the moravians in georgia-第29章

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ablonski　and　David　Nitschmann；　and　encouraged　by　him　Zinzendorf　was　consecrated　bishop　at　Berlin；　May　20th；　1737。

The　Count　held　frequent　services　during　his　stay　in　London；　and　before　he　left　a　society　of　ten　members　had　been　formed　among　the　Germans；　with　a　few　simple　regulations；　their　object　being　〃in　simplicity　to　look　to　these　three　things：　　　to　be　saved　by　the　blood　of　Christ；　to　become　holy；　or　be　sanctified　by　the　blood　of　Christ；　to　love　one　another　heartily。〃

With　the　Trustees　it　was　agreed：　　〃That　the　Count's　men〃　might　remain　for　two　years　longer　at　Savannah；　without　cultivating　the　five　hundred　acre　tract；　〃and　be　exempt　from　all　forfeitures　arising　from　such　non…cultivation；〃　but　if　they　chose　they　might　move　to　the　tract　any　time　during　the　two　years。　They　might　go　to　Tomochichi's　Indians　whenever　they　saw　fit　and　he　consented。　Other　Indians　could　not　be　visited　in　time　of　war；　but　in　peace　four　Moravians　should　be　licensed　to　go　to　them；　on　the　same　footing　as　the　English　ministers。　　Those　living　with　Tomochichi　were　not　included　in　this　number。　　〃As　the　Moravian　Church　is　believed　to　be　orthodox　and　apostolic〃　no　one　should　interfere　with　their　preaching　the　Gospel；　or　prevent　the　Indians　from　attending　their　services　in　Savannah；　or　elsewhere。　　The　title　to　their　five　hundred　acre　tract　was　secured　to　the　Moravians；　even　in　case　the　Count's　male　line　should　become　extinct。

Reference　to　military　service　is　conspicuous　by　its　absence；　and　at　the　very　time　that　these　resolutions　were　being　framed；　assurance　on　that　one　point　was　being　desperately　needed　in　Savannah。


　　Rumors　of　War。

In　February；　1737；　that　which　Spangenberg　had　feared　came　upon　the　Moravians；　　military　service　was　peremptorily　demanded　of　them；　the　occasion　being　a　fresh　alarm　of　Spanish　incursions。

The　feud　between　the　colonists　of　Spain　and　England　was　of　long　standing；　dating　back　to　rival　claims　to　the　New　World　by　right　of　discovery。　The　English　asserted　that　through　the　Cabots　they　had　a　right　to　the　greater　part　of　North　America；　and　a　grant　to　the　Lords　Proprietors　of　Carolina；　in　1663；　named　the　31　degree　of　latitude　as　the　southern　boundary。　Another　patent　two　years　later　set　the　line　at　the　29　degree；　but　that　availed　nothing　as　it　included　the　northern　part　of　Florida；　where　the　Spanish　were　already　settled　in　considerable　numbers。

No　other　nation　questioned　the　English　claim　to　the　sea…board　as　far　as　the　31　degree；　which　was　well　south　of　the　Altamaha；　but　the　Spanish　greatly　resented　the　settlements　in　Carolina；　as　encroaching　on　their　territory；　though　successive　treaties　between　the　two　Governments　had　virtually　acknowledged　the　English　rights。　With　the　two　nations　nominally　at　peace；　the　Spanish　incited　the　Indians　to　deeds　of　violence；　encouraged　insurrection　among　the　negro　slaves；　welcomed　those　who　ran　away；　and　enlisted　them　in　their　army。　Now　and　then　the　Governor　of　Carolina　would　send　a　force；　which　would　subdue　them　for　a　time；　but　the　constant　uncertainty　made　Carolina　welcome　the　Georgia　colony　as　a　protection　to　her　borders。

The　settlement　of　Georgia　gave　further　offense　to　Spain；　and　her　subjects　in　Florida　burned　to　exterminate　the　intruders；　as　they　considered　them；　though　nothing　was　done　so　long　as　operations　were　confined　to　the　Savannah　River。　　But　when　towns　and　forts　were　planned　and　begun　on　the　Altamaha　their　opposition　became　more　outspoken。　Oglethorpe　did　all　he　could　to　preserve　peace　without　retreating　from　his　position；　and　in　Oct。　1736；　he　concluded　a　treaty　with　the　Governor　of　St。　Augustine。

Only　too　soon　it　became　apparent　that　this　treaty　would　not　be　respected；　for　the　Captain…General　of　Cuba　disapproved；　and　Oglethorpe　sailed　for　England；　in　November；　to　urge　the　immediate　and　sufficient　fortification　of　the　frontier。　　The　Trustees　and　the　Government　approved　of　the　course　he　had　pursued；　but　Spain　recalled　and　executed　the　Governor　of　St。　Augustine；　for　presuming　to　make　such　a　treaty；　and　so　plainly　showed　her　intention　to　make　war　on　Georgia　that　the　English　Government　authorized　Oglethorpe　to　raise　a　regiment　for　service　there；　and　in　July；　1738；　he　sailed　for　America；　commissioned　to　take　command　of　all　the　military　forces　of　Carolina　and　Georgia；　and　protect　the　colonies。

