Georgia. By His Excellency Sir James Wright, Baronet, captain-general, governor, and commander-in-chief, of His Majesty's said province, chancellor, vice-admiral, and ordinary of the same. A proclamation [Inviting settlement of certain lands upon the Savannah River deeded by the Creek and Cherokee Indians, dated June 11, 1773]

001




GEORGIA.
By His Excellency Sir
JAMES WRIGHT,
Baronet, Captain-General, Governor, and Commander in Chief, of His Majesty's said Province, Chancellor, Vice-Admiral, and Ordinary of the same,
A PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS,
in obedience to his Majesty's Royal Instructions, a Congress was held at
Augusta
by his said Excellency and the Honourable
John Stuart
, Esquire, his Majesty's Agent and Superintendant of
Indian
Affairs for the Southern District, and sundry Kings, Head-Men, and Warriours, of the
Creek
and
Cherokee Indians
, who were fully authorised and empowered to attend at the said Congress, and to act for their several Nations and Tribes respectively: AND WHEREAS the said
Creek
and
Cherokee Indians
did, at the said Congress, on the first day of this instant
June
, duly make and execute a treaty or deed of cession of certain lands above
Little
River and
Broad
River, upon
Savannah
River, and cross the country towards the
Oconee
River; and also of certain other lands between the
Alatamaba
river and
Ogechee
River; and which lands, by his Majesty's instructions, are to be sold and disposed of to such of his good subjects who may remove into this province to purchase and settle thereon: IT IS THEREFORE HEREBY NOTIFIED, That Surveyors are appointed, and are now running and marking the outlines of the lands ceded as aforesaid, and that the frame will be parcelled out in different tracts, as soon as conveniently may be, from 100 to 1000 acres, the better to accommodate the buyers, according to their number in family, and which lands will be sold and granted to the purchasers agreeable to his Majesty's instructions; that is to say, 100 acres to the master or head of the family, and 50 acres for the wife and each child, and also 50 acres for each slave: And, for the further encouragement of the settling of the said lands, the masters or heads of families will be allowed to purchase 50 acres for each able bodied white servant man who they shall bring in to settle thereon, provided such servants be indented for a term not less than two years, to commence from the time they come into the province; and also 25 acres for every woman servant from the age of 15 years to 40 years, provided such women servants be indented for a term not less than two years, to commence from the time they come into the province; and that the master makes oath that such servant or servants are
bona fide
meant to be employed on the said lands, and shall not with his privity or consent remove out of this province during the term of his or her servitude.
AND IT IS FURTHER NOTIFIED, That all persons are now at liberty to come into this province to view the said lands, and, when the surveys are made, then to make choice for themselves of such tract of land as they may like best to purchase and settle upon, and which will be granted them on the most moderate terms according to the quality of the same. AND IT IS FURTHER NOTIFIED, That his most gracious Majesty, as an encouragement to his good subjects to purchase and settle on the said lands, hath been pleased to authorise the Governor of the said province to sign grants exempted from the payment of quit-rents for the term of ten years from the date thereof; and it is also expected that some other exemptions and privileges will be granted to the said settlers by the Legislature of this province. AND IT IS NECESSARY ALSO TO DECLARE, for the information and satisfaction of such as may be disposed to purchase and settle as aforesaid, That the said lands are in general of the most fertile quality, and fit for the production of wheat,
Indian
corn, indico, tobacco, hemp, flax, &c: &c. &c. That it is a pleasant and very healthy part of the province; and that the said lands are extremely well watered by
Savannah
River,
Ogechee
River,
Little
River, and
Broad
River, and a great number of creeks and branches which run throughout the whole country, and empty themselves into the aforesaid rivers: Also that there is abundance of springs and very fine water: That
Little
River, where the land ceded as aforesaid begins, is but 22 miles above the Town of
Augusta
, which town is only 139 miles above the Town of
Savannah
, which is the seat of government in this province: That the settlers will always find a ready sale and market at
Augusta
for every kind of produce and stock that may be raised by them, or, if they prefer it, have very good and safe water carriage down
Savannah
River to the Town of
Savannah
; and, if they rather choose to carry their produce by land, there is a good waggon road all the way from
Little
River to
Savannah
. AND IT IS FURTHER NOTIFIED AND DECLARED, That, to the end the said settlers may be safe and secure with respect to their persons and properties, and in order to prevent any interruption to them by disorderly hunters, vagrants, and wanderers, or by any straggling
Indians
, a fort will be forthwith built, and garrisoned by a competent number of Officers and Men to be employed as Rangers for the security and protection of the settlers: That there is a very good and sufficient law in this province for the punishment of vagrants and disorderly white people, and that the several Officers of the Troop of Rangers will be put in the Commission of the Peace, in order the better to enable them to enforce and execute the said law against wagrants, &c. That the said lands adjoin a well settled part of the province, where law, justice, and government, have their full and free force and effect; great blessings to well disposed people, and which cannot be enjoyed in more remote new settlements: And that in general every thing will be done in the power of this province to establish good order in the said settlement, and to promote the interest and happiness of the settlers on the said lands.

Given under my hand and the great seal of his Majesty's said province, in the Council-Chamber at Savannah, the eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and seventy-three, and in the thirteenth year of his Majesty's reign
.

J. A. WRIGHT.

By His Excellency's Command,
THO
s
. MOODIE
, Dep. Secr.

God save the King.


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