Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

56 GEORGIA AND-GEORGIANS'
destroy or conquer any who, in a hostile manner, might attempt the
invasion, detriment, annoyance' .or destruction of the plantation. Mar
tial law was to be declared in the event of hostilities. The trustees were
furthermore empowered to erect forts, to fortify towns, to establish
garrisons, and to take such other precautionary measures as were req
uisite to protect both the coast and the frontier from the incursions of
marauders, pirates, savages, or enemies. Though a proprietary govern
ment, its militia was to remain in the hands of the king, and the domin
ion of the Crown was to prevail.* Free importation and exportation of
all goods and products was authorized. In conclusion, the life of the
corporation was to continue for twenty-one years, and at the expiration
of this time such a form of government was to be adopted as the Crown
should ordain.
Mr. J. R. McCain, a recognized authority on Georgia's colonial
period, has given us the following critical estimate of her charter.
Says he: t " The granting of such a charter was in a measure a rever
sion to type. It has been noted that more than a hundred years had
elapsed since a corporation resident in England had been chartered for
the purpose of colonization, but it was through corporations in the
nature of trading companies that British colonization was first success
fully achieved within the present limits of the United States. Virginia,
the first of the colonies, was the proprietary province of a corporation
just as was Georgia, the last of the thirteen to be settled. Only two other
corporations had been formed for the purpose of colonizing America,
and they, like the London company, were organized prior to 1630. In
dividual proprietorships had been established, and in the case of Caro
lina eight men had been associated for the purpose of founding a colony:
but apparently the interest in colonization had not been widespread
enough in England from 1630 to 1730 to call for the organization of a
company or corporation. The settlement of Georgia enlisted the inter
est and the aid of a larger number of people than that of any other
British colony.
"Since the charter was granted fifty years later than that of any
other British colony, it is interesting to note the effect of experiments
with the colonies on the terms of the Georgia charter. Since the estab
lishment of Pennsylvania in 1681, there had been marked efforts on the
part of the British government to increase imperial control in America,
and there was a strong tendency to substitute royal provinces for those
of proprietary or corporate nature. In its first report, the Board of
Trade showed several tendencies in this direction. The land was not
granted outright to the petitioners, but they were to be tenants of so
much as they might occupy, paying therefor to the King the rather heavy
quitrent of four shillings proclamation money per hundred acres. Care
ful registers were to be kept to ascertain the King's rights in the mat
ter. Of greater importance, was the provision in the report requiring
that officers be approved by the King, and that all laws be submitted to
him for approval. Moreover, a great deal of imperial control was se
cured by the requirement that officials in the new colony must take
* J. B. MeCain, '' The Executive in Proprietary Georgia,'' p. 13.
t Ibid., pp. 14-16.