare Laws, Statutes and Ordinances for the Government of the said Colony, not repugnant to the Laws and Statutes of England, to be presented under their Common Seal, to his Majest}' in Council, for liis Approbation or Disallowance, and that the said Laws so Approved of should be in full Force and Virtue within the said Province: And impowered the Com- mon Council for the Time being of the said Corporation, or the major Part of them, to dispose of, expend and apply, all the Mo- neys and Effects belonging to the said Corporation, and to make Contracts for Carrying and Effecting the good Purposes therein intended, and that they should, from Time to Time, appoint a Treasurer, Secretary, and such other Officers, Ministers, and Servants of the said Corporation as they should see j)roper, for the good Management of their Affairs, and at their Pleasure to remove them and appoint Others in their stead, and that they should appoint reasonable Salaries, Perquisites and other Rewards for their Labour or Services, and that such Officers should be Sworn before they Act, for the faithful and due Execution of their respective Offices and Places; and declared, that the Treasurer and Secretary for the Time being should be incapable of being Members of the said Corporation ; and granted to the said Cor- poration that it should be lav/ful for them, their Officers or Agents, to Transport and Convey into the said Province, such of his Majesty's Subjects and Foreigners as were willing to go and [3] Inhabit and Reside there ; and declared all Persons Bom within the said Province, and their Children and Posteiity, to be Free Denizens as if they had been Born within any of his Majesty's Dominions: And impowered the said Common Council in the Name of the Corporation and under their Comnioa Seal, to dis- tribute, convey, assign, and set over such particular Portions of the said Lands, Tenements and Hereditaments, unto such of his Majesty's Subjects and others willing to Live in the said Colony, upon such Terms, and for such Estates, and upon such Rents, Reservations and Conditions, as the same might lawfully be grant- ed, and as to the said Common Council, or the major Part of them, should seem fit and proper, Provided that no Grant should be made of any part of the said Lands, unto, or in trust for, or for the Benefit of any Member of the said Coiporation, and that no greater Quantity of the said Lands be granted either intirely or in parcels, to or to the use of, or in trust for, any one Person, than five hundred Acres ; and declaied tliat all Grants made con- trary to the true intent and meaning thereof should be at solutely Null and Void: And granted that the said Corporation for the Term of Twenty One Years from the Date of tlie said Letters Patent should have Power to Erect and Constitute Judicatuies and Courts of Record, or oth.er Courts, to be held in his Majesty's Name, for the hearing and determining of all manner of Crimes, Offences, Pleas, Processes, Plaints, Actions, Matters, Causes and Things whatsoever, ai'ising or happening within the said Province, or between Persons Inhabiting or Residing there, and forav/arding and making out Executions thereupon ; and directed the said Corporation to Register or cause to be Registred, all Leases, Grants, Plantings, Conveyances, Settlements and improvements whatsoever, as should at any time be made of any Lands, Tene- ments or Hereditaments within the said Province, and Yearly transmit Authentick Accounts thereof unto the Auditor of the Plantations, or his Deputy, and to the Surveyor of South Carolina, to inspect and survey the same, to Ascertain the Quit-Rents tliat should become due according to the Reservation before mentioned ; but not to have, or take any Gratuity, Fee or Reward for such Survey or Inspection, on Forfeiture of their Office ; with a Pro- viso, That all Leases, Grants and Conveyances to be made, of any Lands within the said Province, or a Memorial Contain-n? :) e Substance or Effect thereof, should be Registred with the Audi- tor of the Plantations within One Year from the Date thereof, otherwise that the same should be void: And directed, that all Rents, Issues or Profits which should come to the said C-'orpcra- tion, issuing or arising out of, or from the said Province; should be laid out and applied in such manner as would most improve and enlarge the said Colony, and best Answer the good Purposes [4] therein mentioned, and for defraying all other Charges about the same ; and directed the said Corporation from time to time to give in to one of tlie Secretaries of State, and to the Commissioners of Trade and Plantations, Accounts of the Progress of the said Colony; And directed that the said Common Council should fi'om time to time for the said Term of twenty one Years from the Date of the said Letters Patent, have Power to appoint all such Governours, Judges, Magistrates, Ministers, and Officers, Civil and Militaiy, both by Sea and Land, within the said Dis- trict, as they should think fit and needful for the Government of the said Colony (except such Officers as should be appointed for Managing, Collecting and Receiving such of his Majesty's Rev- enues, as should arise within the said Province) with a Proviso, that every Governourso Appointed, should be Approved by his Majesty, and Qualify himself as other Governours in America are by Law required to do, and give Security for Observing the Acts of Parliament relating to Trade and Navigation, and Obey- ing all Instructions from his Majesty, or any Acting under his Authority, pursuant to the said Acts : And Granted, that the said Corporation for the said Term of twenty one Years, from the Date of the said Letters Patent, should have Power, by any Commander or other Officer for that Purpose appointed to Train, Instruct, Exercise, and Govern, a Militia for the special Defence and Safety of the said Colony, to Assemble in Martial Array, and put in Warlike Posture, the Inhabitants of the said Colony, and in Time of actual War, Invasion or Rebellion, to use and exercise the Law Martial, and also to erect Forts and Fortify any Place or Places within the said Colony, and the same to furnish with all necessary Ammunition, Provision and Stores of War for Offence and Defence, and from time to time to commit the Custody and Government of tliem to such Person or Persons as to them should seem meet, Declaring that the Governour or Commander in Cliief of South Carolina should have the Chief Command of the Militia of Georgia, and that they should observe his Orders; And Granted that the said Corporation should have Power to Import or Export their Goods, at or from any Port or Ports that should be appointed by his Majesty within the said Province for that purpose, witliout being obliged to touch at any other Port in Carolina: And Declared, that after the End of the said twenty one Years, such Form of Government, and method of making Laws, Statutes, and Ordinances for the Government of the said Province, and it's Inhabitants, should be Observed and Establish- ed within the same, as his Majesty, his Heirs and Successors should Ordain and Appoint, and should be agreable to Law ; and that after the End of the said twenty one Years, the Governour^ and all Officers Ci\'il and Military, within the said Province. [5j should be Appointed by his Majesty, his heirs and Successors. In Pursuance of his Majesty's Cliarter, and in order to fulfil the good Intents and Purposes therein expressed, it was thought necessary for the Trustees to send over such poor People and foreign Protestants as were willing to Live in Georgia, not only to cultivate the Lands, but at the same Time to strengthen his Ma- jesty's Colonies. For which purpose they considered each In- habitant both as a Planter and a Soldier; and they were therefore to be Provided with Arms tor their Defence, as well as Tools for their Cultivation, and to be Taught the Exercise of both, and Towns were to be laid out for their Settlements, and Lands al- lotted to each of them for their Maintenance as near to those Towns as conveniently could be, that they might never have Occasion to be too far distant from their Tow^ns, which were to be regarded as their Garrisons. And as the Military Strength of the Province was particulaly to be taken care of, it seemed necessary to Establish such Ten^^ ures of Lands as might most effectually preserve the Number of Planters, or Soldiers, equal to the Number of Lots of Lands, and therefore each Lot of Land was to be considered as a Military Fief, and to contain so much in Quantity as would Support such Planter and his Family ; and Fifty Acres were judged sufficient and not too much for that Purpose, and Provision was made to prevent an Accumulation of several Lots into one Hand, lest the Garrison should be lessened, and likewise to prevent a Division of those Lots into smaller Parcels, lest that which was no more than Sufficient for one Planter, when entire, should if divided amongst several, be too scanty for their Subsistence. And in the Infancy of the Colony, the Lands were Granted in Tail Male, preferable to any other Tenure, as the n:iost likely to answer these Purposes; for if the Grants were to be made in Tail General, it was thought that the Strength of each Township would soon be diminished, in as much as every Female Heir in Tail, who was unmarried, would have been intitled to one Lot, and consequently have taken from the Garrison the Portion of one Soldier ; and by Intermarriages several Lots might have been united into one ; and if such Tenant in Tail General had had several Daughters, his Lot must have been Divided equally amongst them all as Co-partners. Nor were these the only inconveniencies which were thought likely to arise from Estates in Tail General : For Women being equally incapable to Act as Soldiers or serve on Juiies, these Duties, and many others, such as Watchings and Wa.dinus, fyc. would return so much oftener to each Man, in proportion as the Number of the Men in the Township was lessened, and by that means become very burthensome to the Remaining Male Lot [6] holders, and in case of any Attack from the Indians, French or Spaniards, the Township would be less able to make a Defence. And as it was not thought proper to Grant Estates in Tail Gen- eral, it appeared to be more inconvenient to Grant them in Fee Simple ; which Estate would have been attended with all the Objections before mentioned incident to Estates in Tail General, and to several other besides ; for the Right of Alienation being inseparable from an Estate in Fee, the Grantee might have Sold, Mortgaged, or Aliened his Lands to whomever he thought fit, which was a Power not to be intrusted with the People sent over, for the following Reasons : 1. From Considering their Condition. 2. From Considering tlie Purposes they were sent for. 3. From Considering the Persons to whom Lands might be Alienated. And, 4. From Considering that it might Occasion a Monopoly of Land contrary to the Intent of the Charter. As to the First, The Persons sent over were poor indigent People, who had for the most part so indiscreetly managed what they had been Masters of here, that it did not seem safe to trust so absolute a Property in their Hands, at least in the Infancy of the Colony, and before they had by a careful and industrious Behaviour given some Reason to believe they would prove better Managers for the future. As to the Second, They were sent over to inhabit, cultivate, and secure, by a personal Residence, the Lands Granted to them within the Province, and they voluntarily engaged so to do ; And in expectation that they would perform those Engagements, they were Maintained at the Expence of the Publick during their Voy- age, and tlieir Passage was paid for them, and they were provided with Tools, Arms, Seeds, and other Necessaries, and Supported from the Publick Store, many of them at least for four Years together from their first Landing, in which respect the Publick may be said to have Purcliased those People for a valuable Consider- ation, their Personal Residence, and all the Industry and Labour they could bestow in the Cultivation of this Province, and to have given them even Pay for the Hazard they might run in the De- fence of it. As to the Third, It was thought unsafe to Grant them such an Estate as might be the Means of introducing such sort of People as migJit Defeat what the Trustees had always at Heart, viz. The Preservation of the Protestant Religion in that Province, which v/as necessary to be taken Care of, laoth on a Political and Religious Account, the French lying to the West and the Spaii- iards, to the South of the Province of Georgia. As to the Fourth, A Monopoly of several Lots into one Hand [7] would necessarily have been the consequence of a Free Liberiy of Buying and Selling Lands within the Province, which would have been di.ectly contraiy to the Intent of the Charter, whereby the Grant of Lands to any one Person is limited not to exceed five hundred Acres. A further inconvenience seemed likely to arise in every Case where the Tenant in Fee died without any Chidren, or without havint^ disposed of his Lot by Will ; for the Heir General who might have the Right to it might not iiappen to be found out for many Years after, especially if it was one of the Foreign Protes- tants, and all that Time the House would have mn to decay, and the Land remain uncultivated and become a harbour for Vermin, to the great annoyance and damage of the Neighbouring Lots. But though the before-mentioned restraints were intended for the good of the whole, yet whenever particular Cases required it they were taken off and dispensed with: And upon any appli- cation for leave to alienate Lands, Licences were always granted for that purpose ; and when the succession of Females became less dangerous to the Province, by the growing strength and increase of the People, and by the Security provided for it by his Majesty's Forces there, the Trustees resolved to enlarge the Tenures of the Lands to Estates in Tail General. The Tenures being thus settled, it was thought necessary to require the Inhabitants to cultivate their Lands within a limited Time, and in order to raise Raw silk, which was intended to be one of the Produces there, a certain proportion of white Mulber- ry-Trees were to be Planted, and in their respective Grants Ten Years were allowed for the Cultivation, and one hundred white Mulbery-Trees were to be planted on every ten Acres of Land when Cleared ; with a Power for the Trustees to re-enter on the Paits that should remain uncultivated. But as the People were not able to Cultivate their Lands within the Time required by their Grants, by reason of the Alarms from the Spaniards, the Droughts in that part of Amer- ica, and other unforeseen Accidents, the Trustees resolved to release all forfeitures on that Account, and to require the Culti- vation of no more than five Acres of the said fifty Acres within the Remainder of the said Term of Ten Years. And as other Persons applied to the Tmstees for Grants of Land, in order to go over and Settle there at their own Expence, particular Grants were made under the same Tenure and on the following Conditions viz. That they should within twelve Months from the Date of their Grants, go to and arrive in Georgia, with one Man Servant for every fifty Acres Granted them, and should with such Servants abide, settle, inhabit and continue there