Full text: Religion, colonising & trade

46 RELIGION, COLONISING AND TRADE 
tration of the Carolina and Bahamas grants, in which 
the authority of Shaftesbury as leading director was 
supreme, he gave to his chief unstinted and most 
effective service, although the fundamental constitu- 
tions which he drafted for Carolina were quite 
impracticable. His intimacy with Shaftesbury is of 
itself enough to show that the latter possessed qualities 
other than those for which he has been so bitterly 
criticised in history. ‘The Empire had the benefit of 
Shaftesbury’s admitted energy and initiative, but he 
contributed to it also aversion to monopolies, integrity 
in money matters, and religious tolerance. Some of 
his letters, whether written for him by Locke or not, 
are models of wise and frank writing, indicating a large 
outlook. One instance may be given. To a new 
governor of Carolina, against whom complaints had 
been received, he wrote, ¢ You are now upon founda- 
tions of a larger extent than are usual, and perhaps than 
in other places you have met with, and, if you will but 
suit the managements of your government to them 
and direct it wholly to the impartial prosperity of the 
whole plantation and all the planters in it, you will 
remove the jealousies which, I must tell you, some of 
the plantation have conceived of you, you will oblige 
the Lords Proprietors, and reap all those advantages 
which are sure to attend him who is the greatest and 
most considerable man in a thriving plantation and 
who hath contributed much to the advancement 
thereof.” * Shaftesbury, with Locke behind him, was 
in favour of plantation, of forming new colonies. 
1 Letter of June 20, 1672, printed in the Colonial Calendar, America 
and West Indies, 1669-74, pp. 374-5.
	        
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