CHAPTER XXVIII. GEORGIA. A SKETCH OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF GEORGIA, FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT IN 1732, DOWN TO THE CLOSE OF THE SPANISH AND INDIAN WARS, AND THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE ROYAL GOVERNMENT, 1752. MORE than one whole century had now elapsed, since the commencement of the settlement of the colonies of Virginia, New-York, and New-England, before the adventurers attempted the settlement of Georgia. In 1732, a company in England petitioned the king, and obtained a charter, for the settlement of that part of Georgia, lying between the rivers Savannah, and Alatamaha, bearing date June 1732. The special design of this charter, was to provide for such indigent people in England, as had become burthensome, and who might become useful to themselves, and the state, by being transported into the wilds of America, and provided for, as settlers, in the province of Georgia. It was further contemplated, that such a colony might co-operate with Carolina, in resisting the encroachments of the Spaniards in Florida. In the month of July, the trustees met, and appointed Lord Percival, their president, and ordered a common seal, &c. This charter guaranteed all the essential rights of the colonists for twenty-one years, and then reserved the right to the crown of appointing their governors, and all other officers of distinction, and importance. In August following, Sir William Heathcote raised a handsome sum, by the way of contribution, amongst the higher orders in England, for the purpose of carrying forward the projected plan, and the Parliament granted the sum of ten thousand pound to encourage the work. By the first of November following, a number of colonists volunteered in the enterprise, to the amount of one hundred and sixteen; these were generally labourers, such as the nature of the service required, who were furnished with arms for defence, and all the necessary tools for husbandry. This colony embarked for Georgia in the month of December, accompanied by General Oglethorp, one of the trustees, who conducted all their concerns; and on the 18th of January, 1733, they all arrived safe in Carolina. They were kindly received by the Carolinians, and furnished with cattle, hogs, rice, and such other articles as might become useful, in planting their new colony; together with an escort of a party of horse, scout-boats, &c. to conduct them to the country of their destination. Thus provided for, this little colony, with their illustrious chief, arrived safe in Georgia; explored the river Savannah, and on the 9th of February, they planted the colony, and began to erect the first house in the town of Savannah. Colonel Bull, the then governor of Carolina, with the Carolinians generally, volunteered their purses, and their labours, in carrying forward the work. This town, which opened the first habitable dwelling to civilized man in the wilds of Georgia, is situated about ten miles up the Savannah river, upon an elevated ground, on its southern banks. Here they built a small fort, for their protection against the savages, and the settlers were embodied, and organized as a militia corps of defence. They next commenced negociations with the neighbouring tribes, particularly the Creeks, who were the most numerous, and concluded treaties of safety. The trustees considered Georgia as a frontier province, surrounded by Spaniards, and Indians; they therefore concluded to establish a military colony, by supplying the settlers with arms, as well as tools, that they might protect and defend their fires, and their altars, from the depredations of their enemies. To effect this object, the trustees framed a feudal government, each tract of land granted was considered as a military fife, which subjected the possessor to military service, whenever his country called for his services; and the better to support this system, they granted their lands upon a male entailment, and upon a failure of a male heir, the lands were to revert back again to the trustees; and by them to be regranted at their discretion; reserving the power and right of providing for the female heirs of such estates in reversion, according to the degrees of improvement made on the lands; as well as with a due consideration of their necessities. The widows of all such estates, were to be indulged with the use of the mansion house, and one half of the lands, during life. The better to enforce this system, it was ordained that no man should depart the province without special licence. All lands suffered to lie waste for the term of eighteen years, were to revert back to the trust, and the grant to become null and void. All lands forfeited by high-treasons, felonies, &c. to revert back to the trust, and to be by them disposed of for the benefit of the colony. Negroes, and rum were prohibited the colony. All trade with the Indians was to be conducted under special licences from the trustees. Such a plan for settling an American colony, might appear to be as wise in England, as the government of Mr. Locke, for North-Carolina; but upon experience, they both proved bad, and involved the colonies in a labyrinth of evils, and the trustees experienced insurmountable difficulties, and the settlers fled the province in quest of lands that were both cheap, and free from entail, as well as plenty and easy to be obtained. The plan of this settlement, was to cultivate wine and silk, and negroes were wisely judged to be unnecessary to accomplish such a plan, as well as dangerous in a frontier settlement, which was armed against the Spaniards. Rum was considered as dangerous, and demoralising in its effects, and consequences, as well as without any permanent good to the settlers. Thus the Carolinians, who tolerated both the use of negroes, and rum, as well as a free trade with the Indians, and the West-Indies, and who sold them lands cheap, and free from entail, decoyed into their province, many of the settlers of Georgia, and that colony languished, notwithstanding. the Parliament of England had given 36,000l. to assist the trustees in carrying into effect their benevolent plan. Another evil also attended this first effort to settle Georgia, that had formerly attended the first adventurers to Carolina and Virginia; the poor settlers were selected from amongst the idle, and dissolute, in the large cities in England; and these habits became insurmountable difficulties to be overcome, in bringing forward the settlement, where all was to be accomplished by industry, economy, and perseverance. Sensible of the grand source from whence their embarrassments arose, the trustees next turned their attention to that description of character, in whom these virtues were combined; these they found in Scotland, and Germany. When the trustees published their terms in Scotland, one hundred and thirty Highlanders volunteered, at once, and were transported to Georgia, who built the town of Inverness, upon the river Alatamaha. At the same time a German colony, consisting of about one hundred and seventy, under Mr. James Oglethorpe, embarked for Georgia, and formed a German settlement; all which gave the trustees high hopes, that they should succeed in their plan, and settle their province. They had now gained about six hundred settlers in the whole; but their hopes were premature, and all proved abortive; the idleness, as well as licentiousness of the first settlers, continued, and their emigrations increased; these, added to the wars with the Spaniards and Indians, blasted all their hopes, and involved the province in a state of distress, and wretchedness, too great to be described. When the trustees became acquainted with these scenes of distress, and · found themselves unable to point out a remedy, they abandoned the trust, and resigned up their charter to the king, and Georgia became a royal government in 1752, just twenty years after the first attempt made by the trustees to settle the country. The king established a regular colonial government in Georgia, upon the plan of the other royal governments, and appointed John Reynolds, a naval officer, as governor of the province. At this time, the settlements had progressed so slow, and the cultivation and improvements were so partial, that the whole exports of Georgia did not exceed ten thousand pounds sterling. When the colony enjoyed the privileges of the royal government, such had become their depressed and languishing state, that their improvements progressed very slow, for several years, until a spirit of industry, and enterprise sprang up that rewarded liberally the labours of the planters, and disclosed the true value of their excellent soil, and country. In the history of New-England, the efforts of the Reverend Mr. Whitfield, to build up an orphan school in Georgia. by such gratuitous contributions as he was enabled to raise, in his itinerant labours, through the whole extent of the colonies; as well as in England, were noticed. This institution flourished, and in 1768, Mr. Whitfield made application to the crown for a charter, to incorporate it into a college; but this failed, and Mr. Whitfield, then assigned over his orphan-house, to the Countess of Huntingdon, and the next year he fell sick at Newbury Port, where he died, 1770. The subsequent history of Georgia, will be incorporated with that of the other colonies, and assume a national character. |