Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

CHAPTER VI
GEORGIA'S EOYAL CHARTER—THE TRUSTEES NAMED THEREIN—THE COR
PORATION TO EXIST FOR TWENTY-ONE YEARS—THE COMMON COUNCIL
—ALL MEMBERS OP THE TRUST TO SERVE WITHOUT COMPENSATION—
DENIED THE RIGHT TO HOLD LANDS IN GEORGIA—RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
GRANTED TO ALL EXCEPT CATHOLICS—REASONS FOR THIS EXCEPTION
—GEORGIA'S TERRITORIAL BOUNDARIES—PERMISSION GRANTED FOB
TRANSMITTING BRITISH SUBJECTS—FOREIGNERS REQUIRED TO TAKE
THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE TO ENGLAND—ALL SETTLERS TO ENJOY THE
RIGHTS OF ENGLISHMEN—No GRANT TO EXCEED FIVE HUNDRED
ACRES, EVEN TO MEN OF MEANS—LANDS TO BE RENT FREE FOR TEN
YEARS—OFFICERS TO SERVE THE COLONY—COMMISSIONS TO BE ISSUED
UNDER A COMMON SEAL—PROVISIONS FOR MAINTAINING THE SETTLERS
—MILITARY REGULATIONS AND POWERS—CRITICAL ESTIMATE OF GEOR
GIA 's CHARTER—FIFTY YEARS SINCE A BRITISH COLONY WAS PLANTED
IN AMERICA—THE CHARTER ACCEPTED BY THE TRUSTEES—SUBSCRIP
TIONS SOLICITED—THE BANK OF ENGLAND MADE CUSTODIAN OF FUNDS
—THE COLONIAL SEAL—MULBERRY TREES AND SILK WORMS—RULES
ADOPTED BY THE TRUSTEES—ESTATES IN TAIL MALE—SLAVERY FOR
BIDDEN—RUM EXCLUDED—LICENSE REQUIRED FOR TRADING WITH
INDIANS—GREAT POPULAR INTEREST AROUSED,
Before proceeding further, let us glance briefly at Georgia's charter.
The new colony was to be named for the reigning sovereign, King George
II, whose royal sanction was affixed to the grant. As the grounds for its
establishment, the various reasons set forth in the preceding chapter
were enumerated. To serve the colony as trustees, all who signed the
petition were designated, to-wit: John, Lord Viscount Percival, Edward
Digby, George Carpenter, James Oglethorpe, George Heathcote, Thomas
Tower, Robert Moor, Robert Hucks, Roger Holland, William Sloper,
Francis Eyles, John Laroche, James Vernon, William Belitha, Esqs.,
A. M., John Burton, B. D., Richard Bundy, A. M., Arthur Bedford,
A. M., Samuel Smith, A. M., Adam Anderson and Thomas Coram, gen
tlemen. These, together with others, afterwards to be elected, were to
constitute a body politic and corporate, in deed and in name, to exist
for a period of twenty-one years and to be styled: The Trustees for Es
tablishing the Colony of Georgia in America. The corporation was
vested with perpetual succession. It was empowered to establish courts,
to make laws, to use a common seal, and to hold lands, hereditaments and
franchises in fee simple, also personal property requisite for settling
and maintaining the colony. It was given the right to dispose of such
holdings by the usual modes of conveyance, including gifts, grants, leases
and demises. It was, moreover, clothed with all the powers necessary
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