GEORGIA, one of the United States of America, lying between South Carolina and Florida. It is about 290 miles long from north to south, 250 broad, and its area is about 62,000 square miles. It is bounded by Florida on south, the Atlantic on the east, Alabama on the west, and South Carolina on the north. The whole coast is bordered with islands; the principal of which are Skidaway, Wassaw, Sapelo, Frederica, Jekyll, Cumberland, and Amelia.
The settlement of a colony between the rivers Savannah and Alataamaha was meditated in England in 1732, for the accommodation of poor people in Great Britain and Ireland, and for the further security of Carolina. Private compassion and public spirit conspired to promote the benevolent design. Humane and opulent men suggested a plan of transporting a number of indigent families to this part of America free of expence. For this purpose they applied to the king, George II. and obtained from him letters patent, bearing date June 9, 1732, for legally carrying into execution what they had generously projected. They called the new province Georgia, in honour of the king, who encouraged the plan. A corporation, consisting of 21 persons, was constituted by the name of, The Trustees for settling and establishing the colony of Georgia.
In November 1732, 116 settlers embarked for Georgia to be conveyed thither free of expence, furnished with every thing requisite for building and for cultivating the soil. Mr James Oglethorpe, one of the trustees, and an active promoter of the settlement, embarked as the head and director of these settlers. They arrived at Charlestown early in the next year. Mr Oglethorpe, accompanied by William Bull, shortly after his arrival, visited Georgia; and after surveying
the country, marked the spot on which Savannah now stands, as the fittest to begin their settlement. Here they accordingly began and built a small fort, and a number of small huts for their defence and accommodation. Such of the settlers as were able to bear arms were embodied, and well appointed with officers, arms, and ammunition. A treaty of friendship was concluded between the settlers and their neighbours the Creek Indians, and every thing wore the aspect of peace and future prosperity. But the fundamental regulations established by the trustees of Georgia were ill adapted to the circumstances and situation of the poor settlers, and of pernicious consequences to the prosperity of the province. Yet although the trustees were greatly mistaken with respect to their plan of settlement, it must be acknowledged their views were generous. Like other distant legislators, who framed their regulations upon principles of speculation, they were liable to many errors and mistakes; and however good their design, their rules were found improper and impracticable. These injudicious regulations and restrictions, the wars in which they were involved with the Spaniards and Indians, and the frequent insurrections among themselves, threw the colony into a state of confusion and wretchedness too great for human nature long to endure. Their oppressed situation was represented to the trustees by repeated complaints; till at length finding that the province languished under their care, and weary with the complaints of the people, they in the year 1752 surrendered their charter to the king, and it was made a royal government.
In the year 1740, the Rev. George Whitefield founded an orphan house academy in Georgia about 12 miles from Savannah. Mr Whitefield died at Newbury port, in New England, in October 1770, in the 56th year of his age, and was buried under the Presbyterian church in that place. From the time Georgia became a royal government in 1752 till the peace of Paris in 1763, she struggled under many difficulties, arising from the want of credit and friends, and the frequent molestations of enemies. The good effects of the peace were sensibly felt in the province of Georgia. From this time it began to flourish under the fatherly care of Governor Wright. To form a judgment of the rapid growth of the colony, we need only attend to its exports. In the year 1763, they consisted of 7500 barrels of rice, 9633 pounds of indigo, 1250 bushels of Indian corn, which, together with deer and beaver skins, naval stores, provisions, timber, &c. amounted to no more than 27,021. sterling. Ten years afterwards, in 1773, they amounted to 121,677. sterling. The chief articles of export from this state are, rice, tobacco, indigo, sago, lumber of various kinds, naval stores, leather, deer skins, snake-root, myrtle, bees wax, corn, live stock, &c.
During the American war, Georgia was overrun by the British troops, and the inhabitants were obliged to flee to the neighbouring states for safety. Since the peace the progress of the population of this state is said to have been astonishingly rapid; but it was for a time a good deal checked by the hostile intrusions of the Creek Indians, who continually harassed the frontiers of the state. This evil is now little known, and the recent
Georgia. recent annexation of Florida to the territories of the United States, is likely to secure Georgia from Indian warfare in future.
From the sea coast to the distance of more than 100 miles, the country is a level plain; the soil a sandy loam, and covered with pine, except in the morasses, and places occasionally inundated by the rivers, where it is rich, and favourable to the growth of most agricultural productions. Beyond this plain the surface rises into pleasant waving hills, which stretch backwards till they unite with the chain of Apalachian mountains. This undulating country is extremely rich and fertile.
The climate in general is somewhat warmer than that of South Carolina. The range of the thermometer in winter is from 40 to 60 Fahrenheit. From 1st June to 1st September it fluctuates from 76 to 90; but has been observed as high as 102°. The flat country is moist and unhealthy; but the upper parts are pleasant and salubrious.
