Wednesday, March 13. OUR Saltzburgers were lodged in a Tent, pitch'd on purpose for them, till Mr. Oglethorpe's Arrival from Charlestown. A Jew invited our Saltzburgers, and treated them with good Rice-Soop for Breakfast. And GOD hath also moved the Hearts of several others here, to be very good and hospitable to us. The Country, as the Inhabitants say, is very fruitful; and the Land chose by us, which is about 21 English Miles from hence, is still better. All that is sowed, grows in a short Time. Thursday, March 14. LAST Night we Prayed on shore for the first time, in the English Chapel, made of Boards, and used for divine Worship, till a Church can be built; the Use of which is allowed us, during our Stay here. The Inhabitants join with us, and shew much Devotion. The Jews likewise, of which there are 12 Families here, come to Church, and seem to be very devout: They understand the German Tongue. Though the Chapel is but of Boards, it is very convenient, and pleases the Saltzburgers. Friday, March 15. THIS Day Mr. Oglethorpe arrived here, and received our Saltzburgers and us in a very friendly manner; and we dined with him. He will speedily give Orders that our People shall go to the Place intended for their Settlement. He being very sollicitous that these poor Indians should be brought to the Knowledge of GOD, has desired us to learn their Language; and we, with the Blessing of GOD, will joyfully undertake the Task. . . . OUR Saltzburgers have often been admonished very earnestly to abstain from drinking a certain intoxicating Liquor like Brandy, called Rum; which is made of Molosses, in the Islands of the West-Indies, &c. because this Liquor hath occasion'd the Death of many People. Some good Persons, who lately visited our Saltzburgers, are much pleased with their Devotion, and with the whole of their Behaviour; and on that Account, prophesy much Good to the Country. Tuesday, March 19. MR. Oglethorpe went last Friday with the Commissary, Mr. Zwefler, Mr. Gronau, and a Saltzburger, to the Place where we are to live with our Saltzburgers, in order to shew them the Ground where they are to build their Houses. This Day the Commissary and Mr. Zwefler return'd back, and inform'd us much of the Goodness and Fertility of the Ground, as also of the Goodness of the Indians. . . Wednesday, March 20. THE Saltzburgers have (as the other Settlers in Georgia) received a Gift from the Trustees, of Arms, Houshold Goods, and working Tools, viz. Kettles, Pots, Dishes, Saws, Axes, Shovels, &c. Tuesday, March 26. ... Ir is a great pleasure to us, that Mr. Oglethorpe approved of our calling the River, and the Place where our Houses are to be built, Ebenezer; 1 Sam. vii. 12. Then Samuel took a Stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the Name of it Ebenezer; saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us. Which Denomination is already known among the People that live hereabout. This Word hath at our Arrival here, and when we were yet on board the Ship, made us joyful to the Praise of GOD, and will do it for the future as often as we name the Name of our Town or River, or hear it named. . . . Saturday, March 30. As, by the Help of GOD, we are now at more Ease, and in better Order, we can take more Care of the Education of the Children; who come daily several times to our Room, where they are taught proper Texts out of the Holy Scripture, and are Catechized. At Prayers, all is repeated in the Presence of the grown People, whereby they are edified; as well as by the Catechism, and Texts of the Holy Scripture, that are explained unto them. As soon as we come to our Ebenezer, we shall also begin to teach them Reading and Writing. An Extract of the Journals of Mr. Commissary Von Reck and of the 41. A New England Man in Georgia (1735) BY REVEREND SAMUEL QUINCY Quincy was a resident minister in Georgia, whose services were not acceptable to the Georgia trustees. He was succeeded by John Wesley. — Bibliography: Winsor, Narrative and Critical History, V, 392-406; Channing and Hart, Guide, § 103. Savannah, Oct. 23, 1735 YOUR YOURS by Mr. Foster, together with a kind present, came to hand, for which I return you and my good cousin a great many thanks. We are in daily expectation of the arrival of Mr. Oglethorpe, who comes over to over-see the building of forts on our frontiers, pursuant to the king's orders. Affairs here are but in an ill situation, through the discouragements attending the settlement, which have rendered some of the better sort of people very discontented, and if the trustee, who comes over, does not remove them, I believe many will leave the place. The magistrate, to whom the government of the colony was left, proves a most insolent and tyrannical fellow. Several just complaints have been sent home against him, which do not meet with a proper regard, and this has made people very uneasie. Indeed it has a very ill aspect; for it looks as if they designed to establish arbitrary government, and reduce the people to a condition little better than that of slavery. There are some things likewise in their very constitution, which looks this way; the tenure by which they hold their land subjects them to a kind of vassalage, not consistent with a free people. In short, Georgia, which was seemingly intended to be the asylum of the distressed, unless