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GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 213
pended upon, lie is one." * Vernoii deserves to rank very near Ogle-
thorpe in credit for the establishment and success of Georgia. The
latter made more personal sacrifices for it; but Yemen worked with
him in obtaining the charter, and he kept up his interest and efforts for
the province after Oglethorpe and all the other founders had ceased
to labor for it.
Next to Vernon in activity for Georgia, was John, Lord Viscount
Perceval, better known by his later title, the Earl of Egmont. He was
the first president of the corporation and as such administered the oath
of office to his fellow members of the common, council.! In almost all
the lists of the trustees occurring either in the charter or in the records
of the trust, his name stands at the top, for he' was recognized as a
leader among them. Had it not been for his resignation from the com
mon council in 1742 and his death in 1748, he might have equalled or
even surpassed Vernon in his attention to Georgia affairs, for they were
almost equally prompt in service until 1742, Egmont being perhaps a
somewhat more dominant figure than Vernon. In spite of his gout and
other physical handicaps, he took the lead in the affairs of Georgia, and
he seemed to occupy in England a position somewhat similar to that
of Oglethorpe in America, .being the person,to whom others generally
Rooked for suggestions and directions. To him were sent more letters
and reports concerning the province than to any other trustee, and he
was foremost in pressing the claims of the colony for help and support,
knowing better than any other its circumstances and needs. $
Like Vernou, the Earl of Egmont was inclined to be liberal toward
the colonists; but he was more cautious in his policy. He opposed the
giving of good lands for bad too hastily, urging that a more careful
study of the facts should be made. His attitude was that the colonists
ought to make a good showing with what they had before they should
be allowed their full requests.** He was also opposed to the use of
negroes, either free or slave, in Georgia; but his opposition was not
harsh and overbearing like that of some of the other trustees.ft He
strongly favored alterations in the land tenures so as to conform to the
desires of the people of Georgia, giving .as his reason for his position on
the matter a desire to conciliate the settlers in every possible manner
consistent with the purposes of the colony. $$
Though raised to the rank of an earl under the "Walpole adminis
tration, he occupied an independent position in politics. He discloses a
good deal of animus against Walpole himself at various times, accusing
him of deliberately falsifying in order to get the support of the trus
tees.*** Egmont himself felt that it Avas best for him and for the other
trustees to make no alliance with either party, putting the interests of
Georgia ahead of the success of any faction.fft
* Wright. 143-144, 165.
t C. B, I: 66.
tC. R. V: 636, 6,39, 641, 271-273, for example.
** Ibid., 227-228.
tt Ibid., 378.
ft Ibid., 379.
***Ibid., 34, 88, as examples.
ttt Ibid., 132.