for that all the Christians there will, for the reasons aforesaid, fall off and desert it, as leaves from a tree in autumn, until there will not be a valuable Christian remaining except some few carpenters, sawyers, smiths, &c. whom the Jews will find most necessary and useful, and encourage them to remain to be employed in their buildings and otherwise, and that all Christian benefactions for that colony will soon cease. Therefore, for these considerations, I beg leave to recommend the speedy entering into proper measures for preventing, as well the ruin of the colony of Georgia as the reproach and scandal of the trustees.

I am, with the greatest respect, right honorable and honorable, your most obedient servant,

Georgia Office, 27th March, 1734.

THOMAS CORAM.

But it is farther to be observed, that many of the original grants consist of one contraction, a figure, three words, and the two initial letters of the General's name. And the manner of declaring lands forfeited, as well as taking from one, and giving to another, is really incredible.*

It was the sense of the Commons of Great Britain, that the Georgians ought to be allowed the use and importation of rum, from which it seems a very natural inference, that they meant the importation of it on the same terms, and with no other restrictions or limitations than it was imported into the other British colonies. What regard has been paid to this opinion of that great body, such true friends to the settlement, must best appear from the act of the trustees, in conformity to that report, which is said to be loaded with such restraints, difficulties and limitations, of which their magistrates are to be judges, as to be little better in effect than a prohibition, and has not been hitherto, as we are informed, approved of by the Right Honorable the Lords of Trade.

The trustees allege, in extenuation of many past abuses, that they have altered the form of government, having appointed a president and assistants. Whereas the charter requires the appointment of a governor to be approved by his majesty, who is to give security for a due observation of the

several acts relating to trade and navigation, which has never been complied with in any particular. And, as if this evasion were not sufficiently inexcusable, to complete the farce, the magistrates, so very liable to be justly appealed from, are the very assistants, who must be appealed to; which, without the least reflection, sufficiently explains this notable amendment both of the intention and mode of governing.

The administrators of such a polity should, in propriety, be invested with some suitable resemblance of character and equity. Mr. Thomas Jones,* who had not been a little active in procuring† several informations against such malecontents as they were called, (who must have been stupid to have been otherwise) was one of the venerable bench; and Mr. Henry Parker another, who had signed a complaint, was not restored, till he had contradicted the truths he subscribed in it. Mr. Fallowfield was formerly a magistrate, but for daring to feel, and to complain of it, and to allow others to do the same, he was immediately deemed unqualified for any part of the administration, and cast out as a malecontent, as will appear from Mr. Verelst's very solemn notification of it to him in the Appendix.‡

It is said the trustees keep no store now, but it is answered, that their officers do in their names, that only the name of their store is changed into their magazine, by virtue of the key of which, T. Causton has formerly commanded § the whole colony, as it is feared Thomas Jones does still, though it is reported the trustees lately removed him from some of his employments, to appease the people with regard to a felony, which produced an indictment against him; but from which his brother magistrates screened || him till he went to Frederica (where the General is), for protection.

As the complainants of Georgia have been industriously represented as a few clamorous, unreasonable people, spirited up by one man, who styles himself their agent, their number will best appear from the annexed list, which cannot be equalled I by any catalogue of persons, the trustees could reckon contented, though all their magistrates and dependants were to be included in it. As to his being able, or even

* Late high constable of, and well known in Holborn. See the secretary's journals printed by the trustees. Appendix, No. XXXVI.

§ Appendix, No. XXIII.

Appendix, No XXIV. and XXV.
Appendix, No. XXXV.

desirous to foment a clamor he has no particular interest in, the absurdity is self-manifest, and sufficiently exposed, by former complaints of the people,* when he was little known among them, and when he was in England before. His joining the people, in opposition to his father's conduct, has been thought a strong objection to his own, with many. To this he takes leave to say, that while he is conscious of all dutiful affection and regard for a parent, he can see no cause for his being insensible to the suggestions of truth and reason, and of the hardships of his fellow sufferers. If his father's great age, and several misfortunes, dispose him to be contented with a poor provision for one, his son cannot discover, that filial duty obliges him to think in the same manner; but were his father's concurrence necessary on such a score, he might even appeal to his own journals published by the trustees, and to several extracts of letters to himself.

