The dead towns of GeorgiaJones, Charles C., Jr. (Charles Colcock)
History
The dead towns of Georgia
Jones, Charles C., Jr. (Charles Colcock)
Extinct cities -- Georgia; Georgia -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
“As the Mind of Man cannot form a more exalted Pleasure than what arises
from the Reflexion of having relieved the Distressed; let the Man of
Benevolence, whose Substance enables him to contribute towards this
Undertaking, give a Loose for a little to his Imagination, pass over a few
Years of his Life, and think himself in a Visit to _Georgia_. Let him see
those, who are now a Prey to all the Calamities of Want, who are starving
with Hunger, and seeing their Wives and Children in the same Distress;
expecting likewise every Moment to be thrown into a Dungeon, with the
cutting Anguish that they leave their Families expos’d to the utmost
Necessity and Despair: Let him, I say, see these living under a sober
and orderly Government, settled in Towns, which are rising at Distances
along navigable Rivers: Flocks and Herds in the neighbouring Pastures, and
adjoining to them Plantations of regular Rows of Mulberry-Trees, entwin’d
with Vines, the Branches of which are loaded with Grapes; let him see
Orchards of Oranges, Pomegranates, and Olives; in other Places extended
Fields of Corn, or Flax and Hemp. In short, the whole Face of the Country
chang’d by Agriculture, and Plenty in every Part of it. Let him see the
People all in Employment of various Kinds, Women and Children feeding and
nursing the Silkworms, winding off the Silk, or gathering the Olives; the
Men ploughing and planting their Lands, tending their Cattle, or felling
the Forest, which they burn for Potashes, or square for the Builder; let
him see these in Content and Affluence, and Masters of little Possessions
which they can leave to their Children; and then let him think if they
are not happier than those supported by Charity in Idleness. Let him
reflect that the Produce of their Labour will be so much new Wealth for
his Country, and then let him ask himself, Whether he would exchange the
Satisfaction of having contributed to this, for all the trifling Pleasures
the Money, which he has given, would have purchas’d.
“Of all publick-spirited Actions, perhaps none can claim a Preference to
the Settling of Colonies, as none are in the End more useful.... Whoever
then is a Lover of Liberty will be pleas’d with an Attempt to recover his
fellow Subjects from a State of Misery and Oppression, and fix them in
Happiness and Freedom.
“Whoever is a Lover of his Country will approve of a Method for the
Employment of her Poor, and the Increase of her People and her Trade.
Whoever is a Lover of Mankind will join his wishes to the Success of a
Design so plainly calculated for their Good: Undertaken, and conducted
with so much Disinterestedness.”
By such suggestions did Benjamin Martyn[40] seek to enlist the public
sympathy in behalf of the then projected but not established Colony of
Georgia.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account