USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume I > Part 20
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Much has been said and written coneerning the once important com- mercial position held by Sunbury and the expectation that it would out- grow Savannah. On this point we will quote what Hugh McCall says : "Soon after its settlement and organization as a town, it rose into consid- erable commercial importance ; emigrants came from different quarters to this healthy maritime port, particularly from Bermuda ; about seventy came from that island, but unfortunately for them and the reputation of the town, a mortal epidemic broke out and carried off about fifty of their number the first year; it is highly probable they brought the seeds of the disease with them. Of the remainder as many as were able returned to their native country. This circumstance, however, did not very much retard the growing. state of this eligible spot ; a lucrative trade was carried on with various parts of the West Indies in lumber, rice, indigo. corn, &c. Seven square-rigged vessels have been known to enter the port of Sunbury in one day, and about the years 1769 and 1770 it was
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thought by many, in point of commercial consequence, to rival Savannah. In this prosperous state it continued with very little interruption until the war commenced between Great Britain and America. when it was taken by the British troops under command of General Provost. After the Revolutionary war trade took a different channel, and Savannah be- eame the receptacle for the exports and imports of the province which had formerly passed through Sunbury."
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The incidents leading to the founding of the town of Sunbury are briefly as follows: Under the government of the trustees of Georgia, tracts amounting to five hundred or more aeres of land were conveyed to none but such persons as they approved of, with the promise on the part of the parties that they would within twelve months at their own expense settle upon said lands, bringing with them ten able-bodied men servants. In 1757, George II granted to Mark Carr "All that tract of land containing five hundred acres, situated and being in the District of Midway in the Province of Georgia, bounded on the east by the Midway river, on the west by land of Thomas Carr, on the south by vacant land, and on all other sides by marshes of the said river." In 1752 the Dor- chester Society moved from their settlement in South Carolina to the Midway distriet in Georgia, and in 1758 Mark Carr conveyed to James Maxwell, Kenneth Baillie, John Elliott, Grey Elliott and John Stevens, of Midway, three hundred acres of the original five hundred obtained by the grant from the erown, in trust that the said land should be laid out as a town to be named Sunbury. John Stevens and John Elliott were members of Dorchester (or Midway) congregation, and they and others who from time to time came from South Carolina formed the nucleus of the town whose population comprised many of the mem- bers of that body.
SPIRIT OF SEDITION IN GEORGIA
When the circular letter from the Massachusetts assembly ealling for a congress to convene in New York in October. 1765, in consequence of the passage of the stamp act, was received in Georgia, Alexander Wylly, speaker of the commons house of assembly, ealled for a convention of the members, and on the 2d of September sixteen of them met in Savannah, but Wright's influenee was then so great that he dissuaded them from sending delegates; but they did respond to the invitation by expressing a willingness to cooperate in sustaining any measure which might be adopted for the protection of the rights of the colonies.
Wright was so buoyed up by his success in preventing the representa- tion of the province in the congress that he felt encouraged to believe his influenee would still serve to keep Georgia ont of the struggle, and to that end he wrote to the Earl of Halifax on the 20th of September, that everything within his jurisdiction was in good shape. He did not feel safe, however, for a great length of time, and the feeling of the people who still considered their liberty in danger could not be held in check was shown so plainly as to cause him to become very apprehensive ; and he expressed his anxiety and told the story of what had happened and was still happening under his eyes in Savannah in a long letter to
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Secretary Conway, dated the 31st of January, 1766, as follows: "Sir,- Yesterday I had the honour to receive the duplicates of your Excellency's letter of the 24th of October, and it is with the utmost concern that I am to acquaint your Excellency that the same spirit of sedition, or rather rebellion, which first appeared at Boston has reached this Province, and I have for three months past been continually reasoning and talking with the most dispassionate and sensible people in order to convince them of the propriety of an acquiescence, and submission to the King's authority and that of the British Parliament, until they could point out their grievances, if any, and apply for redress in a constitutional way. I have also Sir, pointed out the dangerous consequences, distresses, and misery they must inevitably bring upon themselves by following the example of the Northern Colonies. This I have done in the strongest and most striking point of view I could place it in, and exactly agree- able to the sense and spirit of your Excellency's letter I had the honour to receive yesterday. At other times I had had recourse to such little force as is in my power. and have in some measure preserved and sup- ported his Majesty's authority and prevented the Stamp papers from being destroyed, but Sir. I must at the same time declare that I have had the great mortification to see the reins of government nearly wrested out of my hands. his Majesty's authority insulted, and the civil power obstructed. But that your Excellency may be more clearly enabled to judge of the true state of affairs in this Province, and to lay the same before his Majesty. I humbly beg leave to state a brief narrative of some transactions liere, and which I from time to time have acquainted the Lords of Trade with.
