USA > Georgia > Colonial Records of the State of Georgia, Volume 23 > Part 11
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What they are pleas'd farther to advance, relating to so many Hands being then employ'd at the Orphan House: I humbly conceive needs no farther Notice; than that 'twas well we had so many Hands to be spared; great part of which were Artificers; & tho' they had been several Months now discharg'd from that Work; I don't find above three or four of 'em have sought for Work out of this Part of the Pro- vince : on which Occasion it may be noted, that
Such a Volume of Bagatel.
List of complainers looked Into.
Relating to so many hands being employed at the Orphan House.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Stephens to the Trustees.
The great fire at Charles Town.
since the great Fire at Charles Town, there can- not but be a great Demand for such People to- wards reedifying [sic] it: & 'tis well known. by every days Experience in all parts of the World, that Handycraft Men will move to & fro, as they find Occasion for the Benefit of their Employ- ment; & return Home again on the like Motive, or any other they see proper : Must it then be con- eluded, that none who cross the River into Caro- lina for a present Advantage, will ever return to their Habitations in Georgia are any of those who they say are employ'd in Scout Boats, Ran- gers &c, to be deem'd ever the less Inhabitants, because they don't sleep every Night in Savan- nah, whilst they are serving the Publick? It is with equal Strength of Argument, they flatly pronounce so great a Number of People undone by Cultivation of Land. They mention numer- ically 83 five Aere Lotts, some wholly, some in part fene'd & cultivated; which instead of main- taining the Owners, run 'em in Debt & ruin'd 'em: & the 45 Acre Lots answer'd no better. But this Assertion will prove as little to be maintain'd as any of the former, & be of as little Use to the present Subscribers of this Remon- strance. I'll not contend with 'em how wide they are from the Truth; let the List above mention'd determine that; if any Credit may be given to what I averr, & shall never depart from. When any Person is said to be undone & ruin'd: whatever the Occasion be, it must imply he was a Man of some Substance before; now supposing the Number to be 83 of these five
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Stephens to the Trustees.
Acre Planters (as they affirm) it should appear also what Stock of their own, the Possessors of them at first sate out with: & tho' I grant there may have been some few, yet 'tis to be doubted they'll be found very few, who began cultivating Land on any of the Freehold Lots within the Township of Savannah, that may be said to be undone for so doing: for if they grew weary of going on, by Reason of a bad Crop, or any other Cause; the most that can be said of it, is, that they were disappointed in their Expectations ; & as many as thought so; might betake themselves to some other Employment, as divers of 'em did. & never were at a Loss when they would work, to find good Wages : but it must be allowed me to say, that too many of 'em, addicted that way before they came hither, grew lazy & sottish ; & if one Days Work would maintain 'em two they sought no farther. 'Twould redound more to the Credit of these Remonstrants, if none such had help'd to make up the List they boast of.
The Owners of 500 Acre Tracts, or such like Settlements upon a less Quantity of Land, dis- tinct from the Town & Villages, are next to be considered : & how many are there among 'em that have made any Pretence to complain? Mess's. Williams, Mathews, Stirling, Grant, & Fallowfield, are all that I find : for what Reason the last of 'em should stand in that Rank I am at a Loss to know: for 'tis certain, that after three or four Years past on his Land, in the Isle of Hope, the only Improvement to be found
Mr. Wil. liams, Ma. thews, Stirling, Grant and Fallowfield complaining.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Stephens to the Trustees.
Spending time in forming schemes and rais- ing dis- content.
is a slight built little House; & I never heard of any planting Work taken in hand, except at his first Beginning, that he rais'd a few Potatoes : since which he has kept out of all Danger from Ruin in such Work: & I wish a long Course of luxurious Living at Jenkins's, & spending their Time in forming new Schemes there, how to compell the honble: Trust to comply with their Views, raising Discontent among the People &c; which Time might have been better em- ploy'd (I wish I say) those Things have not more contributed to their Loss than planting.
What Remark they thought fit to make on the Trust's Servants employd in cultivating a Farm of their own, which they produce as an irrefrag- able Argument of the Impossibility there is, for any one to live by planting; I think turns against 'em : for admitting it to be true that the Fruit of their Farm made but a poor Appear- ance in the Year 1740, which indeed I must im- pute to the Negligence, Sloth, or something worse of such as were appointed to look after them & keep them to their Business: Had these Finders of every ones Faults but their own; lived to see the Produce of the same Farm in 1741, then under the Direction of more carefull Overseers, they would have seen a very plenti- full Crop brought home; proportionable to the Number of Acres clear'd : & is it not reasonable then to suppose that the like Number of Acres, coeteris paribus, in Possession of private Hands, would be as gratefull to the Owners, if duly attended? The State of the Villages they
Remark made in regard to Trustees' servants.
