USA > Georgia > Colonial Records of the State of Georgia, Volume 23 > Part 14
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(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 22.) LETTER FROM THE REVD. MR. BOLZIUS TO MR. HARMAN VERELST.
Ebenezer Jan". 15th. 1741%.
Dear Sir,
I had the satisfaction to receive your kind Letter of the 17th Sept. last at the time, when a new Transport of Saltzburgers under the Con- duct of Mr. Vigera arrived in this Colony, & was very glad to find the Contents, that the Honble. Trustees allow them for six Months a certain Sum of Money for their subsistance in the Be- ginning, which Col. Stephens for 3 Months has pay'd into my hand, besides which the people of the new Settlers have received by the Colonel several tools, for which as well as all other Bene- fits bestow'd upon them at London & in their
A sum of money allowed a transport of Saltz. burgers for six months after arrival.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Bolzius to Mr. Verelst.
Passage hither, they are highly obliged to be thankful to God & the Honble. Trustees, their Benefactors. They arrived in a very good Health, & did commend very much M. Terry, by whose fatherly Care they used very great Commodities, for which good treatement at Sea they are highly obliged to the Honble. Trustees. who have empow'red M'. Terry to use them well. All new Comers are still brave in Health, & settled as near to the old Settlers as possible, which will contribute very much to their spir- itual & temporal Welfare. I find them all very well satisfy'd, & I hope to have the pleasure in time to come to acquaint you by mere Exper- ience with their good Behaviour, satisfaction & Progress, in their Labour. For the Mill-Stones, which the Honble. Trustees present our people with, I return them most humble Thanks. I am in hopes, you have received my last Letter, in which I acknowledged the Receipt of 77 1b sterl, which the Honble. Trustees have advanced towards the building of our Mill. God be their Rewarder here & hereafter! I doubt not but you have longe before this a full Account of the sad Condition of the Swiss & Germans, that arrived few Days after the Saltzburghiers in the Ship Europa. A Party of them are carried by their Conductor Riemsperger to Saxe Gotha in South Caroline, & the rest, that hope to recover from their dangerous sickness, design to settle with their Countrymen about Savannah. As much as lyes in our power we are willing to be service- able to them by our Ministerial Office. It is re-
A millstone from the Trustees.
The sad conditions of the Swiss and Germans.
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223
Gen. Oglethorpe to the Trustees.
ported to me, that according to some Gentle- men's Apprehension at Savannah, I had given M. Thomas Jones a bad Character in my Letter to the Honble. Trustees. I can assure the Trustees that Mr. Jones has endeavoured heretofore to the utmost of his power to promote Ebenezer's Welfare as well as other people's, that lead a life conformable to God's & the Country's Laws, therefore I would have trespassed against my own Conscience & Knowledge, if I had wrote any thing else, but what is commendable about Mr. Jones. Be pleased to present my most hum- ble Respect to the Honble. Trustees, wishing them from Above all Blessings immaginable for all the Benefits, they have been pleased to heap upon the last as well as upon all Settlers at Ebenezer. I beg leave to subscribe myself Dear Sir Your most obedient very humble Servant John Martin Bolzius
To Harman Verelst Esq:
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 22.) GENI. OGLETHORPE'S LETTER TO THE TRUSTEES 3RD MARCH 1741 RECD. 23 JULY 1742
Frederica 3ª. March 1741/2.
Gentlemen
Governour Clark hath for some Years past Laboured to bring about one of the Noblest De-
Mr. Thos. Jones a promoter of Ebenezer's welfare.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Gen. Ogiethorpe to the Trustees.
Gov. Clark makes effort to bring Indians together.
signs & most Advantagious for all the British Settlements on the Continent of America which is to make a Peace between all the Indians that are Subject, or under the Crown of Great Bri- tain & thereby preventing their Destroying & Slaughtering Each other, as they now Daily do. Besides the saving so many Lives, & making the Western Parts safe, it Enables the English In- dians to act with more Vigour & greater Num- bers, against the Spaniards or any Nation at War with us, Those Men who otherwise would be forced to stay at Home for their own Defence, will be enabled to leave their Towns by the Peace. I have with much Difficulty made a Peace, between the Chickesaws, Cherokees & Creeks, but the great work of making a Peace between them & the Six Nations remains with Governour Clark to do.
Peace made b.v Gen. Oglethorpe between the Chickesaws. Cherokees and Creeks.
The back enemy.
