COMPILER'S PREFACE TO VOLUME III.

Unlike the founders of most of the other British colonies in America, the founders of Georgia were actuated by motives of pure, disinterested philanthropy. The object of the founders of other colonies was pecuniary gain. The object of the founders of Georgia was to provide an asylum to which the poor and unfortunate debtors of England, and the oppressed Protestants in other parts of Europe, could come and live in peace and earn a livelihood by industry and frugality.

Actuated by this motive Oglethorpe and Egmont, and their coadjutors, founded Georgia. They had no interest in the soil of the province, and no reward, nor hope of reward, out of its growth and prosperity.

Their work being one purely of philanthropy they appealed not in vain to the charitably disposed for aid in their philanthropic work. This the Trustees were authorized to do, by the charter, and by the same instrument they were required "every year to lay an account in writing before the Chancellor or Speaker or Commissioners for the custody of the Great Seal of Great Britain, the Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench, the Master of the Rolls, the Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas and the Chief Baron of the Exchequer, or any two of them, of all monies and effects by them received or expended for carrying on the good purposes aforesaid."

This volume contains the annual accounts of all contributions made in money and effects for the benefit of the colonists. It will be seen that while no inconsiderable amount came out of the royal treasury most of the benefactions were from private individuals, and the accounts show on their face the care and accuracy with which they were kept.

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