USA > Georgia > Colonial Records of the State of Georgia, Volume 22 pt 2 > Part 24
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Savannah in Georgia Augst. the 1st. 1740. My Lord,
As it behooves me in the most Respectf". Manner to Approach You, I ought in the first place to give some token of Your Lordships knowledge of me least time should have Effaced the Remembrance of my Name; (but how shall
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CORRESPONDENCE
399
Henry Garret to Lord Carpenter.
I mention sad things without the renewall of Grief) I am the Unfortunate Chymist of Brook- street who by too Close a Conjunction with that very bad Man Slingsby Cressy Sustained the loss of above 2000£ from his Extravagance, and after several unprofitable turns in the World , am at last in an Advanced date of life; -Arrived here under the Direction of Your LordshP. as a Worthy Member of the Honble. Trustees, It may be thought odd in me to be concealed so long, but the true reason is from a bashfulness in temper Occasioned by the lost Prospect of being as heretofore; I hope Your Lordships forgiveness for the presumption I now take, which is brot. about by Services of mine done for the publick. Yet unreward, & the Obligation I am under to petition the Honble Board for it; Mr. Causton while Chief Bailiff, after many fruitless attempts by others, propos- ed to me the Settleing the Orphans Accts., which were undertaken, regularly brot. up, & Bal- lanced, to the liking of Mr. Edward Jenkins the local Trustee, who has promised to send Copy thereof to the Honble. Board, Mr. Causton by his usual prolixity in business, & want of knowl- edge in Accts., frequent Scrachings, & Erace- ments, kept me & an Assistant 16 Mos. about them, & in the end brought them to what they were near 10 Mos. before, yet would have gone on & Caused more alterations if Mr. Jenkins had not Ordered me to desist. Necessity still urg- ing I am forced to beg farther excuse & leave to relate the usage I have mett with in a Cause
The unfor- tunate Chymist of Brookstreet.
Settleing of the Orph- ans Accts.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Henry Garret to Lord Carpenter.
Minis & Sol- omons two Jews, mer- chants & Co- partners.
Grosely abused by Mr. Henry Parker and Mr. Thomas Jones.
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against Minis & Solomons two Jews, Merchts. & Copartners, who's Letters of Correspondence I drew, & Copied their Accts. for about one Year, when the latter of them their Accountt. Stated my Acct. by the Number of days imploy- ed, Signed his Approval of it, & Directed it to be paid by Mr. Minis their Cashier, all the time I acted by Orders of both, did business at both their houses, & was in all Appearance equally esteemed by them, it's now above two Years Since, & I am totally unpaid, the Magistrates allow I have Law, Equity, & Good Conscience on my side, Yet deny to do me Justice Nay, not only that, but I have been grosely abused by Mr. Henry parker, & M. Thomas Jores, the former when Chief Bailiff on the Tryal so prej- udiced the Jury that they were all inclinable to give it against me, except Mr. Andrew Duche their Foreman, who brot. it to a Query, Whether one of the partners being gone the other was not lyable to the debt? for Mr. Parker was de- sirous that Mr. Solomons who was gone should be my paymaster rather than his Constant en- tertainer, & brother Toper Mr. Minis. This Query was presently called a Special Verdict, & therefore to be decided by the Magistrates to whom frequent application was made, & some time ago they pretended to make an end, but I was only in Vulgar manner abused by Mr. Jones for saying I did not Approve of Mr. Par- ker for a Judge in that Cause, who was then no Bailiff, but a known dependant on Mr. Minis, & one who had declared himself partial even
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CORRESPONDENCE
Henry Garret to Lord Carpenter.