Much might be added, very pertinently, to furnish a more strict and particular account of the real grievances of the people of Georgia, and the insuperable impediments to its ever deserving the name of a colony on the present foundation. In truth, it has the force of a thousand arguments to reflect, that for four years past no person has attempted to settle in Georgia at his own expense, which never is the case of any new colony, where people are satisfied with the plan and scheme of the conductors of it; and it is utterly opposite to common sense, to conceive, that a people of depressed circumstances, with very few of name or interest, can find any pleasure or account, in complaining for the mere sake of complaint, in opposition to persons of condition, opulence and reputation. If they really enjoyed the common liberties of their fellow subjects, and murmured under those circumstances of government their fellow colonies are happy from, such an unreasonable discontent might very justly be discountenanced. Let this one fair experiment be made, and the people of Georgia little doubt, without being burdensome to their mother country, to subsist themselves, and by degrees to become useful subjects to his majesty: whereas, far from being benefited by any public contribution, on the

A letter, in the year 1735, signed by the principal inhabitants of the colony; & representation, 1737; another representation, 1738, signed by one hundred and

seventeen.

+ A petition, 1740, from the servants out of their time; a remonstrance, 1740, from the people; a petition to his majesty, 1740; an address to his majesty, 1741.

*

present footing, they can consider it as nothing, but strengthening a sort of government, that is an insupportable plague and discouragement, instead of a support and protection. And, it is but too evident, that all projects to devise a better constitution of government than the British, for British subjects, has proved sad quack politics in the event, destroying or torturing the patients, and disgracing the prescriber. The people are convinced, with pleasure, that many gentlemen of the Trust are far from intending the oppression of their fellow creatures, or fellow subjects, and that some of them have publicly expressed their aversion to all such measures, as were injurious to the colony, and contrary to the charter. But persons who have never been out of England, cannot be perfect judges of the encouragements necessary to the establishment of a new colony in that climate, nor easily discover the truth at so great a distance, or they would no more continue in a known error, than suffer such illegal excesses of power to be exercised over the people, to whom they are guardians, nor ever permit so injurious a trade to be carried on with the public money, without giving the public credit in their accounts, for what has been so extorted,† contrary to their intention, from the poor people, for whose benefit the money so employed was given. But how can the trustees account to the public, unless their agents (whose accounts were never made up) account to them? The only trustee who is there, must be able, indeed, to form a pretty general judgment of affairs; but the people cannot forbear considering him as the greatest enemy to the colony, who was called the father of it, before the regiment was obtained, which became necessary the sooner, from our imprudence in provoking and alarming the Spaniards in time of peace, by erecting a fort, garrisoned with upwards of twenty men, directly opposite to, and in sight of the Spanish look-out on St. Juans, which is said to be without the limits assigned by the charter. And since which appointment, there is scarcely any species of oppression, short of life and limb, which may not be unanswerably proved to have been arbitrarily exerted by this gentleman, who has publicly appeared an invader of the natural rights of mankind, and the particular privileges

of his fellow subjects; and if ever a colony is to be effected under his auspices, it must never consist of Britons. The lands must be interdicted to his majesty's subjects, and instead of preventing the importation of slaves, they must import none but such. If these affirmations be thought severe, let the actual and lawless severities he has treated multitudes with, be duly pondered, and the unavailing privilege of complaining must be thought a very poor recompense. If it be said he is not present to defend himself, that is not the least misfortune to the colony of Georgia where he is; they will never revoke any thing they have hitherto affirmed and proved against him, but have much more to add to it, whenever they shall be so happy as to be called on for that purpose. Some light specimens will appear in the following affidavits, voluntarily made, the effect of no art or management, collected with no view to disguise or amuse, but to inform and convince, the natural and plain language of oppressed men, to which we refer the reader.