1
Finders of everyone's faults but their own.
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Stephens to the Trustees.
run over apace, & would seem to be thought per- fect in that Lesson, at their Fingers Ends; but behold they are quite mistaken in them all: & to make the same Paragraph abound with yet more Absurdities, they affirm that most of the 500 Acre Tracts which were once settled, now lye waste & uncultivated; whereas your Secre- tary can find none lying uncultivated at the Time of their Complaint more than were at his Entering on your Service, excepting only Mess's Williams, Mathews, Stirling & Grant be- fore mention'd; to preponderate which, con- siderable Improvements have since been made on Lands granted to Henry Parker, Noble Jones, the Orphan House, your Secretary, &c, & the Occupiers find no Reason to complain this Year of a scanty Production, with Regard to the Extent of the Land they planted, from 10 to 20 Acres, each as he saw good; & it may reasonably be expected those Plantations, as well as divers others, will yearly encrease; at the same time when other Lands newly granted are also taken in Hand for Improvement.
We are now come to the six Articles without which being complied with, it seems no Peace is to be expected from these Champions, es- pecially the two first grand Prelimitaries. How modest, how reasonable these Demands are; would be downright Arrogance in me to deter- mine: when your Honour (Gentlemen) appears so plainly struck at: which is so farr out of Reach to be polluted by any Touch of theirs; that it must be the greatest Condescention in
No reason to complain this year of scanty pro- duction.
A few more papers added to the Remon- strance by Way of Supplement.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Stephens to the Trustees.
you to shew any Regard to so much Impudence, vailed under a false & affected Shew of Humil- ity.
What I have said in the foregoing Pages, in Return to so much Malignity as discovers itself in the Authors of that unparrell'd Remon- strance of theirs, which they got sign'd by a certain Number of People dated the 22nd of Nov! 1740; Might reasonably be hoped sufficient at one Time to shew that the Clamour then rais'd (I wish, I could say yet appeased) proceeded from the Designs of some Crafty Men, whose Business it was to stir up the People to a State of Discontent, in Order to make Use of them as Tools proper to work with, for bringing to pass such a Change of the Constitution & Establish- ment here, as would sute their own Purpose: particularly by a free Importation of Negroes; & being govern'd by Magistrates whom they should chuse; & in whom also the Right of Elec- tion should be of all other Town Officers. Risum teneaties? They have not yet told us what Officers they design'd for your Honours; but 'tis plain they would admit of no Rule over them of your Appointment. Before I draw such References (nevertheless) from the whole, as I conceive will naturally fall in my Way: I am yet call'd upon to look into a few more Papers added to the Remonstrance by Way of Supple- ment, from their Dear Friends departed hence to Charles Town. where I find at once such a Mass of Ordure collected to bespatter your Secretary with, as must undoubtedly be dis-
Crafty efforts made to change constitution and estab. lishment in the Colony.
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Stephens to the Trustees.
agreeable to every Person, who has Regard to Candour & Equity. As they have taken the Liberty now to name the Person or Persons aim'd at, judging the shortest and plainest Way the best; I hope to be allow'd the like Liberty : & therefore I begin with Mess" Anderson, Tailfer, & Douglass (who of late are become such noted Authors) not looking upon the Rest of this List to be of equal Eloquence; tho' not inferior perhaps in Prejudice; & would be glad to know; by what Rule of Justice they are pleased to lay so many heavy Things to my Charge, as they have done almost thro the whole of this Piece. They begin and Say .- "That "'tis impossible for them to live here accord- "ing to the present Establishment of the Con- "stitution, together with the manifold Restric- "tions, Grievances, & Oppressions contain'd "therein &c (A short & full Declaration of their "Resolution to oppose it) & having receiv'd In- "formation of the Transaction in Georgia, with "Regard to your Honours Letter directed to "Willm Stephens Secretary, enjoyning that the "People should set forth their Grievances, & "have the Seal affix'd thereto: After some in- "decent & unjust Reflections, complaining they "could hitherto find no Redress of those "Grievances; they proceed & say, that they "should not have thought it to any Purpose to "trouble your Honours with this at present, had "they not some Grounds to believe by the Con- "tents of your foresaid Letter to M'. Stephens, "that you are desirous of being truly inform'd
Messrs. Anderson, Tailfer and Douglass, of late become such noted authors.
