STATFJ CAPITOli AT ATLANTA.
Jttaie
A
HISTORY OF GEORGIA
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS
BY ,,U/
LAWTON B. EVANS
-ja NEW YORK -:. CINCINNATI-v CHICAGO
AMERICAN BOOK f.OMPANV GENERAL LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA ATHENS, c
COPYRIGHT, 1898, BY OTIVEKSITY PUBLISHING COMPANY
COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
E-P 10
PREFACE.
THE author has tried to present in this book the leading facts of the history of Georgia, and he has spared neither time nor trouble in endeavoring to obtain them. Leading facts in the history oi the United States are interwoven in the narrative wherever the closeness of their relation to Georgia history makes it necessary or desirable.
The book is written for pupils from twelve to fifteen years of age. Though not descending to childish narrative, the author has endeavored to make the story easily under stood. But it cannot be mastered without study, for with out study nothing really valuable in education can ever be acquired. The narrative that is merely pleasing is hot always the most serviceable or the most likely to be retained in the memory.
Great care has been taken and great expense incurred in the pictorial illustrations of the book. Pictures of many Georgia men are given for the first time in a history, special attention having been paid to the work of securing good like nesses of those who as generals led Georgias brigades in the
The faces of these commanders in the great struggle are thus presented to the youth of the State, who will look upon them with gratification and pride.
To teachers, the author desires to suggest that the book be used as a reader in the seventh and eighth grades and in the high schools. After a chapter has been read, the questions at the end may be of help in the work of review, while the " Topics " may be found serviceable as supplying subjects for written exercises. By using the text at the rate of two
chapters a weGekE, thNe EboRokAcaLn beLmIaBstRereAd RinYa year. Should
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
vi
PREFACE.
the teacher desire a very critical study, the book may be used for a two years course.
In his effort to produce a good and serviceable history, the author has had valuable help from Mr. Otis Ashmore, of Savannah, who has aided him much in original research. The author also acknowledges his indebtedness to Mr. 0. L. Patton, of the University Publishing Company, whose work has largely contributed to make the book a complete, accu rate, and reliable School History of Georgia.
AUGUSTA, GA.
LAWTON B. EVAHS.
CONTENTS.
EPOCH 1.--Before English Colonization.
CHAPTER
PAGE
1. Discovery and Early Explorers, . . . . . . 1.
2. De Soto. The Margravate of Azilia, .....
6
EPOCH II.--Georgia under the Trustees.
3. Why and by Whom Georgia was Settled, .... 12"~"
4. Where and When Georgia was Settled, ..... 18
5. How the Colony Grew, ........ 23
6. Trouble with the Spaniards. Oglethorpe Invades Florida,
28
7. The Spaniards Invade Georgia,
...... 33
8. The Administration of President Stephens, .... 39
9. The Administration of President Henry Parker, ... 45
EPOCH III.--Georgia under the Royal Governors.
10. Administr^onof fejej^JF Reynolds. The Great Seal, . 50 11. Governor Henry Ellis. Affairs Preceding the Revolution, . 58 12. Administration of Governor Wright, ..... 65 13. How the People Treated the Demands of the Mother Country, 70 14. First Acts of Resistance, ....... 77 15. The People Overthrow the Government of the King, . . 84
EPOCH IV.--Georgia an Independent State, 1776-1789.
16. The Constitution of 1777. Permanent State Organization, . 90 17. The British Overrun Georgia, ....... 96 18. The Progress of the War in Georgia, ..... 103 19. The Attack Upon Savannah, ....... 109 20. Augusta Taken and Retaken, ...... 114 21. Georgia is Recognized as Free and Independent, . . . 121 ;22. Georgia in the Confederation, 1783-1789, . . . . . 127
viii
CONTENTS.
EPOCH V.--Georgia in the Federal Union.
