slavery influence was dashing against the borders of
the colony. The people were discouraged. Business was stagnated.
Internal dissatisfaction and factional strife wore hard upon the
spirit of a people trying to build up and develop a new country. Then
the predatory incursions of the Spaniards, and the threatening
attitude of the Indians, unnerved the entire Province. In this state
of affairs white servants grew insolent and insubordinate. Those whose
term of service expired refused to work. In this dilemma many persons
boldly put the rule of the trustees under foot, and hired Negroes from
the Carolinas. At length the trustees became aware of the clandestine
importation of Negroes into the colony, and thereupon gave the
magistrates a severe reproval. On the 2d of October, 1747, they
received the following reply:--

"We are afraid, sir, from what you have wrote in relation to
negroes, that he Honourable Trustees have been misinformed
as to our conduct relating thereto; for we can with great
assurance assert, that this Board has always acted an
uniform part in discouraging the use of negroes in this
colony, well knowing it to be disagreeable to the Trustees,
as well as contrary to an act existing for the prohibition
of them, and always give it in charge to those whom we had
put in possession of lands, not to attempt the introduction
or use of negroes. But notwithstanding our great caution,
some people from Carolina, soon after settling lands on the
Little Ogeechee, found means of bringing and employing a few
negroes on the said lands, some time before it was
discovered to us, upon which they thought it high time to
withdraw them, for fear of being seized, and soon after
withdrew themselves and families out of the colony, which
appeals to us at present to be the resolution of divers
others."[518]

It was charged that the law-officers knew of the presence of Negroes
in Georgia; that their standing and constant toast was, "_the
one thing needful_" (Negroes); and that they themselves had
surreptitiously aided in the procurement of Negroes for the colony.
The supporters of the colonists grew less powerful as the struggle
went forward. The most active grew taciturn and conservative. The
advocates of Negro labor became bolder, and more acrimonious in
debate; and at length the champions of exclusive white labor shrank
into silence, appa