A statement made by disturbers of the peace.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Stephens to the Trustees.
Efforts made to keep troubles of the Colony from the Trustees.
"of the State of that miserable Colony; & they "now hope that the Account of the manner in "which your Orders have been executed, will "unfold the Means that have been all along "practiced to prevent you from knowing it, as "likewise the Series of Contrivance, that has all "along been used to disappoint the poor Inhabi- "tants of reaping any Benefit from your Jus- "tice & Humanity."
Then they go on & expatiate largely upon your Secretarys keeping that Letter private; with as many aggravating Circumstances as their Rage could suggest. This would appear a terrible Accusation indeed, had they the least Foundation of Truth to support it: but your Secretary begs leave to referr to what he has al- ready wrote in his own Defence, on this Occa- sion, at the Beginning of this Review; & must humbly submit to your Honours, how farr your Orders have been observ'd in transacting that Affair; & whether he did his Duty or not to the best of his Power & Understanding. One Ob- 'servation cannot escape me, vizt. one while I am charg'd with secreting your Orders, keeping your Letter private &c, & yet at the same time they would be thought to recapitulate those In- structions, contain'd in it; which they say a Friend of theirs sent 'em soon after. That Mr. Tailfer, & 2 Witnesses with him, came to me, demanding the Sight of that Letter, wherein such Instructions were sent me, I shall not deny : & my Answer was that I receiv'd no such Instructions as they mention'd; & I appre-
Charged with secret- ing Trus- tees' order.
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Stephens to the Trustees.
hended they had no Right to expect I should communicate the Trusts Letter to them, any farther than where I was directed so to do. Who that Friend of theirs was, that could com- municate the Contents of that Letter to them (as they pretend tho' falsly recited) must be left to others to judge: 'tis beyond my Imagi- nation. They are very angry that I would not allow 'em a Copy of that Representation of the State of the Colony, which I offer'd in Court; what, would they expect I should leave it to their Will, to destroy the very Intent of it, by submitting it to. the Correction of their wise Club; who doubtless would have made pretty Work of it; prepared as they were to withstand & oppose whatever did not agree with those Schemes of Government which they determin'd to stand by ? 'Tis a great Pleasure to 'em never theless (they say) that neither Promises nor Threats, nor all the Arts made use of, could gain any Considerable Number either for Quantity or Quality (I suppose, they mean equal to those who sign'd the Remonstrance) & here twill be allow'd me I hope to laugh & be pleas'd too; let us but look over the Lists of each, & 'twill soon appear what Quality we have among us. As to their base Assertion of indirect Means us'd to get Peoples Names to it ; tis so notorious a Fals- hood (I can't help calling it so) that if they can produce one Instance of it; I'll take upon me the Guilt of all.
They go on in the same pompuous Strain, & make no Seruple of committing to Writing what-
A request for a copy of "the Represen- tation of the State of the Colony Refused."
A notorious falsehood.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Stephens to the Trustees.
ever their wicked Imagination suggests; setting a great Value on their own Independency &c; charging two or three with having been once of a different Opinion from what they are now, when they sign'd that Representation with 'em of the 9th of Dec' 1738. 'Tis agreed they did so : but may not a Man, consistent with Honesty, quit such Company when he finds 'em pursuing dangerous Steps wherein he dares no longer follow them, to fly in the Face of the Trustees, because what they then ask'd was not thought proper to be complied with? these Men now so reproach'd, thought it their wisest Way to sit still & wait the Trustees Pleasure when & in what manner to grant such Benefits as they know to be most usefull as well for them, as for the Good of the Colony in general; whilst these Men of Resistance immediately had Re- course to the most unwarrantable Measures of poisoning the common People with such wild Notions of Freedom, Slavery, Oppression, & the like; as produced by Degrees most sad Effects, & tended as farr as in them lay, to overturn the Colony into Confusion : but perceiving there still remain'd a firm Body among us, who their Craft had made no Impression on, & were not so weak to fall out with their own Bread & Butter, after making what Mischief they could here. they went off grouling & now bark out of Reach. After spitting their Venom at those few whom they appear so provoked at; they go on again & seem earnestly to contend, that there were others, such as Sawyers, Labourers &c
Common people poisoned with notions of freedom.