for three Years. That thev shouldw ithin ten [8] Years Clear and Cultivate one fifth part of the Land granted them, and within the next ten Years Clear and Cultivate three fifth parts more of the said Lands, and plant one thousand v/hhe Mulberry-Trees upon every one hundred Acres thereof when Cleared. And that they should not at any time hire, keep, lodge, board or employ any Negroes within Georgia on any Account whatsoever without special Leave. Which Conditions were readily approved of, and Counterparts executed by them all ; and to those n ho desired to name their Successor on failure of Issue Male, special Covenants were entered into by the Trustees for that Purpose, agreable to their o\ati Propositions. And for an encouragement for their Men Servants to behave well, like Covenants were entered into, to Grant to every such Man Servant, when requested thereunto by any Writing under the Hand and Seal of the Master, Twenty Acres of Land under the same Tenure. The Trustees were induced to prohibit the use of Negroes within Georgia, the Intention of his Majesty's Charter being to provide for poor People incapable of subsisting themselves at Home, and to settle a Frontier to South Carolina, which was much exposed by the small number of it's White Inhabitants. It was imposible that the Poor who should be sent from hence, and the Foreign Prosecuted Protestants, who must go in a manner Naked into the Colony, could be able to purchase or subsist them if they had them, and it would be a Charge too great for the Trustees to undertake; and they would be thereby disabled fi-om sending White People. The first Cost of a Negro is about Thirty Pounds, and this Thirty Pounds would pay the Passage over, provide Tools and other Necessaries, and defi"ay the Charge of subsistence of a White Man for a Year, in which time it might be hoped that the Planter's own Labour would grant him some subsistence. Consequently the Purchase Money of every Negro (abstracting tlie Expence of subsisting him as well as his Master) by being applied that way, would prevent the sending over a White Man who would be a Security to the Province, whereas the Negro would rentier that Security Precarious. It was thought the White Man, by having a Negro Slave, would be less disposed to Labour himself; and that his whole Time must be employed in keeping the Neqrro to Work', and in watching against any Danger he or his Family mi-^ht apprehend from the Slave, and that the Planter's ^^ ife and Cl'ildren would by the Death or even the Absence of the Planter, be at the Mercy of the Negro. It was also apprehended, that the Spaniards at St. Avgvstine Would be continually enticing away the Negroes, or encouiagng fhem to Insurrections. That the first might easily be accomplish- [9] ed since a single Negro would run away thither without Compan- ions, and would only have a River or two to swim over, and this Opinion has been confirmed and justified by the practices of the Spaniards even in Times of profound Peace amongst the Ne- groes in South Carolina, where though at a greater Distance from St. Augustine, some have fled in Periaguas and little Boats to the Spaniards, and been Protected, and others in large Bodies have been incited to Insurrections, to the great Terror and even endangering the Loss of that Province, which thougli it has been established above seventy Years, has scarce White People enough to secure her own Slaves. It was also considered that the Produces designed to be raised in the Colony, would not require such Labour as to make Negroes necessary for Carrying them on ; for the Province of Carolina produces chiefly Rice, which is a Work of Hardship proper for Negroes, whereas the Silk and other Produces v.'hich the Trustees proposed to have the People employed on in Georgia, were such as Women and Children might be of as much use in as Negroes. It was likewise apprehended, that if the Persons who should go over to Georgia at their own Expence, should be permitted the use of Nesjroes, it would dispirit and ruin the Poor Planters who could not get them, and who by their Numbers were designed to be the strength of the Province ; it would make them Clamorous to have Negroes given them, and on the Refusal would driv^e them, from the Province, or at least make them negligent of their Plantations, where they would be un- willing, nay would certainly disdain, to work like Negroes ; and would rather let themselves out to wealthy Planters as Overseers of their Negroes. It was further thought, that upon the Admission of Negi'oes, the wealthy Planters would, as in all other Colonies, be more in- duced to absent themselves and live in other Places, leaving the Care of their Plantations and Negroes to Overseers. It was likewise thought, that the Poor Planter sent on Charity, from his desire to have Negroes, as well as the Planter who sliould settle at his own Expence, would (if he had leave to alienate) Mortgage his Land to the Negro Merchant for them, or at least become a Debtor for the Purchase of such Negroes ; and under these Weights and Discouragements would be induced to sell his Slaves again upon any necessity, and would leave the Province and his Lot to the Negro Merchant : In Consequence of which all the small Properties would be swallowed up, as they have been in other Places, by the more wealthy Planters. In was likewise Considered, that the admitting of Negroes in Georgia would naturally facilitate the Desertion of the Carolina Negroes through the Province of Georgia, and Consequently this Colony instead of proving a Frontier and adding strength to the [10] Province of South Carolina, would be a Means of drawing off the Slaves of Carolina, and adding thereby a strength to Augus- tine. From these several Considerations, as the Produces to be raised in the Colony did not make Negro Slaves necessary, as the Introduction of them so near to a Garrison of the Spaniards would weaken rather than strengthen the Barrier, and as they would introduce with them a greater Propensity to Idleness among the Poor Planters, and too great an inequality among the People, it was thought proper to make the Prohibition of them a Funda- mental of the Constitution. When the Trustees had made these Dispositions, and were enabled by Benefactions from several private Persons, on the Zd of October 1732, It was resolved, to send over One hundred and fourteen Persons, Men, Women and Children, being such as were in decayed Circumstances, and thereby disabled from following any Business in England, and who if in Debt had leave from their Creditors to go, and such as were recommended by the Minister, Church— Wardens and Overseers of their respective Parishes. And James Oglethorpe, Esq. one of the Trustees, went with them at his own Expence, to settle them. On the 'iAth of the same Month the People were all Exam- ined whether any of them had any Objections to the Terms and Conditions proposed to them, which they all declared they had not, but that they were fully satisfied with them, and executed Articles under their Hands and Seals, Testifying their Consents thereto, which are now in the Publick Office belonging to the Trustees. But four of them desiring that their Daughters might inherit as well as Sons, and that the Widows Dower might be considered, the Trustees immediately Resolved, that every Person who should desire the same, should have the Privilege of naming a Successor to the Lands granted to them, who in Case the Possessor should die without Issue Male, should hold the same to them and their Heirs Male for ever; and that the Widows should have their Thirds as in England, with which Resolutions the People being all acquainted, were very well satisfied. The Trustees prepared Forms of Government, agreable to the Powers given them by their Charter ; they Established under their Seal a Court of Judicature for Trying Causes as well Criminal as Civil in the Town of Savannah, (the Name which was given to the first Town to be raised) by the Name and Stile of The Town Court; They also appointed Magistrates there, viz. Three Bailiffs and a Recorder ; and inferior Officers, viz. Two Constables and two Tything Men: They Chose for Magistrates such as appeared to them the most Prudent and Discreet, but amongst a Number of People who were all upon a Level at their [11] first setting out, it was impossible to make any Choice or Dis- tinction which would not create some future uneasinesses among them. On the I6th of November, 1732, when the One Hundred and Fourteen Persons, and with them the Reverend Mr. Herbert a Clergyman of the Church of England, and a Man from Fiedmont (engaged by the Trustees to instruct the People in the Art of Winding Silk) Embarkt on board the Ship Anne, Capt. Tiiomas; several of the Trustees went to Grovesend, called over the People, and made a strict Enquiry into their Accommodations and Pro- visions, and left the People very well satisfied. Soon alter Fif- teen more Persons were sent, Eleven of whom weie Sawyers, in order to Assist the People in Building their Houses. At the time of the Embarkation five thousanti Acres of Land were Granted to Tiu"ee of the Colonists, in trust for them or the survivors of them, to make Grants from time to time to every Man of twenty one Years of Age or upwards, (who should arrive in Georgia, and desire the same) fifty Acres of Land to hold to him and his Heirs Male. The Common Council of the Trustees (in whom by the Char- ter the disposal of Money was lodged) did resolve at their first meeting, that the Bank of England should be desired to keep the Money belonging to the Trust, which the Bank accepted, and have continued so to do, paying no Sums but by Draughts signed by five of the Common Council. The Trustees desired by a Letter, Sir Thomas Lombc's senti- ments of the Goodness of the Raw Silk produced in Carolina, and the proper methods of carrying on that Undertaking with Success, on which they received * from Sir Thomas Lombc great Encour- agement to proceed in it, by his Approbation of the Silk produced in that Climate, of which he had made Experiments. On the 28th February 1732, the Tmstees received a Letter from Mr. Oglethorpe, dated the 13th January, 1732, on Board the Ship Anne, of Charles- Toiv7i in South Carolina, giving an Account of his safe Arrival there with the People, with the Loss only of two Children. On the 18^A of July, 1733, they received another Letter from him, which is here inserted at length, as it gives an Account of the situation were he Planted the People. From the Camp near Savannah, the 10th February, 1732, 3. Gentlemen, T Gave you an Account in my last, of our Arrival at Charles- -* TowTi; The Governor and Assembly have given us all possible Enoouragement. Our People arrived at Beaufort on the 20th of * Appendix, No 1. [ l-'^ J January, ii'Ae re I lodged them in some new Barracks built for the Soldiers, ivhilst I went myself to view the Savannah-River. / fxed upon a Healthy Situatio7i about ten Miles from the Sea; the River here forms an half Moon, along the south side of which the Banks are about forty feet high, and on the Top a Flat, which they call a Bluff; the plain High Ground extends into the Country about fve or six Miles, and. along the River side about a Mile. Ships that draw twelve feet Water can ride within ten Yards of the Bank. Upon the River side in the Centre of this Plain, I have laid out the Town, opposite, to ivhich is an Island of very Rich Pasturage, which I think should be kept for the Trustees Cattle ; the River is pretty Wide, the Water fresh, and from the Key of the Town you see ifs whole Course to the Sea, with the Island of Tyhee, which forms the Mouth of the River, for about six Miles up into the Country. The Landskip is very agreabJe, the stream being Wide and bordered ivith high Woods on both sides. The ivhole People arrived here on the 1st o/* February ; at Night their Tents ivere got up. Till the 10th we were taken %ip in unloading, and mak- ing a Crane, which I then could, not get finished, so took off' the Hands and set some to the Fortification and began to fell the Woods. I have markt out the Toivn and Common, half of the former is already cleared, and the first House was begun Yesterday in the afternoon. A little Indian Nation, the only one within fifty Miles, is not only in Amity, but desirous to be Subjects to his Majesty King George, to have Lands given them among us, and to breed their Children at our Schools ; their Chiefs and his beloved Man, who is the Second. Man in the Nation^ desire to be instructed in the Christian Religion. I am. Gentlemen, ^c. In this Month of April, the Trustees hi another Embarkation of seventeen Persons, sent some Italians whom they had procured from Piedmont, in order to promote the Silk Business. They received another Letter from Mr. Oglethorpe, dated the 20^/i February, 1732, of which the following Extract gives a further Account of the People and their Situation. " /^ UR People arc all in perfect Health ; I chose the Situation " foi' ^he Town upon an high Ground, forty Feet per- " pendicular above High Water Mark ; the Soil dry and sandy, " the Water of the River fresh. Springs coming out from the "■ sides of the Hill. I pitched upon this Place not only for the " Pleasantness of the Situation, but because f-om the above- " mentioned and other signs, I thought it Healthy ; for it is " sheltred from the Western and Southern Winds (the worst in " this Country) by vast Woods of Pine-Trees, many of ivhich ■' are an Hundred and fe^v under Seventy Feet high. There I 13 ] '' is no Morse on the Trees, tho' in most -parts o/" Carolina tJiey " are covered with it, and it hangs down two or three feet from " them. The last and fullest conviction of the Healthfulness of ^' the Place, was, that an Indian Nation who kneiv the Nature "• of this Country chose it for their Situation.'^ The Trustees endeavoured very early to secure the Friendship of the Indians, who by Ranging thro' the Woods, would be ca- pable of giving constant Intelligence to prevent any Surprize upon the People, and would be a good out Guard for the inland Parts of the Province. For this Purpose they were treated with all possible Candour and Gentleness: They were acquainted, that the English had no Intention to Hurt or Distress them, but would be ready to Assist and Protect them on all Occasions. They received several Presents from the Trustees, and were promised, that if any of the People of Georgia injured them, they should upon their Complaints and proof of it find a ready Redress. For which, in return, the Indians engaged never to take any Revenge themselves, as it might breed ill Blood between the English and them. And as they have since found, that Justice has been always done to them upon proper Complaints, they have been true to their Engagements. The Indians made a formal and voluntary Cession of that part of the Country to Mr. Oglethorpe for the King of Great-Britain by which a further Right and Title to it was acquired and added to that of the first Discovery and Cultivation ; and a Treaty of Friendship and Commerce with them was settled, wliich was soon after sent over to the Trustees for their Ratification. In the Month of May 1733, the Trustees sent over six Persons more. The Number of People sent on the Charity from the begin- ning to the 9th June 1733, (on which day of the Month the Trustees Accompt is Yearly made up, which is directed to be delivered to the Lord Chancellor and the other Persons named in the Charter) amounted to One hundred and fifty two, of whom One hundred and forty one were Britons, and Eleven were foreign Protestants, and sixty one were Men. The Lands granted in Trust this Year in order to be gi-anted out in smaller Portions in Georgia, were the aforesaid five thou- sand Acres. The Lands granted within this Year to Persons going at their OAVTi Expence, were four thousand four hundred and sixty Acres. The Money received from Private Persons this Yeai- amounted to 3723Z. 13s. Id. whereof the Trustees applied 2254/. 