nestly solicited, refused to afford any relief, or to contribute anything to the discharge of the debt. The Assembly, therefore, determined to remunerate the colony, by disposing of the land from which the Indians had been driven. The terms were so advantageous, that 500 Irishmen immediately came over, and planted themselves on the frontiers. The Proprietors, however, refused to sanction the proceedings of the Assembly, and deprived these poor emigrants of their lands. Some, reduced to extreme poverty, perished from want; others removed to the northern colonies; and the strong barrier between the old settlements and the Indians being thus removed, the country became again exposed to their barbarous incursions. The indignation excited by this infatuated conduct on the part of the Proprietors, was still further heightened by the corrupt and oppressive conduct of Chief Justice Trott, and of Rhett, the receiver-general, who, notwithstanding the representations of the Governor and Council, were continued in their offices, and even thanked for their services. The patience of the people was at length exhausted. In 1719, at a general review of the militia at Charleston, occasioned by a threatened invasion of the colony from Florida, the officers and soldiers bound themselves by a solemn compact to support each other in resisting the tyranny of the Proprietors. The Assembly, which was then in session, presented an address to the Governor, inviting him to administer the government in the name of the King; and on his refusal, they elected a new Governor. The whole matter was ultimately brought before the King in Council; and, after a full hearing, it was decided, that both colonies should be taken under the protection of the Crown. In 1729, seven of the Proprietors gave up their claims to the Crown, on receiving an indem

nity; Lord Carteret only never formally ceded his share. From this time, the two Carolinas had separate governors appointed by the Crown, as well as distinct assemblies; and under their control, the colonies prospered. The soil in the interior of North Carolina being found to be much more fertile than that on the coast, the settlements rapidly advanced into the wilderness. From the more northern colonies, particularly Pennsylvania, numbers were allured into this region by the mildness of the climate and the greater facility of obtaining the necessaries of life. The insurrections in England in favour of the Stuarts, in 1715 and 1745, sent a number of exiles to South Carolina; many arrived from Germany and Switzerland; and the British Government transported 1500 French colonists from Nova Scotia. In one year, 1752, the number of emigrants who arrived from Europe, chiefly foreign Protestants, exceeded 1600. Between the years 1755 and 1759, the hostile incursions of the Cherokees, and a destructive visitation of the smallpox, occasioned a great deal of suffering; but, from that period till the Revolution, the province enjoyed great prosperity, and rapidly advanced in population.*

Of the thirteen provinces which united in the declaration of Independence in 1776, Georgia was the last settled. The country lying within its present boundaries was, previously to the year 1733, a wilder

The prosperity of the Carolinas was materially promoted by an accidental circumstance. Towards the end of the seventeenth century, a vessel from Madagascar touched at one of its ports, the captain of which presented to Governor Smith a bag of seed-rice, informing him of the manner of cultivating it. The seed was divided among several planters, and was found fully to answer ex、 pectation. By this means was introduced what soon became one of the staple commodities of the province.

ness; and, though comprehended within the charter of Carolina, had been claimed by Spain. A very large portion of this State is, in fact, still occupied by the Indians; and in 1820, the total White population was under 200,000 persons.

The circumstances under which the first settlement of Georgia was undertaken, were altogether different from those of the older colonies. The depressed state of trade and industry in Great Britain, led several benevolent individuals to form themselves into an association for assisting such indigent persons as might be disposed to emigrate. The project met with the public support and the patronage from Government which its disinterested object merited; and a patent was granted by George II., dated in 1732, conveying to a corporation of twenty-one trustees, the territory which, in compliment to his Majesty, received the name of Georgia. In November of that year, 113 emigrants embarked at Gravesend, at the head of whom the Trustees had placed General Oglethorpe, a zealous and active promoter of the philanthropic scheme. On their arrival at Charleston in January 1773, the Carolinians, sensible of the advantage of having a barrier between them and the southern Indians, gave the adventurers a cordial reception, supplying them with provisions and boats to convey them to the place of their destination. Yamacraw Bluff, since called Savannah from the Indian name of the river, was selected as the most eligible place for a settlement; and a treaty being held with the Creek Indians, a large tract of land was obtained by cession. The next year, between 500 and 600 emigrants ar rived, to each of whom was assigned a portion of the uncleared territory. But it was soon found, that these people, who were the refuse of cities, having

been rendered poor by idleness or irresolute by poverty, were not fitted to fell the mighty groves of Georgia. A race more hardy and enterprising was required for clearing the wilderness. The Trustees, therefore, issued fresh proposals, inviting settlers who had not, by poverty or persecution, been rendered objects of compassion, and offering to all who should repair to the colony, 50 acres of land. In consequence of this offer, more than 400 persons from Scotland, Switzerland, and Germany arrived in 1735. The Germans settled at Ebenezer; the Scotch at New Inverness, now Darien. In addition to a previous grant, the British Parliament now voted 25,000l. for the benefit of the colony. In 1740, when the Trustees rendered an account of their administration, 2498 emigrants had arrived in Georgia, of whom 1521 were indigent Englishmen or persecuted Protestants from the Continent. The benefactions and parliamentary grants in aid of the benevolent enterprise, had amounted to nearly half a million of dollars; and it was computed, that every emigrant sent out and maintained by the Trustees, had cost, on the average, more than 300 dollars.

The sanguine hopes which the Trustees had cherished, that the colony, planted at so vast an expense, would prosper, and the objects of their beneficence be rendered comfortable, were completely disappointed. The indifferent character of the greater part of the settlers, was not the only impediment to its prosperity. The restrictions imposed upon its commerce, and

The visit of the celebrated John Wesley to Georgia, in 1736, for the purpose of preaching to the colonists, and evangelizing the Indians, and the repeated visits of Whitfield, with a view more especially to establish an Orphan-house, are deserving of most honourable record in the annals of the colony; but, in the present istorical sketch, they must be passed over, having no result of any political importance.

the regulations respecting the tenure of land, had the effect of driving many of the settlers into Carolina, and of otherwise hindering the growth of the colony. Taking as their model the feudal tenures, the Trustees granted the lands in tail-male, and on the failure of male heirs, they were to revert to the donors; any part of the land that was not cleared, inclosed, and cultivated within eighteen years, was also to revert to the Trustees; and the lands were to be held on the condition of military duty, each possessor to appear in arms when called upon for the public defence. By another regulation, evidently dictated by the most humane policy, the importation of negroes and the use of rum were absolutely prohibited, which deprived the colonists of an excellent market in the West Indies for the sale of their lumber. Owing to these circumstances, the whole annual exports of Georgia did not, in 1750, exceed 10,000l. sterling.

The war with Spain, which broke out in 1740, tended also to retard the advancement of the colony. Governor Oglethorpe, being promoted to the rank of general in the British army, at the head of 2000 men, partly from Virginia and the Carolinas, undertook an expedition against Florida. He took two Spanish forts, and laid siege to St. Augustine; but, encountering an obstinate resistance, was compelled to return unsuccessful to Georgia. Two years afterwards, this invasion was retaliated by a large Spanish force. An expedition of thirty-two sail, with 3000 men, arrived in the river Alatamaha, and took possession of Fort St. Simon, which Oglethorpe had previously abandoned. In the mean time, the British General, having assembled 700 men, together with a body of Indians, at Frederica on the island of St. Simon, prepared for a vigorous defence, in the hope of being able to resist