USA > Georgia > Georgia as a proprietary province; the execution of a trust > Part 5
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On the whole, Oglethorpe was most useful to the colony
*C. R. III: 381.
" Von Reck, Extract from "Journal" 18, cited by Wright 80.
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The Relation of Oglethorpe to Georgia
and very successful in managing its affairs during his first stay in Georgia. He showed industry, foresight, good judg- ment, tact, and sympathy for the people. To this point cer- tainly, the province would have been no better off if it had had a regular governor of the best caliber. The principal error, it seems to us, that had been made hitherto was in failing to establish the magistrates in office at the very beginning. During the first five months, he kept to himself
all authority of every sort.28 28 There is little doubt that he was a better judge and a wiser magistrate than any who had been appointed by the Trustees ; but he could not exercise all the authority satisfactorily, and he would not be in America continuously, so that it would have been better to allow the appointees of the Trustees to enter at once upon their duties. One of the greatest handicaps the province had was lack of respect for its officials ; and this was to a great extent due to the general impression that they were dependent for power on Oglethorpe and that he could veto or alter their actions. It could not be foreseen perhaps that bad results would follow the postponement of inducting the officials into office, and so it was due to an error rather than to a fault that it was not done immediately.
Before he left Georgia, Oglethorpe had been remonstrated with by the Trustees for drawing bills on them without send- ing letters of advice to explain the necessity of the draft. Several such drafts were sent; and the matter became so troublesome that on February 6, 1734, a resolution was passed to the effect that no bill drawn by any person what- soever be accepted or paid by the Trustees unless it be accompanied by a proper letter of advice. This was not enforced with entire strictness against Oglethorpe, however, for they later paid some of his drafts which had not been 2 Wright 73.
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Georgia as a Proprietary Province
properly certified.29 During these early days, he seemed to manage his accounts rather well. Out of a total of about £55,137 spent during the year 1732-1734 by him, he was able to produce vouchers for all but £1,874.30
The Trustees were duly appreciative of the work that Oglethorpe did for the establishing of the settlement. On June 13, 1733, Secretary Martyn wrote to know how long he could remain in the colony and asking who could best superintend the work when he left. Under date of Sep- tember 1, 1733, he wrote again, expressing appreciation of what had already been done and telling him that the Trus- tees wished to send over as many settlers as possible before he left. Again on November 22, 1733, Martyn regretted that the people were misbehaving and feared that the trou- bles might revive when Oglethorpe left the province.31 In addition to the appreciation expressed, all these communi- cations indicate that Oglethorpe's stay in Georgia was ex- pected to be only temporary and that his great work was that of smoothing over the difficulties encountered in the beginning. When he reached England in June, 1734, he was welcomed by an unusually full meeting of the Trustees, and he was heartily thanked by them in a unanimous resolu- tion for the "many and great services he has done the colony of Georgia." 32
The general public received him with demonstrations of high regard and honor for the work he was doing. What- ever may have been the case in the beginning, he was at that time regarded as the decided leader in the founding of Georgia. Poems in his honor were published in "The Gen-
*C. R. II: 53, 56, 58.
" Ibid., 117.
" B. T., Ga., VIII: Letter book arranged by dates.
"C. R. I: 175.
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The Relation of Oglethorpe to Georgia
tleman's Magazine," and medals were struck to commemo- rate his work, while the nobility and gentry poured con- gratulations upon him.33 His one year of labors in Georgia had gained for him more consideration and honor than he could have won from decades of service in Parliament or from a whole life of mingling in the society of the times. It is small wonder then that he determined to return to Georgia. He may have intended to do so anyway; but there is no indication of such an intention on his part or of expec- tation on the part of the Trustees that he would return, until after his very flattering reception at home.
While in England, Oglethorpe was very active indeed in behalf of the colony, responding well to the encouragement he had received from the public. In attendance on the meet- ings of the Trustees, he was prompt and regular. He was present at fifty-five of the sixty-four meetings of the regular corporation, and he attended thirty-four of the thirty-seven meetings of the Common Council, being surpassed in his record by only one or two of the members; and he was also frequently called on for service on committees.