The wild animals are still pretty numerous round the swamps, and on the high ridges, especially bears and deer. Alligators abound in the Alatomaha river, yet they are not dreaded, and have rarely attacked men, though they occasionally destroy animals. The magophe or gopher, which inhabits a shell 15 inches long, burrows in the pine lands. It is able to move with a man on its back. Honey bees abound in the swamps, and musquitos are numerous during the heats of summer.
The population of Georgia in 1810 was 252,433, including 107,019 slaves, and 1801 free blacks. Savannah, the largest town, contained 7624 inhabitants in 1817. The population of the state in 1800 was 162,686, including 59,699 slaves, and 1919 free blacks; so that the slaves increased rather faster than the white inhabitants in the interval between these periods. The militia of Georgia in 1815 amounted to 27,480. The shipping of the state in the same year amounted to 15,287 tons; and the exports in 1817 amounted to 8,790,714 dollars. The chief articles of export are live stock, maize, rice, tobacco, cotton, indigo, flour, tar, naval stores, &c.
Cotton is more extensively cultivated in this than in any other state; and the species which grows along the coast, and is known by the name of sea island, is in high estimation. An acre yields about 600 pounds in the seed. Tobacco is also cultivated to a great extent; and within the last ten or fifteen years, sugar has been raised in considerable quantities. It grows along the coast, and about 120 miles inwards. An acre is said to yield from 2000 to 4000 pounds.
Savannah river forms a part of the divisional line which separates this state from South Carolina. It is formed principally of two branches, by the names of Tugalo and Keowee, which spring from the mountains. It is navigable for boats 140 miles. Ogeechee river, about 18 miles south of the Savannah, is a small river, and nearly parallel with it in its course. Alatomaha, about 90 miles south of Savannah river, is navigable as far as Darien. It is a noble river, but of difficult entrance. Like the Nile, it discharges itself by several mouths into the sea. Besides these, there is Turtle river, Crooked river, and St Mary's, which form a part of the southern boundary of the United States.
The principal river in the middle and western parts of this state is the Apalachicola, which is formed by the Catahouchee and Flint rivers. It forms the western boundary of the state for 120 miles, and after a long southern course falls into the gulf of Mexico.
No general character will apply to the inhabitants at large. Collected from different parts of the world, as interest, necessity, or inclination led them, their character and manners must of course partake of all the varieties which distinguish the several states and kingdoms from whence they came. There is so little uniformity, that it is difficult to trace any governing principles among them. An aversion to labour is too predominant, owing in part to the relaxing heat of the climate, and partly to the want of necessity to excite industry. An open and friendly hospitality, particularly to strangers, is an ornamental characteristic of a great part of this people.
In regard to religion, politics, and literature, this state is yet in its infancy. In Savannah is an Episcopal church, a Presbyterian church, a synagogue, and a German Lutheran church, supplied occasionally by a German minister from Ebenezer, where there is a large convenient stone church, and a settlement of sober and industrious Germans of the Lutheran religion. In Augusta they have an Episcopal church. In Midway is a society of Christians established on the congregational plan. Their ancestors emigrated in a colony from Dorchester, near Boston, about the year 1700, and settled at a place named Dorchester, about 20 miles south-west of Charlestown, South Carolina. In 1752, for the sake of a better climate and more land, almost the whole society removed and settled at Midway.—They, as a people, retain in a great measure that simplicity of manners, that unaffected piety and brotherly love, which characterized their ancestors, the first settlers of New England. The upper countries are supplied pretty generally by Baptist and Methodist ministers; but the greater part of the state is without ministers of any denomination.
The numerous defects in the late constitution of this state, induced the citizens pretty universally to petition for a revision of it. It was accordingly revised, or rather a new one was formed, in the course of the year 1789, nearly upon the plan of the constitution of the United States, which has lately been adopted by the state.
The charter containing the present system of education in this state was passed in the year 1785. A college, with ample and liberal endowments, is instituted in Louisville, a high and healthy part of the country, near the centre of the state. There is also provision made for the institution of an academy in each county in the state, to be supported from the same funds, and considered as parts and members of the same institution, under the general superintendence and direction of a president and board of trustees, appointed for their literary accomplishments from the different parts of the state, and invested with the customary powers of corporations. The institution thus composed is denominated the university of Georgia.—The funds for the support of this institution are principally in lands, amounting in the whole to about 50,000 acres, a great part of which is of the best quality,
lity, and at present very valuable. There are also nearly 6000. sterling in bonds, houses, and town lots in the town of Augusta. Other public property to the amount of 1000. in each county has been set apart for the purposes of building and furnishing their respective academies. The funds originally designed for the support of the orphan house are chiefly in rice plantations and negroes.