pioneers of the old south-第25章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


in　the　Piedmont　in　honor　of　the　Governor　and　the　sovereign。　German
craftsmen；　who　had　been　sent　over　by　Queen　Annevine…dressers　and
ironworkerswere　settled　on　Spotswood's　own　estate　above　the　falls　of　the
Rapidan。　The　little　town　of　Germanna　sprang　up；　famous　for　its　smelting
furnaces。

To　his　country　seat　in　Spotsylvania；　Alexander　Spotswood　retired　when　he
laid　down　the　office　of　Governor　in　1722。　But　his　talents　were　too　valuable
to　be　allowed　to　rust　in　inactivity。　He　was　appointed　deputy
Postmaster…General　for　the　English　colonies；　and　in　the　course　of　his
administration　made　one　Benjamin　Franklin　Postmaster　for　Philadelphia。　He
was　on　the　point　of　sailing　with　Admiral　Vernon　on　the　expedition　against
Cartagena　in　1740；　when　he　was　suddenly　stricken　and　died。　He　was　buried　at
Temple　Farm　by　Yorktown。　On　the　expedition　to　Cartagena　went　one　Lawrence
Washington；　who　named　his　countryseat　after　the　Admiral　and　whose　brother
George　many　years　later　was　to　receive　the　surrender　of　Cornwallis　and　his
army　hard　by　the　resting…place　of　Alexander　Spotswood。　Colonial　Virginia
lies　behind　us。　The　era　of　revolution　and　statehood　beckons　us　on。



CHAPTER　XVI。　GEORGIA

Below　Charleston　in　South　Carolina；　below　Cape　Fear；　below　Port　Royal；　a
great　river　called　the　Savannah　poured　into　the　sea。　Below　the　Savannah；
past　the　Ogeechee；　sailing　south　between　the　sandy　islands　and　the　main；
ships　came　to　the　mouth　of　the　river　Altamaha。　Thus　far　was　Carolina。　But
below　Altamaha　the　coast　and　the　country　inland　became　debatable；　probably
Florida　and　Spanish；　liable　at　any　rate　to　be　claimed　as　such；　and
certainly　open　to　attack　from　Spanish　St。　Augustine。

Here　lay　a　stretch　of　seacoast　and　country　within　hailing　distance　of
semi…tropical　lands。　It　was　low　and　sandy；　with　innumerable　slow…flowing
watercourses；　creeks；　and　inlets　from　the　sea。　The　back　country；　running　up
to　hills　and　even　mountains　stuffed　with　ores；　was　not　knownthough　indeed
Spanish　adventurers　had　wandered　there　and　mined　for　gold。　But　the　lowlands
were　warm　and　dense　with　trees　and　wild　life。　The　Huguenot　Ribault；　making
report　of　this　region　years　and　years　before；　called　it　〃a　fayre　coast
stretching　of　a　great　length；　covered　with　an　infinite　number　of　high　and
fayre　trees；　〃　and　he　described　the　land　as　the　〃fairest；　fruitfullest；　and
pleasantest　of　all　the　world；　abounding　in　hony；　venison；　wilde　fowle；
forests；　woods　of　all　sorts；　Palm…trees；　Cypresse　and　Cedars；　Bayes　ye
highest　and　greatest；　with　also　the　fayrest　vines　in　all　the　world　。　。　。　。
And　the　sight　of　the　faire　medows　is　a　pleasure　not　able　to　be　expressed
with　tongue；　full　of　Hernes；　Curlues；　Bitters；　Mallards；　Egrepths；
Woodcocks；　and　all　other　kind　of　small　birds；　with　Harts；　Hindes；　Buckes；
wilde　Swine；　and　all　other　kindes　of　wilde　beastes；　as　we　perceived　well；
both　by　their　footing　there　and　。　。　。　their　crie　and　roaring　in　the
night。〃*　This　is　the　country　of　the　liveoak　and　the　magnolia；　the　gray；
swinging　moss　and　the　yellow　jessamine；　the　chameleon　and　the　mockingbird。

*　Winsor's　〃Narrative　and　Critical　History　of　America〃；　vol。　V；　p。　357。


The　Savannah　and　Altamaha　rivers　and　the　wide　and　deep　lands　between　fell
in　that　grant　of　Charles　II's　to　the　eight　Lords　Proprietors　of
CarolinaAlbemarle；　Clarendon；　and　the　rest。　But　this　region　remained　as
yet　unpeopled　save　by　copperhued　folk。　True；　after　the　〃American　Treaty〃　of
1670　between　England　and　Spain；　the　English　built　a　small　fort　upon
Cumberland　Island；　south　of　the　Altamaha；　and　presently　another　Fort
Georgeto　the　northwest　of　the　first；　at　the　confluence　of　the　rivers
Oconee　and　Oemulgee。　There　were；　however；　no　true　colonists　between　the
Savannah　and　the　Altamaha。