17s. 9d. of which they exhibited an Account to the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, pursuant to their Charter, and carried the Remainder into their succeeding Accompt. [14] Fiomtiie 9tli June 1733, to the 9th June 1734. BEsides the several Works on which the People were emplo} - ed at Savannah, as Pallisading the Town, Clearing the Place from Pine Trees, ^c. and Building of Houses, some other Works were carried on, viz. a Publick Garden was laid out, which was designed as a Nursery, in order to supply the People for their several Plantations with white Mulberry Trees, Vines, Oranges, Olives, and other necessary Plants. A Gardiner was appointed for the Care of it and to be Paid by the Trustees. A Crane was made for Landing of Goods upon the Bluff; a Battery raised which Commands the River some distance below the Town, and on the Island of Tyhee at the Entrance of the River a Beacon was Erected Ninety Feet high, which has been of great Service not only to the Ships entering the River Savannah, but to those likewise which Sail by the Coast, there being none like it all along the Coast of America. A Fort was likewise Built at the narrow passages of an inland River (called Ogeechee) in order to Protect the Settlement from any inland Invasion from Augustine. Two little Villages were laid out and settled at about Four Miles distant from Savannah, inland fn;rn the River, and a Mile from each other, which were called Hampstead and Highgate. In the Carolina Gazette * dated the 22d March 1732, a for- ther Account was given of the Settlement at Savannah, which was Written by a Gentleman of Charles- Town, who with some ot'iers went thither out of Curiosity. The Parliament having Granted out of Money arisen from the Sale of the Lands at St. Christopher, Ten Thousand Pounds for the further Settling and Securing the Colony, the Trustees re- solved to lose no Time in Strengthening it with People, and accord- ingly in the Months of Scptemher and October 1733, they sent over two Embarkations of Persons, whose Numbers are entered at the End of this Years Proceedings, and of whom many were Persecuted Protestants from Saltzburgh. As very pleasing Accounts of the Country and Settlement were sent from several of the People there to their Friends, the Trustees were informed that some Persons had gone about in several Parts of England offering Money and Land in their Names (but without their Knowledge or Authority) to any who should be desirous of going to Georgia : Therefore they Published an Advertisement in some of the News Papers, in order to prevent the ill Consequences of drawing Laborious People out of the Coimtry with such Ex- pectations, and they declared that they had never given such Power to any Persons whatsoever, and that they never used any Solicitations to induce People to go over. *Appendix, No 2. [15] Kuinber Eril.'s/i J'oi-eigji Pro- Men. The Persons sent on ^ ■'<""'• usianis. the Chanty this V 341 whereof 237 and 104 and hi 135 Year were } Those in the for- ^ 152 whereof 141 and 11 and in Gl mer Year were 5 The number of Per- ^ sons sent in the 1 two Years to the j 493 whereof 378 and 115 and in 190 9 June 1734 were J ■■ The Lands Granted in Trust this Year in order to be Granted out in snaaller Portions in Georgia were Eight Tliousand and One Hundred Acres. The Lands Gianted this Year to Persons going at their own Expence were Five Thousand Seven Hundred and Twenty five Acres. Tlie Money received this Year pursuant to Act of Parhameni was £.10,000 and from private Persons 1502/. 19s. 3d. whereof the Trustees apphed 6863?. Os. 10^. of which they exhibited an Account to the Lord Chancellor and Master of the Rolls, pursuant to their Charter, and carried the Remainder into their succeedint^ Accompt. From the 9th June 1734, to the 9th June 1735 "I N the Month of June 1734, Mr. 0^/e ^1 whereof 23 and 58 and in 43 Year were -j Those in the for- ^ 493 whereof 378 and 115 and in 196 mer Years were ^ The number of Per- i sons sent in the I 574 whereof 401 and 173 and in 239 three Years to the f 9 June 1735 were J The Lands Granted in Tmst this Year in order to be Granted out in smaller Portions in Georgia were Two Thousand Five Hundred Acres. The Lands Granted this Year to Persons going at their own Expence were One Thousand Nine Hundred Acres. The Money received this Year in Benefactions amounted to 5416Z. 7s. Id. whereof given in South- Carolina 464/. 18s. ^2d. the Amount in Sterling Money and in England 4951/. 9s. bd. which the Trustees applied, as also part of their fomtier Balance to the Amount of 11,194/. 9s. 2rf. of which they exhibited an Account to the Lord Chancellor, and Master of the Rolls, pursuant to their Charter, and earned the then Remainder into their suc- ceeding Account. From the 9th June 1735, to the 9th June 1736. rriHat all Persons who should be desirous of going to Georgia ■*- might be apprized in Time of the several Conditions they were to Perform,* Rules were drawn up and Printed for those who should be sent on the Charity, as well as those who should go Appendix, No 3, and 4. [18] on their own Expence, in which the Conditions were specified as well as the Necessaries for their Subsistence and Labour. The Parliament having in the Year 1735 Granted Twenty six Thousand Pounds for the further Settling and Securing the Col- ony of Georgia, the Trustees thought it prudent to strengthen the Southern Part of the Province by making a Settlement on the Alatamaha River, to which they were strongly induced by a * Memorial sent to his Majesty from the Governor and Council of South- Carolina, dated the 9th April 1734, wherein after Thank- ing his Majesty for his peculiar Favour and Froteotion, and especially for his most benign Care so wisely calculated for the Preservation of South- Carolina, by his Royal Charter to the Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia, and after Re- presenting the Practices of the French to seduce the .Indians in Amity with South- Carolina, the Attention of the French to the Improvement of their Settlements, and their late Enlargement of them nearer to Carolina, the Defenceless Condition of their Province, and the Danger of the Inhabitants from their own Ne- groes, and the Ruinous Situation of the fVest-India Trade in case the French should possess themselves of Carolina ; they add, that the Harbours and Ports of Carolina and f Georgia enable his Majesty to be absolute Master of the Passage thro' the Gulph of Florida, and to impede at his Pleasure the Transportation Home of the Spanish Treasure, which should his Majesty's En- emies Possess Avould then prove so many convenient Harbours for them to annoy a great Part of the British Trade to America, as well as that which is carried on through the Gulph from Jamaica. Upon which Inducements the Trustees resolved to make Em- barkations for Strengthening the Southern Part of Georgia, and to obviate any Objections which might be made by sending over any of our useful Poor from England ; and as the Trustees found that many of the Poor who had been useless in England were inclined to be useless likewise in Georgia, they determined that these Embarkations should consist chiefly of Persons from the Highlands of Scotland, and Persecuted German Protestants. * Appendix, No 5. t The Harbour in the Southern Part of Georgiaihe nearest to the Gulph of Florida which has yet been Sounded, has been proved by Affidavits of three Captains of Ships who have been thi-re, viz. Capt. Thomas Shubrick, Capl. George Dymond, and Capt. William Thomson, to be capable of receiving Sti'ps ef Foriy Guns, and to be safely Land locked : .And by the \ Affidavit of T'AomasPearce Mariner, m ho was on the Coast oi Georgia near four Years, it appears, that Ships in th's Harbour may in Twenty four Hours from the Bar, run out into the Gulph Streann of Florida, thro' which Stream the Spamsh Galleons (when rot passing the Windward Passage) always come, ■f Appendix, No 6, [ 19 j While these Embarkations were preparmg, the Trustee's made Preparations for the new Settlements : They Established the Civil Government for the new Town (which was called Frcderica) in the same Manner as they had before at Savannah. In the Month of January 1735, the Hiii;ldanders arrived in Georgia (and with them several of the same Country as Servants to private Grantees) they were settled on the Alatamaha River, about Sixteen Miles distant by W aterfrom tlie Island oi'St. Simons (which is at the Mouth of the River) they soon raised convenient Huts 'till their Houses could be Built ; and the Town at their own desire was called Darien ; which Name still remains to the District, but the Town is since Named by them Neio-Inverness. On the 6th February 1735, the Embarkation under the Conduct of Mr. Oglethorpe, arri\ ed in Georgia, they were settled upon St. Simoji's Island, the Town called Frcderica was soon laid out, and the People were set to Work in Building their Houses. The Creek Indians who went thither upon Occasion of this new Set- tlement, agreed that the English should possess St. Simon's Island, with the Others contiguous to it : The Land of the Island is very fertile, chiefly Oak and Hickory, intermixed with Savannahs and old Indian Fields, and according to a Survey made of it, it is about Forty five Miles in Circumference. For a Communication between the Settlements in the Northern and Southern Parts of the Province by Land, a Road was soon afterwards opened. JVumber British. Foreign Pro- Men. The Persons sent on ) ''«'"''• testnnis. the Charity this i 470 whereof 341 and 129 and in 224 Year were - - -) Those in the for- > 574 whereof 401 and 173 and in 239 mer Years were 5 The number of Per- ~^ sons sent in the I four Years to the J 1044 whereof 742 and 302 and in 463 9Junel736wereJ The Lands Granted in Trust this Year in order to be Granted out in smaller Portions were Twenty Thousand Acres ; And in Trust for Religious Uses, to be cultivated, with the Money arising from Private Benefactions given for that Purpose, in order to settle a Provision upon a Clergyman at Savannah, a Catechist and a Schoolmaster, Three Hundred Acres. The Lands Granted this Year to Persons going on their own Expence were Nine Thousand Three Hundred Acres. The Money received this Year pursuant to Act of Parliament, was £.26,000, and in Benefactions 2,164/. I9s.6d.3q. whereof in South' Carolina 411/. Is. Id. Sq. the Amount in Sterling Mo- [-20 J ney and in England 1,753Z. 18s. 5c?. whereof die Trustees ap- lied 22,697/. 55. 5d. oq. of which they exhibited an account to the Lord Chancellor, and Master of the Rolls, pursuant to their Char- ter, and carried the Remainder into their succeeding Accompt. From the 9th June 1736, to the 9th June 1737. "O Or the Security of the People (who w ere settled the last Year •*■ on St. Simon'' s Island) and the Southern Part of the Province, several Forts were Built this Year, viz. One at Frederica, with Four regular Bastions and a Spur Work towards the River, and several Pieces of Cannon were mounted on it. About Ten Miles from Frederica a large Battery is Built commanding the Entrance into the Sound, where Ten or Twelve Forty Gun Ships may safely Ride, there being sufficient Water on the Bar called Jehyll for such Ships to go over, which Bar lies in 30d. 40m. and behind Jekyll Island there is Water and Room enough for Shipping for Ten Miles up. The Battery is enclosed within a strong Wall, and has a Guard-House within the Wall capable of holding Twenty four Men. Another Fort was Built on the Southwest Part of the Island of St. Peters (now called Cumberland) which lies m 30d. 30m, under which Fort, on which are Mounted several Pieces of Ord- nance pointed towards the River, all Sloops and Boats in the Inland Passage to this Island must come. Withm the Pallisade round the Fort there are fine Springs of Water, and there is a well Framed Timber Log House, Thirty Feet by Eighteen. with a Magazine under it both for Ammunition and Provisions. A Scout Boat is stationed at this Island. As these Precautions were taken for the Southern Part of the Province, Directions were given for a Fort to be Built for the Security of the Northern Part, by way of an Out-Guard against any Invasion by Land. This was at a Place called Augusta which has proved a very thriving Town, it being now the chief Place of Trade with the Indians, and were the Traders of both Provinces of South- Carolina and Georgia resort, from the Security they find there. Augusta is about Two Hundred and- Thirty Miles by Water from the Town of Savan7iah , and large Boats which carry about Nine Thousand Pounds Weight of Deer-skins can Navigate downa the River Savannah. The Town, which stands upon a high Ground near the River, is well Inhabited, and has several Warehouses in it furnished with Goods for the Indian Trade. A Road has been likewise made, so that Horsemen can now Riie from this Town to Savannah, as likewise to the [21] Cherokee Indians, who are situated above the Town of Augusta and Trade with it. A Garrison has been kept at this Fort at the Trustees Expence, 'till the Arrival of the Regiment his Majesty since Ordered lor the Defence of the Colony. Whilst these Dispositions were making for the Security of the Province, the Parliament gave Ten Thousand Founds this Year for the further Settling and Securmg the Colony ; but as the Ex- pences of the Forts and the Supplies which were sent for the Support of the Colony, were very great, and as many People in tiie r^orthern Part of the Province were as yet unable to subsist themselves, and out of Compassion to them and their Families a Store was still kept open for their subsistence, the Trustees sent over but iew Persons this Year. in tiie beginning of the Year 1737, the Spaniards at Augustine made Preparations for Attacking the Colony of Georgia ; they laid in Quantities of Corn and Provisions, bought up a great number of Fire Arms, and large Bodies of Regular Troops were sent thither from the Havamiah. The Lieutenant Governor of South- Carolina informed the Magistrates of Savannah of these Preparations ; This Advice and the frequent Alarms which were otherwise given, drew the People off from their Labour in the Sowing Season, and their Improve- ments in their Plantations were neglected, and they were obliged to make Preparations lor their Defence. At the same Time the Highlanders at Neiv-Inverness, who were exposed to Danger, Built a Fort there and Twelve Pieces of Cannon were mounted on it. Tho' the People at Savannah were not so immediately exposed to Oanger, they began to Build a large Fort at their Town of Pallisade Work with Bastions : But as the Trustees perceived this took off the People from their Cultivation, that the Work would be very Chargeable and they had not Money to support the Expence, they found themselves under a Necessity to put a stop thereto. J^'umber British. Foreiicn Pro- Men. The Persons sent on ) ^«»"- testants. the Charity this V 32 whereof 32 and and m 19 Year were - - - j Those in the for- > 1044 whereof 742 and 302 and in 46-3 mer Years were ^ The number of Per- ^ sons sent in the 1 five Years to tiie { 1076 whereof 774 and 302 and In 482 9 June 1737 were J ~~ The Lands Granted in Trust this Year in order to be Granted out in smaller Portions in Georgia were Three Thousand Acre'=, [22] and in Trust to be cukivated, with the Money arising from private Benefactions given for that Purpose, in order to raise a Mainten- ance for a Minister and Schoohnaster at Frederica, and other Religious Uses, Three Hundred Acres. The Lands Granted this Year to Persons going on their own Expence were Four Thousand Three Hundred Acres. The Money received this Year pursuant to Act of Parhament, was £ 10,000, and in Benefactions 3,627/. 