He was largely instrumental in getting the Trustees to pass three laws that were destined to have a large influence on the future history of Georgia. He was chairman of the committee which prepared the laws, and it was through rep- resentations that he made that they were thought neces- sary.34 These laws were for the purpose of regulating the trade with the Indians in the interest of peace with them, of preventing the importation of rum into Georgia, and of prohibiting the use of negro slaves within the province. They were all productive of later troubles within the colony, and they were all in some respects ill advised because not
* Wright 86, 91.
"C. R. I: 70.
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Georgia as a Proprietary Province
suited to the people and to the circumstances in the case; but they seemed reasonable to the Trustees, and doubtless Oglethorpe in urging them felt that they were for the best interests of the province. 35
The powers granted him on his second trip to Georgia were very similar to those possessed by him the first time. He was given authority to divide and lay out the land given in trust for the new settlement of Frederica ; he was author- ized to grant licenses to persons wanting to leave Georgia ; it was his business to administer oaths to the newly ap- pointed officers of the town. In addition, he was granted the power to put the act for keeping peace with the Indians into execution.36 On the first expedition, he was authorized to appoint officers for the militia, while now he was himself appointed to train and instruct them.37 He was definitely given the right to draw bills on the Trustees, and he was the only person in the province to have this right.38 All the notes or sola bills issued by the Trustees had to be signed by him.39 We have noted already that he exercised on his first trip the power to draw bills, though it had not been formally given him. In a few respects, therefore, the powers granted him were more definite and implied an expec- tation of a somewhat extended stay in Georgia to a greater extent than when he first went out; but they were still far from comparable to the powers exercised by any ordinary governor in any of the American colonies.
The company led by Oglethorpe to Georgia in 1735 was the largest number of mere colonists that went to the prov- ince during the proprietary period. There were more than
35 C. R. I: 31 et seq.
8 C. R. II: 120.
37 C. R. I: 228.
" B. T., Ga., VIII: Verelst to Causton, Dec. 2, 1735.
"C, R. II: 113.
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The Relation of Oglethorpe to Georgia
two hundred and eighty settlers in the party, occupying two ships and being accompanied by a sloop of war. Instead of going on the comparatively comfortable sloop, as he had the privilege of doing, Oglethorpe chose to go in one of the crowded ships, paying the passage of his servants, in order that he might better take care of the colonists. He had provided himself with live stock and other refreshments for the missionaries and other companions, but he rarely ate himself anything but the ship's stores. He visited the sick on board, giving them fowls and other dainties from his own stores; and he also visited the accompanying ship as often as possible to render assistance and comfort to the people on it. He lectured the freeholders on the nature of the country they were to settle and told them how best to conduct themselves in it. In all these affairs he showed a strong paternal interest in the people going with him.40
One of the first things Oglethorpe had to do upon his return to Georgia was to consult with the Salzburghers about changing the location of their town of Ebenezer. They objected to the poor quality of the land and requested to move. He objected to this; but he finally yielded the point, and they moved over to Savannah River. Later developments indicate that they rather than Oglethorpe were right in the wisdom of the movement.41
The large embarkation that had accompanied him to Georgia was for the purpose of establishing a new town to help defend the southern boundary of the province against the Spanish. It had been generally understood that it was to be located at St. Simons at the mouth of the Altamaha River. After Parliament granted only £10,000 instead of the £20,000 requested by the Trustees, the latter decided
" Moore in Ga. Hist. Collec. I: 85-88.
" Ga. Hist. Collec. III: 13.
1
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Georgia as a Proprietary Province
unanimously that it would be best not to locate the new set- tlement so far to the south. They wished both the High- landers and the English moved to the Ogeechee River, where provisions would be cheaper, they would be closer to Savan- nah for mutual support and defence, and there would be no necessity for further Indian presents, in order to secure more land.42
A month later Secretary Martyn wrote for the Trustees again, urging the same policy of making the settlements nearer together. They urged that the depth of water in the Altamaha is not sufficient to make it a good harbor, and that was a main dependence in going there. In spite of the expense already met with, they preferred to drop the scheme. They yielded their judgment so far as to allow him to con- tinue the settlement if it seemed necessary to keep the Span- ish from thinking that the English were weakening in their claims to Georgia.43 Oglethorpe evidently regarded it as best to hold to St. Simons as an outpost, and so he con- tinued to settle and to fortify it. As a military leader, it was almost inevitable that he would make this choice, for the mouth of the Altamaha was undoubtedly a better strategic position than any point on the Ogeechee ; but it is not certain that his military training was of great value to the colony in this particular decision.