in publick, but without asking why, he called me Rascal, Sarrah, & Impudent fellow, abund- ance of times in a Vehement Mad Manner, & put an end to all business, except, that they two Consulted what punishment to inflict on me, they Accordingly Order'd I should ask Mr. Par- kers pardon, without saying for what; If that was not Complyed with, then I should give in Security for my future good behaviour, with- out giving an instance wherein I had ever be- haved ill; On Noncompliance with this either to be put in the Log-House, or have the Cause referred to the Honble. Trustees, which latter I have Chosen, tho' I think it no Small indignity done to Your Hon's. that they placed it in the rank of Punishm's, indeed the lenth of time in getting a determination is of great Consequence to the poor, tho' they need not doubt of Justice in the end, Yet these are the threats that ill Nature Suggests to terrify the unhappy com- plainants, who have no share of their Special Graces, The referrance I say my Lord I have Chosen, because I am sure it will turn out to their Shame, that a Cause which is as plain as that they have not goodness enough to do Jus- tice, Yet requires wiser heads to decide it. When Mr. Jones my Lord Commenced Magis- trate I conceived hopes this Article would have been Settled, because he had many times loudly & openly calld. M. parker, Rogue, Villain, Thief, &c (& M. Minis the like) but the former as well on this Acct. as his Close adherence, & Consent to M'. Caustons Evill doings. Yet he
Mr. Parker dubbed Rogue, Vil- lain, Thief, etc., by Mr. Jones.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Henry Garret to Lord Carpenter.
finding it Necessary in the Carrying on some designs not much to the Advantage of the of [sic] the Honble. Trustees, Judged it best to have a tool also, & Contrived to get Mr. Parker first Bailiff for the sake of rendering Mr. Fal- lowfield the less Necessary, it likewise ensued that they became close Companions & M. Minis their Constant entertainer, which puts me past hopes from them in this Affair, as well as my other long depending physical Causes, except Your Lords' is pleased in Your Goodness to bestow a few kind words towards my relief in these unhappinesses. I am perswaded my Lord you will bear with me if I only add that Men of sour, passionate & Unforgiveing tempers, are unfitt even for Common places of Trust, much less do they become the Seat of Authority, they greatly discredit their Recommenders, & are too frequently Observed to diminish, rather than Augment the Nº. of Inhabitants, for Moroseness will intimidate the Modest, Im- patience will not Allow time to be understood, & meaness of Spirit, or Avarice will point out the way to Corruption, where such Evills abound the unhappy can only expect to be quite Miserable; On the other hand Men of Honest Minds will look upon preferment only as an Opportunity of doing Good, they will Judge poverty as a recommendation in the petitioner, & consider the Justice of his cause as the most powerfull pleader. The good Man will readily Conclude that the delay of Justice is an In- justice in itself, Dispatch is oftentimes as ben-
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Thos. Jones to Mr. Harman Verelst.
eficial as a Bounty bestowed, because among other reasons a delay may be attended with an irreparable Injury, which I am too much afraid will be my Case Unless Your Lordshe is pleased to favour with a Small Share of Your Accus- tomed Goodness in Obtaining an Order from the Honble. Trustees for the paymt. of my de- mands on Minis &c which will forever engage the prayers of
Your LordshPS Most Obedient & most humble Serv.
Henry Garret.
P. S. If your LordshP is pleased to Hon'. me with the favour of a return, Direct for me at Mr. George Austin's Mercht. in Charles Town South Carolina.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 21.)
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LETTER FROM MR. THOS. JONES TO MR. HARMAN VERELST. RECP. 26 Nov. 1740.
Savannah Aug. 1º. 1740.
S.
I am prevented from Writing to you @ this Oportunity, thro' the Hurry & Confusion we are in on Accot. of the late Expedition agt. Augustine, by the continued Resort of Indians, And others from the Indian Nation (who are
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Thos. Jones to Mr. Harman Verelst.