18s. Id, whereof in South- Carolina the Amount in Sterhng Money 333/. 19^. M. and in England 3,2931. I9s. Id. which the Trustees apphed, as also part of their former Balance to the Sum of 17,239/. 19s. 5c?. of which they exhibited an Account to the Lord Chancellor, and Master of the Rolls, pursuant to their Charter, and carried the then Remainder to their succeeding Accompt. From the 9th June 1737, to the 9th Jime 1738. fl^ He Lieutenant Governor of South- Carolina having acquainted -*- the Trustees by a Letter dated from the Council Chamber the 7th February 1736,7, that he had received Advice from Commo- dore Dent, of Preparations made by the Spaniards at Augustine and the Mavannah, in order to make an Attack on the Colony of Georgia, and the Trustees having in a * Memorial to his Majesty set forth the Inability of the Colony to Protect themselves against such a Force as was Preparing at the Havannah and Augustine, his Majesty was graciously pleased to order a Regiment of Six Hundred Effective Men to be raised and sent to Georgia for the Defence and Protection of it. And as an Encouragement for the Soldiers good Behaviour, the Trustees resolved to give each of them a Property in the Colony ; they therefore made a Grant of land in Trust for an Allotment of Five Acres of Land to each Soldier of the Regiment to Cultivate for his own Use and Benefit, and to Hold the same during his continuance in his Majesty's Service ; and for a further Encourage- ment, they resolved, that each Soldier, who at the end of Seven Years from the Time of his Inlisting in the Regiment, should be desirous of quitting his Majesty's Service, and should have his regular Discharge, and would settle in the Colony, should on his Commanding Officer's Certificate of his good Behaviour, be in- titled to a Grant of Twenty Acres of Land. The Parliament having taken into Consideration the great Ex- pences which the Trustees had been at in making Roads thro' the Province, and the several Fortifications in it, and the Presents made to the Indians to engage them firmer in the British Interest, • Appendix, No 7. [ 23 ] and likewise the Preparations which were making hy the Spaniardfi in order to take or destroy the Colony, and having Granted this Year a Sum of Twenty Thousand Pounds for the fuitlier Settling and securing the Colony, the Trustees made another Embarka- tion, which consisted chiefly of Persecuted German Protestants. J^amber British. Foreign Pro- . Men. The Persons sent on ^ *•'•'■ testmus. the Charity this > ^^^ whereof 135 and 163 and in 152 Year were - - - ) Those in the for- > 1076 whereof 774 and 302 and in 482 mer Years were ^ The number of Per- i sons sent in the I six Years to the [1374 whereof 909 and 465 and in 634 9Junel738wereJ By Accounts received from the Colony before the End of this Year, there appear to have been One Thousand One Hundred and Ten Persons in Georgia, besides those at Tybee, Skidoivay Fort, Argyll, Thunderbolt and Augusta, in the Northern Part, and those at St. Andrews and Amelia in the Southern Part. The Lands Granted in Trust this Year in order to be Gianted out in smaller Portions in Georgia were Three Thousand Acres. The Lands Granted this Year to Persons going on their own Expence were One Thousand Acres. The Money received this Year pursuant to Act of Parlianj^nt was £20,000 and in Benefactions 909/. 195. lOd. 2q. whereof the Tmstees applied 18,870Z. 13s. 3^/. 2q. of which they exhibit- ed an Account to the Lord Chancellor, and Master of the Rolls, pursuant to their Charter, and carried the Remainder into their succeeding Acconipt. From the 9th June 1738, to the 9th June 1739. A S several Merchants and Captains of ShijDS had for their own -"^Interest carried into the Colony from Neiv-Yorlc and other Places, large Cargoes of Provisions, ^c. great part of which (to save the Merchants from Losses) was taken in at the Store without a proper Authority from the Trustees and an Expence created thereby which the Trustees could nor Estimate, norhavie Ability to Discharge, and for v>^liich certified Accounts were returned to them ; the Trustees published an Advertisement in the London Gazette, and Ordered it to be Published in the South- Carolina Gazette, and to be affixed upon the Doors of tlie Store- houses at Savannah and Frederica, 1'hat out of a due Regard to Publick Credit they had Resolved, that all Expences wliich they had Ordered or should Order to be Made in America for the use [^4j ol' the Colony, should be Defrayed and Paid for in Georgia, m Sola Bills of Exchange only, under their Seal ; and they gave Notice, that no Person whatsoever had any Authority from them, or in their Name, or for their Account, to purchase or receive any Cargoes of Provisions, Stores or Necessaries, without Paying for them in the said Sola Bills. Upon the Petition of one Abraham De Lyon, a Freeholder of iSavannah in Georgia, that he had expended a great Sum in the Cultivation of Vines, which he had carried from Portugal, and had brought to great Perfection ; and several Certificates being produced of his Improvements in Cultivating them, and of the Goodness of the Grapes, and of their Thriving in the most barren Lands of the Province, the Trustees assisted him to proceed in his improvements. The Security of the Colony being provided for by the Regiment sent over by his Majesty, the Parliament gave Eight Thousand Pounds for the further Settling the Colony. Therefore the Tmstees sent over an Estimate of all the Expences they allov^ed to be made in the Province, by which several Military Expences, which they had been engaged in for the Defence of the Colony, and which were very great, were reduced. The Trustees this Year sent over the Rev. Mr. Norris to reside at Frederica, with a Salary of jFi/5'^ Poim/fe a Year, Ordered a House to be Built for him, and another for the Inhabitants to perform Divine Service in 'till a Church could be Built there. The Assembly of South- Carolina having in the last Year passed an Ordinance for raising a Sum to indemnify their Traders in opposition to the Act which was approved of by his Majesty in Council for maintaining the Peace with the Indians in the Pro- vince of Georgia, upon a Memorial from the Tmstees complaining ofthe said Ordinance, and upon a Petition of the Council and Assembly of South- Carolina against the said Act, there was a solemn Hearing before the Lords Commissioners of Trade and Plantations, and afterwards before a Committee of the Lords of his Majesty's Privy Council ; Whereupon his Majesty was pleased to Order, that the said Ordinance of the Assembly of South- Carolina should be Repealed and declared Void, and was pleased to send an Instruction to the Trustees to prepare a proper Act or Ordinance for settling the Trade carried on by the Provinces of South- Carolina and Georgia v/'ith the Indians, on such a Footing as might be for the mutual Benefit and Satisfaction of both Provin- ces ; And his Majesty at the same Time was graciously pleased to give an Instmction to Samuel Horsey, Esq ; Governor and Lieu- tenant-General of South- Carolina, to Recommend to the Council and Assembly there to pass a Law for the like Purpose in that Province : But Samuel Horsey, Esq ; dying soon after, and no [ '25 1 other Governor having since gone to South-Carolina, that Aflaii' remains unsettled. The Trustees immediately sent to Col. Oglethorpe a Copy of Jiis Majesty's Instructions, and desired that he would Consult with Lieutenant Governor Bull in South- Carolina, that Plans of proper Acts might be prepared and sent over to the Trustees for their Consideration, in order to answer the Purposes of his Majesty's Instructions, and that in the mean Time the Commis- sioners oi South- Carolina and the Commissioners of Georgia, might proceed in their respective Provinces in concert with each other to carry on a mutual Trade to the Indians in both Provinces. Mr. Stephens, Secretary in Georgia, having informed the Tmstees, that the Grand-Jury at Savannah claimed a Right of Administring Oaths, and making Enquiry thereon into all such Matters as they should think fit, and the Trustees having per- ceived that in a Representation of the said Grand-Jury they had pretended to such Right, sent a Letter to Mr. Stephens to acquaint jiim. That the Trustees were sensible great Mischiefs might be done by ill-designing Men who might procure themselves to be put upon the Panel, if this Claim of the Grand-Jury was allowed of, and therefore the Trustees ordered him to acquaint the People that the Grand-Jury had no such Right, and that their Claim was intirely illegal. As the Tmstees both by their Letters and Instructions to the Magistrates had constantly exhorted and encouraged the People to a Cultivation of their Lands on which they were to Depend for their Support, and as they found that many (as well of those whom they had sent over as Objects of Charity, as of others who at different Tunes had gone into the Colony from other Plantations for a Temporary Maintenance) still continued in their Idleness, and were a Burthen upon the Trust, they gave Orders for striking off the Store all such as having had Time to Cultivate their Lands had neglected it. This carried from the Colony many of those who had gone thither or joined it from any parts of America to gain a Subsistence for a Year or two, and of others who had not con- sidered the Hardships of attending the first Settlement of a Country, and were tired of their Labour. The Tmstees receiving an Account dated the 12th February 1738 from their Secretary in the Province, of an Uneasiness amongst several Persons upon the Tenures of their Lots being confined to the Heirs Male, and they considering that the Colony had been for some Time Established, and the People grown more numerous, and a Regiment being stationed in it for it's Defence, whereby the former Tenures became less necessary, did on the 15 March following, at their Anniversary Meeting, resolve, That in Defliult of Issue Male, any legal Possessor ofLand. might by [ 2G J a Deed in "Writing, or by his Last Will and Testament, appoirti bis Daughter as his Successor, or any other Male or Female Relation, with a Proviso, that the Successor should in the proper Court in Georgia, personally claim the Lot Granted or Devised within Eighteen Months after the Death of the Grantor or De- visor. This was soon after extended to every legal Possessor's being impowered to appoint any other Person to be his Successor. But whilst the Trustees were taking these steps for the Satisfaction of the People, and whilst those in the Southern Part of the Province (tho' exposed to greater Danger) were industrious and easy in their Settlements, many of those in the Northern Part, who had neglected the Cultivation of their Lands, drew up a * Representation dated the 9th Dec. 1738, setting forth the Want of a Fee Simple to their Lands ; and Negroes to cultivate them, but they were far from being seconded or supported by the People in the Southern Parts of the Province, in this Representation, who not only refused to Sign it, but f Petitioned the Tmstees against the Use of Negroes, setting forth the Danger they should be in from the Spaniards who had proclaimed Freedom to all Slaves who should resort to them, and that by this means they should be exposed to an Enemy without and a more dangerous one in their Bosoms. The Industrious Snltzburghers also at Ebenezer (who are in the Northern Part of the Province not far from Savannah) X Petitioned against Negroes, and set forth their Satisfaction and Happiness in their Settlement ; that they had raised in the last Season, more Rice, Pease, Potatoes, Pomkins, Cabbage, Corn, &fc. than was necessary for their Consumption, and that they did not find the Climate so Warm but that it was very tolerable for Working People. Number British. Foreign Pro- Men. The Persons sent on ^ ^«»'- testants. the Charity this [ i> whereof 2 and 7 and in 4 Year were ) Those in the for- } 1374 whereof 909 and 465 and in 634 mer Years were ^ ■ The number of Per- i sons sent in the ! seven Years were [1383 whereof 911 and 472 and in 638 9 June 1739 were J The only Return from Georgia this Year, was an Account of the People at Savannah, who were One Hundred and Nine Freeholders, besides their Wives and Children, and besides * Appendix, No 8. t Appendix, No 9. J Appendix, ISo JO, [27] Inmates and Servants, of the latter of which there were a gl'eat Number, part of whose Passages were paid for in the next Year 138 whereof 4 and 134 and in 49 on the Charity were ) The persons sent on the ^ Charity in the for- > 1383 whereof 911 and 472 and in 638 mer Years were ) The number of Per-^ sons sent in the eight ! Years to the 9//t f 1521 whereof 915 and 606 and in 687 June 1740, The Lands Granted this Year to be Cultivated at the Expence of the Incorporated Society in Scotland for promoting Christian Knowledge in order to raise a Maintenance for the Scots Minister at New-Inverness in Georgia were Three Hundred Acres. The Lands Granted this Year to be Cultivated by a Person at his own Expence v^ere Five Hundred Acres. The Lands Granted in Trust in the said Eight Years in order to be Granted out in smaller Portions in Georgia were Forty one Thousand Six Hundred Acres ; to be Cultivated for Religious Uses were Nine Hundred Acres, and to be Cultivated for the Maintenance of an Orphan House were Five Hundred Acres. The Lands Granted in the said Eight Years to Persons who were to Cultivate them at their own Expence were Twenty seven Thousand One Hundred and Eighty five Acres. [81] The Money received this Year pursuant to Act of Parliament \vas £.20,000 and in Benefactions 181/. 4s. 3(/. 2*7. whereof in South' Carolina the amount in Sterhng Money 86/. Qs. \\d. 2q. and in England 94/, 17s. Ad. whereof the Trustees apphed 16,614/. 2s. bd. 2q. of which they exhibited an Account to the Lord Chancellor, and the Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Kini:5's Bench, pursuant to their Charter, and the Remainder of all the Money they ever received being 5917/. 