A Discourse Concerning the Design'd Establishment of a New Colony to the South of Carolina/Of the Motives, and Foundation of the Undertaking
Of the Motives, and Foundation of the Undertaking.
PLANTATIONS of new Countries, says the Great Lord Bacon, are among the Primitive, and most Heroick Works of Man. They are meritorious in a double Sense; Religiously, as they illuminate the Souls of Heathens through the Darkness of their Ignorance, and Politically, as they strengthen the Dominion, which sends out the Colony, and wonderfully more than any other Means enrich the Undertakers.
But as such Attempts are Great, so also are they Dangerous. One early Caution easily secures their future Benefits; one little Error in Foundation overthrows the Building. It is to a Defect in setting out, that all our noble Colonies upon the Western Continent have ow'd their Disappointments; To a want of due Precaution in their Forms of Settling, or rather, to their settling without any Form at all: The Planters grasp'd at an undue Extent of Land, exceeding their Capacity to manage, or defend: This scatter'd them to Distances unsafe, and solitary, so that, living in a Wilderness, incapable of mutual Aid, the necessary Artizans found no Encouragement to dwell among them; Their Wood remain'd unclear'd; their Fens undrain'd; The Air by that Means prov'd unhealthy, and the Roads impassable; For want of Towns, and Places of Defence, they suddenly became a Prey to all Invaders even the unformidable Indians took Advantage of the Oversight; and Carolina, is, at present, groaning under a most bloody Persecution, from a wild and despicable Kind of Enemy, who had not dar'd to think of the Attempt, but from an Observation daily made, how open and unguarded they might take the English.
From these Examples, and the Neighbourhood of the intended Settlement to Carolina thus distress'd, our future Eden, made early wise by Dangers, which she feels not, would not only fix her Foot upon a firm Foundation, so as to resist a Storm Herself, but she wou'd also spread her Wings to a Capacity of Shadowing Others: A British Colony, shou'd like the Roman, carry with it always something of the Mother's Glory.
Excited therefore, by an earnest Inclination to establish such a Settlement, as may, by new Means, yield new Benefits, as well in Wealth, as Safety, and resolving to proceed upon a Scheme entirely different from any hitherto attempted, and which appears to promise great, and inexpressible Advantages; the Grant on which we found the Undertaking, will be seen in the following Abstract.
"THe underwritten Palatine and Lords Proprietors of the Province of Carolina, do on the Considerations herein after mention'd, grant, sell, alien, release, and confirm to Sir Robert Mountgomry, Baronet, his Heirs, and Assigns, for ever, all that Tract of Land, which lies between the Rivers Allatamaha, and Savanna, together with the Islands, Ports, Harbours, Bays, and Rivers on that Part of the Coast, which lies between the Mouths of the said two Rivers to the Seawards and moreover all Veins, Mines, and Quarries of Gold, and Silver, and all other whatever, be they of Stones, Metals or any other Things found, or to be found within that Tract of Land, and the Limits aforesaid; With Liberty over and above to make Settlements on the South Side of Allatamaha River, which Tract of Land the said underwritten Lords do erect into a distinct Province, with proper Jurisdictions, Priviledees, Prerogatives, and Franchises, Independent of, and not Subject to the Laws of South Carolina, to be holden of the said Lords by Sir Robert, his heirs, and Assigns for ever, under the Name and Title of the Margravate of Azilia; at and under the yearly Quitrent of one Penny Sterling per Acre, or its Value in Goods, or Merchandise, as the Land shall he occupied, taken up, or run out: Payable yearly to the Lords Proprietors Officers at Charles-Town, but such Payment not to commence, till three Years after Arrival of the first Ships there, which shall he sent over to begin the Settlement: over and above which Penny per Acre, Sir Robert, his Heirs, and Assigns, shall also yield, and pay to the Lords Proprietors, one fourth Part of all Gold, or Silver Oar, besides the Quota reserv'd to the Crown out of the said Royal Minerals: Distinct Courts of Judicature to he erected, and such Laws enacted within the Margravate, by and with the Advice, Assent, and Approbation of the Freemen thereof in Assembly, as shall be most conducive to the Utility of the said Margravate, and as near as may be conveniently agreeable to the Laws, and Customs of England, but so as such Laws do not extend to lay Duties or Custom, or other Obstruction upon the Navigation of either of the said Rivers, by any Inhabitant of South, or North Carolina, or their free Commerce and Trade with the Indian Nations, either within, or to the Southward of the Margravate, Sir Robert consenting that the same Duty shall be charg'd on Skins within the Margravate, which at this Time stands charg'd on such Skins in South Carolina, and appropriated to the Maintenance of the Clergy there, so long as that Duty is continued in South Carolina, but the said Duty shall not be encreas'd in Azilia, tho' the Assembly of South Carolina shou'd think fit to encrease it there, nor shall it longer continue to be paid, than while it shall remain appropriated, as at present, to the Maintenance of the Clergy only: In Consideration of all which Powers, Rights, Priviledges, Prerogatives, and Franchises, Sir Robert shall Transport at his own Expence, a considerable Number of Families with all Necessaries for making a new Settlement in the said Tract of Land, and in Case it be neglected for the Space of three Years from the Date of this Grant, The then Grant shall become void, any Thing herein contain'd to the contrary notwithstanding. Dated June the Nineteenth, 1717.
Cartaret, Palatine.
Ja. Bertie for the
Duke of Beaufort.
M. Ashley.
John Colleton, &c.