Some more brutal and trouble- some than the Indians.
much more troublesom & brutal than the In- dians themselves) to this Town; in their way to and from the Camp; As also by the Disturb- ances occasioned thro' the daily Clamours, & Sometime Outrages of a Sett of Indigent, Vagrant People among Us, who Yet call them- selves Gentlemen, by way of distinction from others. I hope Col". Stephens in his Letter, has wrote fully on that Subject. -- I must ac- quaint you, That the Col". Since the happy De- parture of his Son from hence, hath in every matter, wherein it was necessary for me to con- sult him, acted very friendly & Sincere (indeed, I do not remember any Affair, even of the least Concernmt., wherein I have not had his Advice & Concurrence) - I hope it will appear, That what has been done by Us, is, (as it was our real Intention,) for the Interest of ye Trustees, (Our Masters) and the Colony-Tho' we have not (thro' many Unforeseen Accidents) exactly conformed to the Estimate of Expence &c I have the General's Orders for all Disbursmts. made, excepting some Casual Expences (to no great Amount), wch. we judg'd necessary.
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You know my Obligation (which You have by you) is to obey the Comands and Instructions given me by the General, and also by their Honours. The Trustees-You also know my particular Attachmt. to his Excellency, for whom I have had, and always shall retain the greatest Esteem and Regard - Yet, allow me, to quote An old Saying-Amicus Plato, Amicus, Socrates, Sed major Amicus, Veritas.
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Thos. Jones to Mr. Harman Vereist.
Capt. Thompson in 1738, left with me An Accot. of Several Debts owing to him, And a power to receive the Same (Inter Alia) a Debt due from Sam". Brown, Indian Trader. __ I paid unto the Said Brown, last Year, ¿ the Generals Order a Sum of Money to the Amot. of the Said Debt; He (Brown) then promised to return me Thomson's Money assoon as he went into the Indian Nation, which he neglected to do. He hath lately delivered me a Bill, to a larger Amount, for Goods delivered by him to the Cherokee Indians, wch. his Excellency has given me Orders to pay, wch. payment I shall defer, untill I first See ye General not only be- cause he refuses to pay Capt. Thomson's Debt, but for other Reasons, particularly the fol- lowing
Sam" Brown being Some time Ago at Charles Town, was in danger of being there Confined, for Sundry Sums of Money due from him to the Merchants there __ He prevaild wth One Peter Shepherd, (a poor Industrious Man) who is Patroon to a trading Boat from Augusta, to engage wta. him for ye Paymt of the Money due to the Amot. of £. 140. sterling .- Shepherd, hath Since, as he was able (without any Assist- ance from Brown) discharge'd part of that Debt. And is in danger of being Sued for ye Remain- der when he goes to Charles Town with his Boat - Brown is now at Savannah- And also one Thomas Morris, an Indian Trader who bro't with him, to Savannah, Seventeen Horses loaden with Leather, which, it appears, he pur-
Debts due Capt. Thompson from Samil. Brown.
Samil. Brown, Peter Shep- herd, Thom- as Morris about to be sued for debts.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Thos. Jones to Mr. Harman Verelst.
chased with Effects which he bought, & was credited with from Frazier & McKensie Store- keepers at Augusta - I Paid, by the General's Order on ye 28th. July, last £66 .. 2 .. 6-unto the Said Morris being for value Said to be de- livered by him for ye Use of ye Cherokee In- dians. Peter Shepherd-And Frazier, are now at Savannah, And After applying to Brown & Morris for their respective dues have applyed to the Magistrates for Redress- MT. Parker & My Self, Sent unto them, when Morris came and delivered a Letter from his Excellency Gen1. Oglethorpe directed to me, Ordering that the Magistrates should not Cause any proceed- ings against Sam Brown & Tho Morris for Any Debts due, untill they could recover Such Debts as were due to them- Which Letter was open & had been exposed to Messrs. Tellfair, Fallow- field wth. the rest of the Junto at Jenkins's Sev- eral days before I saw it.
Magis- trates order- ed by Genl. Oglethorpe not to cause proceedings against Saml. Brown & Tho Morris.
Endeavours to prevent litigious and other actions for debt.
