In 1663 King Charles II. had granted to eight "Lords Proprietors"
the portion of North America lying between the 31st and 36th degrees
of latitude, enlarging the boundaries in 1665 to 29 deg. and 36 deg. 30 min.
By 1728 most of these Lords Proprietors had tired of their attempt
to govern the colonies they had established in "Carolina", and in 1729
seven of the eight sold their interest to the English crown,
the district being divided into "North Carolina", "South Carolina",
and a more southerly portion, nominally included in the latter,
which was held in reserve.
To this unused land the thoughts of Oglethorpe turned,
and he and his friends addressed a memorial to the Privy Council,
stating "that the cities of London, Westminster, and parts adjacent,
do abound with great numbers of indigent persons, who are reduced
to such necessity as to become burthensome to the public, and who would be
willing to seek a livelihood in any of his majesty's plantations in America,
if they were provided with a passage, and means of settling there."
They therefore asked for a grant of land lying south of the Savannah River,
where they wished to establish a colony in which these unfortunate men
might begin life anew, and where Protestants, persecuted in some parts
of Europe, might find a refuge.
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