Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

80 GEORGIA AND GEOEGIANS
and Francis Scott were appointed bailiffs. These were the highest magis
terial officers which Georgia knew for several years. Noble Jones was
made recorder. Richard Cannon and Joseph Coles were designated to
serve as constables; while Francis Magridge and Thomas Young were
named as tithing men. Commissions had been issued to these men on
November 8, 1732, a week in advance of the first embarkation; but
Oglethorpe had waited to establish his settlement before imposing upon
these officers the duties encumbent upon them. Conservators to keep
the peace were chosen by the trustees at the same time as follows: Peter
Gordon, William Waterland, Thomas Causton, Thomas Christie, George
Symes, Eichard Hodges, Francis Scott and Noble Jones.
To be keeper of the public stores, Thomas Causton was selected.
The first jury drawn and empaneled in the colony of Georgia was
constituted at this time as follows-. Samuel Parker, Thomas Young,
Joseph Coles, John Wright, John West, Timothy Bowling, John Mil-
ledge, Henry Close, Walter Fox, John Grady, James Carwell, and Eich
ard Cannon.
On July 11, 1733, a vessel bearing forty Hebrew colonists arrived at
Savannah. It was a galvanizing force which came at this time to invigo
rate the province with new life, but there was something irregular in
the method by which these emigrants were transported. They came
direct from England and at the expense of the trustees but not with
the approval of the corporation. Three Jews had been commissioned
by the trustees to solicit contributions in aid of Oglethorpe's scheme.
These were: Alvarro Lopez Sausso, Francis Salvador, Jr., and Anthony
Da Costa. Starting a canvass they had secured benefactions to a large
amount, but instead of paying these funds to the trustees they began
at once to collect Hebrew colonists; and, without permission from the
trustees, chartered a vessel on which forty Jews were transported to
Savannah, using for this purpose the moneys collected by them, chiefly,
no doubt, from Jewish contributors.
Oglethorpe, having received no advice from London relative to these
emigrants, was naturally perplexed. But since the charter of Georgia
guaranteed religious freedom to all except Papists he thought that in
giving the Hebrew colonists a welcome he was acting clearly within the
discretion which the charter of Georgia gave him and was at the same
time exemplifying its philanthropic spirit. As the founder of the
province he well knew for what ends it was called into existence; but he
did not know, of course, that on January 31, 1733, the corporation in
London had instructed its secretary, Mr. Martyn, to demand from the
Jews above mentioned a surrender of the commissions held by them,-
and that in consequence of a refusal to make this surrender an embar
rassing situation had resulted. Oglethorpe's action in receiving the
Jews was not approved. On the contrary, a committee 1 was appointed
to prepare a statement for publication and to assure the public that
Georgia was not "a Jew's colony." Oglethorpe was urged to use his
best endeavors to prevent the Hebrew colonists from acquiring a per
manent foothold in the province. Letters from the trustees informed
him that the sending over of these people had alienated some of the
best friends of the trust and had turned aside many intended bene
factors.