57 Establishing the Colony of Georgia (1733)

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 there. The same want that renders men useless here, prevents their paying their passage. And if others pay it for them, 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 expense 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, has 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 empowered to collect benefactions and lay them out in clothing, arming, sending over, and supporting colonies of the poor, whether subjects or foreigners, in Georgia. And his Majesty farther grants all his lands between the rivers Savannah and Alatamaha, which he erects into a province by the name of Georgia, unto the Trustees in trust for the poor and for the better support of the colony. At the desire of the gentlemen, there are clauses in the charter restraining them and their successors from receiving any salary, fee, perquisite, or profit whatsoever by or from this undertaking and also from receiving any grant of lands within the said district, to themselves or in trust for them. There are farther clauses granting to the Trustees proper powers for establishing and governing the colony and liberty of conscience to all who shall settle there.

The Trustees intend to relieve such unfortunate persons as cannot subsist here and establish them in an orderly manner, so as to form a well-regulated town. As far as their fund goes, they will defray the charge of their passage to Georgia, give them necessaries, cattle, land, and subsistence till such time as they can build their houses and clear some of their land. They rely for success first on the goodness of Providence, next on the compassionate disposition of the people of England. And they doubt not that much will be spared from luxury and superfluous expenses by generous tempers, when such an opportunity is offered them by the giving of £20 to provide for a man or woman, or £10 to a child forever.

By such a colony, many families who would otherwise starve will be provided for and made masters of houses and lands. The people in Great Britain to whom these necessitous families were a burthen will be relieved. Numbers of manufacturers will be here employed for supplying them with clothes, working tools, and other necessaries. And by giving refuge to the distressed Saltzburghers and other persecuted Protestants, the power of Britain as a reward for its hospitality will be increased by the addition of so many religious and industrious subjects.

The colony of Georgia lying about the same latitude with part of China, Persia, Palestine, and the Madeiras, it is highly probable that when hereafter it shall be well-peopled and rightly cultivated, England may be supplied from thence with raw silk, wine, oil, dyes, drugs, and many other materials for manufactures which she is obliged to purchase from Southern countries. As towns are established and grow populous along the rivers Savannah and Alatamaha, they will make such a barrier as will render the southern frontier of the British Colonies on the Continent of America safe from Indian and other enemies.

The Trustees in their general meetings will consider of the most prudent methods for effectually establishing a regular colony, and that it may be done is demonstrable. Under what difficulties was Virginia planted? The coast and climate then unknown, the Indians numerous and at enmity with the first planters who were forced to fetch all provisions from England. Yet it is grown a mighty province and the Revenue receives £100,000 for duties upon the goods that they send yearly home. Within this 50 years, Pennsylvania was as much a forest as Georgia is now. And in these few years, by the wise economy of William Penn and those who assisted him, it now gives food to 80,000 inhabitants and can boast of as fine a city as most in Europe.

This new colony is more likely to succeed than either of the former were, since Carolina abounds with provisions, the climate is known, and there are men to instruct in the seasons and nature of cultivating the soil. There are but few Indian families within 400 miles, and those in perfect amity with the English. Port Royal (the station of his Majesty’s ships) is within 30 and Charlestown (a great mart) is within 120 miles. If the colony is attacked, it may be relieved by sea from Port Royal or the Bahamas and the militia of South Carolina is ready to support it by land.

For the continuing [of] the relief which is now given, there will be lands reserved in the colony and the benefit arising from them is to go to the carrying on of the trust. So that at the same time, the money by being laid out preserves the lives of the poor and makes a comfortable provision for those whose expenses are by it defrayed. Their labor in improving their own lands will make the adjoining reserved lands valuable and the rents of those reserved lands will be a perpetual fund for the relieving [of] more poor people. So that instead of laying out the money upon lands with the income thereof to support the poor, this is laying out money upon the poor  and by relieving those who are now unfortunate, raises a fund for the perpetual relief of those who shall be so hereafter.

There is an occasion now offered for everyone to help forward this design. The smallest benefaction will be received and applied with the utmost care. Every little will do something and a great number of small benefactions will amount to a sum capable of doing a great deal of good. If any person, moved with the calamities of the unfortunate, shall be inclined to contribute towards their relief, they are desired to pay their benefactions in to the Bank of England, on account of the Trustees for establishing the Colony of Georgia in America.

Source: James Edward Oglethorpe, “A Brief Account of the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia” in Force, Tracts (1836), I, No. ii, 4-7. https://archive.org/details/toldcontemporari02hartrich/page/110/mode/2up