n to take over any British subjects, or foreigners willing to
become such, and guaranteed to each settler the rights of an English
subject, and full liberty of conscience,--Papists alone excepted. This
apparently pointed exception was natural enough, since from a political
standpoint the new colony was regarded as a valuable guard for the
Protestant English Colonies on the north, against the Indians and
Roman Catholic colonists to the south, who had been keeping the border
settlers in a continual state of uneasiness, even in times of nominal
peace. Moreover England had not forgotten the terrible experience of
the latter half of the preceding century, when it was war to the death
between Catholic and Protestant, and the latter party being the stronger
the former was subjected to great and unpardonable persecution, many
were executed, and all holding that faith were laid under political
disabilities which lasted for a hundred and fifty years.

The plans of the Trustees were very broad. They intended "to relieve
such unfortunate persons as cannot subsist here, and establish them in
an orderly manner, so as to form a well regulated town. As far as their
fund goes they will defray the charge of their passage to Georgia--give
them necessaries, cattle, land, and subsistence, till such time as they
can build their houses and clear some of their land." In this manner
"many families who would otherwise starve will be provided for, and
made masters of houses and lands; * * * and by giving refuge to the
distressed Salzburgers and other Protestants, the power of Britain, as a
reward for its hospitality, will be increased by the addition of so many
religious and industrious subjects."

Each of the emigrants was to receive about fifty acres of land,
including a town lot, a garden of five acres, and a forty-five acre
farm, and the Trustees offered to give a tract of five hundred acres to
any well-to-do man who would go over at his own expense, taking with
him at least ten servants, and promising his military service in case of
need.

But there was a commercial as well as a benevolent side to the designs
of the Trustees, for they thought Georgia could be made to furnish silk,
wine, oil and drugs in large quantities, the importing of which would
keep thousands of pounds sterling in English hands which had hitherto
gone to China, Persia and the Madeiras. Special provision was therefore
made to secure the planting of mulberry trees as th