USA > Georgia > The history of Georgia: containing brief sketches of the most remarkable events, up to the present day, Vol. I > Part 14
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by her Maker, that the whole globe should know that the ground she stood upon was her own. To prevent any ascendency by bribes over the chiefs and warriors, she kept the leading men constant- ly under her eye, and would not suffer them to utter a sentence on public affairs, but in her pre- sence.
The president finding that no peaceable agree- ment could be made with the Indians while under the baleful influence of their pretended queen, pri- vately laid hold of her, and put her with her hus- band in confinement. This step was found ne- cessary, before any reasonable terms of negocia- tion would be heard. Having secured the royal family who were unquestionably the promoters of the conspiracy, the president employed men acquainted with the Indian tongue, to entertain the warriors in the most friendly and hospitable manner, and directed that explanations should be made to them, of the wicked designs of Bosom- worth and his wife. Accordingly a feast was prepared for all the chiefs and leading warriors ; at which they were informed, that Bosomworth had involved himself in debts which he was unable to pay, and that he wanted not only their lands, but a large share of the king's presents, which had been sent over for the chiefs and warriors; and his object was to satisfy his creditors in Caro- lina at their expense; that the king's presents were only intended for the Indians, as a compensation for their useful services and firm attachment to
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him during the war against their common enemy, and that the lands adjoining the town were reserved for them to encamp upon, when they should come to visit their beloved friends in Savannah, and the three maritime islands to fish and hunt upon, when they should come to bathe in the salt waters: that neither Mary nor her husband, had any right to those lands, but that they were the common property of the whole nation: that the great king George, had ordered the president to defend their right to them, and expected that all his subjects, both white and red, would live together like brethren, and that the great king would suffer no one to molest or injure them; and had ordered these words to be left on record, that they might not be forgotten by their descendants, when they were dead and gone.
This policy produced a temporary effect, and many of the chiefs being convinced that Bosom- worth had deceived them, declared they would no longer be governed by his advice; even Malat- che, the leader of the lower Creeks, and the pretended relation of Mary, seemed satisfied, and was not a little pleased to hear that the king had sent them some valuable presents. Being asked why he acknowledged Mary as the empress of the great nation of Creeks, and resigned his power and possessions to a despicable old woman, while he was universally recognized as the great chief of the nation, and that too at the very time when the president and council were to
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give him many rich clothes and medals, for his services; he replied, that the whole nation acknow- ledged her as their queen, and none could distri- bute the royal presents but herself, or one of her family, as had been done heretofore. The pre- sident by this answer, perceived more clearly the design of Bosomworth's family; and to lessen their influence and consequence, and show the Indians that he had power to divide the royal bounty among the chiefs, determined to take the task upon himself, and immediately dismiss them, on account of the growing expenses of the colony, and the hardships the inhabitants underwent in keeping guard night and day for the defence of the town.
In the mean time Malatche, whom the Indians compared to the wind, because of his fickle and variable temper, having at his own request, ob- tained access to Bosomworth and his wife, was again seduced and drawn over to support their chimerical claims. While the Indians were ga- thered together to receive their respective shares of the royal bounty, he stood up in the midst of them with a frowning countenance, and in violent agitation delivered a speech fraught with the most dangerous insinuations and threats; he de- clared that Mary possessed that country before general Oglethorpe; that all the lands belonged to her as queen and head of the Creeks; that it was by her consent Englishmen were at first permitted to settle on them; that they still held
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the land as her tenants at will; that her words were the voice of the whole nation, consisting of three thousand warriors, and at her command every man would raise the hatchet in defence of her rightful claim : then pulling a paper out of his pocket, he delivered it to the president in confirmation of what he had said. This was evidently the production of Bosomworth, and served to discover in the plainest manner, his ambitious views and wicked intrigues: the pre- amble was filled with the names of Indians, called kings of all the towns in the upper and lower Creeks, none of whom however, were present except two : the substance of the paper corres- ponded with Malatche's speech; styling Mary the rightful princess of the whole nation, des- cended in a maternal line from the emperor, and invested with full power and authority from them, to settle and finally determine all public affairs and causes relative to land and other things, with king George and his beloved men on both sides of the sea; and that whatever should be done by her, they would abide by as if done by themselves. Bosomworth probably did not intend that this pa- per should have been shown, nor was Malatche aware of the consequences of putting it in the hands of the president.
