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Oglethorpe returns to Georgia with troops, says NO titles or negros

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]

AT last Mr. Oglethorpe comes over for the third Time, in September, with the Remainder of his Regiment, the other Part having come with Col. Cochran in May: But alas! This Regiment was of no Service other than to strengthen us in Case of an Attack. We could neither furnish them in Clothes, Provisions, or a single Thing they wanted. And to put us out of all Hopes of Bettering our Condition, Mr. Oglethorpe was pleased to declare in the Court-House of Savannah, That as long as he had anything to do with the Colony, there should neither be Allowance of Negroes nor Alteration in the Titles of Land; and if any such Thing should happen, he would have no further Concern with it.

Causton was thrown out and the store was closed
The People thus seeing there was no Hope of Redress left the Colony daily. The Trustees’ Credit received a great Shock by them refusing Mr. Causton's certified Accounts and the Public Store going out of business. Many poor Wretches died of Hunger. Causton was turned out of all his Places and the Store was ordered to be sold to pay off the Trustees Debts. Thomas Jones, a Favorite of Mr. Oglethorpe, whose Character we shall have Occasion to give afterwards, was put in Causton’s place as Cash and Store-keeper, only with a different Title: “Magazine keeper.” No one except the Trustees’ Servants were to be supplied from it.

Stephens and Jones turned the Trustees’ servants’ supply house into a price-gouging store
But the Contrary soon appeared. The Sola Bills that were sent over were ordered to be issued out in the Names of William Stephens, Esq; Mr. Thomas Christie and Mr. Thomas Jones, or any two of them. However, the other two conspired and entirely excluded Christie, and paid the bills to whom and for what Purpose they thought convenient. They bought New-York Cargoes and any other Commodities that could be purchased in Quantity and put them into the Magazine, where they were sold out by Jones in Wholesale and Retail for ready Money at exorbitant Rates. They have carried on this trade ever since to their vast profit, but to significant Distress of the poor People who are obliged to give at the Rate almost of Cent per Cent for their Provisions.

The price-gougers have absolute power like Causton, but only over the remains of Savannah
Thus under the Color of no Store, these two keep as open a one as ever Causton did. And by having the Public Money at their disposal, the Payment of all Salaries and Pensions coming through their Hands, they have acquired as absolute power as Causton had. There is one Difference, that Causton's Power in every Respect extended over the whole Colony when it was most populous and Money most plenty; but theirs seems only to affect the wretched Remains of Savannah.

Causton’s prosecution was not on our behalf
We might have imagined that the Trustees were somewhat moved with our repeated Complaints and that Mr. Causton's Removal was owing thereto. But alas, in this we were mistaken. Nothing (as ever we could understand) was laid to his Charge on our Account, and it was of small Benefit to us whether the Mismanagement of Money, which was the Reason of his removal, lies at his or Mr. Oglethorpe's Door. We cannot but here take Notice that Mr. Causton's Case fortifies the Common Observation that those who prostitute themselves to carry on illegal and oppressive Schemes, when they have once stuck in the Mire, they are forsaken by their Employers, and despised by all the World besides.

Frederica imitated Savannah by trying and failing at planting; now they rent rooms to soldiers
Mr. Oglethorpe didn’t stay long in Savannah. His main residence was at Frederica, where they had imitated us. They built a few Houses and cleared some Land, but getting no return on their planting, they left it off. As soon as the Regiment came, almost everybody took to Keeping Public-Houses. This is how the few that now remain live.

We finally decided to lay out our grievances to the Trustees, hoping they would finally hear us
Because ALL the Public Work was stopped, and Clearing Land was found so impracticable that most of us ruined ourselves in the effort, we were in a miserable Condition. All hope from Mr. Oglethorpe ended. We could hardly see what to do. Yet, still thinking the Trustees might be ignorant or misinformed of the present Condition of the Colony, we at last resolved to set forth our Grievances in a short and general Representation, to be signed by all the Free-holders in the Colony, of which the following is an exact Copy: