USA > Georgia > A true and historical narrative of the colony of Georgia, in America, from the first settlement thereof until this present period > Part 5
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And now to make our subjection the more complete, a new kind of tyranny was this summer begun to be imposed 1737. upon us ; for Mr. John Wesly who had come over and was received by us as a clergyman of the Church of England, soon discovered that his aim was to enslave our minds, as a
*They were detained eight days at the Havannah by contrary winds (the land forces being on board all that time) at the end of which there came orders from old Spain to forbear hostilities, the convention being then agreed upon.
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necessary preparative for enslaving our bodies. The attend- ances upon prayers, meetings, and sermons inculcated by him so frequently and at improper hours, inconsistent with neces- sary labor, especially in an infant colony, tended to propagate a spirit of indolence and of hypocrisy amongst the most aban- doned ; it being much easier for such persons, by an affected show of religion, and adherence to Mr. Wesly's novelities, to be provided by his procurement from the public stores, than to use that industry which true religion recommends : nor indeed could the reverend gentlemen conceal the designs he was so full of, having frequently declared that he never desired to see Georgia a rich, but a *religious colony.
At last all persons of any consideration came to look upon him as a Roman Catholic, for which. the following reasons seemed pretty convincing :
First, under an affected strict adherance. to the Church of England, he most unmercifully damned all dissenters of what- ever denomination, who were never admitted to communicate with him until they first gave up their faith and principles entirely to his moulding and direction, and in confirmation thereof declared their belief of the invalidity of their former baptism, and then to receive a new one from him. This was done publicly on the persons of Richard Turner, carpenter, and his son. Another instance was that of William Gaff, who had once communicated and always conformed to his regulations, but was at last found out by Mr. Wesly to have been baptised by a Presbyterian dissenter ; the same thing was proposed to him, but Mr. Gaff not inclinable to go that length, was ever thereafter excluded from the communion.
Second, while all dissenters (whereof a considerable num- ber was in the colony) were thus unmercifully damned, and shut out of religious ordinances contrary to that spirit of moderation and tenderness which the Church of England show towards them, persons suspected to be Roman Catholics were received and caressed by him as his first-rate saints.
Third, a third confirmation of this suspicion arose from his ·endeavour to establish confession, penance, mortifications, mixing wine with water in the sacrament, and suppressing in the administration of the sacrament the explanation adjoined
*According to his system.
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to the words of communicating by the Church of England, to show that they mean a feeding on Christ by faith, saying, no more than " The body of Christ ; the blood of Christ ; " by appointing deaconesses, with sundry other innovations, which he called apostolic constitutions.
Fourth, as there is always a strict connection between popery and slavery, so the design of this fine scheme seemed to the most judicious to be calculated to debase and depress the minds of the people, to break any spirit of liberty, and humble them with fastings, penances, drinking of water, and a thorough subjection to the spiritual jurisdiction which he asserted was to be established in his person; and when this. should be accomplished, the minds of people would be equally prepared for the receiving civil or ecclasiastical tyranny.
All Jesuitical arts were made use of to bring the well-con- . certed scheme to perfection ; families were divided in parties ; spies were engaged in many houses, and the servants of others bribed and decoyed to let him into all the secrets of the families they belonged to ; nay, those who had given themselves up to his spiritual guidance (more especially women) were obliged to discover to him their most secret actions, nay even their thoughts and the subject of their dreams. At the same time he gave charge to juries ; gave his opinion in all civil causes that came before the court. Nor could we imagine what all this would end in. Complain we might, but to no purpose. And Mr. Causton and he went hand-in-hand.
But the merciful Providence of God disappoints frequently those designs that are laid deepest in human prudence.