After reading this paper in council, the mem- bers were struck with astonishment ; and Malat- che, perceiving their uneasiness, begged to have it again, declaring he did not know it was a bad
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talk, promising he would immediately return it to the person from whom he had received it. To remove all impressions made on the minds of the Indians by Malatche's speech, and convince them of the deceitful and dangerous tendency of this confederacy, into which Bosomworth and his wife had betrayed them, had now become a matter of the highest consequence: happy was it for the province, that this, though difficult, was practi- cable ; as ignorant savages were easily misled on the one side, it was practicable to convince them of their error on the other; accordingly, having gathered the Indians together, the president de- termining to adopt a bold and decided tone, ad- dressed them with the following speech :-
" Friends and brothers : When Mr. Oglethorpe and his people first arrived in Georgia, they found Mary, then the wife of John Musgrove, living in a small hut at Yamacraw ; he had a license from the governor of South-Carolina to trade with the Indians; she then appeared to be in a poor ragged condition, and was neglected and despised by the Creeks; but General Oglethorpe finding that she could speak both the English and Creek languages, employed her as an interpreter, richly clothed her, and made her a woman of the consequence she now appears; the people of Georgia always respected her, until she married Bosomworth, but from that time she has proved a liar and a deceiver. In fact, she was no relation of Malatche, but the daughter of an Indian woman
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of no note, by a white man : General Oglethorpe did not treat with her for the lands of Georgia, for she had none ; but with the old and wise leaders of the Creek nation, who voluntarily surrendered their territories to the king; the Indians at that time having much waste land, which was useless to themselves, parted with a share of it to their friends, and were glad that white people had set- tled among them to supply their wants. He told them that the present discontents of the Creeks, had been artfully infused into them by Mary, at the instigation of her husband; that he demanded a third part of the royal bounty, in order to rob the naked Indians of their right ; that he had quar- relled with the president and council of Georgia, for refusing to answer his exorbitant demands, and therefore had filled the heads of the Indians with wild fancies and groundless jealousies, in order to ferment mischief, and induce them to break their alliance with their best friends, who alone were able to supply their wants, and defend them against their enemies." Here the Indians desired him to stop, and put an end to the contest declaring that their eyes were now opened, and they saw through the insidious design of Bosom- worth; but though he desired to break the chain of friendship, they were determined to hold it fast and disappoint him, and begged therefore that all might smoke the pipe of peace ; accordingly pipes and rum were brought, and they joined hand in hand, drank and smoked together in friendship,
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every one wishing that their hearts might be united in like manner as their hands. The royal presents, except ammunition, with which it was judged imprudent to trust them, until they were at some distance from town, were brought and distributed amongst them; the most disaffected and influential were purchased with the largest presents; even Malatche himself seemed fully satisfied with his share; and the savages in ge- neral perceiving the poverty and insignificancy of Bosomworth and his wife, and their total ina- bility to supply their wants, apparently determin- ed to break off all connection with them.