In　the　year　1717the　year　after　Spotswood's　Expedition　…　the　Carolina
Proprietaries　granted　to　one　Sir　Robert　Mountgomery　all　the　land　between
the　rivers　Savannah　and　Altamaha；　〃with　proper　jurisdictions；　privileges；
prerogatives；　and　franchises。〃　The　arrangement　was　feudal　enough。　The　new
province　was　to　be　called　the　Margravate　of　Azilia。　Mountgomery；　as
Margrave；　was　to　render　to　the　Lords　of　Carolina　an　annual　quitrent　and
one…fourth　part　of　all　gold　and　silver　found　in　Azilia。　He　must　govern　in
accordance　with　the　laws　of　England；　must　uphold　the　established　religion
of　England；　and　provide　by　taxation　for　the　maintenance　of　the　clergy。　In
three　years'　time　the　new　Margrave　must　colonize　his　Margravate；　and　if　he
failed　to　do　so；　all　his　rights　would　disappear　and　Azilia　would　again
dissolve　into　Carolina。

This　was　what　happened。　For　whatever　reason；　Mountgomery　could　not　obtain
his　colonists。　Azilia　remained　a　paper　land。　The　years　went　by。　The
country；　unsettled　yet；　lapsed　into　the　Carolina　from　which　so　tentatively
it　had　been　parted。　Over　its　spaces　the　Indian　still　roved；　the　tall
forests　still　lifted　their　green　crowns；　and　no　axe　was　heard　nor　any
English　voice。

In　the　decade　that　followed；　the　Lords　Proprietors　of　Carolina　ceased　to　be
Lords　Proprietors。　Their　government　had　been；　save　at　exceptional　moments；
confused；　oppressive；　now　absent…minded；　and　now　mistaken　and　arbitrary。
They　had　meant　very　well；　but　their　knowledge　was　not　exact；　and　now
virtual　revolution　in　South　Carolina　assisted　their　demise。　After　lengthy
negotiations；　at　last；　in　1729；　all　except　Lord　Granville　surrendered　to
the　Crown；　for　a　considerable　sum；　their　rights　and　interests。　Carolina；
South　and　North；　thereupon　became　royal　colonies。

In　England　there　dwelled　a　man　named　James　Edward　Oglethorpe；　son　of　Sir
Theophilus　Oglethorpe　of　Godalming　in　Surrey。　Though　entered　at　Oxford；　he
soon　left　his　books　for　the　army　and　was　present　at　the　siege　and　taking　of
Belgrade　in　1717。　Peace　descending；　the　young　man　returned　to　England；　and
on　the　death　of　his　elder　brother　came　into　the　estate；　and　was　presently
made　Member　of　Parliament　for　Haslemere　in　Surrey。

His　character　was　a　firm　and　generous　one；　his　bent；　markedly　humane。
〃Strong　benevolence　of　soul；〃　Pope　says　he　had。　His　century；　too；　was
becoming　humane；　was　inquiring　into　ancient　wrongs。　There　arose；　among
other　things；　a　belated　notion　of　prison　reform。　The　English　Parliament
undertook　an　investigation；　and　Oglethorpe　was　of　those　named　to　examine
conditions　and　to　make　a　report。　He　came　into　contact　with　the　incarcerated
…　not　alone　with　the　law…breaker；　hardened　or　yet　to　be　hardened；　but　with
the　wrongfully　imprisoned　and　with　the　debtor。　The　misery　of　the　debtor
seems　to　have　struck　with　insistent　hand　upon　his　heart's　door。　The
parliamentary　inquiry　was　doubtless　productive　of　some　good；　albeit
evidently　not　of　great　good。　But　though　the　inquiry　was　over；　Oglethorpe's
concern　was　not　over。　It　brooded；　and；　in　the　inner　clear　light　where　ideas
grow；　eventually　brought　forth　results。