Contentions of those disappointed because of small amount of confusion wrought.
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Stephens to the Trustees.
among us, who were afraid of loosing their Bread, as some actually did, for signing the Remonstrance: I doubt that is another in- vented Tale too, for I solemnly protest, that 1 know of not one Instance of that kind; & am hardy enough to confess, that in Case of no Covenant subsisting or forbidding it, or no Detriment accruing to the Publick thereby; I can see no Cause why I, or any of the Persons employ'd by, the Trust may not prefer a Man who he thinks acts conformable to the Constitu- tion, before another of the same Occupation, who aspires at some Preferment by means of Distraction among us; wherein he joins to pro- mote it (optat Ephippia Bos). See next what a charitable Imputation they bring upon such as stood neuter, & signed neither on one Side or t'other : telling us there were many indeed (they must acknowledge). who were in the utmost Straits, & dreaded the Resentments that soon would follow, who fearing to declare themselves, on Acco': of those Resentments; or perhaps waiting the Issue, in Order to make the most of it afterwards; were willing to remain Neuter; & this M' Stephens, Mr. Jones &c were satisfied with : They were? thats well : but M' Stephens (whose Lot it happens to be to write this) tells the Authors of that infamous Remonstrance, he finds in the List of those Neuters now before him (which he can avouch the Truth of) divers men of as good Worth as Anderson, Tailfer or Douglass, & whose Reputation is as valuable as theirs : tho' they have bestow'd a dirty Compli-
A false statement.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Stephens to the Trustees.
A list to be referred to.
ment to pronounce 'em Men in such Circum- stanees that they durst not appear. This List is likewise to be referrd to; which may be de- pended on as perfect so farr as it goes ; but 'tis to be fear'd several are omitted that ought in Right to stand there, who are not yet brought to light.
After such a Dust raised & so much Obscur- ity with it, they begin to plume again, & exult greatly that such a Number of Men, in Spight of all the Straits & Temptations they were beset with have discharg'd their Duty (most piously without Doubt) to their Maker, their Country, themselves, & your Honours. After so much Scurrility; they appeal to our Con- sciences whether the Method proposed in Steph- en's Paper, or any other than what they insisted upon, could retrieve the Colony; & they tell a Story of Noble Jones, & what Answer he made, when they asked his Opinion of it, upon finding him in Charles Town; (Whither he was sent by the General, to negaciate some Affairs about paying the People of Georgia, who had serv'd in that Regiment at Augustine, & not to forward that Paper of Ours, as they would basely insinu- ate) which as I know nothing of, I can say nothing to: but I think 'twould not be easy to find a Man who knows Noble Jones, that would. think him so weak & silly ; & may we not imagine this to be a Piece equally of their own forming. as well as that most notorious Falshood of their Invention which next follows; where they assert my admitting a Woman to sign, (that
The method in Stephens' рарег.
Noble Jones.
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Stephens to the Trustees.
Paper must be understood) for herself, Hus- band, Child, &c; when God knows, there never was the least Occasion given by me, or any other that ever I heard of, to conceive a Thing so monstrous. After this they seem to make a Pause of Triumph, in having display'd this Affair in such a Manner, as will convince your Honours, what Injury is done to your Charac- ters, as well as their Happiness, by these design- ing Men, who have all along sacrificed both to Views- What Views? why such as were not their present Business to enter into- Whereas I thought they had already enter'd so farr as as [sic] to be over Head & Ears in scurrilous & notorious Falshood.
What they so positively affirm, that there are at least 100 Negroes made use of by the Inhabi- tants of Augusta, without which, not one Settler would live on that Side of the River; is another Instance of their Labour to magnify Molehills into Mountains; for notwithstanding their quick Sightedness beyond all others, I could never make such a Discovery: 'tis confess'd, I have had Hints given me of some secret Con- trivances that way : & Notice has been taken by what Arts it has been conceal'd: one Remark more particularly was lately made by me, how such Practices crept in by Stealth (vide 24th Oct) but I hope these bold Assertors will not offer to maintain, that any the least Connivance (much less Approbation) has been shewn to- wards such clandestine Doings; nor deny that they have not only been discountenanc'd, but
Designing men.