CHAPTER
PAGE
28. Georgia Enters the Union of States, - . . . . . 184
24. Eli Whitney and the Cotton Gin, ...... 139
25. Yazoo Fraud, . ......... 143
26. Constitution of 1798, ......... 150
27. The University Founded.. Western Territory Ceded, . . 155
J28. Land Lottery and Head Rights, . . . . . .161
29. Internal Improvements,
....... 165
30. The War of 1812. Indian Troubles, ..... 170
31. The End of the War of 1812, ...... 175
32. Progress of the State, . . . . . . . .180
33. How They Lived in Early Times,
..... 187
34. Early Customs and Habits, ....... 192
35. Crawford, Troup, and Clark,
...... 197
36. Administration of Troup,
....... 202
37. Treaty of 1825, .......... 207
38. Georgia Defies the Federal Government, ..... 213
39. Administration of Governor Gilmer, ..... 217
40. Administration of Governor Lumpkin, ..... 223
41. Eemoval of the Cherokees. Creek War, .... 228
42. Higher Education, . . . . . . ... .233
43. Our First Railroads, ........ 240
44. Administration of Governor McDonald, ..... 243
45. Administration of Governor Crawford, ..... 247
46. Georgia in the Mexican War, ....... 251
47. Contest over Slavery in the Territories,
.... 257^,
48. Political Disturbances, ........ 261
49. War Threatening, ......... 265
50-.- Georgia Secedes, . . . . . . . . . .270
EPOCH VI.--Georgia in the Confederate States.
51. The Beginning of the War, ....... 275
52. Progress of the War, ........ 281
53. From Chattanooga to Atlanta,
...... 288
54. The March to the Sea, ........ 295
55. The Federal Army Assumes Control of Georgia, . . . 301
EPOCH VII.--Reconstruction.
56. Georgia Excluded from the Union, ..... 308 57. Under Military Governors, . . . . . . . 310
CONTENTS.
EPOCH VIII.--Georgia Once More in the Union.
CHAPTER
PAGE
58. The Return of Peace, ........ 315
59. The Constitution of 1877, - "J . . . . . . .320
60. Progress of the State, . . . . . . . . 325
61. Administration of Governor MoDaniel, . ,
. , 330
62. Administration of Governor Gordon, . . . -
. 333
63. Administration of Governor Northen, . . . . . 336
64. Administration of Governor Atkinson, ..... 341
65. Administration of Governor Candler,
..... 347
66. Administration of Governor Terrell, ..... 350
67. Administration of Governor Hoke Smith, ..... 354
Appendix and Index, . . . . . . . . i. to lyi
Alexander, E. P. . Andrew, Bishop James O. Anderson, O.K.
Anderson, E. H.
. 297
. . 316
. 238 Cook, Phil. .....
. 291 Orawford, George W. .
. 247 . 207
. 2S9
Bacon, Augustus O. Baldwin, Abram Barrow, David Q. . Barrow, Pope . . Bartow, Francis S. . Benning, Henry L. Berrien, John M.
Boggs,W. B. . . .
Brown, Joseph E. . Brown, Jos. M.
Bryan,Goode 0 Bulloch, Archibald Bullock, E. B. .
Candler, A. D. . Capers,!. W. . Oarswell, B. "W. Clark, John Olarke, Elijah . Clay, Alex. Stephens Clinch, Duncan L. . Oobb, Howell . Cobb,T. E. E. . Colquitt, A. H. . Oolquitt, Walter T.
. 842 . 135 Deshler, James . 851 . 827 De Soto, Hernando , . 279
Dubose, Dudley K.
. . 288
6 . . 287
. 297
Early, Peter ....
. 175
. 187
.
. 801 Elliott, Bishop Stephen .
. 245
. 828 Evans, Clement A.
. 297
. 265 . 857
. 185
. 287 Gardner, "W. Montgomery . ... 84 Gartland, Bishop Francis X.
. 811 Gartrell, Lucius .T. .
. 279 . 259 . 297
. 847 . 291 . 291 . 197 .114 . 848 . 257 261 and 288 . 288 288 and 820 . 247
Girardy, V. J. B. . Glascock, Thomas . Gordon, John B.
Grady, Henry W. . Greene, ISTathanael .
Habersham, Jas. Habersham, Joseph Hall, Lyman ....
. . 297 . 112
287 and 883
. 885
. 127 . 88
. . 77 . 88 . 88
CONTENTS.
Hardee, W. H. . . . . .279 Phillips, Wm.
. . .291
Harrison, Geo. P., Jr. . . . . 289 Pierce, Bishop Geo. F. .
. 238
Harrison, Geo. P., Sr. . . . . 291 Prince, Oliver H. .
. 218
Hill, Benj. H. ..... 271 Pulaski, Count C. .
. 109
Hill, