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Malcontents' comments on the birth of Georgia

Source: A True and Historical Narrative of the Colony of Georgia in America #173

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From 1741 A True and Historical Narrative
edited by Amy

INHABITANTS of all sorts except Roman Catholics, from all Parts of the World, were invited to possess this promised Land; and large Sums of Money from the Parliament as well as Contributions from private and public Charity were collected; the County was laid out as an Earthly Paradise; the Soil far surpassing that of England; the Air healthy, always serene, pleasant and temperate, never subject to excessive Heat or Cold, nor to sudden Changes.

It appeared this colony couldn’t possibly fail due to its natural resources and English support IT was particularly set forth, and with a Show of Reason enough, that this proposed Settlement could not fail of succeeding when the Nation was so bountiful, the King so Gracious, the Trustees so disinterested and honorable, who had, for the Benefit of Mankind, given up that Ease and Indolence to which they were entitled by their Fortunes and the too prevalent Custom of their Native Country; and withal, being able, by seeing the Mistakes and Failures of other Colonies, both to avoid and (Vide a Pamphlet, entitled, A new and accurate Account of the Provinces of South-Carolina and Georgia) rectify them; and lastly, the universal Report of Mr. Oglethorpe's matchless Humanity and Generosity, who was to Conduct the first Embarkation, and who was, in all Appearance, to undergo the greatest Hardships, without any other View than to help the Distressed; and despising Interest or Riches, was to venture his Life, his All, in establishing the intended Settlement. Glorious Presages of the future Happiness of that Colony! Irresistible Temptations to those whose Genius or Circumstances led them to leave their Native Country!

No wonder so many people gave up their livelihood to come here
NO Wonder then that great Numbers of poor Subjects who lay under a Cloud of Misfortunes embraced the Opportunity to again taste Liberty and Happiness; that Jews, attracted by the Temptation of Inheritances, flocked over; that Germans, oppressed and dissatisfied at Home, willingly joined in the Adventure, some as Settlers, and others as Servants to the Trustees; and lastly, that great Numbers of Gentlemen of some Stock and Fortune willingly expended Part of the same in purchasing Servants, Tools, Commodities and other Necessaries to entitle them to such respective Proportions of Land as the Trustees had thought proper to determine, and such Liberties and Properties as they had Reason to expect from his Majesty's most gracious Charter:

But they were disappointed right off when the charter was bypassed
But how much they were all disappointed, the Sequel will show. The First Thing that was done, was bypass the Rights and Titles given by his Majesty and make many other various Restrictions, Services and Conditions, impossible for any human Person to perform; a few of which we shall here enumerate:

New restrictions on land
In the first Place, there was an excessive Quit-Rent laid upon the Land, being a great Deal more than his Majesty's Subjects in the other British Colonies pay, in other words. Twenty Shillings Sterling for every Hundred Acres to be paid yearly; and if it or any Part thereof should be behind and unpaid by the Space of six Calendar Months after any Day of Payment on which the same became due, then the Land was forfeited and returned to the Trustees; as it likewise did upon Failure in any of the following Conditions, namely:
• One Thousand Mulberry Trees always to be growing on every Hundred Acres
• No Partnership or Company to be entered into for making Pot-Ash
• Not to assign or transfer the Land, or any Part or Parcel thereof, or any Estate or Interest in the same, for any Term of Years
• Not to hire, keep, lodge, board or employ, within the Limits of the Province, any Black or Negro
• If the Person holding Land should die without Issue Male, or his Heirs at any Time should die without Issue Male, in that Case likewise, the whole Land was forfeited and reverted to the Trustees; 
• And if any Part or Parcel of any of the Five Hundred Acre Tracts, should remain not cultivated, cleared, planted and improved after the Space of Eighteen Years, such Part to return to the Trustees.

Trustees’ explanation for restrictions
These were the chief Restrictions in all the Grants of Lands, which appeared very hard even to Strangers who had not yet felt them and were ignorant of the Climate and Nature of the Place; but when anyone complained of the Hardships of these restrictions, to pacify the Matter, the responses given were:
• Negroes were entirely useless and unprofitable, 
• Wine, Silk, Olives, Gardens and Manufactures for Women and Children were the intended Improvements of the Colony; 
• The Restrictions of the Rights of Lands were only temporary to prevent the Bartering or Selling them by the unthinking People at an Undervalue
• And concerning the lack of Male Issue, it was asserted that the Trustees being duly petitioned would grant Continuation of the Land to the eldest Daughter, if any, &c. upon their good *Behavior.
*How precarious must this Security be to such unfortunate Person, when their Behavior must be judged by written documentation and hearsay?
• That the Laws of England and the Administration of Justice in the most impartial Manner and most adapted to the Nature of a Free British Government should be ever secured to the Inhabitants.