MEMORIAL, Humbly shewing, the Past and Present State of the Land lying Waste and Un-inhabited between Nova-Scotia, and the Province of Main in New-England in AMERICA.
THAT the said Land was first possess'd by the French, and about the beginning of the Reign of King Charles the Second, the Dutch in their War then with France, drove the French from thence. It was afterwards with New-York confirm'd to the Crown of England, and King Charles the Second granted it with New-York to his Brother Iames Duke of York, who at his own Expence settled One Thousand One Hundred English Families thereon, and kept it in his own Possession 'till he Abdicated the Crown, and at the Revolution the said Settlement was broke up and destroy'd by Fire and Sword by the French and Frenchify'd Indians from Canada, &c. And the whole Land laid wast as it remains to this Day.
THE Inhabitants of the Province of the Massatusets-Bay, by a false Suggestion, obtain'd a Grant of the said Land from their late Majesties King William and Queen Mary in the Year 1691, with a Reservation, that the Government of the Massatusets should pass no Grants of any of the said Lands without the Approbation of the Crown; After which, the Massatusets would not be at the Expence of Protecting and Defending the same, but in the Year 1696, gave it up to the French King, to whom it remained 'till the Year 1710, that General Nicholson with her late Majesties Arms Reconquer'd the same; which was confirm'd to the Crown of Great-Britain by the Treaty of Utrecht. But neither the Massatusets nor the French, settled any Inhabitants thereon since the Revolution.
THE North side of it adjoyning to Quebeck, the Seat of the Government of Canada and the native Indians there being converted by the French-Iesuits, and poyson'd by their Principles, and constantly Allyed and Confederated with the French Nation, will render it Impossible to be Settled but in time of Peace with France: For which reason, and considering the Destruction of the forme. English Settlement there at the Revolution as aforesaid, to prevent the like Mischiefs for the future, the Petitioners for Settling it have been, and are, very desirous to improve the present Opportunity of Peace, in getting a powerful Body of People settled there capable to defend the said Land; And that it may be Erected into a Province and settled under his Majesties Government (not Proprietory) and granted in Trust to several Noblemen and other fit Persons to be appointed by his Majesty Trustees for the well Ordering and Settling the Land, and to pay Annually a Quit-Rent to the Crown of Twenty eight Pound Weight of Hemp for the use of the Royal-Navy for every hundred Acres of Land taken up, at which Rate, when the whole is Settled, by Computation the Quit-Rent will amount to the value of One hundred thousand Pound Sterling per [...].
THE Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, in the Year 1716, when the said Petitioners was by His Majesty referr'd to that Board, did propose that the Petitioners should provide Trustees to the Crown, for settling the said Land, which the said Petitioners then perform'd to their Lordships great Satisfaction with Persons of great Worth, that were willing for the general Good of the Publick, to undertake the Trust: But, the Claims against the Crowns Right coming then to be laid before their Lordships by the Agent for the Province of the Massatusets-Bay, in behalf of the said Province, and several others, which [...] [Page] a Report was made to His Majesty, that the said Land did not belong to the Crown: The said Lords Commissioners, did notwithstanding, at the same time Report to His Majesty in favour of the Petitioners, for a Settlement for them and their Families, upon His Majesties Conquered Lands Adjacent thereunto, which Report was made the 21st of Iuly, 1718.
That His Majesty the same Day the said Report was Read in Council, was Graciously pleased to Refer the Matter to the Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of His Majesties Most Honourable Privy-Council, before whom the said Petitioners (it's humbly hoped) have now made out the Right of the Crown to the said Land that they first Petitioned for a Settlement on; which they have perform'd by great length of Time, Labour, and Expence, against a Powerful Opposition: And having spent the Prime of their Years in the Service of the Crown, and was several of them at the Re-conquering the said Land, and then had Her late Majesties Most Gracious Promise, that they should have the Preference of all GRANTS of Lands there, which Promise Her Majesty again Repeated to the Petitioners since the Conclusion of the Peace.
And having according to the said Proposal made by the Lords Commissioners for Trade, &c. prepared Trustees of great Worth, Noblemen, Gentlemen, Merchants, &c. who are willing to undertake the Trust of settling the said Land, and carry on Trade and Merchandize on the same Conditions to the Crown, that the Petitioners have proposed in their humble Petition to His Majesty the 21st of Iuly, 1718. (jointly with the Petitioners) viz. That the Property of the Soyl and the Government shall remain to the Crown, and all Trade be free for all His Maiesties Subjects (by which Scheme) what By People that may adventure thither and settle at their own Expence, and what By Families that the Trustees may have Power to transport and settle, that are not of Ability to transport and settle themselves. The Province may be speedily peopled in such a Powerful Manner, that may not only put it out of the Power of France ever to recover or disturb the same; but in all probability may render it capable to reduce Canada in a future War with France, and may in a little time become the most useful Province in America: The Soyl and Climate thereof being fit for Raising Hemp and Flax, which is design'd to be the Staple Commodity of the Province as Tobacco is in Virginia; and all other Sorts of Naval Stores may be Raised and had there in great Abundance, which may be brought to Great-Britain in Exchange of our own Manufactures, and considerably increase the Consumption of every Branch thereof. It will joyn His Majesties Empire there as it were with a Chain. And from the Advantage of its Scituation for Navigation and Trade, may (if the Settlement be incouraged) become an extraordinary Nursery for Seamen, and produce a great Addition of Strength to the Crown both by Sea and Land.
The Premises Considered,
The Petitioners therefore Humbly Prays, That it may please your LORDSHIP to Move, that His MAJESTY may be Graciously Pleased to GRANT, That the said Lands and Islands may be Erected into a Province, &c. by the Name of GEORGIA or otherwise, as His MAJESTY shall think fit: And that the Property of the Soyl, and the Government Remain in the CROWN; That the Petitioners and others may Transport themselves and Settle there at their own Expence. And that they who may be the Trustees, may be Impower'd to Transport and Settle People there: And that such Privileges may be Granted to the Inhabitants of the said Province, to Encourage the speedy Peopling and effectual Settling thereof, during the Interval of Peace, As His MAJESTY in His Great Wisdom shall think fit.
And His MAJESTIES Humble Petitioners, As in Duty Bound shall [...]