Mr. Franklin,
As it is a Minister’s Duty to provide Things
honest in the Sight of all Men, I thought it my Duty, when lately
at Georgia, to have the Whole Orphan House Accounts audited, from
the Beginning of that Institution to January last; the same I
intend to do yearly for the Future: An Abstract of the whole, with
the particular Affidavits, and common Seal of Savannah affixed to
it, I have sent you with this; be pleased to publish it in your
weekly Paper. My Friends thought this was the most satisfactory Way
of proceeding. To print every particular Article, with the proper
Voucher, would make a Folio, and put me to a greater Expence than
my present Arrears will permit me to be at; however, if any want
further Satisfaction, they may consult the original Vouchers,
&c. at Savannah, in the Hands of Mr. Habersham; or, if they
desire it, and will defray the Expence of Printing, every single
Article of Debtor and Creditor shall be published by, Sir, Your
very humble Servant,
L.S. This Day personally appeared before us
Henry Parker and William Spencer, Bailiffs of Savannah aforesaid,
the Reverend Mr. George Whitefield, and James Habersham, Merchant
of Savannah aforesaid; who, being duly sworn, say, That the
Accounts relating to the Orphan House, now exhibited before us, of
which the above is an Abstract, amounting on the Debit Side
(namely, for Collections and Subscriptions received) to the Sum of
Four Thousand, Nine Hundred, Eighty Two Pounds, Twelve Shillings
and Eightpence, Sterling, and on the Credit Side (namely, for
Disbursements paid) to the Sum of Five Thousand, Five Hundred,
Eleven Pounds, seventeen Shillings, and Ninepence Farthing,
Sterling, do, to the best of their Knowledge, contain a just and
true Account of all the Monies collected by, or given to them, or
any other, for the Use and Benefit of the said House; and that the
Disbursements, amounting to the Sum aforesaid, have been faithfully
applied to and for the Use of the same. And the Reverend Mr.
Whitefield further declareth, that he hath not converted or applied
any Part thereof to his own private Use and Property, neither hath
charged the said House with any of his travelling, or any other
private Expences whatsoever.
This Day personally appeared before us, Henry
Parker and William Spencer, Bailiffs of Savannah aforesaid, William
Woodrooffe, William Ewen, and William Russell, of Savannah
aforesaid; who being duly sworn, say, That they have carefully and
strictly examined all and singular the Accounts relating to the
Orphan House, in Georgia, contained in Forty One Pages, in a Book
intituled, Receipts and Disbursements for the Orphan House
in Georgia, with the original Bills, Receipts, and other
Vouchers, from the Fifteenth Day of December, in the Year of our
Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty Eight, to the First Day
of January, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and
Forty Five; and that the Monies received on Account of the said
Orphan House, amounted to the Sum of Four Thousand, Nine Hundred,
Eighty Two Pounds, Twelve Shillings, and Eight-pence, Sterling,as
above; and that it doth not appear that the Reverend Mr. Whitefield
hath converted any Part thereof to his own private Use and
Property, or charged the said House with any of his travelling, or
other private Expences; but, on the contrary, hath contributed to
the said House many valuable Benefactions; and that the Monies
disbursed on Account of the said House, amounted to the Sum of Five
Thousand, Five Hundred, Eleven Pounds, Seventeen Shillings, and
Ninepence Farthing, Sterling, as above; which we, in Justice to the
Reverend Mr. Whitefield, and the Managers of the said House, do
hereby declare appear to us to be faithfully and justly applied to
and for the Use and Benefit of the said House only.
Sworn this 16th Day of April, 1746, before us Bailiffs of Savannah;
in Justification whereof, we have hereunto fixed our Hands, and the
common Seal.