McIntosh County  Georgia History Letter to Oglethorpe re slavery
(Darien Locality)

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
JBraddock1@aol.com J.G. Braddock


Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/mcintosh.htm
Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm

See this book for more information about this period:
Wooden Ships - Iron Men (a chronicle of four master
mariners David Cutler Braddock, his son John Cutler
Braddock, his father-in-law William Lyford Sr., and
his brother-in-law William Lyford)
   
http://members.aol.com/JBraddock1/wooden.ship.iron.men.index.htm

January 10, 1749

Slavery was banned in Georgia from its founding. An
attempt was made in 1738-39 by some to get the ban
lifted. This attempt was met with strong enough
opposition to be defeated as many made their opinions
known through letters to those who governed the
colony. Had the views expressed at that time by a
group of Scottish settlers from around Darien been
the prevailing spirit throughout this nation during
its colonial years, what grief and travail in years
to come would have been averted.


Colonial Records of Georgia (Excerpts of letter to
Oglethorpe):

January 10, 1749

We are informed that our Neighbors of Savannah have
petitioned your Excellency for the Liberty of having
Slaves.  We hope, and earnestly entreat, that before
such Proposals are hearkened unto, your Excellency
will consider our situation, and of what dangerous
and bad Consequence such Liberty would be of to us .
. .. . . It's shocking to human Nature,  that any
Race of Mankind, and their Posterity, should be
sentenced to perpetual Slavery; nor in Justice can we
think otherwise of it, than they are thrown amongst
us to be our Scourge one Day or another for our Sins;
and as Freedom to them must be as dear as to us, what
a Scene of Horror must it bring about!   And the
longer it is unexecuted, the bloody Scene must be the
greater.   We therefore,  for our own sakes, our
Wives and children, and our Posterity, beg your
consideration, and intreat, that instead of
introducing Slaves, you'll put us in the way to get
some of our Countrymen,  who with their Labour in
time of Peace, and our Vigilance, if we are invaded,
with the help of those, will render it a difficult
thing  to hurt us, or that Part of  the Province we
possess.  We 
will forever pray for your Excellency, and are,  with all 
Submission,
New Inverness, 3d                                         
 Your Excellency's 
most obliged
   humble Servants,

 January 1739                                                                 

John Mackintosh Moore                                   
Daniel Clark, First
John Mackintosh Lynvilge                                Alexander Clarke, Son of the above
Ranald M'Donald                                             Donald Clark, Third, his Mark
H M Hugh Morrison's Mark                                
Jos. Burges his Mark
John Mc Donald                                              Donald Clark, Second
John Macklean                                               Archibald A M B 
M'Bain his Mark
John Mackintosh Son of L                                Alexander Munro
John Mc Intosh                                                  William Munro
James Mc Kay                                                
John Cuthbert
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NOTE: England removed the ban of slavery in Georgia
in January, 1749 upon the receipt of a petition from
several leaders of the young colony, one of which,
I'm sorry to say, was my 5th great-grandfather,
Captain David Cutler Braddock.


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