Mr. Wesly at this time repulsed Mrs. Sophia Williamson,. neice to Mr. Causton, from the sacrament. This young lady was by her friends put under the ghostly care of Mr. Wesly, who was pleased to make proposals of marriage to her. These she always rejected, and in some little time married Mr. William Williamson of Savannah, much contrary to Mr. Wesly's inclination. After the said marriage Mr. Wesly used all means to create a misunderstanding between Mrs. Williamson and her husband, by persuading her, that Mr. Williamson had no right to regulate her behavior as to conversing with him, or attend- ing meetings .as formerly ; but at last finding he could gain nothing upon her, and that Mr. Williamson had forbade him any
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. conversation with his wife out of his presence, he took the foresaid means, by repelling her from the holy communion, of showing his resentment. Mr. Williamson thought himself well founded in an action of damages; and Mr. Wesly (being no longer supported by Mr. Causton, who was highly nettled at the affront put upon his niece, and could now declaim as fluently against spiritual tyranny as any person) was indicted before a grand jury of forty-four free-holders, and thirteen indictments were found against him ; one concerning Mr. Wil- liamson and his spouse, the others concerning the grievances we felt by his measures, and the exercise of his ecclesiastical functions, as above related. These last were given in to the magistrates, to be by them laid before the trustees, that these our grievances might in time coming, be properly redressed, (we having no other jurisdiction, either civil or ecclesiastical, that we could make application to). Then the grand jury began to consider and think that as it was not probable a greater number of the better sort of people could ever be legally met together, so this was a fit time to represent their grievances and hardships to the trustees, which they did in the following manner :
AN ABSTRACT OF THE REPRESENTATION OF THE GRAND JURY OF SAVANNAH, TO THE HONORABLE THE TRUSTEES.
WE, the grand jury, duly sworn on the twenty-second of ' the last month, and having divers matters laid before ' us which we humbly conceive cannot properly be presented 'to this court, because several of the said matters touch the ' proceedings of the magistrates of the said court, and contain 'sundry articles setting forth many public necessities and ' hardships, which can only be remedied by your honors' 'authority ; therefore, we the said grand jury having examined 'several witnesses, do, upon our oaths, represent to your ' honors the following grievances, hardships, and necessities. ' That as the inhabitants of this town and county have ' been and are still subject to many inconveniences for want ' of a body of the laws and constitutions of this province, it ' being exceedingly difficult in many cases, both for grand and ' petit jurors, to discharge in a proper manner the great duties ' that are incumbent on them by their oaths ; so we hope your
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' honors will assist us, that we may be enabled well and truly ' to execute our duties as aforesaid.
' That Thomas Causton, by his arbitrary proceedings, hath 'endeavored to render the power and proceedings of grand ' juries ineffectual, especially this grand jury, by intruding upon ' it when enclosed and about business, and using the members ' thereof with great haughtiness and ill-nature, and threatening ' to dissolve them.
' That the said Thomas Causton, by his office of store- ' keeper, hath the dangerous power in his hands of alluring ' weak-minded people to comply with unjust measurers, and ' also overawing others from making just complaints and repre- 'sentations to your honors ; and the known implacability of ' the said Causton, and his frequent threatening of such people, 'is to many weak-minded though well-disposed persons, a 'strong bulwark against their seeking redress, by making 'proper complaints and just representations to you their ' benefactors, patrons, and protectors.
' That the said Causton has made great advancements on ' provisions and goods sold out of the trustees' store to the 'inhabitants, contrary to Mr. Oglethorpe's promise when he ' first settled this colony, and contrary, as we apprehend, to 'your honors' good intentions, and greatly detrimental to the ' prosperity of the colony ; and that he hath refused to pay the ' public debts otherwise than in provisions at these dear rates, ' and sometimes bad and unwholesome, out of the public store, ' whereby the inhabitants were greatly distressed, and some ' have been obliged to leave the province.
' That whereas, one John White, who had been committed ' for felony, at the suit of William Aglionby, and he, the said ' Aglionby, was bound to prosecute the same at next court, ' notwithstanding he, the said White, was removed before that ' time by a warrant under the hand and seal of Thomas ' Christie, and, as we think, by the advice and command of ' Thomas Causton, by which means we imagine the criminal ' has escaped justice, to the great encouragement of enormous ' offenders, contrary, as we conceive, to the laws of our ' country, the peace of our sovereign lord the King, his crown 'and dignity, and particularly to the welfare of this your ' colony.
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' That the said Causton did greatly discourage the inhabi- ' tants of this town and county, in the measures they had taken ' for the defence and safety of this place in the late alarm from ' the Spaniards ; for, although almost everybody, masters and ' servants, labored continually in making a fort to defend them- 'selves in case of necessity, yet he, the said Causton, never ' came nigh the work, but by his words and behavior did all he ' could to prevent it, until at last the people were obliged to ' leave off the work unfinished, contrary to the welfare and ' safety of this colony.
