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138 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS
While oft in whirls the mad tornado flies,
Mingling the ravished landscape with the skies.
Far different those from every former scene,
The cooling brook, the grassy vested green,
The breezy covert of the warbling grove
That only sheltered thefts of harmless love."
However, it was chiefly around Savannah that most of the unrest
was to be found at this period. On December 9, 1738, a petition signed
by 121 male inhabitants of the province was transmitted to the trustees
asking for redress. The misfortunes of the province were at this time
assigned to a two-fold cause: first, the want of a fee simple title to lands;
and, second, the need of negro slaves. But the Scotch settlers at New
Inverness, hearing of this petition, importuned the trustees not to grant
slaves. The arguments made by the Highlanders were: (1) the prox
imity of the Spaniards whose offer of freedom to runaway slaves would
make additional labor necessary to protect slave property; (2) the su
periority of white labor to negro labor; and (3) the modest circum
stances of the settlers who, if encumbered with debt to buy slaves would,
in the event these slaves ran away, be confronted with ruin. In a letter
to Oglethorpe the Salzburgers at Ebenezer also protested against the
introduction of slaves. Consequently there was a refusal by the trus
tees to grant the reforms sought.
Dr. Patrick Tailfer, an apothecary of Savannah, in association with
one Robert Williams, was, according to Oglethorpe, in a letter to the
trustees, dated March 24, 1738, the chief instigator in fomenting strife
among the colonists. This man became literally a thorn in Oglethorpe's
flesh. As the ring-leader of a rowdy element or club of malcontents in
the. province he made himself notorious, so much so indeed that with
some of his followers he was forced to quit the colony and to take refuge
in South Carolina. Signing himself "Plain Dealer," he had addressed
a scurrilous communication to Oglethorpe, replete with sarcasm, denun
ciation and invective. Finding himself beyond the confines of Georgia,
he dropped his literary disguise and, in joint responsibility with two
others, Hugh Anderson and David Douglass, published a defamatory
pamphlet entitled: "A True and Historical Narrative of the Colony
of Georgia." The fine Italian hand of Doctor Tailfer was recognized
in its authorship. There was a vigor'of English about it, an Addisonian
flavor of style, but it failed to compass Oglethorpe's undoing. Even
when thus maligned the object of this defamatory article was planning
a hazardous journey through the forest to negotiate a treaty with the
Indians at Coweta Town and to achieve a diplomatic feat which was
destined to resound with his praise for ages to come. In a letter ad
dressed to the trustees, June 15, 1738, he had intimated his intention of
making this trip. Said he: *
"I have received frequent and confirmed advices that the Spaniards
are striving to bribe the Indians, and particularly the Creek nation,
to differ from us; and the disorder of the traders is such as gives but
too much room to render the Indians discontented; great numbers of
* Colonial Records.