deserted. The freeholders in and round Savanna assembled together, and
drew up a state of their deplorable circumstances, and transmitted it to
the Trustees, in which they represented their success in Georgia as a
thing absolutely impossible, without the enjoyment of the same liberties
and privileges with their neighbours in Carolina. In two respects they
implored relief from the Trustees; they desired a fee-simple or free
title to their lands, and liberty to import negroes under certain
limitations, without which they declared they had neither encouragement
to labour, nor ability to provide for their posterity. But the colony of
Highlanders, instead of joining in this application, to a man
remonstrated against the introduction of slaves. As they lay contiguous
to the Spanish dominions, they were apprehensive that these enemies would
entice their slaves from them in time of peace, and in time of war
instigate them to rise against their masters. Besides, they considered
perpetual slavery as shocking to human nature, and deemed the permission
of it as a grievance, and which in some future day might also prove a
scourge, and make many feel the smart of that oppression they so
earnestly desired to introduce. For as the Spaniards had proclaimed
freedom to them, they alledged that slaves would run away, and ruin poor
planters; and at all events would disqualify them the more for defending
the province against external enemies, while their families were exposed
to barbarous domestics, provoked perhaps by harsh usage, or grown
desperate through misery and oppression.

[Sidenote] Hardships of the first settlers.

Few persons who are acquainted with the country will wonder at the
complaints of the poor settlers in Georgia; for if we consider the
climate to which they were sent, and the labours and hardships they had
to undergo, we may rather be astonished that any of them survived the