There are several reasons for thinking that he made a mistake in thus going counter to the expressed will of the Trustees. As they had written him, it was very expensive to establish the new town so far from Savannah; transpor- tation of provisions was a constant drain; the interchange of messages meant an additional outlay of money; and at the same time the resources of the Trustees were decreasing.
"B. T., Ga., VIII: Martyn to Oglethorpe, May 10, 1736.
" Ibid., June 10, 1736.
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The Relation of Oglethorpe to Georgia
Again, the distance from Savannah prevented Oglethorpe from keeping up with affairs in the northern part of the province ; and, as the Trustees trusted to him for letters of information, they were led into grave errors, as we shall see. The settlement of Frederica was of no material benefit to the colony ; the town was prosperous for a little while, but it soon became practically dead. The settlements on the Altamaha were designed as defences for Georgia; but it is by no means certain that they were not sources of more danger than aid. The Spanish made no overt attempts against Georgia and no very vigorous protests against the English settlements there until after the settlements on the Altamaha and on the islands even to the mouth of the St. Mary's River. There is no reason for thinking that they would have disturbed the province at all if it had not been for the warlike aggressiveness of the English in establishing forts far below the charter limits of the colony. It is true that in 1742 the fortifications on St. Simons Island were of immense value in repelling the Spanish invasion; but if the settlement had been on the Ogeechee near Savannah, it is probable that no invasion would have been made. Granting, however, that an invasion would have taken place, we are confident that the same expenditure of money and labor in fortifications would have been sufficient to repel the enemy at the mouth of the Ogeechee or at Savannah itself. If all the efforts of 1735 had been concentrated in the northern part of Georgia, so great an impetus could have been given to it that it would have succeeded from that time instead of going down rapidly as it did after that time. Ogle- thorpe's aggressive measures toward the Spanish may have been partly due to his slight regard for their military abil- ity and his hostility toward them which he unconsciously gained during his service in the War of the Spanish
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Georgia as a Proprietary Province
Succession.
The Trustees did not approve of expenditures on his part for military or any other purposes outside the charter limits of the province; and they wrote to him that he must look to the British government and not to them for reimbursement for expenses thus incurred.44 This is the first intimation we have of a difference of opinion between him and his fellow Trustees that was ultimately to become serious. Oglethorpe was on the ground and he saw work that he thought neces- sary for the protection of Georgia; and so it seemed to him unreasonable that the home authorities should grudge to have the expenses encountered. On the other hand, the Trus- tees found it much more difficult to raise funds to support the colony than Oglethorpe realized; and they thought it rash for him to make expenses of which they had had no notice and for which they had made no provision.
In addition to the settling of Frederica and the estab- lishing of fortifications on the islands along the coast, Ogle- thorpe had other things to occupy him. He succeeded in making a treaty with the governor of St. Augustine and another with the council of war of the same place, whereby peace was to be maintained between Georgia and Florida,45 but these never went into effect for they were vetoed by the Spanish authorities at Havana. He also attended a meet- ing with representatives of South Carolina in order to con- fer with them in regard to disputes over the enforcement of the rum act. The conference was held in Savannah, and the matter was thoroughly discussed, but no agreement was reached; and it was finally carried for decision to the Board of Trade.46
" B. T., Ga., VIII: Martyn to Oglethorpe, July 7, 1736.
"C. R. I: 266.
" Jones "Hist. of Ga." I: 253-255.
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The Relation of Oglethorpe to Georgia
The complaints filed by South Carolina against Georgia made the Trustees fearful that they might not obtain a grant from Parliament during the next session. This anxiety was intensified by the fact that they had not heard any news at all about the province from June to November, and so they could not present any favorable statement as to its condition. In order to answer the complaints and to get the necessary news, it was deemed needful that Ogle- thorpe return in person, as he alone was depended on to furnish information. Accordingly the Trustees requested that he come at once to England,47 and he embarked on his mission November 29, 1736, after being in Georgia on this visit a little less than ten months.