' That the said Causton hath greatly prevented and dis- ' couraged the cultivation of lands by his hindering people to ' settle on the tracts that were allotted to them by the trustees, ' whereby several people have been greatly distressed, and . 'some almost ruined, contrary (as we humbly conceive) to 'your honors' good intention, and the principal part of your ' glorious undertaking.
' That the said Thomas Causton, in order to color his 'illegal proceedings, hath uttered words to this or the like ' purpose, ' We do not stand upon our feet ; we do not know 'either our laws or liberties, nor what the trustees intend ; a ' magistrate cannot act to strict forms, but may dismiss matters ' of petty felony in the easiest manner', thereby claiming to ' himself, as we humbly conceive, a dispensing power fatal to ' the liberties of British subjects, and contrary, etc.
' The want of public roads hath been greatly detrimental 'to many who have settlements at any distance from this 'place, and some have lost, and are still liable to lose great 'part of their crops, through the difficulty of passing to and ' from their plantations.
' That the great want of servants in this town and county 'doth render the freeholders thereof incapable of proceeding ' with proper vigor in the cultivating their lands ; and as the ' Honorable James Oglethorpe, Esq., did generously promise 'that your honors would be pleased to give this colony contin- 'ual assistance by sending over servants to the said freehold- . 'ers at reasonable rates ; therefore, we do, with all humility, 'lay before your honors the great and general want of servants 'in this town and county, not doubting your timely assistance 'therein.
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' That the town of Savannah stands in the utmost need of ' having a good wharf and crane, for the conveniency of both 'strangers and inhabitants, they being at double pains and ' costs in landing and getting their goods up the bluff.
' That the lighthouse of Tybee, which with great labor and ' (as we humbly conceive) vast expense to your honors, 'remains unfinished and uncovered, by reason of which that ' most necessary and lofty structure is subject to all the injuries ' of weather, and may totally decay if not in time prevented, ' which will be greatly detrimental to the trade, navigation, 'and welfare of this colony.
' That the inhabitants of this town and county are at vast ' expense in time of sickness, especially they who have most ' servants, it being a general misfortune that, during the hot ' season of the year, hardly one-half of the servants are able ' to do their masters any work, by reason of the violent sick- 'nesses which hath very much prevented the inhabitants ' from making improvements.
' It is without the least personal resentment to Mr. Causton, 'or any other person, that we do, with the most profound 'respect and duty, lay before your honors the foregoing ' grievances, hardships, and necessities ; and it is not the per- 'sons or personal infirmities of any of the magistrates we ' blame, but such of their actions and words as, we humbly ' conceive, tends to the subversion of our laws and liberties ; 'and we are firmly persuaded that Mr. Causton would not ' have impanelled this grand jury on an affair that so nearly ' concerned him as that of his niece's did, if he had not believed ' the several persons of this grand jury to be men of strict 'integrity, and no way prejudiced against him; and as we, ' the said grand jury, are, for the time being, appointed for the ' solemn representation of truth, we humbly hope your honors 'will consider this our representation as proceeding from a ' strict, impartial, and sound enquiry.
' In witness, etc., this first day of September, 1737."
The original of this was signed by all the forty-four, and sent home, but was taken no notice of by the trustees for anything ever we heard ; and we hope it will appear evident to every judicious reader that this jury was neither biased nor intimi-
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.dated by Causton, to the prejudice of any person whatsoever, · as Mr. Wesly asserts in his journal printed at Bristol, 1739. He likewise says there were a professed atheist and deist in the number ; but for our parts, we know of neither. But a man of Mr. Wesly's principles, who makes no scruple of writing willful falsehoods (as may be seen by anybody that compares this narrative with his journal) and of damning every person of a contrary opinion with himself, may, without hesitation, give people what appellations come in his head. However, this put an end to any further prosecution of Mr. Wesly's schemes, for soon after this he departed the colony privately by night and went to Charles-town, and from thence to England.