If the Chickesaws can obtain a Peace wth the Six Nations which are called the back Enemy, They will be secured against the French other- wise that brave People will be overlayed with numbers. They have acquainted me that the fear of the back Enemy did prevent their com- ming down this Year to War against the Span- iards. Whereas last Year they sent down Forty And if the Peace is made with the Six Nations they will send down every Year 200 to War against St. Augustine.
Prevented from fight- ing the Spaniards by the back enemy.
Moy Toy. Emperour of the Chero- kees. killed by the back enemy.
The Cherokees have also acquainted me that if they are secured from the back Enemy, who lately killed their Emperour Moy Toy, They
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CORRESPONDENCE
Gen. Oglethorpe to the Trustees.
will be able to furnish 2,000 Men in Case we should have occasion for them
I shall say no more to You upon this Head since Governour Clark in his Letter speaks so fully upon it. His reasons are so full & strong that I can add nothing to the Works of His Ex- cellent Pen; Therefore send you the Copy of His.
As this Treaty is of greater Consequence to Georgia than to any other Colony. I Drew for £100 Sterling upon M' Verelst, towards Defray- ing the Charges hereof, which I hope you will Reimburse.
We still keep our Ground, & our Indians con- tinnally make incursions up to the Walls of St. Augustine.
On 1st. Febry-a Spanish Privateer Sloop which was sent down by the Governour of St. Augustine to Guarica on Hespaniola for Pro- visions &c ª. Arrived loaded with Wine, Cloath- ing, Flour &cª off the Bar of Augustine, The half Gallys with 200 Men went out to Convoy Her in, but the Weather blowing fresh, they went back again & carried on Shore to the Governour the Chief Merchants & the Letters, & left the Sloop & a Pilot to wait for, & come in with the Flood. The Governour being Extreamly rejoiced at the Arrival of this Succour, ordered the Cannon round the Works to be fired, & Bonefires to be made & sent out a Party of Indians to get Wood for the same. A Detatchment of our Savannah Indians fell upon the Wood Cutters killed some,
A copy of Gov. Clark's letter sent the Trustees.
Treaty between the Indians of greater conseqrence to Georgia than any other Colony.
The arrival of a Span- ish Priva- teer Sloop off the bar of Augustine celebrated.
An order given to fire cannons and make bonfires.
Party of Indians sent to gather wood for bonfires killed and taken prisoners.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Clarke to Gen. Oglethorpe.
& took Five Prisoners whom they brought in here, & so took away the Bonefire which the Spaniards might the better spare since at the same Time our St. Phillip Guard Sloop came up with the Spanish Sloop before the Tide of Fload was full made who took Her, & brought her in here.
I am Gentlemen Your most Obedient Humble Servant
James Oglethorpe
The Honble The Trustees
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 22.)
COPY OF MR. CLARKE'S LETTER FROM NEW YORK TO GENL OGLETHORPE
New York January ye 9th. 1741/2.
Sir
An inter. view with the Six Nations planned by Gov. Clark.
Captain Clinton not being come nor intending. to sett out till the Spring I propose to have an Interview with the Six Nations next May of which I have acquainted Governour Gooch and Govenour Bull desiring them to dispose y Southern Nations to send their Deputies so as to be here the 20th. of May and Corroberate in person what I have done on their part, they may march through the Settlements of Virginia. Maryland, and Pensilvania, and new Jersy with
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227
Mr. Clarke to Gen. Oglethorpe.
all Safety carrying Letters to the Several Gov- ernors : I have likewise told those Gent", that I think it highly requisite that some Presents be ordered from the Southern Governours to be given at that time to the Six Nations which will Operate more Powerfully than any thing else. The French do this yearly, & this Province every two Years give them about Eight hundred pounds (this money) nigh five hundred pounds Sterling and I wish that by Contributions from yours and the other Colonies ye four hundred pounds a Year given by this might be made up Eight hundred pounds that they might have the Presents Yearly, without it I doubt The French will in time gain them from us, which if they do there will be nothing to interupt their march whenever they have a mind to annoy any of the Settlements in the Southern Colonies. The Government of Virginia gave an hundred pounds Sterling in presents to the six Nations when I made ye Peace, and Governour Gooch in his Lett", of the second of Last Month tells me that the Next week he should have an oppor- tunity to consider with the Council what I men- tioned to him, concerning the meeting of The heads of the Indians and the Presents requisite to keep these Northern Ones Steady; tis so very natural (says he) for men that must be gained to side with the best bidder that no wonder those Savages are Sensibly toutched with the weight- iest chain ; from whence I have hopes of his As- sistance, and I flatter myself, Sir, that if you can Your Excellency will Assist me Likewise in
Presents given by the French to the Indians yearly.
