[Footnote 1:  Political state of Great Britain, for August, 1732, Vol.  XLIV. p. 150.]

Oglethorpe himself stated the object, the motive, and the inducements of such an emigration in the following terms.  “They who can make life tolerable here, are willing to stay at home, as it is indeed best for the kingdom that they should.  But they who are oppressed with poverty and misfortunes, are unable to be at the charges of removing from their miseries, and these are the persons intended to be relieved.  And let us cast our eyes on the multitude of unfortunate individuals in the kingdom, of reputable families, and of liberal, or at least easy education, some undone by guardians, some by lawsuits, some by accidents in commerce, some by stocks and bubbles, and some by suretyship; but all agree in this one circumstance, that they must either be burdensome to their relations, or betake themselves to little shifts for sustenance, which, it is ten to one do not answer their purposes, and to which a well-educated person descends with the utmost constraint.  What various misfortunes may reduce the rich, the industrious, to danger of a prison,—­to a moral certainty of starving!—­These are the persons that may relieve themselves, and strengthen Georgia by resorting thither, and Great Britain by their departure.

“With a view to the relief of people in the condition I have described, his Majesty has, this present year, incorporated a considerable number of persons of quality and distinction, and invested a large tract of South Carolina in them, by the name of Georgia, in trust, to be distributed among the necessitous.  Those Trustees not only give land to the unhappy, who go thither, but are also empowered to receive the voluntary contributions of charitable persons to enable them to furnish the poor adventurers with all necessaries for the expense of the voyage, occupying the land, and supporting them, until they find themselves settled.  So that now the unfortunate will not be obliged to bind themselves to a long service to pay for their passage, for they may be carried gratis into a land of liberty and plenty, where they will immediately find themselves in possession of a competent estate, in a happier climate than they knew before,—­and they are unfortunate indeed if they cannot forget their sorrows."[1]

[Footnote 1:  New and Accurate Account of the Provinces of South Carolina and Georgia.  London. 1733. p. 30—­33.]

When the Trustees had got a list of a sufficient number of persons disposed to emigrate, they resolved to send them over.

A vessel was hired to convey the emigrants, fitted up for their accommodation, and supplied with stores, not only for the voyage, but for their support after their arrival.  The Trustees also furnished tools for building, implements for husbandry, domestic utensils, and various other articles; and JAMES OGLETHORPE, Esq., one of the Trustees, and the most zealous and active promoter of the enterprise, having signified his readiness to go with the emigrants, and in the same ship, in order to see that they were well treated, and to take care of them after their landing, was clothed with power to exercise the functions of Governor of the Colony.[1]