Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

172 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS
increase in population. According to a census taken in 1750 there was
a net gain of 1,500 souls.
Georgia's first commercial establishment—excepting, of course, the
public store owned by the trust—was organized in 1749 by two enterpris
ing residents of Savannah, Messrs. Francis Plarris and James Habersham.
The latter had accompanied AVhitefield to Georgia and had been associ
ated with him in organizing Bethesda, his celebrated home for orphans.
Habersham and Harris were the colony's first merchants to engage in
foreign commerce. They also chartered the first ship to carry the prod
ucts of Georgia to England, and these enterprising business mep were
largely instrumental in laying the foundations of a trade destined to
yield rich revenues.
To assist the aged William Stephens in the discharge of his execu
tive duties, Henry Parker, on June 26, 1750, had been commissioned
vice-president of the colony, while to the office of secretary James
Habersham had been elected. At the same time, an assembly of the
people of Georgia was called to meet between Michaelmas and Lady
Day, the purpose of which body was to recommend to the trustees what
was deemed for the best interest not only of each particular settlement
but of the province in general. Thus we here find the beginning of
local self-government in Georgia; but this body, as we shall see later,
was not a legislature. It proposed, but did not enact, laws.
The silk industry alone failed to share in the general improvement.
To stimulate the production of silk, Pickering Robinson was placed by
the trustees at the head of this industry, at a salary of 100 pounds per
annum. He was also allowed 25 pounds for a clerk. To act with him
James Habersham was appointed as a special commissioner without
compensation. The year previous, Mr. Robinson had been sent to
France, at the expense of the trust, to acquire new methods at first
hand. On his arrival in Georgia a filature was built at Savannah as a
sort of normal school for the benefit of the colonists. Liberal prices
were offered for green cocoons and substantial outlays were made for
bounties, but despite every effort to foster the industry it continued to
languish. Up to the time when the charter of Georgia was surrendered
by the trustees scarcely 1,000 pounds of raw silk had been raised in
the province. Yet it was warmly asserted, if not actually believed,
in the beginning, that the silk-worm industry of Georgia would, in vari
ous capacities, employ 40,000 individuals, and would net to the Crown
a saving of 500,000 pounds per annum.
On April 8, 1751, Mr. Parker was commissioned president of
Georgia to succeed William Stephens who, now having attained to the
dignity of an octogenarian, was retired on a yearly pension of 80
pounds. Francis Harris and Pickering Robinson were named as assist
ants to the president, while Capt. Noble Jones was commissioned to
serve the colony as registrar.
President Parker's administration was signalized by the meeting of
Georgia's first provincial assembly, but its powers were somewhat lim
ited. Since the authority to enact laws was vested by charter in the
trustees, this assembly, therefore, could not legislate. It merely sug
gested to the trustees such measures as were deemed of vital importance
to the welfare of the province or conducive to its best interests. The