"On the 26th of October, the day of his Majesty's accession, I had ordered a general Muster ; and in the evening, a little after night, there was a very great tumult in the streets, and some effigies burnt, and a day or two after several incendiary threatening letters were wrote on which I issued a proclamation as your Excellency will see by the en- closed newspaper. I also issued another proclamation against riots and tumultuous and unlawful assemblies, and from that time the spirit of faction and sedition took place and increased, and those persons who falsely called themselves the Sons of Liberty began to have private cabals and meetings, and I was informed that many had signed an Association to oppose and prevent the distribution of Stamped papers, and the act from taking effect. But it was impossible to come at such proof as would enable me to support any legal proceedings against them, and I found they had determined on attacking the distributor as soon as he arrived, and compelling him to resign or promise not to act, as had been done in the Northern Colonies. I had also been informed that they intended to seize npon and destroy the papers whenever they should come. In the mean time Sir, every argument I could suggest was used to convince them of the rashness of such attempts and the dangerous consequences that must attend them, and every method, both public and private, was pursued by me to bring them to a right way of thinking, and which I frequently thought I had effected, and am sure I should have done but for the inflammatory papers, letters, and mes- sages continually sent to the people here from the Liberty Boys, as they
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call themselves, in Charlestown, South Carolina, and by whom I am very clear all our disturbances and difficulties have been occasioned.
"And thus matters rested Sir, till the 5th of December when his Majesty's ship 'Speedwell' arrived here with the stamped papers on board. I had used every precaution necessary to prevent either papers or officer from falling into the hands of those people, which they were not ignorant of. And when it was known that the 'Speedwell' was in the river with the papers, several of the principal inhabitants eame to me and gave me the strongest assurances possible that there was then no inten- tion to seize upon or destroy the papers. And they were landed with- out any appearance of tumult and lodged in the King's store or ware- house under the care of the Commissary. But notwithstanding these assurances with respect to the papers, I still found there was a design against the Officer.
"From the 5th of November everything remained pretty quiet, but I found eabals were frequently held and inflammatory letters sent from Charlestown. and on the 2nd of January, about 3 in the afternoon. I was informed that the Liberty Boys in town had assembled together to the number of about 200 and were gathering fast, and that some of them had declared they were determined to go to the Fort and break open the Store and take out the stamped papers and destroy them; on which I immediately ordered the officers to get their men together, but appearances and threats were such that in three days I had not less than 40 men on duty every night to protect the papers, or I am con- fident they would have been destroyed.