During　the　nineteen　months　of　his　absence；　the　Georgia　colonists　were　in　a　continual　state　of　uneasiness；　which　now　and　then　became　sheer　panic　at　some　especially　plausible　report　of　imminent　danger。

On　February　17th；　1737；　Mr。　Causton　received　a　letter　from　Charlestown；　in　which　the　Governor　informed　him　that　he　had　news　of　the　approach　of　the　Spaniards；　and　Savannah　at　once　became　excited；　and　prepared　for　defence。　　On　the　20th；　officers　went　through　the　town；　taking　the　names　of　all　who　could　bear　arms；　freeholders　and　servants　alike。　Three　of　them　came　to　the　Moravian　house　and　requested　names　from　Toeltschig。　He　answered　〃there　was　no　one　among　them　who　could　bear　arms；　and　he　would　get　no　names　from　them。〃　　They　said；　〃it　was　remarkable　that　in　a　house　full　of　strong　men　none　could　bear　arms；　　he　should　hurry　and　give　them　the　names；　they　could　not　wait。〃　Toeltschig　answered；　〃if　they　wanted　to　go　no　one　would　stop　them；　there　would　be　no　names　given。〃　　They　threatened　to　tell　Mr。　Causton；　Toeltschig　approved；　and　said　he　would　do　the　same；　and　they　angrily　left　the　house。

Ingham　accompanied　Toeltschig　to　Mr。　Causton；　who　at　once　began　to　argue　the　matter；　and　a　spirited　debate　ensued；　of　which　the　following　is　a　resume。

Causton。　　〃Everybody　must　go　to　the　war　and　fight　for　his　own　safety；　and　if　you　will　not　join　the　army　the　townspeople　will　burn　down　your　house；　and　will　kill　you　all。〃

Toeltschig。　　〃That　may　happen；　but　we　can　not　help　it；　it　is　against　our　conscience　to　fight。〃

Causton。　　〃If　you　do　not　mean　to　fight　you　had　better　go　and　hide　in　the　woods；　out　of　sight　of　the　people；　or　it　will　be　the　worse　for　you；　and　you　had　better　go　before　the　enemy　comes；　for　then　it　will　be　too　late　to　escape；　the　townspeople　will　certainly　kill　you。〃

Toeltschig。　　〃You　forget　that　Gen。　Oglethorpe　promised　us　exemption　from　military　service；　and　we　claim　the　liberty　he　pledged。〃

Causton。　　〃If　the　Count；　and　the　Trustees　and　the　King　himself　had　agreed　on　that　in　London　it　would　count　for　nothing　here；　if　war　comes　it　will　be　FIGHT　OR　DIE。　　If　I　were　an　officer　on　a　march　and　met　people　who　would　not　join　me；　I　would　shoot　them　with　my　own　hand；　and　you　can　expect　no　other　treatment　from　the　officers　here。〃

Toeltschig。　　〃We　are　all　servants；　and　can　not　legally　be　impressed。〃

Causton。　　〃If　the　Count　himself　were　here　he　would　have　to　take　his　gun　on　his　shoulder；　and　all　his　servants　with　him。　If　he　were　living　on　his　estate　at　Old　Fort　it　would　make　no　difference；　for　the　order　of　the　Magistrates　must　be　obeyed。　　If　the　English；　to　whom　the　country　belongs　must　fight；　shall　others　go　free？〃

Toeltschig　finally　yielded　so　far　as　to　tell　him　the　number　of　men　in　their　company；　〃it　could　do　no　harm　for　we　could　be　counted　any　day；〃　but　their　names　were　resolutely　withheld；　and　service　firmly　refused。

Then　the　townspeople　took　up　the　cry。　　Should　they　fight　for　these　strangers　who　would　not　do　their　share　toward　defending　the　land？　They　would　mob　and　kill　them　first！　　They　only　injured　the　colony　at　any　rate；　for　they　worked　so　cheaply　that　they　lowered　the　scale　of　wages；　and　besides　they　received　money　from　many　people；　for　their　services；　but　spent　none　because　they　made　everything　they　needed　for　themselves！

Still　the　Moravians　stood　firm　in　their　position；　indeed　they　could　do　nothing　else　without　stultifying　themselves。　　The　instructions　from　Zinzendorf　and　the　leaders　of　the　Church　at　Herrnhut；　with　the　approval　of　the　lot；　were　definite；　　they　should　take　no　part　in　military　affairs；　but　might　pay　any　fines　incurred　by　refusal。　To　Oglethorpe　and　to　the　Trustees　they　had　explained　their　scruples；　making　freedom　of　conscience　an　essential　consideration　of　their　settling　in　Georgia；　and　from　them　they　had　received　assurances　that　only　freeholders　were　liable　to　military　duty。　Therefore　they　had　claimed　no　land　as　individuals；　but　had　been　content　to　live；　and　l