It has been my Endeavour to prevent all lit- igious and, indeed, other Actions for Debt; M. Parker has on all Occasions, been very ready to Assist therein. And we have hitherto So far Succeeded, That all such disputes have been accomodated without any Tryal in Court. But where there is Such manifest Injury done, and fraud designed- I cannot acquiesse in Obey- ing any Order, So contradictory to my own Rea- son and the Honor of my Masters in the Trust reposed in me had prevaild with Frazier to take Morris's promisory Note for the paymt. of the Sum due on the next return of his Horses
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Wm. Stephens to Mr. Harman Vereist.
wth. Leather from the Nation- Both Morris & Brown hitherto bid Defyance to their Credi- tors- I have not time to Add- Unless you judge it needfull-I desire this may not be made public
I am wth. respects ST: Yo'. Obed'. humble Servt. Tho Jones
To M'. Harman Verelst.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 21.) LETTER FROM WILLIAM STEPHENS EsQR. to MR. HARMAN VERELST. RECD. 26 NovR. 1740. THESE
Red Wax Seal
Savannah 4 Aug. 1740.
ST.
The space of time since my last of the 5 July, has even exceeded w I then doubted might hap- pen, in finding a safe conveyance for it to my Friend Hopton at Charles Town, which is now a full month or more: wherefore please to take this, & Coppy of my Journal with it, to Satur- day the 2ª ins' inclus, as a Supplement to what I had then to offer. Herewith you'll also re-
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Wm. Stephens to Mr. Harman Verelst.
Mr. Jones's packetts relating particularly to Messrs. Causton and Bradley.
ceive Mr. Jones's Packetts, relating particularly to Mess". Causton and Bradley; whereof you'll he best informed, by what he writes in his let- ters: for (as I have said) I take no farther share in it, than now and then having cast an Eye on what he did; which was rather a grati- fication of my own curosity y" any assistance I was capable of giving: and in so doing I was commonly soon satiated. I must withall ac- quaint you that there are other several Ac- counts ready drawn out; which relating to oth- er people, I venture to inspect with him, at some certain Seasons: but both he and I are at pres- ent so straitned in time, yt. for want of exact Correction of Errours, before they go out of our hands, they [might] be deferd till another time. These things are all contained in a small Box, where in you lately sent us Papers of a very different Value; another Box of a bigger Size accompanys this, directed to the honble Robert Eyre Esq :; wherein are some few In- dian Manufactures, that his Kinsman pickt up when he was in those Nations, and are sent by him as a token of Respect: of which I have wrote M. Eyre in the enclosed, which you'll please to present him, with my most humble service. The first Box is directed to you, and the other for Mr. Eyre, to your Care; & I shall desire Mr. Hopton to send you the Masters Rect. to whom he delivers these Boxes.
A box di- rected to Robert Eyre, Esq.
As I look on my Journal to be a Sort of News paper; if you would know wt. we are about in these Parts; you may there in some measure be
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409
Mr. Wm. Stephens to Mr. Harman Verelst.
informed : but I have been cautious how I ven- tured too far into the Generals operations of War; fearing to be wrong, amidst so many various Reports, as flew about of late: and I make no doubt but his Excellence informs the honourable Trustees authentically of every thing material in those affairs: at present all Hostilitys are ceased in the Neighbourhood of Augustine; & the General come again (as we hear) to Frederica; chagrind, very probably, at the Disappointment he met wth thro' the occa- sion of too many failing to stand by him, from whom he expected better things: so that now we are again reviving our hopes, y' he may by some means or other have his hands strengthend sufficiently, to try once more what may be done at. Augustine: which all this part of America looks upon, to be of such Importance: y unless That Fortress be reduced, there can be no last- ing Security for these Neighbouring Provinces. In the mean while, he is picking up his Strength again, as are his Soldiers, who alike needed it : and we hope now to see him once more here, when among other things I have to say, I shall not forget to crave his assistance (as the Trus- tees were pleased to order me) in that import- ant work (I need not name it) which I have upon my hands.
I rest ST.
Your very humble Servant
Will : Stephens.
All hostil- ities ceased in neighbour. hood of Au- gustine.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Grant, Douglass, Stirling and Baillie to the Trustees.