A discus- sion over the meeting of the heads of the Indians and pres. ents requi. site for it.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Orton to the Trustees.
this Important point and I wish the Governour of Carrolina may do so to. I am with great respect and honour
Sir / Your Excelcys. most Obed. hum" Serv ..-
Copy of the Honble Geo. Clark's Letter to His Excellency Gen1. Oglethorpe.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 22.) LETTER FROM MR. ORTON TO THE HON. TRUSTEES FOR ESTABLISHING THE COLONY OF GEORGIA AT THEIR OFFICE IN OLD PALACE YARD WEST- MINISTER, LONDON 4 MARCH 1741 READ 21 JUNE 1742
Honble. Gentlemen
Unchristian and rude behavior of the Methodists.
In my last I gave an Account in what State I found the people in general here with respect to their Religion. I have the pleasure now to add that our Congregation is much improved both in the number of Persons & their Regard to, and Zeal for the established Church. The late Un- christian, & rude Behaviour of some of the chief of the Dissenting Party (or Methodists) here towd. me (of which I suppose your Honours will be fully informed by another hand) has con- tributed very much toward exposing their Er- rors & the Bad Effects of their mistaken Prin- ciples, so that that Party is now look'd upon with Contempt by most People. And the gross
Congrega- tion of church much improved.
229
CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Orton to the Trustees.
Abuse, which they have made, of the charitable Allowances & Donations, intended for the Sup- port and Religious Education of Poor Orphans in the Province, is become so evident, that it has in a manner quite sunk the great Opinion which many People in these parts had entertained of their pretended extraordinary Devotion & Sanc- tity : And many persons, who before were pre- judiced by their Erroneous Doctrines, against the established worship, are now return'd to our Communion. So that I am not without some Hopes of regaining many of our Dissenting Neighbours to join with us in Divine Worship .- In order to effect this, I have endeavoured to reconcile them to our Comunion in divine Wor- ship, by what gentle methods of Reasoning I could use; by kind Treatment & expressing my Charity to all.
And because the People of this Neighboorhood were under great Inconveniences for the educat- ing of their Children, for want of a School- . master; and many Parents were prevailed upon (tho' disaffected to the Principles of those Methodist-Teachers,) to send their Children to be teached at the Orphan House, where many of them suffer'd (as I have been credibly inform- ed) in their Bodies by hard Usage, & In their principles & manners by the mistaken Doctrines of their Teachers; & others chose rather that their Children shod. want Letters, than, with them, be corrupted with false principles; To obviate & take off this Hardship, I have taken upon my self the Managemt. of the School, here
Gross abuse made of charitable allowances and do- nations.
Many who were preju- dicial now changed in views.
The incon- veniences attached to the education of children.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Orton to the Trustees.
Mr. Orton taken man- agement of school.
Rowland Orton sent for by brother to help with school.
being None willing, & properly qualified, to un- dertake the Duty .- This Task with my other Duty, I find too hard for me having only one weak Assistant, & Employment still growing upon my hands, I have therefore sent for a Brother of mine, (a Young man, of sober Con- versation,) who I am perswaded will be desirous of coming to assist me in this Undertaking. If your Honours be pleased to approve of this, & encourage him (my Brother Rowland Orton) with some Allowance for his Passage hither & maintenance. I humbly beg Leave to recom- mend him, as One who will (if God preserve his Health) do me much service in this way, as above.
If your Honours shall think fit to give any particular Orders to, or concerning him, Cap: Joseph Avery has Directions to write to him. I shall be heartily glad of the Opportunity, if, in this, or any other way, I can serve your gra- cious Intentions for promoting the Wellfare of this Colony, & am
with all possible Respect,
Gentlemen,
Your most obliged, humble Serv. Christopher Orton.
Savannah March ye. 4'h. 1741/2
N. B. If your Honours should desire to be further informed of any particulars relating to
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CORRESPONDENCE
Thomas Bosomworth to the Trustees.
me, the aforesd. Capt. Joseph Avery (Author of the New Survey of this Colony) is fully ac- quainted with every Circumstance wherein I have been concern'd since my coming to this place, & will (I hope) wait upon you. I believe this Gentleman to be fully qualified to give a full and exact Account of the State of this Colony.
Capt. Joseph .Avery. author of the new survey of the Colony.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 22.)
THOMAS BOSOMWORTH TO THE HONOURABLE TRUSTEES FOR ESTABLISHING THE COLONY OF GEORGIA ;
These Reflections, on the present State and Management, of the Orphan House in that Province :
are humbly and gratefully inscribed
by their Honours most obliged
and most devoted Servant 'T B
Savannah March ye 10: 1741/4.
