It was in the year 1732, that the measure was meditated in England, of settling a colony between the rivers Savan nah and Altamaha, with a view as well to the accommoda tion of poor people in Great Britain and Ireland, as for affording further security to Carolina. It was proposed for this purpose to raise a fund, which should be expend ed in the conveyance of indigent emigrants to that part of America, free of expence. The plan was countenanced by humane and opulent men, through whose contributions and exertions it was quickly carried into effect. On ap plication to his Majesty George II. letters patent were ob tained June 9th, 1732. In November of the same year, accordingly, 116 settlers were embarked for Georgia, un der the conduct of General Oglethorpe, one of the trus tees, and an active promoter of the measure ; and soon after their arrival, in the beginning of the year 1733, the spot on which Savannah now stands was marked out as the most proper for the foundation of the settlement. Here, therefore, they proceeded to erect a small fort, with a num ber of huts for their accommodation and defence. A was concluded between them and their neigh bours the Creek Indians, and various regulations were framed for their future government. In the formation of these, the general principle assumed was, that each inha bitant was to be considered as at once a planter and a sol dier, who was of course to hold his portion of land as a military fief, and to appear in arms when the occasion re quired it for the public defence. That large tracts of ground might not accordingly, in the course of time, come to be oc cupied by the same person, nor the inconveniences be felt which in other colonies had been found to arise from great possessions, it was thought proper to limit the allowance of land for each family to 50 acres, which allotment, or any part of it, they were not to be permitted to mortgage, not to dispose of by will to their female issue. It was pro vided, that no man should depart from the province with out a licence. Such parts of the lands granted by the trus tees as should not be cleared, fenced round with a warm fence, or pales six feet high, within eighteen years from the date of the grant, were to revert to the trustees for the benefit of the colony. It was forbidden to use negroes, to import rum, or to trade with the Indians, unless in the case of a special licence being previously obtained for that purpose.
In consequence of the sentiments that came to be en tertained at home, respecting the probable anticipated future importance of the settlement in Georgia, parlia mentary aid had at different times been granted to pro mote the objects of the corporation. Additional settlers also were obtained, and these, for the most part, of a character and habits better adapted to the situation than those who had been at first introduced into it. The new corners were chiefly persons inured to labour and fatigue, from the Highlands of Scotland and from Germany, not like those who had preceded them, the idle and useless overflowings of cities and large towns. The accession of this valuable population was such, that within the space of three years, Georgia had received above 400 British subjects, and about 170 foreigners. Adventurers from Scotland, Germany, and Switzerland, still continued to follow their countrymen, contributing to sustain the hopes which the trustees had formed as to the permanence and prosperity of the colony. Several towns were built ; and
in 1739, more than 600 people were employed in trading with the Indians for furs and skins. It was eventually how ever found, that the system of government which had been formed for this colony, how pure soever might be the intentions of those by whom it was prepared, and how wise soever in their estimation, its provisions were in effect highly injudicious, and altogether incompatible with its prosperity. The alterations which it was judged neces sary to introduce into it, though beneficial so far as they went, were not yet sufficient to render it even tolerably supportable ; and the wars in which the province was in volved with the Spaniards and Indians, and the frequent insurrections among the people themselves, added still farther to the general confusion and wretchedness.
In 1741, it was notified to the English government, that of the number of persons that had migrated to Georgia, scarcely a sixth part remained ; and those who still conti nued, were so much discouraged, that they seemed to be desirous of fixing themselves in more favourable situa tions. The distressed and languishing state of the pro vince was, by repeated complaints, represented to the trustees, who, weary of their irksome and thankless charge, at length, in the year, 1752, surrendered their charter to the king, and the province became a royal government. Notwithstanding the expence which had been incurred on account of it, the vestiges of cultivation were at this period scarcely perceptible in its forests; and the whole of the anual exports did not exceed 10,000/. ster ling. It still continued for several years more to struggle under many difficulties, arising from the want of credit with friends, and the frequent molestations of enemies. The benefits of the peace of Paris, which took place in 1763, were, however, very sensibly felt here: the exports of that year were but about 27,000/. ; those of 1773 were little short of I22,000/., while the population and agricul ture of the state were proportionably increased. Georgia suffered a good deal 'during the war with Britain; and even after that was concluded, its progress in improve ment yet lay under some checks and interruptions, from the disputes and hostilities in which it was involved with the Creek Indians ; but a treaty of peace and friendship having, in 1790, been entered into with that nation, it has since been rapidly advancing in all public prosperity. In consequence of an act of the legislature passed in 1795, twenty millions of acres of the Georgia western territory were sold to certain companies, and the purchase money, amounting to 500,000 dollars, was paid into the state trea sury. This land was afterwards sold at an advanced price by the original purchasers, to various persons, principally of the middle and eastern states. This transaction pro duced a great degree of discontent : the ferment, however, afterwards subsided, without any thing having taken place which should shake the confidence of the purchasers as to their security, and the- goodness of their title to the lands which they had thus acquired. See Morse's ?lmeri can (s)