7s. Id. will be carried into their succeeding Accompt. From the 9th June 1740, to the present Time. TF^He Trustees this Year took llirther Methods for the Satisfaction -*- of the People in the Province, they extended the Tenures be which a Daughter of a Grantee, or any other Person, was made capable of enjoying by Devise or Inheritance, any quantity of Lands which did not increase her or his Possession to more than Two Thousand Acres. A Licence was likewise Granted to all the present Possessors of land in Georgia, to make Leases of any Parts of their Lots for any Term not exceeding Three Years to any Person residing in Georgia and who should reside there during the Term of such Lease. A general Release was likewise passed by which no Advantage was to be taken against any of the present Possessors of Land in Georff-ia for any Forfeitures incurred at any Time before Cliristmas 1740, in relation either to the Tenure or Cultivation of Lands, and the Possessors of Fifty Acres of land were not obliged to cultivate more than Five Acres thereof in Ten Years from their Grants, and those under Fifty Acres in proportion : And the Possessors of Five Hundred Acres of Land were not obliged to cultivate more than One Hundred and Twenty Acres thereof in Twenty Years from their Grants, and those of under Five Hundred Acres and above Fifty Acres in proporation in order to prevent any Forfeitures for want of Cultivating the Quantities required. Under these Circumstances it is presumed that no Complaint can now with Reason be made against the Tenure by which the Inhabitants at this Tune hold their Lands, since they have more Power than is Generally given by Marriage Settlements in which the Grantees are only Tenants for Life, incajiable of Mortgaging or Aliening or making any Disposition by their Last Will, whereas the Freeholders in Georgia are now become Tenants in Tail- General, and may with the Licence of the Common Council of the said Tmstees upon Application made to them for that purpose, Mortgage or Alien, ancl further without that Licence have it absolutely in their Power on Failure of Issue in Tail to dispose thereof by their Last Will. [32] By an Account received from the Secretary in the Province it appears, that on the 1st ^!/^-wsM740, about Seventy Freeholders of the Northern Part of the Province, dehvered in the Town Court of Savamiah their Claims of Lots under the Tenures which were Advertized the last Year in the South- Carolina and London Gazettes. That on the 15th of the same Month, as many or more appeared in the said Town Court of the said Occasion, and that on the 27th of the same Month divers more delivered in their Claims likewise. The Trustees are informed by their Secretary in the Province, that in pursuance of their Orders he had just finished an authentical Account of the State of the Colony with respect to the Number of Inhabitants in the several Towns and Villages, the Number of Houses and the Settlements made, the Progress which the several People had made in the Cultivation of their Lands, and their Ability or Inability to support themselves, and in case were the last appeared the Reason of it; the Proportions of the different sorts of Soil as near as could be computed, and an Account of the several Produces which by Experience or Appearance could or might be raised for trade. And the Trustees are daily in expec- tation of receiving from him the said Account. But by the several Accounts before received they are enabled to give, though an imperfect one, the following State of the Settlements, viz. The Town of Savmmah is about Ten Miles up the River Savannah, were are (besides Warehouses and Huts) at least One Hundred and Thirty Houses in the Town ; as these for the sake of Air, and to prevent the spreading of any Fire, are Built at some Distance from each other, they make several spacious Squares and wide Streets. There is a regular Magistracy settled in the Town, which the Trustees are obliged to be at the Expence of Supporting, 'till the Colony arrives at sufficient Strength to do it. There are in the Town a Court-House, a Store-House, a Goal, a House for the Trust Servants, a Wharf, a Guard-House and soine other Publick Buildings; a Church is at present Building and a Clergyman is settled there. The Town is excellently situated for Trade, the Navigation of the River being very secure and Ships of Three Hundred Tons can lie within Six Yards of the Town and the Worm does not Eat them. About Four Miles from Savannah, inland from the River, are the Two Villages Highgate and Hampstcad, which lie at about a Mile distant from each other; The People settled there apply themsel ves chiefly to Gai'dening, and supply the Town of Savan- nah with quantities of Greens and Garden stuff. By the Account of Mr. Thomas Stephens, who at his Father's request was sent over to assist him in his Business of Secretary in the Province and continued with hhn there some short Time, he states, that there are Twenty Plantations within Twenty Miles [33] round Savannah, which have each of them lioin Five to Tiiirty Acres of Land Cleared. About Fifteen Miles from Savannah is a Village called Abcrcorn ; about Twenty Miles further up the River is the Town of Ebenczer were the Saltzburghers are settled with Two Ministers, one oi' whom computed that the Number of his Congrep;ation in June 1738 consisted of One Hundred and Forty six. Therefore as the Infants could not be reckoned in the Computation, and as Seven more have since been sent and settled with them, it is believed the Number has been increased ; especially since the Town is so Healthy that by a Letter sent to the Society for Propagating Christain Knowledge by the Rev. Mr. Bolzius one of the Ministers at Ebcnezcr, dated the 26 June 1740, he declared, That in a Year's Time one Person only had died, which was a Child of Four Years old. The People are Industrious and Sober, they raise not only a sufficient quantity of Corn and other Produces for their own Subsistence, but they sell great quantities to those at Savannah who have not been so careful of their own Plantations ; they have great Herds of Cattle, and are in so Thriving a Condition that not one Person has abandoned his Settlement, or sent over the least Complaint about the Tenures or the Want of Negroes. On the contrary they in a Body Petitioned against the use of Negroes, and their Ministers have declared, that their Signing that Petition was a voluntary Act ; And at their desire another Em- barkation of their Countrymen, w"ho are willing to go from Germany and join them, is designed to be sent with all convenient speed. About Ten Miles from hence, and upon a River running into Savannah is a Place called Old Ebenezer were is a Cow-pen and a great number of Cattle for the use of the Publick and for Breeding. At a considerable distance from hence is the Town of Augusta before described, which with the great resort of Traders and Indians, is in a thriving Condition, and is and will be a great Protection to both the Provinces of Carolina and Georgia against any Designs of the French. In the Southern Part of the Province is the Town of Neiv Inverness upon the River Alatamaha where the Highlanders are settled. And about Twenty Miles from hence on the Island of *S'^ Simons near the Sea is the Town of Frederica with a regular Magistracy, as at Savannah, supported at the Expence of the Trust ; strong Fortifications round the Town are almost finished, and at the South East Point of the Island are Barracks for Three Hundred and Thirty Men. There are Settlements on the Islands of JeJcyll and Cumberland which lie at a small distance from each other to the Southward of Frederica, and on the last Two Forts are Built, one of which [34] was described before, and the other was finished in April 1740 upon the South End of the Island. It commands the Inlet of Amelia Sound, is strongly Pallisaded with Flankers, and is De- fended by Eight Pieces of Cannon. Barracks are Built upon this Island for Two Hundred and Twen- ty Men with Storehouses, which were finished in October 1738. There are Six Forts in the Province, and a Battery of Cannon erected to secure the Harbour of St. iSimons, under which Ships may safely he. The Indians, from the Presents which they have Annually received from the Trustees, and from the Justice and Humanity with which they have been treated, are secured in the British Interest, notwithstanding the Arts both of the French and the Spaniards to seduce them : By this South- Cai-olina has been free from those Wars, in which (as the Preamble of his Majesty's Charter sets forth) they had frequently suffered, and so late as in the Year 1715 had been laid almost Wast with Fire and Sword, and by the Security which South- Carolina received by such a Frontier as Georgia is to it, very large Tracts of Land have been Cultivated in the Southern Part of that Province, which no Person would venture to settle on before, and 'a great quantity of Rice raised thereon. As the People in Georgia sent on the Charity were supported to enable them to raise their own Provisions in the first Place on the Lands they sliould Clear, and to convert the Timber they should cut down in Clearing those Lands into Lumber, which they might to their great Advantage Transport to the Sugar Col- onies, and further to raise Silk, Wine and Oil, for which the Climate was very proper, it was hoped from thence they w'ould gain a comfortable Subsistence, and be of service to their Mother Country in raising such Produces, which at prevent are purchased from Foreigners with Ready Money. Having thus stated the Plan laid down for the Trustees by his Majesty's Charter, the several steps taken by them for the Exe- cution of that Plan, with their Yearly Progress therein, the several Obstructions from unforeseen Accidents which have checked that Progress, with the present Condition of the Colony, according to the latest and most authentick Accounts from thence, they submit the whole to the Wisdom of this Honourable House, being intirely disposed to follow any Directions that shall flow from thence. And as they have no other View but the Service of their Country, by making this Colony as useful to the Interest of Great-Britain, as by it's Situation and Climate it's capable of being, they heartily with the Trust in abler Hands that those important Services might not be defeated thro' their Inability. By Order of the Trustees, Benj. Martyn, Secretary. APPENDIX. J\*iimher i. To the Trustees for Establishing the Colony of GEORGIA. Gentlem€7i, N Writing this Answer to a Letter I had the Honour to receive from you, dated the 29^/t Instant, wherein you desire to know my Sentiments of an Undertaking to raise Raw Silk in your new Settlement in Georgia; of the Probability of succeeding therein ; the proper steps to be taken to bring that Work to Perfection, and my Opinion of the Nature, Quality and Use of the Raw Silk produced in Carolina : It is a great Pleasure to me, that from Experiments which 1 made some Years ago, I can now besides my Opinion, give you some Information concern- ing that Silk which may be depended upon. The Value and Usefulness of the Undertaking will appear as soon as we consider that all the Silk consumed in this Kingdom, is now of foreign Growth and Manufacture, which Costs the Nation very great Sums of Money Yearly to purchase ; and that the raising our Supply thereof in his Majesty's Dominions in America would save us all that Money, afford Employment to many Thousands of his Majesty's Subjects, and greatly increase the Trade and Navigation of Great-Britain. It appears to me as Beneficial to the Kingdom, attended with as little Hazard or Difficulty, as much Wanted, and which may as soon be brought to Perfection in a proper Climate as any Un- dertaking so Considerable in itself, that I ever heard of. I therefore^ think that there is a very great Probability of it's succeeding, ii such proper Methods are pursued, and such Assistance afforded to the poor People at their first setting out, as are necessary to Settle, Instruct and Encourage them. The Silk produced in Carolina has as much natural Strength and Beauty as the Silk of Italy (which is commonly called fine Silk) and lay the several Experiments I have tried with it, I am satisfied that it might be made to answer the same Purposes that Italian Silk now does, if it be reeled in short Skains, a fine clean and even Thread: To effect which if some experienced Persons are at first sent to Teach tlie People, the Work Avill soon be made V [36] easy to the meanest Capacity, and the value of the Silk will be thereby greatly increased. As tor my own Part, if at any Time you should think I can be of use to promote so good a Work, I shall be ready to execute your Commands as far as 1 am able; and always remain, Gentlemen, Your most Obedient, Humble Servant, Old Jaorij, Jan. 3 1 , 1732. Tho. Lomhe. JS*uviber 2. Extract of a Letter from South-Carolina Gazette dated at Charles-Town, 22d. March 1732. ^N Tuesday the 13th Instant I went on Board a Canoa in ^-'Company with Mr. Geo. Ducat and Mr. John Balantine, with Four Negroes, and about 10 o'Clock we set out from Mr. Lloyd's Bridge for Georgia, and passing by Port-Royal on Wednesday Night, we arrived on Friday Morning an Hour before Day at Yamacraw a Place so called by the Indians, but now Savannah in the Colony of Georgia. Sometime before we came to the Landing the Centinel challenged us, and understanding who we were, admitted us on Shore. This is a very high Bluff Forty Feet perpendicular from High Water Mark: it lies according to Capt. Gascoigne's Observation in the Latitude of 31d. 58m. which he took off Tybee an Island that lies at the Mouth of the Savannah River. It is distant from Charlestoirn S. W. according to Course and Windings of tlie Rivers and Creeks about 140 Miles, but by a Direct Course 77, allowing Suilliva7}t's Island to be in the Latitude of 32d. 47 m. from Augustine N. E. and by E. about 140 Miles, and by the Course of the Rivers is distant from i^oA' Moore 300 Miles, but upon a direct Line but 115 Miles N. W. and by W. This Bluff is distant 10 Miles from the Mouth of the Rivers on the South side, and Purrysburgh is 24 Miles above it on the North, and is so situated that you have a beautifiil Prospect both up and down the River. It is very sandy and barren and consequently a wholsome Place for a Town or City. There are on it 130 odd Souls, and from the Time they Embarked from London to the Time I left the Place, there Died but two sucking Children and them at Sea. When they arrived there was standing on it a great quantity of the best sort of Pine, most of which is already cut down on the spot were the Town is laid out to be Built. The Land is barren about a Mile back, when you come into very rich Ground ; and on both sides within a quarter of a Mile of the Town is choice good Planting Land. [37j Col. BuU told me that he- had been Seven Miles back and found it extraordinary good. Mr. Oglethorpe is indefatigable, takes a great deal of Pains, his Fare is but indifferent having little else at present but Salt Provisions. He is extreamly well beloved by all his People, the general Title they give him is Father. If any of them is Sick he immediately Visits them and takes a great deal of Care of them. If any Difference arises he is the Person that decides it. Two happened while I was there and in my Presence, and all the Parties went away to outward appearance Satisfied and Contented with his Determination. He keeps a strict Discipline, I never saw one of his People Drunk nor heard one of them Swear, all the Time I was there : He does not allow them Rum but in lieu gives tiiem English Beer: It is surprizing to see how Chearful the Men go to Work considering they have not been bred to it ; There are no Idlers there even the Boys and Girls do their Parts. There are Four Houses already up but none finished, and he hopes when he has got more Sawyers, w^hich I suppose he will have in a short Time, to finish Two Houses a Week. He has ploughed up some Land, part of which he has sowed with Wheat, which is come up and looks promising. He has Two or Three Gardens which he has sowed with divers sorts of Seeds, and planted Thyme and other sort of Pot-herbs, Sage, Leeks, Skel- lions, Celeri, Liquorice, ^c. and several sorts of Trees. He was PalHsading the Town round including some part of the Common, which I do suppose may be finished in about a Fortnight's Time, In short he has done a vast deal of Work for the Time, and 1 think his Name justly deserves to be immortaliz''d. Mr. Oglethorpe has with him Sir Walter Rawleigh's Avritten Journal, and by the Latitude of the Place, the Marks and Tradi- tions of the I/uliatis, it is the very first Place where he first went on shore, and talked with the Indians, and was the first Englishman they ever saw ; and about half a Mile from Savannah is a high Mount of Eartli under which lies their Chief King: And the In- dians informed Mr. Oglethorpe that their King desired before he died, that he might be Buried on the Spot were he talked with that great good Man.