Honourable Gentlemen
I cannot be entirely acquited from seeming to arrogate, too much Merit to myself, in presum- ing to address this Honourable Society, with
232
COLONIAL RECORDS
Thomas Bosomworth to the Trustees.
Hearty zeal for the glory of God and fellcity of mankind sole motive for engaging in cause.
some serious Considerations, the Product of my leisure Hours, & weak Abilities, since I have been exluded from the World. To impute this to a Desire of gratifying my own Vanity or Am- bition, would be wronging the Native Temper of my Soul too much : I assure your Honours, my hearty zeal, for the Glory of God, & Felicity of Mankind, are the sole Motives that enduce me to engage in this Cause. When I reflect that the Honourable Society, to whom I am writing, are Persons who have so eminently distinguish'd themselves, from the Rest of Mankind, by their noble Endeavours for the Advancement of the Honour of God, the Service of true Religion, &' the good of Mankind; This Consideration in- spires me, as it were, with a becoming Bold- ness, & Freedome of Speech; and gives me sure Confidence, that who ever contributes, even in the lowest Degree, to the promoting of these great Ends, thereby becomes entitled to your Honours Indulgence, & may even promise bin !- self some Degree of your Approbation.
I am sensible Gentlemen that the more you approve of such an Undertaking the greater Concern it will give you, to find it here so feebly executed : yet I have the Pleasure of reflecting, with great Assurance; that the early zeal, & imperfect Fruits of a Genius yet in Embryo, will receive that Sanction, Weight, & Value, from your Humanity, & good Nature, which otherwise they are undeserving of; nor is it possible, that they should be esteem'd upon any other Consideration, than as we value Fruits for
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233
Thomas Bosomworth to the Trustees.
being early; which nevertheless (as an ingen- ious Gentleman observes) are the most insipid, & worst of the Year.
Any Attempts to paint the intrinsiek Beauty, & Excellency, of this destinguishing Virtue (Charity the Subject of this Discourse) would be as vain as needless. All Labours of this Kind are happily superseded by your Honours allow'd, exemplary Inclinations, to this great & indispensable Duty. Permit me only, with all Submission to observe, that this noble & Chris- tian Principle of Charity, is not only a Virtue of the highest Rank, but the most distinguishing Characteristick, & greatest Instance of an ex- alted & capacious Soul. This benevolent Dis- position, is the chief Ornament of our Minds, & glory of our Natures. Charity is an active, operative Principle; which runs throughout the whole Mass, animates, & enlivens all our Thoughts and Actions, & extends itself to the most Minute, & inconsiderable Part of the Hu- man Species ; & with this enobling Circumstance, receiving an additional Glory, & Lustre in pro- portion to the meaness & worthlessness of the Object it is employ'd upon. Nothing sure can be more Divine, nothing can approach nearer to the bright Pattern of all Perfections, than the Exercise of this noble & substantial Virtue, when it flows, from a disinterested publick Spirit of doing Service to Mankind.
With what secret Pleasure could I expatiate upon this exalted Topick! and how seasonable
Charity, the subject of this discourse.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Thomas Bosomworth to the Trustees.
might it be, was it my Business to paint this Christian Virtue, in such Colours as might ani- mate the Cool, & fire the Zeal of Lukewarm, by raising the same Spirit of Charity in others, which has so remarkably display'd itself in you.
Necessary to wrong the cause or do violence to inclinations.
To my great Concern, I find myself under a Necessity either to wrong the Cause I am en- gag'd in, by suppressing evident Matters of Fact, or to do Violence to my Inclinations, by offending against that Modesty which is the con- stant Inmate & Attendant of my Soul.
Notwithstanding the vain glorious Boastings, of these Desperadoes, of scattering their Holy Seeds among the Brambles of America, & their fruitfull Increase; every true Son of the Church, & Welwisher to the Colony, must join with me, in lamenting the mischievous Effects of their horrible Doctrines, & the impending Danger both to Church & State, from the Design & Man- agement of their Seminary, the Orphan House here.
To set my Design under Consideration in a clearer Light, it may be necessary previously to examine, what Ends are proposed by all charit- able Foundations, & by what means these Ends are to be obtain'd; Hence I shall prove how far the true End & Design of the Orphan House is frustrated, & the dangerous Consequences of the present Methods of Proceeding.
Man is by Nature weak & indigent; & not capable of making any comfortable Provision for his own Welfare, but in several Respects
Impending danger to Church and State from man- agement of Orphan- house.
