_To the Honourable Trustees for Georgia._
_Cambuslang, Aug. 17, 1742._
_Honoured Gentlemen_,
SOME letters, which I received last week from _Georgia_, occasion my
troubling you with this, which I doubt not will meet with a candid
reception at your hands. I find that Mr. _H――――_ and Mr. _B――――_ have
been taken up by a warrant, and were imprisoned above a week, for a
thing which, I believe, none of you, honoured gentlemen, will judge
cognizable by the civil magistrate. It seems that Mr. _B――――_, in a
private conversation with Mr. _O――――_, (who, I suppose, is the present
minister of _Savannah_) told him, “He was no ‘christian’; that he
wondered at the impudence of young men in subscribing articles they
did not believe; and that he should think it his duty to warn his
friends not to hear him.” I acknowledge that such language was too
harsh; but Mr. _H――――_, who did not say near so much, was linked in
the same prosecution, and imprisoned with him. Mr. _J――――_, who was
then at _Frederica_, being informed of it, declared such a procedure
to be illegal; and his Excellency General _Oglethorp_, desired my
friends to lay the matter before the board of the Honourable Trustees.
I being now upon the spot, they have sent to me a very particular
account of what has passed; which, if you please, honoured gentlemen,
I will transmit unto you, or, when I come to _London_, will wait upon
you in person. I find also, that my friends were denied a copy of
the proceedings of the court: in which, I am persuaded the honourable
gentlemen to whom I am writing, will think they have been wronged.
My friends require no satisfaction, but only desire such a proceeding
may be animadverted upon; knowing that otherwise it will be a great
discouragement to people’s settling in _Georgia_. I am sorry also
to inform you, honoured gentlemen, that five very small children,
(_Swiss_ or _Dutch_) whose parents lately died in their passage from
_England_, have had their goods sold at _Vendue_, and are bound out
till the age of twenty-one years. This I think directly contrary
to the grant given me by you, honoured gentlemen; for thereby I
was impowered to take as many orphans into the house as my fund
would admit of. The magistrates, I understand, have also been at the
Orphan-house, and claim a power to take away the children when they
please, whether the children chuse it, or complain of ill-treatment,
or not. This grieves some of the children, and makes others of them
insolent, who are hereby taught, that they have a power to go away
when they will. This, honoured gentlemen, must be very discouraging to
those who are entrusted with their education; and who, I am persuaded,
aim at nothing but the glory of GOD, the welfare of the colony, and
the salvation of the children’s souls. I suppose that the magistrates
(I mean Mr. _P――――_ and Mr. _T――――_) have taken such a liberty from
the instructions which were sent, honoured gentlemen, from you some
time ago. But Mr. _J――――_ has told them, they have misunderstood you;
and his Excellency General _Oglethorp_ I find has wrote to you,
honoured gentlemen, about it. By the accounts I have, our plantation
thrives well; and Mr. _H――――_ hopes we shall do with white servants
alone. I do assure you, honoured gentlemen, I will do all I can, with
the most disinterested views, to promote the good of _Georgia_: only
I beg the management of the Orphan-house, and orphans, may be secured
to me and my successors for ever; and that the magistrates be not
suffered to disturb us, when there is no ground of complaint. They
acknowledged, when at the Orphan-house last, that the children were
taken good care of, both as to their bodies and souls; and will it
not then, honoured gentlemen, tend much to the welfare of the colony,
that the Orphan-house should meet with all possible encouragement.
His Excellency General _Oglethorp_ has informed my friend Mr. _H――――_,
that, if I desired it, he thought you would grant me a greater tract
of land, which I should be obliged to give away in a certain term of
years, and that we might have our own magistrates, as have the people
of _Ebenezer_. Whether I shall desire such a favour, I know not; but,
if I should, I desire to know, what you, honoured gentlemen, would
say to it. Many have applied to me to settle in _Georgia_; hitherto
I could give them no encouragement. I wish I may be enabled to give
them a great deal for the future. Indeed, honoured gentlemen, I do not
desire to find fault. I doubt not but you have been prejudiced both
against me and my friends. The event will shew what friends we are to
_Georgia_. The Orphan-house will certainly be of great utility to the
colony; and the children educated therein, I trust, will be the glory
of the society to which they belong. They are bred up to industry, as
well as to other things; and are taught to fear GOD, and honour the
king. I am glad to hear that you have lately sent over a gentleman
who (I suppose) will do justice. I think I desire nothing else; and
heartily pray GOD to bless him, and you, honoured gentlemen, and all
that are concerned in the management of _Georgia_ affairs. I hope to
be in town in about two months; in the mean while, I would beg the
favour of a line by your secretary; and also entreat you, honoured
gentlemen, to write to the magistrates of _Savannah_, to let the
Orphan-house managers alone. If I or my friends should happen to
say or do any thing amiss, I assure you, honoured gentlemen, you
shall have all possible satisfaction given you by them, and also by,
honoured gentlemen,
Your very humble servant,
_G. W._