^ The River Water is very good, and Mr. 0^/c?'//orpc has proved it several ways, and thinks it as good as the River of Thames. On Monday the 19^/t we took our Leave of Mr. Oglethorpe at Nine o'Clock in the Morning, and Embark'd for Charlestown ; and when we set off he was pleased to Honour us with a Volley of Small Arms and the Discharge of Five Cannon : And coming down the Rivers we found the Water perfectly Fresh Six Miles below tlie Town, and saw Six or Seven large Sturgeon leap, Vvith which Fish that River abounds, as also witii Trout, Perch, Cat [38] and Rock Fish, <^-c. and in the Winter Season there is variety oi Wild Fowl, especially Turkeys, some of them weighing Thirty Pounds, and abundance of Deer. JS*iLmber 3. Rules for the Year 1735. nn He Trustees intend this Year to lay out a County and Build -■■ a new Toavu in Georgia. They will give to such Persons as they send upon the Charity, viz. To every Man, A Watchcoat, A Musquet and Bayonet to those who have them not of their own. An Hatchet, An Hammer, x\n Hand-saw A Shod Shovel or Spade, A broad Hoe, A narrow Hoe, A Gimlet, A Drawing Knife, And there will be a Publick Grindstone to each Ward or Village. He will also have an Iron Pot and a pair of Pot-hooks, And a Frying Pan. And for his Maintenance in the Colony for one Year he will have, 300 Pounds of Beef or Pork, 114 Pounds of Rice, 114 Pounds of Pease, 114 Pounds of Flour, 44 Gallons of Strong Beer, 64 Quarts of Molasses for Brewing Beer. 18 Pounds of Cheese, 9 Pounds of Butter, 9 Ounces of Spice, 9 Pounds of Sugar, 5 Gallons of Vinegar, 30 Pounds of Salt, 12 Quarts of Lamp Oil &t a Pound of spun Cotton, And 12 Pounds of Soap. And to the Mothers, Wives, Sisters or Children of such Men. To be delivered in such proportions and at such times <; as the Trust shall think proper. To be delivered <; as above. [39 J Provision will be given in the Colony for One Year in the follow- ing manner, viz. To each Head of them, that is to say to every Peison of the Age of Twelve Years and upwards, viz. '300 Pounds of Beef or Pork. 1 14 Pounds of Rice, 114 Pounds of Pease, 114 Pounds of Flour, 64 Quarts of Molasses for Brewing Beer. 18 Pounds of Cheese, 9 Pounds of Butter, 9 Ounces of Spice, 9 Pounds of Sugar, 5 Gallons of Vinegar, 30 Pounds of Salt, 6 Quarts of Lamp Oil and half a Pounfl of spun Cotton, And 12 Pounds of Soap. And for every Person above the Age of Seven, and under the Age of Twelve, Half the said Allowance, being esteemed Half an Head. And for every Person above the Age of Two and under the Ago of Seven, one Third of the said Allowance, being esteemed one Third of an Head. The Tmstees pay their Passage from England to Georgia. and in the Voyage they will have the following Provisions, viz. In every Week Four Beef Days, Two Pork Days, and one Fish Day, and their Allowance served out daily as follows : That is to sh a . On the Four Beef Days, Four Pounds of Beef for every Mess of Five Heads, And Two Pounds and an half of Flour, And half a Pound of Suet or Plumbs. On the Two Pork Days, Five Pounds of Pork }n r-- tt j A jTt T>- , n ir fo > lor every 1^ ive Heads. And 1 wo rints and hali of rease 5 ^nd on the Fish Day, Two Pounds and half of Fish > ^ r- tr i A J I ir r> 1 r t» .. Mor every h ive Heads. And halt a round ot Butter ) The whole at Sixteen Ounces to the Pound, And allow each Head Seven Pounds of Broad of Fourteen Ounces to the Pound, by the Week. And Three Pints of Beer and Two Quarts of Water (whereof one of the Quarts for Drinking and the other for Boiling Victuals) each Head by the Day for the space of a Month ; and a Gallon of Water (whereof Two Quarts for Drinking and the other Two i '10 \ for Boiling- Victuals) eacli Head by the Day alter during tlieii being on the Passage. The Heads to be accounted in this manner. Every Person above the Age of Twelve Years to be accounted a whole Head. All Persons of the Age of Seven Years and under the Age ol Twelve Years to be accounted Two for One. All Persons above the Age of Two Years and under the Age of Seven Years to be accounted Three for One ; and any Person under the Age of Two Years is not to be accounted. And the said Persons are to enter into the following Covenants before their Embarkation, viz. That they will repair on Board such Ship as shall be provided for Carrying them to the Province of Georgia, and during the Voyage, will Quietly, Soberly and Obediently demean themselves, and go to such Place in the said Province of Georgia, and there obey all such Orders as shall be given for the better Settling, Establishing and Governing the said Colony. And that for the first Twelve Months from their Landing in the said Province of Georgia, they will Work and Labour in Clearing their Lands, making Habitations, and necessary Defences, and in all other Works for the common Good and publick Weal of the said Colony, at such Times, in sucli Manner, and according to such Plan and Directions as shall be given. And that they from and after the Expiration of the said last men- tioned Twelve Months, will, during the Two next succeeding Years, abide, settle and inhabit in the said Province of Georgia, and Cultivate the Lands which shall be to them and their Heirs Male severally allotted and given, by all such Ways and Means as according to their several Abilities and Skills they shall be best Able and Capable. And such Persons are to be settled in the said Colony, either in new Towns or new Villages. Those in the Towns will have each of them a Lot Sixty Feet in Front and Ninety Feet in Depth, whereon they are to Build an House, and as much Land in the Country as in the whole will make up Fifty Acres. Those in the Villages will each of them have a Lot of Fifty Acres, which is to lie all together, and they are to Build their Houses upon it. All Lots are Granted in Tail Male and Descend to the Heirs Male of their Bodies for ever: And in Case of Failure of Issue Male Revert to the Trust, to be Granted again to such Persons as the Common Council of the said Trustees shall think most for the Advantage of the Colony. And they will have a special regard to the Daughters of Freeholders, who have made Improvements on their Lots, not already provided for by having Married, or I 41 ] Marrying Persons in Possession or intitled to Lands in the Pro- vince of Georgia in Possession or Remainder. All Lots are to be preserved separate and undivided, and cannot be united, in order to keep up a Number of Men equal to the Number of Lots, for the better Defence and Support of the Colony. No Person can Lease out his House or Lot to another without [jicence for that Purpose, that the Colony may not be ruined by Absentees Receiving and Spending their Rents elsewhere, iheie- fore each Man must cultivate the same by himself or Servants. And no Person can Alienate his Land or any part, or any TeiTO, Estate or Interest therein, to any other Person or Persons, without special Licence for that Purpose, to prevent the uniting or dividing the Lots. If any of the Land so Granted, should not be Cultivated, Plant- ed, Cleared, Improved or Fenced with a Worm Fence or Pales six Feet High, during the space of^rfTen Years horn the Date ot the Grant, then every part thereof not Cultivated, Planted Cleared, Improved or Fenced as aforesaid, shall belong to the Trust, and the Grant as to such parts shall be void. There is reserved for the support of the Colony, a Rent Charge for ever, of Two Shillings Sterling Money for each Fifty Acres ; the Payment of which is not to Commence 'till Ten Years after the Grant. And the Reversion or Remainder expectant on the Demise of such Persons without Issue Male, shall remain to the Trust. But the Wives of the Freeholders in case they should Survive their Husbands, are during their Lives intitled to the Mansion House and one half of the Lands Improved by their Husbands, that is to say, inclosed with a Fence of Six Feet High. All Forfeitures for Non-Residence, High Treason, Felonies, &fc. are to the Trustees for the Use of the Colony. Negroes and Rum are Prohibited to be used in the said Colony, and Trade with the Indians, unless Licensed. None are to have the Benefit of being sent upon the Charity in the manner above-mentioned, but, 1 . Such as are in Decayed Circumstances, and thereby disabled from following any Business in England, and who if in Debt, must have leave from their Creditors to go. 2. Such as have Numerous Families of Children if Assisted by their respective Parishes, and Recommended by the Minister, Church-Wardens and Overseers thereof. The Trustees do expect to have a good Character of the said Persons given, because no Dmnkards or other notoriously vicious Persons will be taken. And for the better to Enable the said Persons to Build the new Town, and Clear the Lands the Trustees will give leave to every [42] f^'reeliolder, to take over witli him , One Male Servant or Apprentice of the Age of Eighteen Years and upwards to be Bound for no less than Four Years, and will by way of Loan to such Freeholder, Advance the Charges of Passage for such Servant or Apprentice, and Furnishing him with the Cloathing and Provision hereafter mentioned, to be delivered in such proportions, and at such Times, as the Trust shall think proper, viz. A Pallias and Bolster and Blanket for Bedding, A Frock and Trowsers of Lintsey-Woolsey, for Cloathintr. A Shirt and Frock and Trowsers of Oznabrigs, A pair of Shoes from England, And two pair of Country Shoes. And 200 Pounds of Meat, ^ And 342 Pounds of Rice, Pease, [■ for Food for a Year. or Indian Corn, } The Expence of which Passage, Cloathing and Provisions, is to be Re-paid the Trustees by the Master, within the Third Year from their Embarkation from England. And to each Man Servant and the Heirs Male of his Body for ever, after the Expiration of his Service, upon a Certificate from his Master of his having Served well, will be granted Twenty Acres of Land, under such Rents and Agreements, as shall have been then last Granted to any other Man Servant in like Circumstances. Sign'd by Order of the Common Council of the said Trustees, for Establishing the Colony of Georgia in America, this Second Day of Jiihj, 1742. Benj. Martyn, Secretary. JS'iimber 4 rilOsuch Persons who can carry Ten men Servants, and settle -■- with them in Georgia, at their own Expence, and whose Char- acters the Trustees, upon Enquiry, shall approve of, will be granted Five Hundred Acres of land in Tail Male, and descend to the Heirs Male of their Bodies for ever, under the Yearly Rents of Twenty Shillings Sterling Money for every Hundred Acres, for the Support of the Colony, the Payment of which is not to commence until Ten Years after the Grant. And the Land is so granted upon the following Conditions and Convenants, That such Persons do pay the Rent reserved as the same shall become due, and no Part to be unpaid for six Months after due. That they within a Month of the Grant shall register the same, or a Memorial thereof with the Auditor of the Plantations. [43] That they within Tu elve Montlis from the "Grant, shall go to iuicl arrive in Georgia, with Ten able Bodied Men Servants heing each of the Age oi" Twenty Years and upwards. That they shall abide in Georgia with such Men Servants Tliree Years from the Registring the Grant there, Building their Houses and Cultivating their Lands. That they shall Clear and Cultivate within Ten Years from the Grant Two Hundred Acres of Land, part of the said Five Hundred Acres, and Plant Two Thousand white INIulberry-Trees or Plants thereupon, and on every Hundred of the other Three Hundred Acres, One Thousand White Mulberry-Trees or Plants when Cleared, and preserve the same Quantity from time to tiiue there- upon, the Trustees obliging themselves to furnish the Plants. That they do not Alienate the said Five Hundred Acres of Land or any part thereof for any Term of Years, or any Estate or Interest in the same, to any Person or Persons without special Leave. That they do not make Pot-ash in Partnership without Leave, but may make it themselves not in Partnership. On the Determination of the Estate in Tail Male the Land to Revert to the Trust. That they shall not depart the said Prcrvihce without Licence. All Forfeitures for Non-Residence, High Treason, Felonies &fc. are to the Trustees for the Use and Benefit of the Colony. If any part of the said Five Hundred Acres of Land shall not be Cultivated, Planted, Cleared and Fenced round about with Worm- Fence or Pales Six Feet high, within Eighteen Years from the Grant, all and every such part shall Revert to the Trust, and the Grant as to such Part be void. And the Common Council of the Trust at the Expirations of the Terms such Men Servants shall be severally bound for, (being none less than Four Years) when requested by the Grantee, will Grant to each of such Men Servants Twenty Acres of land in Tail Male, under such Rents, Conditions, Limitations and Agreements, as shall have been then last Granted to any Others Men Servants in like Circumstance. When the Land Reverts to the Trust on the Detemiination of the Estate in Tail iMale. it is to be Granted again to such Person as the Common Council of the Trust shall think most for the Advantage of the Colony, and the Trust will have a special Regard to the Daughters of such who have made improvements on their Lots, not already provided for by having Married or Marrying Persons in Possession or intitled to Lands in the Province of Georgia in Possession or Remainder. And the Wives of such Persons in case they should survive their Husbands, are, during their Lives, Intitled to the xMonsion House G [44] unci one iiulfof ilie Lands Improved by their Husbands, that is to say, inclosed with a Fence Six Feet high. Negroes and Rum are Prohibited to be used in the said Pro- \ iuce, and Trade with the Indians unless Licensed. JS'iimber 5. To the KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. The Humble Memorial and Representation of the State and Condition of Your Majesty^ Province of South-Carolina, from^ the General Assembly of the said Province. ^ "^ OUR IMajesty's most Dutiful Subjects of this Province, having ■*- often felt with Hearts full of Gratitude, the many Signal Instan- ces of your most Sacred Majesty's peculiar Favour and Protection, to those Distant Parts of your Dominions, and especially those late Proofs