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235
Thomas Bosomworth to the Trustees.
stands in Need of the Protection & Assistance of his fellow Creatures; & in short the whole Species are necessarily fixt in a State of Depend- ency on each other. Hence we have the strong- est Ties and Obligations upon us, both as Men & Christians, to be kindly affectionated, & recip- rocally to contribute to the Necessities of one another. Publiek Happiness & the Welfare of every individual are essentially united; This essential Union arises from the very Condition & Circumstances of our Being, & consequently a Necessity of Human Society, as the common Re- fuge of human Infirmities.
Love, & Charity is the Bond of all human Society; the Fountain from whence flows both publick Peace, & private Ease, which are so es- sentially united, that as soon as the Bond is broken & dissolv'd, the Parts disperse & fly abroad into Atoms, which must necessarily shake the very Foundation of the firmest Con- stitution, nay must eternally destroy the best form'd Polity in the World.
The allwise Author & Fountain of our Being. the better to preserve the common Interest or Welfare of the whole, hath implanted in our Natures, a Principle of Humanity & Tender- ness, which never fails powerfully to intercede in Behalf of such poor Objects, as must, from their necessitous Circumstances, or Want of all manner of Provision for Instruction, tending either to the Goods of their Souls or Bodies, consequently become a Scandal to the Country
The state of depend. ency on each other.
Love and charity, bond of human society.
The Allwise Author and Fountain of our being.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Thomas Bosomworth to the Trustees.
they live in, a Disgrace to human Nature, & com- mon Enemies both to God & Man.
To remedy great evil.
To remedy this great Evil, all charitable Foundations were erected & set on Foot; & the inestimable Blessings of all such pious & laud- able Undertakings, were design'd for, & appro- priated to such Objects, namely Orphans, & poor Children; as are utterly destitute of all manner of Provision either for their temporal or eter- nal Welfare. Such tender Minds are equally susceptible of bad as good Impressions; when such, I say, are turn'd into the World, beset with innumerable Temptations, that Torrent of Vice & Wickedness, which rages in the World must like a Deluge pour in at every Avenue open to receive it, which will soon overwhelm the fair Pasture of an innocent Mind: and the above mention'd destructive Consequences must neces- sarily follow.
The great Ends proposed by all such pious Undertakings, are the Honour of God, & the Benefit of the Nation. The Means by which the first great End (in Respect of poor Or- phans) is to be obtain'd, is by seasoning their tender Minds, with the early Principles of Piety & sound Religion : the saving Knowledge of God, & their Duty, will be an Anchor to the Soul, both sure & stedfast, by influencing the Remainder of their Lives, & keeping them secure from those natural Corruptions, & Vices, which are too often, the Bane of such Youth as unhappily want the invaluable Priviledges & Blessings of such a pious Education. This charitable Re-
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237
Thomas Bosomworth to the Trustees.
gard ought to be had, in the first Place to their Grand Interest, the eternal Welfare of their Souls.
In the next Place the temporal welfare of such poor Orphans, claims a Title to the greatest Care & Diligence, of the Guardian, or Guardians thereof: because the Interest of the whole, & every Individual is essentially united: to pre- serve the Interest of both, great Care ought to be taken, that such poor Children, be brought up to Trades, or such usefull Employments, as the particular Manufactures of their respective Countries may lead them to, by which means they may be put in a Capacity, to make Pro- vision for their worldly Subsistance, & be kept from Idleness, & Beggary, which is the Ruin, as it is the Disgrace of any Country. Thus by being inured to a sober & industrious Way of Living they free themselves from the Tempta- tions of a necessitous Condition, which is the true Cause of most of the Evil we see in the World: And the good Effects thereof as well to themselves, as to the Publick, evidently appear, for instead of being the Bane of all Society, & a Burthen to the Earth (which consequently they must be if left to the Mercy of a raging wicked World) they become serviceable in their little Stations, & usefull Members of Society.
Hence all charitable Foundations, under proper Regulations, drawn up with a Spirit of Piety & Religion, with a View to the eternal Welfare of their Souls, & the temporal Welfare of their Bodies, & these Rules & Orders punc-
The tem- poral wel. fare of poor orphans.
Idleness and beggary disgrace of country.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Thomas Bosomworth to the Trustees.
tually & religiously executed, & observ'd, cannot fail of being an universal Blessing to the Whole Kingdome, as to the particular Persons who enjoy the inestimable Benefits of such glorious Foundations.
Welfare of societies, etc., incor- porated.
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