"On the 3rd of January Mr. Angus, the distributor for this Province, arrived, of which I had the earliest notice in consequence of measures concerted for that purpose, and immediately sent the seout boat with an officer and a party of men to protect him and suffer nobody to speak to him, but conduet him safely to my house, which was done the next day at noon when he took the State oaths and oath of office, and I had the papers distributed and lodged in all the different offices relative to the shipping and opening our ports, which had been shut for some time. But here the people in general have agreed not to apply for any other papers till his Majesty's pleasure be known on the petitions sent from the Colonies. I kept the Officer in my house for a fortnight, after which he went into the Country, to avoid the resentment of the people, for awhile. No pains have been spared in the Northern Colonies to spirit np and inflame the people, and a spirit of faetion and sedi- tion was stirred up throughout the Province, and parties of armed men actually assembled themselves together and were preparing to do so in different parts. but by sending expresses with letters to many of the most prudent I had the satisfaction to find that my weight and credit was sufficient to cheek all commotions and disturbanees in the country at that time, and everything was quiet again and remained so till a few days ago when some incendiaries from Charlestown came full franght with sedition and rebellion, and have been about the country and inflamed the people to such a degree that they were again assembling together in all parts of the province and, to the number of about 600, were to have come here on yesterday, all armed, and these
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people as I have been informed, were to have surrounded my house and endeavored to extert a promise from me that no papers should be issued till his Majesty's pleasure be known on the petitions sent home and if I did not immediately comply they were to seize upon and destroy the papers and commit many acts of violence against the persons and property of those gentlemen that have declared themselves friends of government. On this last alarm I thought it advisable to remove the papers to a place of greater security, and accordingly ordered them to be carried to Fort George on Coekspur Island where they are pro- teeted by a captain, two subalterns, and fifty private men of the rangers. "But I have the satisfaction to inform your Excellency that I have with the assistance of some well disposed gentlemen, taken off and got a great many dispersed who were actually on their way down here, but many are still under arms and I can't yet say how the affairs will end. "This Sir, is a wretched situation to be in, and it's clear that further force is necessary to support his Majesty's authority from insults and reduce the people to obedience to the eivil power. My task is rendered much more difficult by the people in the next province going the lengths they have done, and to this day do and it's said, and I believe it may be true (although Sir, I will not aver it for a faet.), that the Carolinians have offered to assist the people here with 500 men to prosecute their vile attempts.
"Upon the whole, Sir, there is still a possibility of bringing the people to reason and restoring the peace and tranquility of the Province, on which, your Excelleney so justly observes, their welfare and hap- piness depend. A few days will determine this point. and if not, then, agreeable to your Excellency's letter, I shall write to General Gage and Lord Colville for assistance. I have only to add that not- withstanding every threat and attempt, your Excelleney may be assured I will firmly persevere to the utmost of my power in the faithful dis- charge of my duty to his Majesty; but really Sir, such of the King's Servants in America as are firm in their opposition to the present seditious spirit have a very uncomfortable time of it.
"The whole military foree in this Province, Sir, is two troops of Rangers, consisting in the whole of 120 effective men, which oeeupy 5 forts or posts in different parts of the Provinee. and 30 of the Royal Americans,-20 of them at Fort Augusta, 150 miles from hence, and 10 at Frederica about the same distance. And on the first appearance of faetion and sedition I ordered in some of the Rangers from each post and made up the number here at Savannah 56 privates and 8 officers, with which, and the assistance of such gentlemen as were of a right way of thinking I have been able in some measure to support his Majesty's authority, but I have been obliged to send two officers and 35 of those men with the papers to Fort George."
Wright's alarm had not subsided on the 7th of February following, at which time he adds to his information to the secretary the further proceedings of the people in preparing for resistance to the oppressive measures, especially in the enforcement of the stamp act: "On the 2nd inst. I had the pleasure to hear of the arrival of his Majesty's ship 'Speedwell,' Captain Fanshawe, who had promised me when he went
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from hence, after bringing the papers, that he would return again soon. I assure your Excelleney he came at a very reasonable time, as by his taking the papers on board the King's ship [ was enabled to order up the Officers and Rangers to town, and then mustered 71 Officers and men. Captain Fanshawe brought his ship up and several gentlemen and others also promised to join me if the Villains should come into town. For notwithstanding I had been able to dispose of a great number, vet two hundred and forty of them were within 3 miles. and, being much exasperated against me for sending the papers away, agreed to come to me and demand that I would order the papers to be delivered up to them, and if I did not, they were to shoot me. This Sir, was avowedly declared by some of them; and on Thursday, the 4th instant. they actually had the insolenee to appear at the Town Common with their arms and colours, but finding I had near 100 men I eould command and depend upon. and being told that many would join me as volunteers, after staying about 3 hours I was informed they differed among themselves and began to disperse, and I have now the great satisfaction to acquaint your Excelleney that they are all dispersed ; but Sir, some of them deelared they were offered the assistance of from 4 to 500 men from Carolina, and if they came, would be ready to return again. If none come from thence I hope to remain quiet. I shall see some of the most dispassionate people and of the most con- siderable property amongst them, and endeavour to restore the peace of the Provinee, but even if I succeed in this so far as to obtain prom- ises of submission. vet Sir, some troops will nevertheless be absolutely necessary, for I fear I can not have entire confidenee in the people for some time, and your Excelleney sees the insults his Majesty's author. ity has received, and which I am still liable to. Possibly your Excel- leney may be surprised that I have not mentioned ealling ont the militia, but I have too much reason to think I should have armed more against me than for me, and that volunteers were the only people I could have any confidence in or dependence upon."