of your Majesty's most Gracious and Benign Care, so wisely calculated for the Preservation of this your Majesty's Frontier Province on the Continent of America, by your Royal Charter to the Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia, and your Great Goodness so Timely applied, for the promoting the Settle- ment of the Sioiss at Purrysburgh ; Encouraged by such views of your Majesty's Wise and Paternal Care, extended to your Remotest Subjects, and Excited by the Duty we owe to your most Sacred Majesty, to be always Watchful lor the Support and Secm-ity of your Majesty's Interest, especially at this very critical Conjuncture^ when the Flame of a War breaking out in Enropc, may very speedily be lighted here in this your Majesty's Frontier Province, which, in Situation, is known to be of the utmost Importance to the General Trade and Traffick in America : We therefore your Majesty's most faithful Governor, Council and Commons, convened in your Majesty's Province of Sonth- Carolina, crave Leave with great Humility to Represent to your Majesty the present State and Condition of this your Province, and how greatly it stands in need of your Majesty's Gracious and Timely Succour in case of a War, to Assist our Defence against the French and Spaniards, or any other Enemies to your Majesty's Dominions, as well as against the many Nations of Savages which so nearly Threaten the Safety of your Majesty's Subjects. The Province oi SouiJi- Carolina, and the new Colony of Geor- gia Sive the Southern Frontiers of all your Majesty's Dominions ob the Continent of America, to the South and South-West of which is Situated the strong Castle of St. Augustine, Garrison'd by Four Hundred Spaniards, who have several Nations oi' Indians under their Subjection, besides several other small Settlements and Gar- risons, some of which are not Eighty Miles Distant from th'^ [45] Colony of Georgia. To the South-West and West ot" us the - '-uich have erected a considerable Town near Fort Thoulouse \ the MoviUe-R'wex, and several other Forts and Garrisons, some H above Three Hundied Miles distant from our Settlements : and at New- Orleans on the Mississippi River, since her late 5\^'.ie3ty Queen Aimers War they have exceedingly increased brrengili and Tralnck, and have now many Forts and Gar- .. .as on both sides of that great River for several Hundred Miles up the same ; and since his most Christian Majesty has taken out of th^ Mississippi Company, the Government of that Country into his own Kands, the French Natives in Canada, come daily down m Shoals to settle all along that River, Avhere many Regular Forces have of late been sent over by the King to Strengthen the Garrisons in those Places, and according to our best and latest Advices, they have Five Hundred Men in Pay, constantly employ- ed as Wood-Rangers, to keep their Neighbouring Indians in Sub- jection, and to prevent the distant ones from Disturbing the Settlements; vviiich Management of the French has so well succeed- ed, that we are no\v very well assured they ha\'e wholly now in their Possession and under their Influence, the several numerous Nations of Indians that are Situate near the Mississippi River, one of which called the Choctaws by estimation consits of about Five Thousand Fighting Men, and who were always deemed a very Warlike Nation, lies on tiiis side the River not above Four Hundred Miles distant from our Out-settlements, among whom, as well as several other Nations of Indians, many French Europeans have been sent to settle, whom the Priests and Missionaries among them encourage to take Indian Wives, and use divers other al- luring Methods to Attach the Indians the better to the French Alliance, by which Means the French ure become tlioroughly ac- quainted with the Indian Way, W'arring and Living in the Woods, and have now a great Number of White Men among them, able to perform a long JMarch with an Army of Indians upon any Ex- pedition. We further beg leave to inform your Majesty, tliat if the Measures of France should provoke your Majesty to a State of Hostility against it in Europe, we have great reason to expect aji Invasion will be here made upon your Majesty's Subjects by the French and Indians fi'om the Mississippi Settlements : They have already paved a Way for a Design of that Nature, by Erecting a Fort called the Alhama Fort, alias Fort Lewis, in the middle of the upper Creek Indians, upon a Navigable River leading to Movi/Je, which they have kept well Garrisoned and Mounted with Fourteen Pieces of Cannon, and have lately been pievcnted from erecting a Second nearer to us on that Quarter. The Creeks are a Nation very Bold, Active and Daring, consisting of about Thirteen Hundred Fighting Men (and not above One Hundred [46] and Fifty Miles distant from the Choctaws) whom, though wt* heretofore have Traded with, claimed and held in our Alliance, yet the French on Account of that Fort and a superiour ability to make tiiem Liberal Presents, have been for some time striving to draw them over to tlieir Interest, and have Succeeded with some of the Towns of the Creeks ; which, if they can be Secured in your Majesty's Interest, are the only Nation which your Majesty's Subjects here can depend upon as the best Barrier against any Attempts either of the French or their Confedrate Indians.. We most Humbly pray Leave farther to inform your Majesty, that the French at MovilJe perceiving that they could not gain the In\Hans to their Interest, witljout buying their Deer-Skins (which is the only Commodity the Indians have to purchase Necessaries with) and the French not being able to dispose of those Skins by reason of their having no Vend for them in Old France, they have found Means to incourage Vessels from hence, New-York, and other Places (which are not Prohibited by the Acts of Trade) to Tmck those Skins with them for Indian Trading Goods, especially the British Woollen Manufactures, which the French dispose of to the Creeks and Choctaws, Qndoihev Indians, by which Means the Indians are much more Alienated from our Interest, and on every Occasion object to us that the French can supply them with Strouds and Blankets as well as the English, which would have the contrary Effect if they were wholly supplied with those Commodities by your Majesty's Subjects Trading with them. If a Stop were therefore put to that peniicious Trade with the French, the Cree^^ /^if/jVms chief Dependance would be on this Government, and that of Georgia, to supply them with Goods ; by wliich Means great Part of the Chociaws, Yw'mg next the Creeks, would see the Advantage the Creek Indians enjoyed by having British Woollen JVIanufactures wholly from yom- Majesty's Sub- jects, and thereby be invited in a short Time to Enter into a Treaty of Commerce with us, which they have lately made some Offers for, and which, if Effected, will soon lessen the Interest of the French with those Indians, and by Degrees Attach them to that of your ]\Iajesty. The only Expedient we can propose to Recover and Confirm that Nation to your Majesty's Interest, is by speedily making them Presents to withdraw them from the French Alliance, and by Building some Forts among them your Majesty may be put in such a Situation, that on the first Notice of Hostilities with the French, your Majesty may be able at once to reduce the Albania Fort, and we may then si and against the French and their Indians. which, if not timely prepared for before a War breaks out, Ave have too much Reason to Fear we may be soon over-nm by the united strength of the French, the Creeks and Choctaws, with niany other Nations of their Indians Allies : For, should the [47] Creeks iDeeome wholly Enemies, who are well acquainted wiih all our Settlements, we probably should also be soon Deserted by the Cherokees, and a few othei-s, small Tribes of Indians, who, for the sake of our Booty, would readily join to make us a Prey to the French and iSavoges. Ever since the late Indian War the Of- fences given us then by the Creeks have made that Nation very Jealous of your Majesty's Subjects of this Province. We have therefore concerted Measures with the Honoui-able James Ogle- thorpe, Esq; who, being at the Head of a new Colony, will (we hope) be Successlul for your Majesty's Interest amongst that People. He has already by Presents Attached the Lower Creeks to your Majesty, and has laudably undertaken to endeavour the fixing a Garrison among the Upper Creeks, the Expence of which is already in part provided for in this Session of the General As- senibly of this Province : We hope therefore to prevent the French from Encroaching farther on your Majesty's Territories, until your Majesty is graciously pleased further to Strengtlien and Secme the same. ^Ve find the Cherokee Nation has lately become very Insolent to your jMajesty's Subjects Trading among them, notwithstanding the many Favours rhe Chiefs of that Nation received from your Majesty m Great-Britain, besides a considerable Expence which your Majesty's Subjects of this Province have been at in making them Presents, which inclines us to believe that the French by their Indians have been tampering with them. We therefore beg leave to inform your Majesty, that the Building and Mounting some Forts likewise among the Cherokees, and making them Presents will be highly necessary to keep them steady in their Duty to your Majesty, lest the French may prevail in Seducing that Nation, which they may the more readily be inclined to from the Prospect of getting considerable Plunder in Slaves, Cattle, &fc. Commodities which they very well know they have among us, several other Forts will' be indispensably necessary, to be a cover to your Majesty's Subjects settled backwards in this Province, as also to those of the Colony of Georgia, both which in Length are very extensive ; for tho' the Trustees for Establishing the Colonv of Georgia, by a particular Scheme of good Management Painfully Conducted by the Gentleman engaged here in that Chaiitable Enterprize, has put that small part of the Colony, which he has not yet been able to establish, in a Tenable Condition against the Spaniards of Florida which lie to the Southward ; yet the back Exposition of those Colonies to the vast Number of French and Indians which border on the Westward, must, incase of a War, cry greatly aloud for your Majesty's Gracious and Timely Succour. The Expence of our Safety on such an Occasion, we must, w ith all Humility, acquaint your Majesty, either for Men or Money, can never be Effected by your Majesty's Subjects of this [48] Province, who, in conjanciion with Georgia, do not in the whole amount to more than Three Thousand Five Hundred Men, which Compose the Militia and wholly consist of Planters, Tradesmen and other Men of Business. Besides the many Dangers which by Land we are exposed to from so many Enemies that lie on the back of us ; Vv^e further beg leave to represent to your Majesty, the Defenceless Condition of our Ports and Harbours, were any Enemies ol your Majesty's Do- minions may very easily by Sea Invade us, there being no For- tifications capable of making much Resistence. Those in Charles- Toivn Harbour are now in a very ruinous Condition, occasioned by the late violent Storms and Hurricanes which already cost this Country a great deal of Money, and now requires several Thou- sands of Pounds to Repair the old and Build new ones, to Mount the Ordnance which your Majesty was graciously Pleased to send us, which, with great Concern, we must inform your Majesty we have not yet been able to accomplish, being latel\ obliged lor the Defence and Suj)port of this your Majesty's Province and Govern- ment, to Raise, by a Tax on the Inhabitants, a Supply of above Forty Thousand Pounds Paper Currency per Annum, which is a considerable deal more than a Third Part of all the Currency among us ; a Charge which your Majesty's Subjects of this Province are but barely able to Sustain. Since your Majesty's Royal Instruction to your Majesty's Governour here, an intire Stop has been put to the Duties v.hich before accrued irom European Goods Imported ; and if a War should happen, or any thing extraordinary, to be farther Expensive here, we should be under the utmost Difficulties to provide additionally for the same, lest an Increase of Taxes with an Apprehension of Danger, should drive away many of our present Inhabitants, as well as Discourage others from coming here to Settle for the Defence and Improve- ment of your Majesty's Province, there being several daily moving with their Families and Effects to North- Carolina, were there are no such Fears and Burdens. We must therefore beg leave to inform your Majesty, that, amidst our other perilous Circumstances, we are Subject to many Intestine Dangers from the great Number of Negroes that are now among us, who amount at least to Twenty Two Thousand Persons, and are Three to One of all your Majesty's White Subjects in this Province. Insurrections against us have been often Attempted, and wouUl at any Time prove very Fatal if the French should instigate them, by artfully giving them an Expectation of Freedom. In such a Situation we most humbly Crave leave to acquaint your Majesty, that even the present ordinary Expences necessary for the Care and Support of this your Majesty's Province and Go- vernment, cannot be provided for by your Majesty's Subjects of this Province, without your Majesty's gracious Pleasure to Con- [49] liiiue those Laws tor Establishing the Negroes and other Duiic; for Seven Years, and for appropriating the same, which now lie before your Majesty for your Koyal Assent and Approbation : and the further Expences that will be requisite for the Erectinf some Forts and Establishing Garrisons in the several necessary Places, so as to form a Barrier for the Security of this your Majesty's Province, we most humbly Submit to your Majesty. Your Majesty's Subjects of this Province, with fullnes of Zeal Duty and Affection to your most Gracious and Sacred Majesty, are so highly sensible of the great Importance of this Province to the French, that w^e must conceive it more than probable, if a War should happen, they will use all Endeavours to bring this Country under their Subjection ; they would be thereby Enabled to Support their Sugar Islands with all sorts of Provisions and Lumber by an easy Navigation, which to our great Advantage is not so Practicable from the present French Colonies, besides the facility of gaining then to their Interest most of the Indian Trade on the Northern Continent ; they might then easily unite the Canadees and Choctaws with the many other Nations of Indians which are now in their Interest. And the several Ports and Harbours of Carolina and Georgia which now enable your Majesty to be absolute Master of the Passage thro' the Gulph of Florida, and to impede, at your Pleasure, the Transportation home of the Spanish Treasure, would then prove so many Con- venient Harbours for }'our Majesty's Enemies, by their Privateers or Ships of War to annoy a great Part of the British Trade to America, as well as that which is carried on through the Gulph from Jamaica; besides the Loss which Great-Britain must feel in so considerable a Part of it's Navigation, as well as the Exjiorts of Masts, Pitch, Tar and Turpentine, which, without any De- pendance on the Nothern Parts of Europe, are from hence plentifully supplied for the Use of the British Shipping-. This is the present