things are greatly altered, is likely to be itself a mere scene of distress. Some of the people, to support their extravagance, and others out of real necessity, have run themselves miserably in debt; the store-keepers having given them credit in hopes of possessing themselves of their houses, and even their persons, by obliging them to be their servants; and if the trustees do not disconcert these designs, great numbers must be unavoidably ruined; though to do this must needs ruin the storekeepers, for they are most of them deeply indebted to their merchants in Carolina : But I think indeed they deserve no pity, because their designs appear to have been rapacious and dishonest. This is our present condition, and the small improvements that are made on lands, gives us a very indifferent future prospect. Notwithstanding the place has been settled nigh three years, I believe I may venture to say there is not one family, which can subsist without farther assistance, and most would starve if they had not dependence on the trustees; but the trustees have raised very large assistance to carry it on, and will no doubt do their utmost to support it, and therefore it is to be hoped that it may in time come to something, though on the present footing things are established, it will never be a desirable place, and therefore none will choose to settle in it who can remove elsewhere, unless it be some who are particularly favoured by the trustees. Massachusetts Historical Society, Collections, Second Series (Boston, 1814), II, 188-189. 42. The Question of Slavery in Georgia (1738 1739) BY FREEHOLDERS AND THE GEORGIA TRUSTEES The trustees for Georgia had forbidden the use of slaves in the colony, and for years the matter was a bone of contention between the majority of the colonists and the trustees. Bibliography: Winsor, Narrative and Critical History, V, 392-404; C. C. Jones, Georgia, I, ch. vi; Channing and Hart, Guide, § 103. — On the general question of slavery, see below, ch. xvi. A. PROTEST OF THE SETTLERS To the Honourable the Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia in America. May it please Your Honours; WE 7E whose Names are under-written, being all Settlers, Free-holders and Inhabitants in 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. . . . The Land . . . not being capable to maintain the Settlers here, they must unavoidably have recourse to and depend upon Trade: But to our woful Experience likewise, the same Causes that prevented the first, obstruct the latter; for tho' the Situation of this Place is exceeding well adapted for Trade, and if it was encouraged, might be much more improved by the Inhabitants; 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 might export, and notwithstanding we are obliged to fall it in Planting our Land; yet we cannot manufacture it for a Foreign Market but at double the Expence of other Colonies; as for Instance, the River of May, which is but twenty Miles from us, with the Allowance of Negroes, load Vessels with 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 Expence so near us; therefore the Timber on the Land is only a continual Charge to the Possessors of it, tho' of very great Advantage in all the Northern Colonies, where Negroes are allowed, and consequently Labour cheap. We do not in the least doubt but that in Time Silk and Wine may be produced here, especially the former; but since the Cultivation of Land with white Servants only, cannot raise Provisions 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 Planting. . But we for our Parts have intirely relied on and confided in Your good Intentions, believing You would redress any Grievances that should. appear; and now by our long Experience, from Industry and continual Application to Improvement of Land here, do find it impossible to pursue it, or even to subsist ourselves any longer, according to the present Nature of the Constitution; and likewise believing You will agree to those Measures that are found from Experience capable to make this Colony succeed, and to promote which we have consumed our Money, Time and Labour; we do, from a sincere Regard to its Welfare, and in Duty both to You and ourselves, beg Leave to lay before Your immediate Consideration, the Two following chief Causes of these our present Misfortunes and this deplorable State of the Colony, and which, we are certain, if granted, would be an infallible Remedy for both. 1st, The Want of a free Title or Fee-simple, to our Lands; which if granted, would both induce great Numbers of new Settlers to come amongst 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 Provisions for their Posterity. 2d, The Want of the Use of Negroes, with proper Limitations; which if granted, would both occasion great Numbers of white People to come here, and also render us capable to subsist ourselves, by raising Provisions upon our Lands, until we could make some Produce fit for Export, in some Measure to Ballance our Importation. We are very sensible of the Inconveniencies and Mischiefs that have already, and do daily arise from an unlimited Use of Negroes; but we are as sensible, that these may 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 granting us, Gentlemen, these Two Particulars, and such other Privileges as His Majesty's most dutiful Subjects in America enjoy, You |