Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 55
soils, grounds, havens, ports, gulfs and bays, mines, precious stones,
quarries, woods, rivers, waters, fishings, pearls, commodities, jurisdic
tions, royalties, franchises, privileges and preeminences within the said
frontiers. However, only an undivided seven-eighths interest in these
lands was conveyed to the trustees by King George. It will be remem
bered that all this territory had been granted to eight noblemen called
the Lords Proprietors of Carolina; and in ceding the tract thus con
veyed back to the crown only seven of the grantees joined. Lord Car-
teret retained his undivided one-eighth interest. But Georgia perfected
her. title in time by obtaining a deed from Lord Carteret.
Permission was granted for transporting out of the limits of the
United Kingdom or from any of the British dominions into the province
of Georgia, for settlement there, as many subjects of the Crown as should
be willing to go, and also such foreigners as should consent to abide there,
under the allegiance of the English Crown. These were to be given land
rent-free for ten years. Permission was granted also to carry into the
province such munitions of war as were requisite for its defense and
such clothing, implements, furniture, victuals, merchandise, cattle,
horses and wares as were needed by the colonists either for use or for
traffic with the natives. All persons born within the province were to
enjoy all the liberties, franchises and immunities of free denizens and
natural born citizens and subjects of Great Britain as fully as if born
and residing within the Kingdom of England. No grant of land was
to exceed five hundred acres; no member of the trust was to be granted
lands; and no one holding lands was to be elected to the trust. ' There
was to be an ajanual quit-rent of four shillings per hundred acres to be
paid by the trustees for all lands granted to others; and all grants, leases,
plantings, conveyances, settlements and improvements of any lands,
tenements and hereditaments within the province, made by the corpo
ration, were to be registered with the auditor of plantations within one
year from the respective dales thereof; otherwise they were to become
void. From time to time statements showing the progress of the colony
were to be rendered.
Officers to serve the colony including governors, judges, magistrates,
also military and naval officers, were to be commissioned by the common
council, eight members of which body were to constitute a quorum for
the transaction of business, but the right to be reserved by the Crown
to select all officers concerned in the .collection of revenues for the gen
eral government. Commissions were to be issued by the trust under the
common seal. The appointment of a colonial governor was to be ap
proved by the crown and said officer was to take such oath as was
required of governors in the other colonies and give bond for an observ
ance of the various acts of Parliament relating to trade and navigation
and for obedience to all orders issued to him by the home government.
There was also to be a secretary and a treasurer for the colony, neither
of whom could be a member of the corporation.
The charter made adequate provision for a defense of the colony
in the event of hostilities. To this end, the trustees were empowered to
establish a militia; and in an emergency, all who were competent to bear
arms were to be assembled, to repulse, whether on land or at sea, any
enemy, either within or without the province, and in all fitting ways to