Mr. Wesly had address enough (as he says in his fore- mentioned journal) to persuade several persons who were members of the grand jury to retract, by some paper which he drew up for them to sign, their former sentiments ; but this, if it was at all, proceeded entirely from the solemn assurances which he gave them that his main design home was to repre- sent the grievances and oppressions which the poor colony labored under, and upon this account was charged with divers letters and papers from private persons, relating to the colony, which he undertook faithfully to deliver. But as. we have since found that all Mr. Oglethorpe's interest was employed to protect Mr. Wesly, it is no wonder those promises were never fulfilled; nor indeed could it ever be ascertained that even the private letters which he carried were so much as delivered.
On the other hand, Mr. Causton ever after bore a mortal hatred to the members of this grand jury, and took every opportunity to show his resentment, and we doubt not but he prevailed upon three or four of them to a recantation, having either terrified or starved them into a compliance. But we bore these things the more patiently, as being satisfied the trustees were gentlemen who had our interest at heart, and . who would hear and redress our grievances in due time, and that Mr. Oglethorpe might still be a friend to the colony ; but. at last we heard he had procured a regiment for its defence, of which he was made colonel, and that he was likewise made general and commander-in-chief over all his majesty's forces
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in South Carolina and Georgia. This news was confirmed by William Stephens, Esq., who was sent over as trustees' sec- retary, to represent the state and condition of the colony as it really was, and to assist and consult with the magistrates. But Mr. Causton soon found the means to bring over the old gentleman to his interest, or at least to acquiesce in everything he said or did ; for he had still the command of the cash and stores, and Mr. Stephens had nothing to live upon but his salary, which he could stop the payment of at pleasure ; so our secretary remained passive until Causton's government ended.
At last Mr. Oglethorpe comes over for the third time, in September, with the remainder of his regiment, the other part having come with Colonel Cochran in May. But, alas! this regiment was of no service otherwise than to strengthen us in case of an attack, for we could neither furnish them in clothes, provisions, nor any one thing they wanted. And to put us out of all hopes of bettering our condition, Mr. Oglethorpe was pleased to declare in the court house of Savannah, that as long as he had anything to do with the colony there should neither be allowance of negroes nor alteration in the titles of land ; and if any such thing should happen, he would have no further concern with it. The people, thus seeing there was no hope of redress, left the colony daily ; and the trustees' credit receiving a great shock by their refusing Mr. Causton's certi- fied accounts, and an entire stop being put to the public store, many poor wretches died of hunger ; for at this time Mr. Causton was turned out of all his places and the store was ordered to be sold, in order, as was said, to pay off the trustees' debts. One Thomas Jones, a · favorite of Mr. Oglethorpe, whose character we shall have occasion to give afterwards, was put in his place as cash and store-keeper, only with a different title, viz., that of magazine-keeper ; for none but the trustees' servants were to be supplied from it. But the contrary soon appeared, for. the. sola bills that were sent over were ordered to be issued out in the names of William Stephens, Esq., Mr. Thomas Christie and Mr. Thomas Jones, or any two of them; but the other two, agreeing together, entirely excluded Christie, and paid them to whom and for what purpose they thought convenient: They
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bought New York cargoes, and any other commodities that could be got in quantities, and put them into the maga- zine, where they were sold out by Jones in wholesale and retail, for ready money, at exorbitant rates. This trade they have carried on ever since, to their vast advantage, but to the no small distress of the poor people, who are obliged to give at the rate almost of cent per cent. for their provisions. Thus under the color of no store, these two kept as open a one as ever Causton did, and by having the public money at their disposal, the payment of all salaries and pensions coming through their hands, they are become as absolute, with this difference, that Mr. Causton's power in every respect extended over the whole colony when it was most populous and money most plenty, but theirs seems only to affect the wretched .remains of Savannah.
We might have imagined that the trustees were somewhat moved with our repeated complaints, and that Mr. Causton's removal was owing thereto. But alas! in this we were mis-' taken. Nothing (as ever we could understand) was laid to his charge on our account, and it was of small benefit to us,' whether the mismanagement of money, which was the reason' of his dimission, lies at his or Mr. Oglethorpe's door, and we' cannot but here take notice that Mr. Causton's case fortifies the common observation, that those who prostitute themselves to carry on illegal and oppressive schemes, when they have' once stuck in the mire, they are forsaken by their employers and despised by all the world besides.