GOVERNOR WRIGHT'S DILEMMA
The truth as to Governor Wright's fears and position as the repre- sentative of the crown in this dilemma is but feebly expressed in the foregoing. He did not know just how many of the inhabitants were with him in his efforts to support the measure which had so highly excited the people in the American colonies and which he knew was opposed even at home by some of the leaders of public opinion there. The stand of those men in behalf of the colonies had weight, and the repeal of the act was largely due to their influence. The Georgians had a powerful example in the action of their South Carolina neighbors who had been represented in the American congress in New York by such men as Lynch and Rutledge and who on their return influenced the assembly of their colony to adopt resolutions in accord with the spirit of that congress. Indeed, it is possible that Wright may himself have had some idea of the injustice of the legislation aimed against the people.
The stamp aet which brought the English colonies to that stand where they felt that it was a long step in the direction of their treatment
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as slaves was npheld by James Wright, and he did all in his power to reconcile the people of Georgia to its provisions. He did not succeed. although he had, as in all other measures that were objectionable to the sturdy patriots, his supporters. Resistance was determined upon by his opponents, and even by some of his warmest friends, like the good and pious James Habersham. who expressed himself in this way : " The annual tax raised here for the support of our internal policy is full as much as the inhabitants can bear; and suppose the stamps produce only one- eighth of what they would in South Carolina, it would amount to as much in one year as our tax laws will raise in three; and perhaps we have not five thousand pounds in gold and silver come into the Province . in five years, though the act requires it in one. If this is really the case, as I believe it is, how must every inhabitant shudder at the thought of the act taking place, which, according to my present apprehension, must inevitably ruin them."
It was unfortunate for the people of Georgia that Governor Wright's influence had prevented the people from being represented at the New York congress. The South Carolina Gazette of February 11, 1765, in commenting on his success in that matter called him a "parricide," said the people had been "deluded and bullied out of their rights and priv- ileges," and added that "like Esau of old, they had sold their birthright for a mess of pottage."
Stamps were used in Georgia only to a limited extent, and in cases of emergency as in the clearing of a number of vessels which had touched at Savannah and whose commanders were afraid to depart without them. This also brought a howl from South Carolina, where Georgia was up- braided as an "infamous colony," the declaration made that "every vessel trading there should be burnt" and that those persons who chose to transact business with her people "should be put to death," and it actually happened that two vessels were destroyed.
In spite of the efforts of Governor Wright to make the people see their duty as he put it before them, the "Liberty people" did things which kept the town in an exeited condition as long as the act was in operation. On the 2d of Jannary, he was informed that about two hundred of them had collected with the determination to break open the store and destroy the stamped paper. and this caused him to make arrangement to prevent the seizure. Mr. Angus, the distributor of the stamps, arrived on the 3d, and he had to be protected and guarded to the governor's house where he remained two weeks, after which, on account of the continued excitement, he was sent into the country. At one time six hundred men consorted together and made known to Wright that if he issned any more stamps until it was known what the king would do in reply to the protests made they would surround his house, secure the papers and destroy them. and proceed to other acts of violence. and he had the papers sent to Fort George, on Cockspur island, under a guard of a captain, two subalterns and fifty men.
