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was thought that under these restrictions, good, instead of evil, would grow out of the measures which the people had been so long anxious to adopt. The proceedings signed by the president and sanctioned by the members, were transmitted to the trustees: this conference was just clos. ed, when major Horton was taken with a malignant fever, which soon closed his valuable life. In a letter from Mr. Habersham to Gen. Oglethorpe, he says, "Major Horton's unwearied and generous exertions in the service of this colony, have perhaps contributed not a little, to abridge the number of his days. By particular desire he came to Savannah, to meet the president, assistants and other representatives, to consult on an affair of the greatest importance to the colony: his conduct and opinions, gave renewed specimens of his wisdom and prudence. Your excellency knew him well, therefore it would be vain in me to attempt a description of his merits: envy itself is obliged to confess, that he shined in war and in peace, in public and in private stations."

The mode in which land had hitherto been granted, was by a warrant from the president to the surveyors, Messrs. Jones or Robison, and a plat descriptivé of the lot was annexed to the warrant, and recorded by the clerk of the council: the grantees were not satisfied with this informal kind of title, and many of them sent their grants over to England to have them signed by the president of the board of trustees, or some

higher power than had been vested in the executive of Georgia. Application was made to the trustees to grant Hutchinson's island opposite to Savannah, to lady Huntingdon, who agreed to place negroes on it for the cultivation of rice, so as to furnish a substantial and permanent support to the Orphan-house: the proposition was not argreed to, but a tract of five hundred acres was granted in trust to that lady, who stocked it with negroes, and at her decease left a large donation for the use of this institution.

In the same year the remaining troops of general Oglethorpe's regiment, except one company, were disbanded; such of them as did not choose to leave the colony, accepted of the lands allotted for them agreeably to the promise which had been made by the trustees at the time of enlistment such as wished to return to England were conveyed to Charleston in boats, and from thence passages were provided for them at the expense of government.

By the return of these boats from Charleston, Captain Daniel Demetree with ten or twelve men came on, and landed at Causton's bluff, in Augustine creek, and mentioned to some of the inhabitants that he was going to Frederica where he was to be stationed: as he had not reported himself to the president and council, they had a variety of conjectures respecting his authority and objects. Captain Jones was desired to wait on him and demand an explanation of his

extraordinary conduct, in neither waiting upon or reporting himself to the president, who considered himself at the head of affairs in Georgia, and literally clothed with all the powers and functions of governor: Mr. Demetree's reply to captain Jones was, that his instructions were derived from his grace the duke of Bedford by the consent of the trustees; that he was to report to, receive from and obey the orders of governor Glen of South-Carolina, and he reluctantly appeared before the council to give any explanation. The president as may be supposed, was mortified at such contemptuous treatment, and addressed the trustees upon the subject, imagining that governor Glen's influence had been improperly exercised over the duke's friendship, and that it was contemplated to reduce the consequence of Georgia, if not to place it entirely under the government of Carolina; and that this small party would be of little use to the province if placed under his own control, and none at all, if placed under governor Glen's: he conjectured that the influence of that gentleman had been used to bring the province into contempt, and to gratify a private pique, in consequence of a misunderstanding which arose from his interference with the Indian trade at Augusta. Some men of bad character had been licenced by the governor of Carolina in this traffic, whom the Indians had charged with committing frauds upon them in trade, in consequence of which the

goods of others had been seized, and their lives endangered by way of retaliation. This subject had produced an unfriendly epistolary correspondence between them which had not been satis

factorily reconciled. President Stephens persevered in his determination, and directed the troops and inhabitants at Frederica to seize the boats which Demetree had in charge on his arrival, as the property of Oglethorpe's regiment, and to take no notice of Demetree, either in a civil or military capacity until further orders; a copy of this letter and a statement of Demetree's conduct, were sent to governor Glen. Captain Demetree's reception was not such as he was entitled to from his rank in the army, but such as his rude and improper conduct towards the council had justly merited a few days reflection convinced him of the impropriety of his conduct, and on making satisfactory acknowledgments to the president and council, he was ordered to take the command.

On the 14th of December 1747, a number of Indians happened to be at Frederica, when the reverend Thomas Bosomworth was at that place, and a deep plan was laid by that gentleman, either to destroy the colony, or acquire a fortune equal to any in America. An Indian king by the name of Malatche, of an age and standing in the Creek nation well suited to answer Bosomworth's purposes, was present with sixteen others, who gave themselves the titles of kings and

chiefs of the different towns.

Bosomworth sug

gested to Malatche, the idea of having himself coronated in imperial form, by those of his tribe who were with him accordingly a paper was drawn up, filled with royal ceremonies, acknowledging Malatche Opiya Meco, to be the rightful, natural prince and emperor of the dominions of the Creek nation; vesting him with powers to make laws, frame treaties, declare war, convey lands, and transact all affairs relating to the nation; binding themselves on the part of their several towns, to abide by and fulfil all his contracts and engagements.*

This paper being signed and sealed by the pretended kings and chiefs, and witnessed in due form, Malatche requested that a copy of it might be sent over to the king of England for his sanction, and to have it put on record among the archives of his great ally. Having thus far accomplished his purposes, Bosomworth drew up a deed of conveyance in the common form, from Malatche Opiya Meco, emperor of the upper and lower Creek nations, to Thomas and Mary Bosomworth, of the colony of Georgia, for and in consideration of ten pieces of stroud, twelve pieces of duffles, two hundred weight of powder, two hundred weight of lead, twenty guns, twelve pair of pistols and one hundred weight of vermilion; warranting and defending

See appendix No. 4.

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