42. The Question of Slavery in Georgia (1738-1739)
BY FREEHOLDERS AND THE GEORGIA TRUSTEES
The trustees for Georgia had forbidden the use of slaves in the colony, and for years the matter was a bone of contention between the majority of the colonists and the trustees. — Bibliography: Winsor, Narrative and Critical History, V, 392-404; C. C. Jones, Georgia, I, ch. vi; Channing and Hart, Guide, § 103. — On the general question of slavery, see below, ch. xvi.
A. PROTEST OF THE SETTLERS
To the Honourable the Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia in America.
May it please Your Honours ;
WE whose Names are under-written, being all Settlers, Freeholders and Inhabitants in the Province of Georgia, and being sensible of the great Pains and Care exerted by You in Endeavouring to settle this Colony, since it has been under Your Protection and Management ; Do unanimously join to lay before You, with the utmost Regret, the following Particulars. . . . The Land . . . not being capable to maintain the Settlers here, they must unavoidably have recourse to and depend upon Trade : But to our woful Experience likewise, the same Causes that prevented the first, obstruct the latter ; for tho' the Situation of this Place is exceeding well adapted for Trade, and if it was encouraged, might be much more improved by the Inhabitants ; yet the Difficulties and Restrictions, which we hitherto have and at present do labour under, debar us of that Advantage : Timber is the only Thing we have here which we might export, and notwithstanding we are obliged to fall it in Planting our Land ; yet we cannot manufacture it for a Foreign Market but at double the Expence of other Colonies ; as for Instance, the River of May, which is but twenty Miles from us, with the Allowance of Negroes, load Vessels with that Commodity at one Half of the Price that we can do ; and what should induce Persons to bring Ships here, when they can be loaded with one Half of the Expence so near us ; therefore the Timber on the Land is only a continual Charge to the Possessors of it, tho of very great Advantage in all the Northern Colonies, where Negroes are allowed, and consequently Labour cheap. We do not in the least doubt but that in Time Silk and Wine may be pro duced here, especially the former ; but since the Cultivation of Land
