Date published: 1741-01-01
Source: An Account shewing the Progress of the Colony of Georgia (ID176)
Author: Georgia Trustees (ID3)
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Race described: English
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Content id: 4251
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1739-01-01 - 1739-12-31

Georgia Trustees' account of the slave problemedit

From 1741 AN ACCOUNT, SHEWING THE PROGRESS OF THE COLONY OF GEORGIA IN AMERICA, FROM IT'S FIRST ESTABLISHMENT. [Edited for readability by Amy] From the 9th June 1739, to the 9th June 1740. While some in Savannah demanded slaves, Carolina was in dire danger of Spanish runaways At the Time that some of the People at Savannah were so clamorous for Negroes (for 75 Land and Freeholders of whom 52 were Freeholders, did not apply for them) the Province of South-Carolina was under frequent Alarms on account of their Negroes there. They had Intelligence that a Conspiracy was formed by the Negroes in Carolina to Rise and forcibly make their Way out of the Province, to put themselves under the Protection of the Spaniards; who had proclaimed Freedom to all who should run away to them from their Owners. That this Conspiracy was discovered at Winyar the most Northern Part of that Province, from whence as the Negroes must bend their Course, it argued that the other Parts of the Province must be Privy to it, and that the Rising was to be universal. Whereupon the whole Province was upon their Guard; the number of Negroes in South-Carolina being computed to be about Forty Thousand, and the number of White Men at most not above Five Thousand. As several Negroes who were employed in Periaguas and other like Craft (which they carried off with them) had taken the Benefit of the Spaniards Proclamation and gone to Augustine, the Government of South-Carolina sent a solemn Deputation to Demand their Slaves; This Deputation consisted of Mr. Brathwaite a Member of the Council, Mr. Rutlidge one of the Assembly, and Mr. Amian Clerk of the Assembly; But the Governor of Augustine tho' in Time of profound Peace, peremptorily refused to deliver them up, and declared he had Orders to receive all such as should come there and protect them. Trustees denied Savannah’s request for Negroes Upon this, and the Petition which was sent from the Highlanders at Darien, and the Saltzburghers at Ebenezer, representing the Danger and Inconvenience of the Introduction of Negroes, the E 28 Trustees sent under their Seal* Answer to the Representation of some of the inhabitants of Savannah. * Appendix, No 11.

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