Numbers　of　debtors　lay　in　crowded　and　noisome　English　prisons；　there　often
from　no　true　fault　at　all；　at　times　even　because　of　a　virtuous　action；
oftenest　from　mere　misfortune。　If　they　might　but　start　again；　in　a　new
land；　free　from　entanglements！　Others；　too；　were　in　prison；；　whose　crimes
were　negligible；　mere　mistaken　moves　with　no　evil　will　behind　them　…　or；　if
not　so　negligible；　then　happening　often　through　that　misery　and　ignorance
for　which　the　whole　world　was　at　fault。　There　was　also　the　broad　and
well…filled　prison　of　poverty；　and　many　of　the　prisoners　there　needed　only
a　better　start。　James　Edward　Oglethorpe　conceived　another　settlement　in
America；　and　for　colonists　he　would　have　all　these　down…trodden　and
oppressed。　He　would　gather；　if　he　might；　only　those　who　when　helped　would
help　themselveswho　when　given　opportunity　would　rise　out　of　old　slough
and　briar。　He　was　personally　open　to　the　appeal　of　still　another　class　of
unfortunate　men。　He　had　seen　upon　the　Continent　the　distress　of　the　poor
and　humble　Protestants　in　Catholic　countries。　Folk　of　this　kindfrom
France；　from　Germanyhad　been　going　in　a　thin　stream　for　years　to　the　New
World。　But　by　his　plan　more　might　be　enabled　to　escape　petty　tyranny　or
persecution。　He　had　influence；　and　his　scheme　appealed　to　the　humane
thought　of　his　dayappealed；　too；　to　the　political　thought。　In　America
there　was　that　debatable　and　unoccupied　land　south　of　Charles　Town　in　South
Carolina。　It　would　be　very　good　to　settle　it；　and　none　had　taken　up　the
idea　with　seriousness　since　Azilia　had　failed。　Such　a　colony　as　was　now
contemplated　would　dispose　of　Spanish　claims；　serve　as　a　buffer　colony
between　Florida　and　South　Carolina；　and　establish　another　place　of　trade。
The　upshot　was　that　the　Crown　granted　to　Oglethorpe　and　twenty　associates
the　unsettled　land　between　the　Savannah　and　the　Altamaha；　with　a　westward
depth　that　was　left　quite　indefinite。　This　territory；　which　was　now　severed
from　Carolina；　was　named　Georgia　after　his　Majesty　King　George　II；　and
Oglethorpe　and　a　number　of　prominent　men　became　the　trustees　of　the　new
colony。　They　were　to　act　as　such　for　twenty…one　years；　at　the　end　of　which
time　Georgia　should　pass　under　the　direct　government　of　the　Crown。
Parliament　gave　to　the　starting　of　things　ten　thousand　pounds；　and　wealthy
philanthropic　individuals　followed　suit　with　considerable　donations。　The
trustees　assembled；　organized；　set　to　work。　A　philanthropic　body；　they　drew
from　the　like　minded　far　and　near。　Various　agencies　worked　toward　getting
together　and　sifting　the　colonists　for　Georgia。　Men　visited　the　prisons　for
debtors　and　others。　They　did　not　choose　at　random；　but　when　they　found　the
truly　unfortunate　and　undepraved　in　prison　they　drew　them　forth；　compounded
with　their　creditors；　set　the　prisoners　free；　and　enrolled　them　among　the
emigrants。　Likewise　they　drew　together　those　who；　from　sheer　poverty；
welcomed　this　opportunity。　And　they　began　a　correspondence　with　distressed
Protestants　on　the　Continent。　They　also　devised　and　used　all　manner　of
safeguards　against　imposition　and　the　inclusion　of　any　who　would　be　wholly
burdens；　moral　or　physical。　So　it　happened　that；　though　misfortune　had　laid
on　almost　all　a　heavy　hand；　the　early　colonists　to　Georgia　were　by　no　means
undesirable　flotsam　and　jetsam。　The　plans　for　the　colony；　the　hopes　for　its
well…being；　wear　a　tranquil　and　fair　countenance。

Oglethorpe　himself　would　go　with　the　first　colonists。　His　ship　was　the　Anne
of　two　hundred　tons　burden…the　last　English　colonizing　ship　with　which　this
narrative　has　to　doand　to　her　weathered　sails　there　still　clings　a
fascination。　On　board　the　Anne；　beside　the　crew　and　master；　are　Oglethorpe
himself　and　more　than　a　hundred　and　twenty　Georgia　settlers；　men；　women；
and　children。　The　Anne　shook　forth　her　sails　in　mid…November；　1732；　upon
the　old　West　Indies　sea　road；　and　after　two　months　of　prosperous　faring；
came　to　anchor　in　Charles　Town　harbor。

South　Carolina；　approving　this　Georgia　settlement　which　was　to　open　the
country　southward　and　be　a　wall　against　Spain；　received　the　colonists　with
hospitality。　Oglethorpe　and　the　weary　colonists　rested　from　long　travel；
then　hoisted　sail　again　and　proceeded　on　their　way　to　Port　Royal；　and
southward　yet　to　the　mouth　of　the　Savannah。　Here　there　was　further　tarrying
while　Oglethorpe　and　picked　men　went　in　a　sma