The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-07
TODAY IN HISTORY
oscthorpc Becomes an American Colo
nzer.
WEDNESDAY,, DECEMBER 7.

nlZers
Among the members OF the sritish,
parliament during the rule of Sir Robert
WnIpoe was one almost unknown 10
the grcntcr portion OF the people In the
United States, but who deserves honor
beyond most men OF his time, and TO
whom the people of this country owe a
| lasting debt OF gratitude. His name was
James Oglcthorpe. He was n soldier and
had fought against the Turks and In the
great Marlborough wars against Louis
XIV. In advanced life he became the
friend Of Dr, Samuel Johnson, who urged
him TO write some account OF his adven-
tures.
II know no one ne said whose life
would be more interesting. II were
furnished with materials | should be very
glad TO writn it,
Edmund Burke considered him "a more
ever read or John Wesley blessed God
that ever lie was born"
In OClcthOrpe' time IL was Within tho
power OF a creditor to imprlson. accord
ing TO his pleasure, the man who owed
him money and was not able to pay It.
II was common circumstance that a
man should be imprisoned during a long
series OF years for trifling debt. Ogle-
thorpe had a friend upon whom this hard
fate had fallen. His attention was thus
painfully called TO the crueltles which
we're inflicted upon the unfortunate and
helpless Ho appealed TO parliament and
after inquiry a partial remedy was OBJ
tanned,
The prevention from sending debtors to
prison did not alone satisfy him. Liberty
waa an incomplete Gift 10 mon who had
sessed. the faculty OF earning their own
maintenance. Oglcthorpe devised how
he might carry these unfortunatcs to
new world. whore. under happier aus
With this object in view he obtained.
on December 7, 173l from King George
II. charter by which the country be-
tween the Savannah and the Altamsha.
and StrcIr ching 10 the Pacific.
was erected into the province OF Georgia
II was TO he refuge for tho deserving
poor. and next to them for Protestants
suffering persecution. Parliament, dur
ing the winter that followed. voted $50
90 in aid OF the humane enterprise. and
many benevolent persons were liberal
with their gifts.
Oglethorpe completed his ARRANGEMENTS
during tho summer OF 1872 and in Novem-
Der the first exodus OF the insolvents took
place. Oslcthorpe sailed with 12o emf
grants, mainly selected from the prisons
penniless, but of good repute. He sur
veycd the coasts of Georgia and In Jnnu-
AIRY landed and chose site for the capl-
tai OF his new state. lie pitched his tent
where Savannah now stands and al once
proceeded TO mark out the line OF streets
and squares. Next year the colony was
Joined by. about hundred German
cution for their belief Tho fame OF Oslc-
tborpcs enterprise spread over Europe.
All struggling men against whom the bat
tie OF he went nara lOOkcQ 10 SeOtGId
as land of promise.
The progress OF the colony was slow.
The poor persons, OF whom 1t was orig
inaly composed. were honest but inef-
than In England. find out the way to be-
como self-supporting, With Oglethorpe
there went out on the second expedition
John and Charles Wesley. Charles went
as secretary to the governor. John was
even then. although a very young man,
a preacher OF unusual promise. He re-
NAMED two years In Georgia and re-
turned homo secretly. owing TO dissatis-
great career In England.
Just as Wesley reached England. his
fellow laborer; George Whitefield' sailed
success. After time the colony began
TO prosper. Oglethorpe went to England
in 1743 and was never able 10 return
that he had already sacrificed his prl-
vate means for tho welfare OF the col
onists,
oglethorpe was in effect a philan-
and home comforts, he devoted his best
years to humanity. helped the suffering
and protected the weak, After his re-
tlrement from public. life he became
known as patron OF learning. and
showed himself a model OF courtesy and
grace. Hannah More declared him the
most remarkable man Of his time. lie
On December 7, Washington delivered
his last address TO congress in 1896. To-
day is the birthday OF Hugh McCuloch.
secretary OF the treasury under three
presidents QS0S); Elizabeth II. Whittier.
poet GSl5). James ~. Porter, the
Tennessee soldier and politician GS2S)
Everett II. Barney. the American In
vcntor GS35). and Nancy \. w. 2.
Wakefield poet US36). Today Is the date
OF the assassination Of Cicero, the Ro
man orator, B. G. 4S; Marshal Ney. gen
eral under Napoleon US15); Or. John
Akin. author uS22) and Able Macpher-
son GSi6).