REPEAL OF THE STAMP ACT ACKNOWLEDGED
With the news of the repeal of the stamp act Governor Wright called the general assembly together and addressed both houses on the
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16th of July, 1766, as follows: "I think myself happy that I have it in my power to congratulate you on this Province having no injuries or damages, either of a publie or private nature, with respect to property to compensate, and that you, Gentlemen of the Assembly, have no votes or resolutions injurious to the honor of his Majesty's government, or tending to destroy the legal or constitutional dependeney of the Colonies on the Imperial Crown and Parliament of Great Britain to reconsider." He furnished the assembly with a copy of the aet repealing the stamp act and other documents in relation to the connection of the colonies with England, referring to theni in this language: "When you consider the paper I shall now lay before you, I am persuaded your hearts must be filled with the highest veneration and filial gratitude, with a most ardent zeal to declare and express your grateful feelings and acknowledg- ments, and to make a dutiful and proper return, and show a cheerful obedience to the laws and legislative authority of Great Britain.'
Whether the response of the representatives met with his entire ap- proval we are not informed, but he seems to have left on record nothing to indicate that he was in any way dissatisfied with their action. which he anxiously waited for, and which was duly submitted in this language : "We, his Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, beg leave to return your Excelleney our sincere thanks for your affectionate speech. Hope- ful as we were that no occasion would have offered of calling us together till the usual season of our meeting, yet it is with the highest pleasure and satisfaction, and with hearts overflowing with filial affection and gratitude to our most gracious Sovereign, that we embrace the opportu- nity now presented to us of expressing our most dutiful acknowledgments to the best of Kings for his paternal and princely attention and regard manifested to his faithful subjects in these remote parts of his dominions in graciously condescending to lend his royal ear to their supplications and removing from them those evils they lamented. Nor can we suf- ficiently venerate and admire the magnanimity and justice of the British Parliament in so speedily redressing the grievances by them com- plained of.
"We can not indeed felicitate ourselves in that we have no injuries or damages either of a publie or a private nature nor any votes or reso- lutions derogatory to the honor of his Majesty's government or tending to destroy the true constitutional dependency of the Colonies on the Imperial Crown and Parliament of Great Britain to reconsider.
"We will immediately proceed to take into our most serious consider- ation the papers laid before us by your Excellency, and we shall upon all occasions be ready to testify our loyalty to our King and firm attach- ment to our Mother Country."
The address to the governor just quoted was followed by one to the king which is also here reproduced : "We your Majesty's loyal subjects, the Council and Commons of your Majesty's Province of Georgia in General Assembly met, beg leave to approach your Royal person with hearts full of the most dutiful affection and gratitude. Influenced by principle, and animated by your Majesty's exemplary justice and pater- nal eare in redressing the grievances of your faithful subjeets in these remote parts of your wide extended Empire, with the deepest sense of
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your Majesty's royal clemeney and goodness, we humbly offer to your most saered Majesty our sincere thanks for the repeal of the late Aet of the British Parliament commonly called the American Stamp Act. Nor can we sufficiently admire the magnanimity and justice displayed by the British Parliament on this occasion. Permit ns, dread Sire, while we endeavor to express our gratitude to the best of Kings for affording us so speedy and neeessary relief, to assure your Majesty that we shall, upon all occasions, strive to evince our loyalty and firm attachment to your Majesty's saered person and government, being truly sensible of the ad- vantages derived to us from the protection of our Mother Country ; and that it is and ever will be our honor, happiness, and true interest to re- main connected with and dependent on the Imperial Crown and Parlia- ment of Great Britain upon the solid basis of the British Constitution. That your Majesty's Illustrious House may continue to reign over a free, loyal, and grateful people to the latest posterity is, most gracious Sov- ereign, our constant prayer, unfeigned wish, and our most sanguine hope.
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