Page images
PDF
EPUB

glish Plantation in Virginia, were carried on by the private Subscriptions of Gentlemen and others, who thought it their Interest by Way of Security, to entrust the Disposal of their Money, to certain Men of the best Publick Credit among them, who were chosen Trustees, and transacted all Matters at Home in the Name of the Body. Mean while, the Command of their Colonies was committed to such Great, and Brave Men, as Sir Walter Raleigh and others, who went over, and settled the Country, with all the Appearance of a promising good Fortune; but just in the Crisis, when their Houses were Built, Lands prepar'd, and nothing was wanting, but the expected Arrival of Ships with the necessary Supplies of Ammunition, and Provision, they were all Starv'd to Death, or cut off by the Indians with a shocking Barbarity. For the Gentlemen in England, while they shou'd have laid out the Money subscrib'd, and sent over the Supplies abovemention'd, were quarreling with one another, who should make most Advantage, by furnishing such Goods, as where wanted, or helping others to do it: In which, and the like kind of Follies, they wasted sometimes two, three, or more Years, till their poor starving Colonies fell a Sacrifice to their Inhumanity and Avarice.

Nor was this Game play'd but once, and then mended; on the Contrary, from the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, to that of King Charles the First, they repeated the Extravagance in numberless Trials, and lost six, or seven different Colonies, not to mention the Money, they had so warily ventur'd, into the Bargain, by no other Error, or Miscarriage, than that the Disposal of their Stock did not lie in the same Hands, which had the Management of their Authority; and this was so visible a Truth, that King Charles abovemention'd, as a Punishment of their Indiscretion, depriv'd them of their Charter; and ever after that, the Purse, and the Power being join'd, as they ought, Virginia throve apace, till it grew the most flourishing, and mighty of all our Plantations in America.

This remarkable Instance ought to serve, as a Warning to all, who embark in these noble Designs, not to run into Losses by mistaken Endeavours, and ill-guided Cautions to avoid them; The Reader may apply the Advice, as he pleases, But we would have none concern'd with us, whose establish'd Opinion of the Nature of this Undertaking does not set him above all mean, and unnecessary Jealousies. R. Mountgomry. The Subscription Book will be open'd at the Carolina CoffeeHouse in Birchin-Lane near the Royal-Exchange, on Thursday the First Day of August next, and Attendance will be given frow 9 to 12, and from 3 to 6 Daily.

[merged small][ocr errors]

OF THE

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE

COLONY OF GEORGIA,

UNDER

GEN. JAMES OGLETHORPE,

FEBRUARY 1, 1733.

WASHINGTON:

PRINTED BY PETER FORCE.

.................

ESTABLISHMENT

OF THE

COLONY OF GEORGIA.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE TRUSTEES.

London, July 22, 1732:-On Thursday last, the Trustees for establishing the Colony of Georgia in America, held their first regular meeting. Their Charter was read; as also, a certificate from the Lord Chief Baron of his Majesty's Exchequer, by which it appeared that Rt. Hon. the Ld. Visc. Percival had qualified himself as President, and taken the oath for the faithful administration of his trust. Then, the President administered the oath for the faithful administration of their trust, to the several Trustees present.

Sept. 22, 1732.-On Thursday last, the Ld. Carpenter sat for the first time, as one of the Trustees for Georgia in America; and after taking the oaths, was chosen President, in the absence of the Ld. Visc. Percival.

Sir Gilbert Heathcote acquainted the Court of Directors of the Bank, with his Majesty's having granted a Charity, for relieving necessitous people, by establishing of the aforesaid Colony and after shewing the great charity of the undertaking, and the future benefit arising to England, by the strengthening all the American Colonies, and increasing our Trade and Navigation, and raising raw-silk, for which upwards of £200,000 a year is paid to Piedmont; he himself gave a very handsome benefaction to the design, and was followed by all the Directors then pre

sent.

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE DESIGNS OF THE TRUSTEES FOR ESTABLISHING THE COLONY OF GEORGIA IN AMERICA.

In America there are fertile lands sufficient to subsist all the useless Poor in England, and distressed Protestants in Europe; yet Thousands starve for want of mere sustenance. The distance makes it difficult to get thither. The same want that renders men useless here, prevents their paying their passage; and if others pay it for 'em, they become servants, or rather slaves for years to those who have defrayed the expense. Therefore, money for passage is necessary, but is not the only want; for if people were set down in America, and the land before them, they must cut down trees, build houses, fortify towns, dig and sow the land before they can get in a harvest; and till then, they must be provided with food, and kept together, that they may be assistant to each other for their natural support and protection.

The Romans esteemed the sending forth of Colonies, among their noblest works; they observed that Rome, as she increased in power and empire, drew together such a conflux of people from all parts that she found herself over-burdened with their number, and the government brought under an incapacity to provide for them, or keep them in order. Necessity, the mother of invention, suggested to them an expedient, which at once gave ease to the capital, and increased the wealth and number of industrious citizens, by lessening the useless and unruly multitude; and by planting them in colonies on the frontiers of their empire, gave a new strength to the whole; and This they looked upon to be so considerable a service to the commonwealth, that they created peculiar officers for the establishment of such colonies, and the expence was defrayed out of the public treasury.

FROM THE CHARTER.-His Majesty having taken into his consideration, the miserable circumstances of many of his own poor subjects, ready to perish for want: as likewise the distresses of many poor foreigners, who would take refuge here from persecution; and having a Princely regard to the great danger the southern frontiers of South Carolina are exposed to, by reason of the small number of white inhabitants there, hath, out of his Fatherly compassion towards his subjects, been graciously pleased to grant a charter for incorporating a number of gentlemen by the name of The Trustees for establishing the Colony of Georgia in America. They are impowered to collect benefactions; and lay them out in cloathing, armning, sending over, and support

« PreviousContinue »