P. S.
Mr. Jones desires me, in behalf of him, and his Brethren of the Magistracy, to represent the great Want they are under of a few Books they would often have recourse to, if they had 'em: but upon Mr. Christies going off, he took care to leave not one of any sort behind him, for them to come at; which puts 'em sometimes to a Stand: and therefore if the honourable Trust would be so kind to order their being supplyd with a few, for their better Guidance; twould be of great Service: more especially the abridgment of the Statutes; Woods Institutes; or whatever their Honours shall judge proper. This I would have had Mr. Jones to have wrote himself : but he insisted on my doing it.
To M'. Harman Verelst.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 21.)
ANDREW GRANT, DAVID DOUGLASS, WM. STIRLING & THOMAS BAILLIE TO THE TRUSTEE, 10 AUGUST 1740. RECD. 19 DECR. 1740.
Honourable Gentlemen
We have Received a Letter Signed by your Secretary of the 25th. March Last owning the Receipt of ours To the Trustees for Establish- ing the Colony of Georgia Dated the 26th. May 1739; in which we Set furth the Expence we
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Grant, Douglass, Stirling and Baillie to the Trustees.
had been At in prosecuteing our Settlement on The Ogechee River: Together with the Impos- sibility of Carrying on any Settlement with Suc- cess in this Colony According to the Present Constitution; As an Additional Confirmation of which, we then presented your Honours with an Accompt Current carry'd on from the Com- mencement of our Settlement on the Ogechee and Continued till we were Drove thence by the Strongest Appearances of Destruction Ariseing from the Haveing Expended our All in the Strenuous prosecution of an Impracticable Scheme: and here we must Beg Leave to Ob- serve, That it appears to us you have Neither Considered our Letter or Accompt; Otherwise you Never would have advis'd us to Return to a place on which we have Already in Vain Con- sumed So much time and money.
We have Seen and Seriously Considered Every Paragraph of a printed paper- Entituled, The Answer of the Trustees for Es- tablishing the Colony of Georgia in America; To the Representation from the Inhabitants of Savannah: which in our humble Opinion is no answer at all, But Rather an Absolute Refusal of Demands to which we are Legally Entituled, under the Specious pretences of guardianship and Fatherly Care; without haveing Answer'd one Sentence or Confuted by Strength of Argu- ment any part of our Assertions.
Because our Neighbouring Province (of which you are pleas'd to Take notice) has by an Introduction of Too great Numbers abus'd
The settle ment on the Ogechee.
"The answer of the Trus- tees for es- tablishing the Colony of Georgia in America."
Use of Negroes abused.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Grant, Douglass, Stirling and Baillie to the Trustees.
the use of Negroes: or Because an Undoubted property in our Land possessions might prove Detrimental or hurtfull to Idle, profligate and abandon'd people; It does not at all follow, that we should be debarred the use of Negroes for the Feild or the more Laborious parts of Culture, under prudent Limitations: Or that sober and virtuous men shou'd be Depriv'd of Just Titles To their propertys.
We are Surprized that your Honours men- tion The Representations of the people of the Darien, as a Confirmation of the Unreasonable- ness of our Demands: For Did your Honours know the motives by which these people were Induc'd to present you with one or more peti- tions, Contradictory to our Representation, the wel-fare of the Colony And their own Con- sciences, we are perswaded you Never would have Offer'd them as Reasons for Rejecting the Representation from Savannah! they were Bought with a Number of Cattle, and Exten- sive promises of Future Rewards, a Little pres- ent Interest made them forget or Neglect their Posterity; Whereas, the people of this place Duely Sensible of the miserys And Calamities they have Suffered and Do still Labour under freely and Voluntarily put their hands To the Representation of this part of the province No Artful means were used, to Induce them to it: No Artfull man or men, Negroes Merchants or Others perswaded them to it; Dismal Poverty and the most Absolute Oppression were the True Fountains from whence our Complaints
Representa- tions of the people of the Darien.
Dismal pov- erty. abso- lute oppres- sion cause of complaints.
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CORRESPONDENCE
Grant, Douglass, Stirling and Baillie to the Trustees.
proceeded : But how miserably were These In- considerate Deluded Wretches Rewarded ? They were soon after Carry'd Against St. Augustine, placed on a Dangerous post, where they were all or most of them Cut off or Taken prisoners by the Enemy; which has put a Period to the Settlement of Darien of which so many great things have been falsely Reported.