An affirma- tion made in regard to negroes.
Practice of use of negroes crept in by stealth.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Stephens to the Trustees.
also strictly forbidden, by those in Authority here; & Caution given to prevent it : & is it pro- bable then, that such a Number can lay con- ceal'd, like Bays's Army at Knights Bridge in Disguise? From hence they return again to a long Run of dismal Tautology, setting forth the miserable State the poor People were reduced to, which compell'd 'em to quit their Possess- ions, &c, after so much Pains & Industry used in vain to support themselves; by which means they were ruin'd; & tho' they had often applied for Relief from those Oppressions, they could find none from your Honours. Most impudent ! I hope what is already said by me is sufficient to refute what they insist on, without following them in their vain Repetitions; & that the List of Subscribers now sent (which they made such Boast of, will abundantly shew their Worth.
The last wicked Accusation which they bring against your Secretary in Conjunction with MIT Jones, is relating to our keeping up your pub- lick Stores in our Names &c, & selling the same out again to the Inhabitants at exorbitant Rates. These are high sounding Words only: for your Secretary flatly denies, that ever he was privy to, or any wise allowing of, such exorbitant Prices being set upon Goods deliver'd at the Stores; which he detests the Thoughts of; & de- fies 'em to bring one Proof: on the contrary, what induced him to consent to any Provisions being issued at the Store, was out of a real Compassion to the poor People, whom he saw falling into the Hands of greedy Men, that
A most impudent assertion.
The last wicked ac- cusation made in regard to public stores.
CORRESPONDENCE
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Mr. Stephens to the Trustees.
would suck their Vitals, unless some Remedy could be found to check that growing Evil: which had the Success I hoped for, & those Blood Suckers were forced to abate more than 20 Cent of their former Demands: Upon do- ing whereof, People went to those Shops again, & seldome troubled the Stores. Some time this last Summer, in Obedience to the Commands of the Trustees, all Issues of Provisions at the Stores ceased, upon repeated Complaints (it would seem) of some of our discontented Peo- ple, whom nothing will please; & who after the Example of their former Directors, & Sub- scribers of this Remonstrance, never fail to clamour, be it right or wrong. Behold, now what a sudden Change of the Scene follows. The Stores are shut up no more to be done there : the private Store Keepers begin their old Game again, & extort apace; upon which a lamentable Outcry ensues; & the Title of Rogues, Villains with many more synonimous Terms in Plenty, is bestow'd on those who stopt any farther issuing of Provisions; telling the World we dealt cruelly with 'em before, & now intended to starve 'em. Alass alass poor Peo- ple! Whom have you to thank for it, but those you are so closely attacht to? who laid so many heavy Things to the Charge of such as were entrusted with the publick money; that the honble Trust were induced probably thereby to forbid any farther Traffick of that Kind, & take away all Occasion of your being so injured. Time brings many Things to light: After some
Issues of provisions at store ceased at command of Trustees.
Private store. keepers begin old game again
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Stephens to the Trustees.
Exorbitant prices charged by store. keepers.
Months past, we have the Misfortune to see too much Cause given for the Use of that Word (Exorbitant) when some of our private Store Keepers, who put on such a Shew of Tenderness for the Flock are now fleecing of 'em; selling brown Biscuit in small Quantities by Retail at 41% ) Pound, but upon taking a Quantity they modestly afford it at 4ª; Butter of any Kind 18 Pound, &e- But I fear I am wander'd too farr astray, in pursuing what I think no longer worth my Pains; wherefore hoping from what is already said, that 'twill appear how little real Cause has been given for exhibiting such griev- ous Complaints by the Subscribers of that Re- monstrance; I shall with or without asking their Leave, briefly touch upon a few Things, not wholly (perhaps) unworthy the Notice of the Honble Trust: being what I will abide by the Truth of to my Death.
The Geographical part of the Colony, which I sent last Year, I see no Cause to retract from, in the least ; but on the Contrary having by your Honours Orders procured a Person thoroughly qualified to make a Map of the Northern Divis- ion of the Province, extending as farr as Ebe- nezer Westward from the Sea Coast; & bounded by the Rivers of Savannah & Ogeechy on the North & South; that Work is near perfected; & I hope to have the Honour of transmitting it to you very soon ; wherein 'twill appear what Set- tlements are made on it; how truly valuable this Country is, & how well adapted for Im- provements, & Trade by Water Carriage;
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