Mr. Oglethorpe staid not long at Savannah, his common' residence being at Frederica, where they had, in imitation of us, built a few houses and cleared some land, but finding plant- ing did not answer they left it off, and as soon as the regiment came almost everybody betook themselves to keeping public houses, and in this manner do the few that now remain live.
All the public work being put a stop to, and clearing of land being found impracticable, by which most of us had ruined ourselves, we were in a miserable condition, and all hope from Mr. Oglethorpe being at an end, we could hardly tell what to do ; but still thinking the trustees might be ignorant or misin- formed of the present condition of the colony, we at last. resolved to set forth our grievances in a short and general
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representation, to be signed by all the free-holders in the colony, of which the following is an exact copy :
" To the Honorable the Trustees for establishing the Colony of Georgia in America.
'May it please your Honors :
WE, w JE, whose names are underwritten, being all settlers, free- ' holders and inhabitants in the province of Georgia, 'and being sensible of the great pains and care exerted by you ' in endeavoring to settle this colony since it has been under ' your protection and management, do unanimously join to lay ' before you, with the utmost regret, the following particulars : ' But in the first place we must beg leave to observe that it has ' afforded us a great deal of concern and uneasiness that former ' representations made to you of the same nature have not ' been thought worthy of due consideration, nor even of an 'answer. We have most of us settled in this colony in pur- 'suance of the description and recommendation given of it by ' you in Britain, and from the experience of residing here ' several years, do find that it is impossible that the measures ' hitherto laid down and pursued for making it a colony can ' succeed. None of all those who have planted their land have ' been able to raise sufficient produce to maintain their families ' in bread kind only, even though as much application and ' industry have been exerted to bring it about as could be done ' by men engaged in an affair on which they believed the ' welfare of themselves and posterity so much depended, and ' which they imagined required more than ordinary pains to ' make succeed; so that by the accumulated expenses every ' year, of provisions, clothing, and medicines, for themselves, ' families, and servants, several hath expended all their money, ' nay even run considerably in debt, and so been obliged to ' leave off planting and making further improvements, and ' those who continue are daily exhausting more and more of ' their money, and some daily increasing their debt, without a ' possibility of being reimbursed, according to the present con- ' stitution. This being now the general state of the colony,.it 'must be obvious that people cannot subsist by their land, ' according to the present establishment, and this being a truth
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' resulting from trial, practice, and experience, cannot be con- ' tradicted by any theoretical scheme or reasoning. The land ' then, according to the present constitution, not being capable ' to maintain the settlers here, they must unavoidedly have ' recourse to and depend upon trade; but to our woful ' experience likewise, the same causes that prevented the first ' obstruct the latter, for though the situation of this place. is ' exceeding well adapted for trade, and if it was encouraged ' might be much much more improved by the inhabitants, yet ' the difficulties and restrictions which we hitherto have and at ‘ present do labor under, debar us of that advantage. Timber ' is the only thing we have here which we might export, and ' notwithstanding we are obliged to fall it in planting our land,. ' yet we cannot manufacture it for a foreign market but at ' double the expense of other colonies, as for instance, the river ' of May, which is but twenty miles from us, with the allow- ' ance of negroes, load vessels with that commodity at one-half ' of the price that we can do : and what should induce persons ' to bring ships here when they can be loaded with one-half of ' the expense so near us ; therefore the timber on the land is ' only a continual charge to the possessors of it, though of very ' great advantage in all the northern colonies, where negroes ' are allowed, and consequently labor cheap. We do not in the ' least doubt but that in time silk and wine may be produced ' here, especially the former ; but since the cultivation of land ' with white servants only cannot raise provisions for our ' families as beforementioned, therefore it is likewise impossible ' to carry on these manufactures according to the present con- ' stitution. It is very well known that Carolina can raise ' everything that this colony can, and they having their labor ' so much cheaper will always ruin our market, unless we are ' in some measure on a footing with them, and as in both the ' land is worn out in four or five years, and is then fit for noth- ' ing but pasture, we must be always at a great deal more ' expense than they in clearing new land for planting. The ' importation of the necessaries of life come to us at the most ' extravagant rate ; merchants in general, especially of England, ' not being willing to supply the settlers here with goods upon ' commission, because no person here can make them any ' security of their lands or improvements, as is very often
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