State and Condition of your Majesty's Province of South- Carolina, utterly incapable of finding Funds sufficient for the Defence of this Wide Frontier, and so destitute of White Men, that even Money itself cannot here raise a sufficient Body of them. With all Himrility we therefore beg Leave to lay ourselves at the Feet of your Majesty, humbly imploring your Majesty's most gracious Care in the Extremities we should be reduced to on the breaking out of a War ; and that your Majesty would be graciously pleased to extend your Protection to us, as your Majesty, in your great Wisdom, shall think proper. Robert Johnson, Tho. Broughton 7734^""^^""' '^'■"''^^""' Paul Jcnys, Speaker. In the Council-Chamber o( rrn r, , r» . . [50 J JS'umbev 6. TUomas Feurce, aged Forty Years and upwards, of the Dover Man of War, Mariner, having been at Georgia in America, on board the Peter and James, Captain George Dymond, in the Year One Thousand Seven hundred and Thirty-five ; and, from that Ship, on board the Hawk Sloop, Stationed at Georgia until the Bednninp of the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty-nine ; and having Sounded every Inlet, from the Sea all along tlie Coast of Georgia, from Jekyll Sound to Tyhee Sound, maketh Oath and saith,That the said Coast Four Leagues from the Land, is all even Ground, not less than Seven or Eight Fathom Water, and any Ship keeping in that Depth of Water may Steer along the same with the greatest Safety, and Anchor if they have occasion : That on the Bar at Jekyll there is at least Thirteen Feet and a half, at low Water, and at High Spring Tides Twenty- four Feet ; and on the Bar at Tyhee there is at least Sixteen Feet and a half at low Water, and at High Water Spring Tides Twenty-five Feet and a half; and the Difference between the Spring and Niep Tides is generally between Three and J' our Feet. And this Deponent farther saith, That he is well assured, and would undertake, by Sounding with a Boat, even at Niep Tides, to carry in Forty-Gun Ships over either of the said Bars ; and saith, That he hath seen in the Sound at St. Simon's, from Jekyll Bar, Ten Sail of Ships at one Time, and that Ten or Twelve Forty Gun Ships may safely ride there ; but behind Jekyll Island there is Water and Room enough for Shipping for Ten Miles up ; and that the Sound at Tyhee is large enough to hold with Safety Seven or Eight Forty Gun Ships. And this Deponent farther saith. That Ships in Jekyll Sound nuiy in Twenty-four Hours, from the Bar, run out into the Gulf- Stream of Florida, through which Stream the Spanish Galleons (when not passing the Winward Passage) always come. Thomas Pearce. Mumber 7. To the KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. The humble Memorial of the Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia in America. Humbly Sheweth, 'P Hat they being intrusted by your Majesty with the Care oi' the Colony of Georgia, which was formerly Part of your Majesty's Province of South- Carolina, and your Majesty's Colony of Georgia being very much exposed to the Power of [51] the Spaniards, and become an object of their Envy, by having valuable Ports upon the homeward Passage from the Spanish West-Indies, and the Spaniards having increased their Forces in the Neiglibourhood thereof; The Trustees, in consequence of the great IVust reposed in them by your Majesty, find themselves obliged, humbly to lay before your Majesty, their Inability sufficiently to Protect your Majesty's Subjects settled in Georgia, under the Encouragement of your Majesty's Charter, against this late Increase of Forces, and therefore become humble Sup- pliants to your Majesty, on the Behalf of your Subjects settled in the Province of 'Georgia, that your Majesty would be pleased to take their Preservation into your Royal Consideration, that, by a necessary Supply of Forces, the Province may be Protected against the great Dangers that seem immediately to Threaten it. All which is most humbly submitted to your Majesty's great Wisdom. Signed by Order of the Trustees, this lO^A Day oi August, 1737. Benj. Martyn, Secretary. JS'amber 8. To the Honourable the Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia in America. May it please your Honours, VKfTSi, whose Names are under-vi^'itten, being all Settlers, Free- *' holders, and Inhabitants of the Province of Georgia, and being sensible of the great Pains and Care exerted by you, in endeavouring to settle this Colony, since it has been under your Protection and Management, do unanimously join to lay before you, with the utmost Regret, the following Particulars. But, in the first Place, we must beg Leave to observe, That it has afforded us a great deal of Concern and Uneasiness, that former Representations, made to you, of the same Nature, have not been thought worthy of a due Consideration, nor even of an Answer. We have most of us settled in this Colony, in pursuance of a Description and Recommendation of it, by you, in Britain; and from the Experience of residing here several Years, do find, that it is impossible the Measures hitherto laid down for making it a Colony can succeed. None of all those who have planted their Lands, have been able to raise sufficient Produce to maintain their Families, in Bread-kind only, even though as inuch Ap- plication and Industry have been exerted to bring it about, as could be done by Men engaged in an Affah', in wliich they believe [52] the Welfare of themselves and Posterity so much depended, and which they imagine must require more than ordinary Pains to make it succeed ; so that by the accumulated Expences, every Year, of Provisions, Cloathing, Medicines, fyc. for themselves, Families, and Servants, several of them have expended all their Money, nay, even run considerably in Debt, and so been obliged to leave off Planting, and making further Improvements ; and those who continue are daily exhausting more and more of their Money, and some daily increasing their Debts, without a Pos- sibility of being reimburs'd, according to the present Constitution. This being now the General State of the Colony, it must be obvious, that People cannot subsist by their Land according to their present Establishment, and this being a Tnith resulting from Trial, Practice, and Experience, cannot be contradicted by any Theorical Scheme or Reasoning. The Land then, accord- ing to the present Constitution, not being able to maintain the Settlers here, they must unavoidably have recourse to, and depend upon, Trade ; but to our woeful Experience likewise, the same Causes that prevent the first, obstruct the latter ; for though the Situation of this Place is exceeding well adapted for Trade, and, if it were encouraged, might be much more improved by the In- habitants, yet the Difficulties and Restrictions which we hitherto have and at present do labour under, debar us of that Advantage. Timber is the only Thing we have here which we can Export, and notwithstanding we are obliged to fall it in planting our Land, yet we cannot manufacture it fit for a Foreign Market, but at double the Expence of other Colonies ; as for Instance the River of May, which is but Twenty Miles fi-om us, with the Allowance of Negroes, load Vessels Avith that Commodity at one half of the Price that we can do ; and what should induce Persons to bring Ships here, when they can be loaded with one Half of the Ex- pence so near us ? Therefore the Timber on the Land is only a continual Charge to the Possessors of it, though of very great Service in all the Northern Colonies, where Negroes are allowed, and consequently Labour cheap. We do noi in the least doubt, but that in Time Silk and Wine may be produced here, particu- larly the former ; but since the Cultivation of Lands with White Servants only cannot raise Provision for our Families, as before mentioned, therefore it is likewise impossible to carry on these Manufactures according to the present Constitution. It is very well known that Carolina can raise every thing that this Colony can, and they having their Labour so much cheaper, will always ruin our Market, unless we are in some measure on a Footing with them ; and as in both, the Land is worn out in Four or Five Years, and then fit for nothing but Pasture, we must be always at a great deal more Expence than they in clearing new Land for [53] Planting. The Importation of Necessaries for Life comes to us at the most extravagant Rate, Merchants in general, especially of England, not being willing to supply the Settlers with Goods upon Commission, because no Person here can make them any Security of their Lands and Improvements, as is very often practised in other Places, to promote Trade, when some of the Employer's Money is laid out in necessary Buildings and Im- provements, fitted for the Trade intended, without which it can- not be carried on. The Benefit of the Importation, therefore, is to all transient Persons who do not lay out any Money amongst us, but on the contrary carry every Penny out of the Place : And the chief Reason for their enhancing the Price, is, because they cannot get any Goods here, either on Freight or Purchase, for another Market. If the Advantage accruing from Importation centered in the Inhabitants, the Profit thereof would naturally circulate amongst us, and be laid out in Improvements in the Colony. Your Honors, we imagine, are not insensible of the Num- bers that have left this Province, not being able to support them- selves any longer, and those still remaining, who have Money of their own, and Credit with their Friends, have laid out most of the former in Improvements, and lost the latter for doing it on such precarious Titles ; and upon account of the present Establishment, not above Two or Three Persons, except those brought on Charity, and Servants sent by you, have come here for the Space of Two Years past, either to settle Land or encourage Trade, neither do we hear of any such hkely to come, until we are on better Terms. It is true, his Majesty has been graciously pleased to Grant a Regiment for the Defence of this Province, and the neighbouring Colony, which indeed will very much Assist us in Defending ourselves against all Enemies, but otherwise does not in the least contribute to our Support; for all that part of their Pay which is expended here, is laid out with Transient People, and our Neigh- bours of Carolina, who are capable to supply them with Provi- sions and other Necessaries at a moderate Price, which we, as before observed, are not at all capable to do, upon the present Establish- ment : This being our present Condition it is obvious what the Consequences must be. But we, for our parts, having intirely relied on, and confided in, your good Intentions, believing you would Redress our Grievances that should appear, and now, by our long Experience from Indus- try and continual Application to Improvement of Land here, do find it impossible to pursue it, or subsist ourselves any longer, ac- cording to the present nature of the Constitution : And likewise believing you will agree to those Measures which are found by Experience, capable to make this Colony succeed, and to promote [54] which we have consumed our Money, Time and Labour ; we do, from a sincere and true Regard to it's Welfare, and in Duty both 10 you and ourselves, beg leave to lay before your immediate Consideration, the Two following chief Causes of these our present Mislbrtunes, and this deplorable State of the Colony ; and which, we are certain, if Granted, would be an infallible Remedy for both. 1. The want of a Free Title or Fee Simple to our Lands, which, if Granted, w^ould occasion great Numbers of new Settlers to come among us, and likewise encourage those who remain here, chearfully to proceed in making further Improvements, as well to retrieve their sunk Fortunes, as to make Provision for tbeir Pos- terity. 2. The want and use of Negroes with proper Limitations, which, if Granted, would both induce great Numbers of White People to come here, and also render us Capable to subsist our- selves by raising Provisions upon our Lands, until we could make some Produce of it for Export, and in some measure to balance our Importation. We are very sensible of the Inconveniences and Mischiefs that have already, and do daily arise from an un- limited use of Negroes; but we are as sensible that these might be prevented by a due Limitation, such as, so many to each White Man, or so many to such a Quantity of Land, or in any other Manner which your Honours shall think most proper. By Grant- ing us. Gentlemen, these Two particulars, and such other Privi- leges as his Majesty's most dutiful Subjects in America enjoy, you will not only prevent our impending Ruin, but we are fully satisfied, also, will soon make this the most flourishing Colony possessed by his Majesty in America, and your Memories w ill be perpetuated to all future Ages, our latest Posterity sounding your Praises as their first Founders, Patrons and Guardians : But if, by Denying us those Privileges, we ourselves and Families are not only Ruined, but even our Posterities likewise, you will always be mentioned as the Cause and Authors of all their Misfortunes and Calamities; which we hope will never happen. We are, icith all due Respect, Yoiir Honours most Dutiful, and Obedient Servants Henry Parker, Sam. Mercer, Robert f Gilbert, his mark. Robert Williams, Thomas Christie, Patrick Graham, John FalloivJielJ, Da. Dous;las, John Brownfie.ld, Tho. Baillie, William Woodroofe. Hugh Anderson, Pat, Tailfer, James Carivtlls, [55] And. Grant, Jos. Fit z waiter, EHsha Forster, Walter Fox, William Ewen, J. Amoury, Jn. Houston, James IVilliams, Edivard Jenkins, Thomas Omaston, Joseph Wardrop, George Buncle, Adrian Loyer, P. Jouhert, John Burton, Robert Hoivs, Wm.. f Maiers, his mark, Thomas Salter, James Baillow, James Anderson, John Seillie, William, Starjickeit, Petrc Baillou, Peter Emory, Henry Lloyd, Wm. Elbert, John Smith, Wm. Cahert, Stephen Marrauld, Jacob Matheivs, Isaac Young, Robert Hainks, Archibald, Glen, Tho. Neale, Stephen f Terien, his mark. Sam. Ward, James f Smith, his maik. Pierre Morel, Stephen de Monford, David Gainder, James f Chensac, his mark. James f Landry, his mark. Simson f Rouviere, his mark. Louis Stamen, Thomas Tripp, Sam. Holmes, John Lyndall, William Parker, John Graham, James Pajjot, John Penrose, David Snook, Edward, Toumshend, John Desborough, Andrew Duche," James Galloivay, John Desborough, Junr. Edward Bush, Benj. Adams, Charles Britain. -John Rae, William. Coltbred. John Young, Samuel Lacey, Andrew Walker. John Miller, Richard Rogers, Thomas Gantlet, Richard Millechamp, Isaac Young, Senr. John Kelley, Jos. Stanley, Tho. f Young, his mark. Thomas f Cross, his mark. Richard Davis, Thomas Wattle, Thomas f Baillie, his mark. James Corneck, James Burnsides, Hugh f Frazer, his mark. Samuel Parker, William Sterling, Tho. Andrews, George Gorsand, John Stonchewer, John Teasdeall, Wm. f Greenfield, his mark. Cha. f Greenfield, his mark. Thomas f Young, his mark. Jame^^ -f^o^mcr, ^') ^^» Willidm^aher, '' Henry f Moulton. his mark. [56] James Mure. James Dean, Don. Stewart, Gille Been, Francis Brooks, John Clarice, Henry Green, Jacob Wats, Savannah in Georgia, December 9, 1738 Thomas Tibbett, John Dudding, George f Bush, his mark. Peter f Deshter, his mark. Henry Manley, his mark. Head Gardiner, Kenedy O Brien. RD-18.6 '^y^^^^/ '^^ ^^ 'M. 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