While the president and council flattered them- selves with the idea of an amicable compromise of all the existing difficulties, and were rejoicing in the re-establishment of friendly intercourse with the Creeks; Mary, drunk with liquor, and disap- pointed in her royal views, rushed in amongst them like a fury, told the president that these were her people, that he had no business with them, and that he soon should be convinced of it to his cost. The president calmly advised her to retire to her lodgings and forbear to poison the minds of the Indians, otherwise he would order her again into close confinement: upon which turning about to Malatche in great rage, she re- peated, with some ill-natured comments, what the president had said; Malatche started from his seat, laid hold of his arms, calling upon the rest to follow his example, dared any man to touch
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the queen. . The whole house was filled in a mo- ment with tumult and uproar; every Indian having his tomahawk in his hand, the president and coun- cil expected nothing but instant death. During this confusion captain Jones, who commanded the guard, very seasonably interposed, and order- ed the Indians immediately to surrender their arms: such courage was not the only requisite to overawe them, but at the same time great pru- dence was necessary, to avoid coming to extremi- ties : with reluctance the Indians submitted, and Mary was conveyed to a private room, where a guard was placed over her, and all further com- munication with the Indians denied her, during their stay in Savannah. Her husband was sent for in order to reason with him, and convince him of the folly of his chimerical pretensions, and of the dangerous consequences which might result from his persisting in them : but no sooner did he appear before the president and council, than he became outrageously abusive, and in defiance . of every argument which was used to persuade him to submission, he remained contumacious, and protested he would stand forth in vindication of his wife's right to the last extremity, and that the province of Georgia, should soon feel the weight of her power and vengeance. Such con- duct, justly merited a course which it would have been impolitic in the council to pursue; but find- ing that fair means were fruitless and ineffectual, they determined to remove him out of the way
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of the Indians until they were gone, and then humble him by force. After having secured the two leaders, it only. remained to persuade the Indians peaceably to leave the town and return to their settlements : captain Ellick, a young warrior, who had distinguished himself in discovering to his tribe the base intrigues of Bosomworth, being afraid to accompany Malatche and his followers, consulted his safety by setting out amongst the first; the rest followed him in different parties, and the inhabitants, tired out with constant duty, and harassed with frequent alarms, were at length happily relieved.
By this time Adam Bosomworth, brother of Thomas, who was agent for Indian affairs in Car- olina, had arrived from that province, and being made acquainted with the extraordinary circum- stances which had passed, was filled with shame and indignation: he found his ambitious brother not content with the common allowance of land granted by the crown, aspiring after sovereignty, and attempting to obtain by force, and at the ruin of the colony, one of the largest landed estates in the world. His plot was artfully contrived, and had it been executed with equal courage, fatal must the consequences have been; for had be taken possession of the magazine by surprise, on his first arrival in Savannah, and supplied the Indians with ammunition, the militia must soon have been overpowered, and every family would have fallen a sacrifice, to the indiscriminate ven-
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geance of the savages: by the interposition cf his brother, all differences were compromised. Thomas Bosomworth at length having returned to rational reflection, apparently repented of his folly, and solicited the pardon of the council and the people : he addressed a letter to the president acquainting him that he was deeply sensible of his duty as a subject, and of the respect he owed to the civil authority, and could no longer justify the conduct of his wife, but hoped that her pre- sent remorse and past services to the province, would entirely blot out the remembrance of her unguarded expressions and rash design : he ap- pealed to the letters of general Oglethorpe, for her former irreproachable conduct and steady friendship to the settlement, and hoped her good behaviour for the future, would reinstate her in the public favor, and atone for her past offences : for his own part, he acknowledged her title to be groundless, and promised to relinquish all claim to the lands of the province. The colonists forgave him and promised to forget what had passed; public tranquillity was re-established, queen Ma- ry's idle claims were temporarily relinquished, and the royal family left the city about the first of August.
In the course of this year seven or eight ves- sels laden with Georgia produce, sailed from Sa- vannah ; among this number was a ship of four hundred tons burthen, freighted by Harris and Habersham.
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Colonel William Stephens, who had long been : a public servant, and for many years president of the council, resigned his appointment on the 21st of July, and retired to his farm in the country : he represented to the trustees, that the infirmities of age, had produced an imbecility of mind, which had rendered him incapable of doing justice to the arduous functions of his office. Henry Parker vice-president, succeeded him, and was accord- ingly commissioned on the 8th of April, 1751. James Habersham was appointed secretary of the province, and Noble Jones a member of the coun- cil: these appointments were accompanied with the pleasing intelligence of a full and ample release from all the restrictions respecting the titles of land, which it was hoped would not fail to pro- duce industry among the people: a colonial as- sembly was authorised consisting of sixteen mem- bers, proportioned to the population of the diffe- rent parishes or districts : writs of election were issued, and the members were required to con- vene at Savannah, on the 15th of January, 1751. The assembly met on the day appointed, which was signified to the vice-president and council; they were invited to an audience at the council chamber, when the objects of their meeting were suggested to them, observing the valuable pur- poses they might effect, if they should act with magnanimity and prudence. Francis Harris was chosen speaker, and the vice-president was re- quested to form a special court the next day, for
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the purpose of having the oaths of allegiance, su- premacy, and abjuration administered to the mem. bers : Noble Jones and Pickering Robinson, were appointed a committee by the council, and direct. ed to make a general enquiry into, and report the state of the colony to the assembly. The court met and administered the necessary oaths to this committee, and the members of the assembly : the next day the speaker presented an address to the vice president and council.