On January 12, 1737, he attended a meeting of the Trus- tees and laid before them his proceedings in Georgia since going there the February preceding. A resolution was passed congratulating him on his safe return and thanking him for his many and important services to the colony of Georgia. +8
In England he attended the hearings before the Board of Trade relative to the disputes with South Carolina, the results of which are given later; and he was greatly inter- ested in getting the British government to take over the defence of the province, relieving the Trustees of this re- sponsibility. This course was finally adopted; and it was determined to raise a regiment of six hundred men for Georgia. Oglethorpe himself was appointed colonel of the regiment ; and he was also nominated captain-general and commander-in-chief of the forces of South Carolina and Georgia.49 Up to this time, he had drawn no salary for his
47 B. T., Ga., IX, Oct. 22, 1736.
"C. R. I: 266-267.
" B. T., Ga., IX: Verelst to Causton, May 27, 1737.
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Georgia as a Proprietary Province
services in the colony. He had been in the service of the Trustees and not of the Crown. Now he would draw the regular stipend of a colonel in the British service; and it seems that he drew in addition a thousand pounds per annum hitherto allowed the governor of South Carolina as commander-in-chief of the forces of that province.50
As a natural consequence, from this time forth Oglethorpe was more and more occupied with the matter of defence, and he could give a proportionally smaller time to the busi- ness affairs of the Trust. The tendency toward preoccupa- tion with defence is reflected in his attendance on the meet- ings of the Trustees while he was at home. He was present at only thirty-nine out of sixty-four meetings of the cor- poration, and at nineteen of twenty-eight meetings of the Common Council. Before he went to Georgia the first time, his attendance was ninety per cent .; on his return to Eng- land it was still about eighty-eight per cent .; while on the second stay at home it was only sixty-three per cent.
On this trip to England, Colonel Oglethorpe's accounts were audited; and it was found that he had kept careful accounts, for he had vouchers for all but £46+ of the large sums that had passed through his hands.51
Since the notes or sola bills issued by the Trustees had been so drawn that only Oglethorpe could issue them, and that he could do it only when in Georgia, the form was now changed to enable him to issue them anywhere. He was de- sired to issue quite a number of them in blank so that they could be sent to Georgia for use by Messrs. Stephens, Caus- ton, and Parker as need should develop. Oglethorpe was to be indemnified against the sola bills he endorsed; and the three officials in Savannah would have to account for them.52
62 Ibid., II: 237-238.
5º C. R. V: 66.
"C. R. II: 244.
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The Relation of Oglethorpe to Georgia
This was another step in the separating of Oglethorpe from the active management of the colony. Before this all ex- penses were to pass under his eye, while after this he would have little knowledge of the ordinary expenses.
This tendency, however, was not continuous. Oglethorpe gave as undivided attention to the civil affairs of the colony for a while after his return to Georgia in September, 1738, as at any time during his connection with it. There had never been any adequate executive authority in Savannah ; and, after the settlement in the southern part of the prov- ince was made, not even Oglethorpe's influence was felt to any degree. Thomas Causton had exercised almost despotic power, and he had gotten the finances of the colony into a most deplorable condition. By order of the Trustees, he was arrested by Oglethorpe and held under bond until the matter could be investigated.53 Affairs seemed in such des- perate straits that Oglethorpe felt called on to pledge his personal credit to insure a feeling of confidence on the part of the people. He offered to advance to the Trustees the income from his estates and his salary for the year.54 They appreciated his work and expressed their feelings to him on several occasions. On February 3, 1739, Accountant Verelst wrote, "The Trustees are sensible of the difficulties you la- bor under and the dangers you are exposed to; . . . They much approve of your conduct under these hardships and are truly animated with a most commendable zeal for the preservation and welfare of that province which you have endured so many fatigues, and gone through so many emi- nent dangers in the establishing of." 55 Later they express appreciation also for the generous advances of money with
53 C. R. II: 247.
" B. T., Ga., XXI: Oglethorpe to Trustees, Oct. 19, 1738.