With Regard To our Representation we shall only Beg Leave to make one Supposition, which it's almost Impossible Can have happen'd, vizt. That this and All the other Representations, Letters Sent, or Petitions made to the Trustees by private or a Joint Number of persons : Have been Entyrely False and Groundless! What Can have Reduc'd the Colony To the Situation in which it now is ?. What Can have Reduc'd it's Inhabitants to one Sixth part of the Num- ber which we have known to Reside here? or Lastly, to what is the Starveing and Despicable Condition of the few that are now left oweing? Is it not, as well as Every other matter which we have before Urg'd, oweing to And Occa- sion'd, by the Unanswerable Reasons at Dif- ferent times given and Laid Before your Hon- ours, by Honest men (Independent of you) Who were and are the Chief Sufferers in this Colony ? And who Could not be Brib'd to Conceal or Terrify'd from Declareing their Sentiments. Your Honours may Readily and Safely Join Is- sue with us in our Appeal to Posterity, who were Their best friends? &cª. For its Certain and Obvious that if the Trustees are Resolved to
The situa. tion in which the Colony is.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Grant, Douglass, Stirling and Baillie to the Trustees.
Adhere to their present Constitution; They or their Successors, are in no great Danger of being call'd to any Account [sic] by our Pos- terity in Georgia.
Alterations in regard to the tenure of lands.
We have Likewise Seen and Read the Altera- tions Mr. Martyn mentions to have been made by your Honours, with Regard To the Tenure of Lands: Together with a Fictitious Abridge- ment of the Same affixd to the most publick places At Savannah. Mr. Martyn in his Letter is pleas'd to Tell us, That your Honours Imagine we are Satisfy'd therewith, as the rest of the Colony are! Some few perhaps may have express'd themselves Satisfy'd, But we will Say no worse of such few than that your Honours will soon be sensible that Even they are Deceivers. It's true such Alterations and the paper Entituled an Answer to our Repre- sentation above Mention'd are Artfully Penn'd and will Doubtless for a time Amuse Even men of the best sense in Europe or Elsewhere, who are Strangers to the Colony of Georgia; But any man of Common Understanding or the least Penetration, who by an Unfortunate Experience has been Well Acquainted with that Colony, Can Easily Demonstrate that those very papers are further Snares to Encrease our Misery, as its Impossible we Can be Enabled by these al- terations to Subsist our Selves and Familys any more than Before, for less to put us in a Cappacity of Recovering our Already Sunk fortunes And Loss of time. Sometime in the Summer 1739, (whilst we still Expected Agree-
Paper pen- ned to amuse.
4.
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CORRESPONDENCE
Grant, Douglass, Stirling and Baillie to the Trustees.
able Alterations to have Succeeded our Repre- sentation) we Apply'd more than once to Gen- eral Oglethorpe, as one of the Trustees, for the same Tract of Land which we have since been Refused by your Honours; But our Petitions and Applications were Rejected, for what Rea- sons ? Because Indeed we Refused to Contra- dict what we had before set furth in our Rep- resentation, And so Become Villains As (we have too much Reason to Believe) Some others on the Same Occasion were; We wou'd not Ac- cept of Settlements, Sums of money, Horses, Cattle and other Valuable Considerations, At the Expence of Betraying our Country And Contradicting our Consciences, by Signing a Paper, which was prepar'd and Offer'd to us, purporting a Repentance of the Measures we had Taken for our own and the Relief of other Distress'd British Subjects, And Consequently an Approbation of a Scheme, which by all Ap- pearances seems to have been Calculated and prepared to form a Colony of Vassals whose property and Liberty were at all times to have been Dispos'd of at the Discretion or Option of their Supperiours. Such and many other methods of Corruption have been Too often practis'd in this Colony; But we Refused And Scorn'd Such Actions from principles of which Every honest man ought to be possess'd.
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