" Assembly Room, 25th January 1751.
Sir_We the deputies of the several districts in general assembly met, desire to return you our sin- cere thanks for your speech to us, and we assure you we shall endeavor with all concord and unani- mity to go through the business appointed for us to do ; and we also beg leave to embrace this op- portunity of heartily congratulating you on your being appointed vice-president of the province, which we look upon as no more than a just re- ward for your long and faithful services in it ; and we have no doubt but the same steadiness, justice, and candor, which have formerly guided you in the execution of other offices, will direct and go- vern you in this.
FRANCIS HARRIS, Speaker.
Henry Parker, Esquire, Vice-Presi-
dent of the Colony of Georgia."
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The Vice-President returned the following answer:
" Mr. Speaker,
and Gentlemen of' the Assembly,
I heartily thank you for your kind and flatter- ing address, and will always make it my stu- dy and endeavor to promote any thing which may tend to the service and advantage of the colony.
HENRY PARKER, Vice-President of the Colony of Georgia."
The following gentlemen constituted the first general assembly in Georgia.
Savannah District-Francis Harris, Speaker ;- John Milledge, William Francis, William Rus- sel.
Augusta District-George Catogan, David Douglass.
Ebenezer District -Christian Reidlesperger, Theobald Keiffer.
Abercorn & Goshen Districts-William Ewen.
Josephs Town District-Charles Watson.
Vernonbourgh District-Patrick Houstoun.
Acton District-Peter Morell.
Little Ogeeche District-Joseph Summers.
Skidaway District-John Barnard.
Midway District-Audley Maxwell.
Darien District-John Mackintosh, B.
The assembly laid before the president and as- sistants, the following articles which they thought
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might be redressed by them, to which the an .- swers of the vice-president and council are an- nexed.
Ist .- The want of a proper pilot-boat.
Answ .- Shall be represented to the trustees.
2nd .- The want of leave to erect a building under the Bluff, for the convenience of boats' crews, negroes, &c. The building to be erected by subscription.
Answ .- A place will be laid out.
3rd .-- The want of standard weights, scales, and measures.
Answ :- Applied for by the board to the trus- tees, and may be expected.
4th .- Want of a survey of the river.
Answ .- To be done as soon as a proper per- son can be found.
5th .- The want of an order to prevent mas- ters of vessels from heaving ballast, &c. into the river.
Answ .- An order to be published.
6th. - The want of a commissioner for regula- ting pilots and pilotage.
Answ .- A person to be appointed.
7th .- The want of an inspector and sworn packer, to inspect the produce of the colony.
Answ .- To be appointed.
8th .- Want of a clerk of the market.
Answ .- To be appointed.
9th. - The want of regulations for the guard. Answ .- To be remedied.
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10th .- The want of proper officers to com- mand the militia.
Answ .- To be appointed.
11th .- The repairs of the court-house:
Answ .- To be immediately donc.
The business of the assembly being finished, the house adjourned after a session of twenty-two days. It appears that their powers amounted to little more than those of a grand jury, in making a presentment of grievances to be redressed.