" Ibid., Verelst to Oglethorpe, Feb. 3, 1739.
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Georgia as a Proprietary Province
which to finance the colony, and they promise to reimburse him as soon as the accounts could be presented to them, but they urge that he do not run beyond the computed rate of expenses. 36 It is evident that they fear that one who is so generous with his own money may be too much inclined to spend freely the money of others which he had in charge.
A service of quite a different sort was performed by him in his visit to Coweta in order to meet with the Creek nation, obtain new land grants from them, and renew the treaty of peace and friendship. The long journey of five hundred miles through the wilderness was successfully made, and the objects of the trip were fully realized.57 Colonel Oglethorpe was a master hand in winning the confidence and support of the red men; and his services were especially important just at this time, as the war with Spain was imminent.
Toward the close of 1739 there developed a somewhat serious disagreement between Oglethorpe and the Trustees as to the amount of authority he was to exert in Georgia. On July 4, 1739, the Colonel wrote to the Trustees that things were in bad shape in the province. He represented that magistrates generally were using their powers to get income for winking at those who disobeyed the laws or they expected large allowances for doing their duty. They were banding together to allow persons to escape who were in- debted to the Trust. There was a general need of a more steady way of doing things, but the people were denying that he had authority over them. He also strongly opposed any changes in the land laws, urging that those who com- plained in the matter were those who made the least im- provements as things were.58 He made it plain that he felt
5 B. T., Ga., XXI: Verelst to Oglethorpe, June 11, 1739.
"C. R. V: 226.
" B. T., Ga., XXI: Oglethorpe to Trustees, July 4, 1739.
العد سلسلة
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The Relation of Oglethorpe to Georgia
that he ought to be allowed to take affairs in hand and to straighten them out; and the Trustees understood perfectly well his meaning, but they were not inclined to yield to him.
They agreed with him that a steady and regular manner of doing things ought to be observed, but they said that this would result best from a faithful performance of the commands of the Trustees. First of all, the estimate of ex- penses ought to be carefully considered and ought not to be exceeded. All funds misapplied are at the peril of the officials neglecting or disobeying in the matter. They seem to doubt somewhat the charges he makes against the officials in Georgia, asking him to make specific and personal charges. They regretted that the people denied authority in him. They declared that such must belong to the factious ele- ment of the settlers. The wiser part must understand that he neither could nor would exceed the power given him by the Trustees who would uphold the powers flowing from themselves. They likewise did not agree with his advice con- cerning the changes in the land laws, admitting that the complainants made little improvements, but thinking that this was due to discouragement in regard to the laws.59
At the same time, Oglethorpe was sent a report of the Committee on Accounts to whom had been assigned the duty of checking up his accounts recently submitted. The report made a number of criticisms as to the Colonel's policies and expenditures. For instance, it criticized him for hiring men to work when there were so many Trust servants in the colony ; it seemed unreasonable to the committee that he should purchase posts when the servants could so easily cut them ; it appeared unnecessary to purchase cattle when there were more than a thousand head in the province; and lastly that receipts for a number of expenditures did not appear, 5º C. R. V: 267-268.
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though the committee did not doubt that they had been properly expended.60
The letter as first prepared by the Trustees was harsher than the one sent as summed up above. It was softened by the Earl of Egmont, but still it was severe enough to much displease Colonel Oglethorpe. The Trustees felt that he wanted to act in all things at his pleasure and to spend whatever money seemed to be needed, while they felt seri- ously the need of strict economy; they thought also that he wrongfully applied some of the Trust money for defence that ought to have been looked after by the general gov- ernment of Great Britain. They had been following almost absolutely his advice in regard to the regulations they would pass for the provinces ; and now they felt that he had made mistakes in regard to several matters. He had always advo- cated maintaining strictly the original provisions as 'to land tenures, rum, negroes, and Indian trade; and he had advo- cated not yielding to South Carolina in the quarrel between the two colonies. They were ready to break away from his advice in regard to land and the South Carolina quarrel, as they were soon to do in other respects.61
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