Florida, and, most important of all, welcomed a colony of Jews, who had
come from London at their own expense, and who soon became as valuable
as any of Savannah's citizens. Probably never before in history had a
Christian community welcomed a party of this unfortunate race, which had
been despised and persecuted from one end of Europe to the other, which
could call no country home, nor invoke the protection of any government.

A year later, another strange band of pilgrims was welcomed--Protestants
driven out of the Tyrolese valleys of Austria. A ship had been sent for
them, and Oglethorpe gave them permission to select a home in any part
of the province, and sent his carpenters to assist them in building
their houses. Georgia owes much of her greatness to these sturdy people,
whose love of independence was to find another vent in the Revolution.

As soon as these new arrivals were comfortably settled and provided for,
Oglethorpe proceeded to London, where he secured the passage of laws
prohibiting slavery and the importation of liquor into the colony, and
not until his connection with it ended were slaves brought in. When he
returned to Georgia, it was with two vessels, and over three hundred
colonists--Scotchmen, Salzburgers and Moravians, the sturdiest people of
the Old World. Oglethorpe welcomed them all, and it was this mixture of
races which served to give Georgia her curious cosmopolitan population.
Another important arrival was Charles Wesley, who came out as a
missionary, and who acted for a time as the Governor's secretary. He was
succeeded by the famous George Whitfield, who labored there until his
death in 1770.

Oglethorpe's public career ended in 1754, when, having returned to
England, he failed of election to parliament. His remaining years were
spent in retirement. That he was an extraordinary man cannot be