ared a petition, but desisted from sending it, upon an
assurance that their apprehensions of the introduction of Negroes were
entirely needless. Many artifices were resorted to in order to gain over
the Highlanders and have them petition for Negro slaves. Failing in this
letters were written to them from England endeavoring to intimidate them
into a compliance. These counter petitions strengthened the Trustees in
their resolution. It is a noticeable fact, and worthy of record, that at
the outbreak of the American Revolution the Highlanders of Darien again
protested against African slavery.

Those persons dissatisfied with the state of affairs increased in
numbers and gradually grew more rancorous. It is not supposable that
they could have bettered the condition under the circumstances.
Historians have been universal in their praise of Oglethorpe, and in all
probability no one could have given a better administration. His word
has been taken without question. He declared that "Darien hath been one
of the Settlements where the People have been most industrious as those
of Savannah have been most idle. The Trustees have had several Servants
there who under the direction of Mr. Moore McIntosh have not only earned
their bread but have provided the Trust with such Quantities of sawed
stuff as hath saved them a great sum of money. Those Servants cannot be
put under the direction of anybody at Frederica nor any one that does
not understand the Highland language. The Woods fit for sawing are near
Darien and the Trustees engaged not to separate the Highlanders. They
are very useful under their own Chiefs and no where else. It is very
necessary therefore to allow Mr. Mackintosh for the overseeing the
Trust's Servants at Darien."[87]

That such was the actual condition of affairs in 1739 there is no doubt.
However, a partial truth may change the appearance. George Philp, who at
Savannah in 1740, declared that for the same year the people "are as
incapable of improving their lands and raising produces as the people in
the northern division, as appears from the very small quantity of Indian
corn which hitherto had been the chief and almost only produce of the
province, some few potatoes excepted; and as a proof of which, that he
was in the south in May last, when the season for planting was over, and
much less was done at Frederica than in former years; and that the
people in Darien did inform him, that they had not of their own prod