The next day after the assembly had adjourn- ed, Thomas Bosomworth and his wife Mary, ar- rived from St. Catharine's, and addressed a long letter to the vice-president, renewing the subject of her claim, complaining of the injustice done to her reputation, and endeavoring to justify her late conduct in claiming the country : she ex- pressed a determination, in case she could not ob. tain from the president and council, what she deemed her just rights, to go over to England, and lay a statement of her claim before the king; and demanded of the president a sum of money to bear her expenses : that if she was culpable, she wished to meet the punishment that her con- duct merited; and if innocent, to be reinstated in his majesty's favor. The council deemed it the best policy to take no notice of her representa- tion, by which means the chiefs of the Creek na- tion would be duly impressed with her insignifi- cance, consequently feel less interested in her concerns and fate. Bosomworth finding that no
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notice would be taken of his remonstrance by the vice-president and council, sold his wife's claim to the lands and improvements, lying between Savannah and Pipe-maker's-creek, and her house and lot in town, to raise funds to meet their ex- penses, in going to England. On his way to Charleston, where he intended to embark, he had his conveyance from the Indians proved be- fore John Mulrine, a justice of the peace, in Grenville county, South Carolina, and recorded by William Pinkney, secretary of state. Pre- pared to establish his claim, he embarked for England : apprehensive that some serious conse- quences might yet grow out of this affair, Patrick Graham, esquire, agent of Indian affairs for the trustees, was directed to make particular inqui- ry of the kings and chiefs of the Creek nation, whether those islands had been, by their know- ledge or consent, sold and conveyed to Thomas Bosomworth and Mary his wife; and if not, to purchase them for and on account of the trustees. Graham made particular inquiries, and satisfied himself that the Indians were entirely ignorant of the transaction, and made the purchase as he had been instructed. Adam Bosomworth, the bro- ther of "Thomas, went into the nation soon after, and prevailed on the Indians to sign another con- veyance to his brother, which was also proved, and
· Sent over to England. The opinion of the best counsel in England was taken upon the case, and the subject was litigated in the courts of Great.
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Britain twelve years. An Indian treaty was held at Augusta, in December, 1755, the principal ob- ject of which was, the investigation of this sub- ject. In the year 1759, a decision was made at the court of St. James' granting to Bosomworth and his wife, the island of St. Catharine's, and instructions were given to sell the other two isl- ands, and the tract of country adjoining Savan- nah, at auction, and out of the proceeds of sale to extinguish all the claims of Bosomworth and his wife; first obtaining a general release and acquittance, renouncing all further claim, preten- tion, or demand whatsoever, and to report proce- dure, and hold the surplus subject to the order of the crown. In conformity with these instructions, the lands were advertised for sale on the premises, on the 10th of December, 1759 : Isaac Levy, entered a protest against the sale, alledging that he had purchased a moiety of the lands in question, from Bosomworth and his wife, and that he had petitioned the king for justice : the sale was sus- pended, and a new suit instituted in England, by Levy, who died not long after, and I believe the case has never been legally decided. Bosom- worth took possession of, and resided on St. Ca- therine's island, where Mary dicd some time after, and he married his chambermaid. Finally, the remains of this trio, were deposited in the same grave-yard on this island, for which they had so long contended.
Noble Jones, James Habersham, and Pickering
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Robinson, were appointed to examine into and report the state of the colony to the trustees: they were also to renew their efforts, to promote the culture of silk. The trustees were still impres- sed with a belief, that this article would be ex- cecdingly profitable, and with proper encourage- ment, might yet be made very beneficial both to the colony, and mother country : the great demand for it in Great Britain, made it an object of the high- est importance. The mulberry-tree grew with- out any other trouble than merely transplanting, and thrived as well as other natural productions : about the beginning of March, the silk worms are hatched from the eggs, nature having provid- ed that they should come into life, at the time mulberry leaves, on which they subsist, begin to open. The feeding and cleaning them, rather requires skill than strength, and young persons were to be employed in gathering leaves : onc man skilled in the art could attend a large house full of worms, and in six weeks the whole pro- cess is compleated. An article which was con- sidered so profitable, and so casily raised, en- grossed almost the entire attention of the trustees, and induced them to offer premiums, by way of encouragement, until the colonists should scc their interest in it : two shillings per pound were allowed for the first quality of cocoons, one shil- ling for the second, and eight-pence for the third. A few persons, well acquainted with the whole process, were brought from Europe, to instruct
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