Page images
PDF
EPUB

to him within twelve days. Attakullakulla declared that he had no such authority from his nation, that he thought the stipulation unreasonable and unjust, and that he could not voluntarily grant it. Colonel Grant withdrew this offensive article ; after which peace was formally ratified, and their former friendship being renewed, all expressed a hope that it would last as long as the sun should shine and the rivers run.

On the 30th of October 1760, sir James Wright was appointed the successor of Henry Ellis, as governor of Georgia. Soon after his arrival at Savannah, which was early in 1761, he issued writs of election, and assigned to each parish the number of members proportioned to its population, as follows:

CHRIST CHURCH PARISH. Savannah-Joseph Ottolenghe, Gray Elliott, Lewis Johnson, Joseph Gibbons.

Acton-William Gibbons,
Vernonbourgh-Edmund Tannatt.
Sea-Islands-Henry Yonge.

Little Ogechec-James Read.

ST. MATTHEW'S PARISH.

Abercorn and Goshen-William Francis.
Ebenezer-William Ewen, N. W. Jones,

James de Veaux.

ST. GEORGE'S PARISH.
Hallifax-Alexander Wylly, James White-

field.

ST. PAUL'S PARISH.

Augusta-Edward Barnard, John Graham, Williams, or L. McGillvray.

ST. PHILIP'S PARISH.

Great Ogechee-Elisha Butler, John Maxwell.

ST. JOHN'S PARISH.

Midway and Sunbury-Thomas Carter, Parmenus Way, John Winn.

ST. ANDREW'S PARISH. Darien-Robert Baillie, John Holmes. ST. JAMES'S PARISH. Frederica-Lachlan McIntosh.

After the usual ceremonies, a variety of subjects were submitted by the governor for legislative consideration, judiciously selected for the advantage of the colony. It is to be regretted that little can be said of the progress which was made in agriculture or commerce, under the administration of governor Wright's predecessors. The want of talents in Reynolds, and the want of morality and proper exertion in Ellis, occasioned the colony to be left in a less prosperous state than they had found it: the province had long suffered for want of credit, and the political foresight of governor Wright, was soon evidenced by his judicious arrangements: bills of credit to the amount of seven thousand four hundred and ten pounds sterling were put in circulation, and ways and means applied for keeping up its cre

dit. The good effects of this policy were soon experienced thirty-seven vessels were fully freighted in one year, and the rich swamps of Georgia invited laborers to the cultivation of rice. By the peace which was soon after made with Spain, the boundaries were extended to the Mississippi on the west, and on the south to latitude 31°, andthe St. Mary's river. East and

west Florida were also given up by Spain, and though of themselves but little more than a barren waste, formed an important acquisition to Geor gia; it deprived the Spaniards of a strong hold, from which they had sent out armed forces to harass the province, and which was an easy avenue through which it had been often invaded: it removed troublesome neighbors out of their way, who had often excited the savages to hostilities against them, and made Augustine an asylum for fugitive slaves: it opened some convenient ports for trade with Britain and the West Indies, and for annoying the French and Spanish ships coming through the gulf of Florida, in case of any future rupture: it formed a strong frontier for Georgia, and furnished an immense tract of valuable land for reduced officers, soldiers and others, to settle and cultivate. To testify the high sense the king had of the conduct and bravery of his officers and soldiers during the late war, and to encourage the settlement of Georgia, tracts of land were offered to them as rewards for their services. Orders were given to the gov

ernor, to grant without fee or reward, five thou sand acres to each field officer who had served in America; three thousand to every captain; two thousand to every subaltern; two hundred to every non-commissioned officer, and fifty to every private soldier, free of tax for ten years; but subject at the expiration of that term, to the same as the other lands in the province, and to the same conditions of cultivation and improvement. For the encouragement of the settlers, they were allowed civil establishments similar to those of other royal governments on the continent, so soon as their circumstances would admit, and the same provision was made for their lives, liberties and properties, under the new as under the old government.

No province on the continent felt the happy effects of this public security, sooner than Georgia, which had long struggled under many difficulties arising from the want of credit from friends, and the frequent molestations of enemies. During the late war, the government had been given to a man who wanted neither wisdom to discern, nor resolution to pursue, the most effectual means for its improvement: while he proved a father to the people, and governed the province with equity and justice, he discovered at the same time the excellence of its low lands and river swamps, by the proper management and diligent cultivation of which, he acquired in a few years a plentiful fortune. His example and success, gave.

vigor to industry, and promoted a spirit of emulation among the planters for improvement: the rich lands were sought for with that zeal, and cleared with that ardor, which the prospect of riches naturally inspired. The British merchants observing the province safe and advancing to a hopeful and promising state, were no longer backward in extending credit to it, but supplied it with negroes, and goods of British manufacture, with equal freedom as other provinces on the continent. The planters no sooner got the strength of Africa to assist them, than they labored with success, and the lands every year yielded greater and greater increase. The trade of the province kept pace with its progress in cultivation; the rich swamps attracted the attention not only of strangers, but even of the planters of Carolina, who had been accustomed to treat their poor neighbors with the utmost contempt, several of whom sold their estates in that colony, and removed with their families and effects to Georgia. Many settlements were made by the Carolinians. about Sunbury, and upon the Alatamaha. The price of produce at Savannah increased as the quality improved, a circumstance which contributed much to the prosperity of the country. The planters situated on the opposite side of Savannah river, found in the capital of Georgia, a convenient and excellent market for their staple commodities. In short, from this period the rice, indigo and naval stores, arrived at the markets in

« PreviousContinue »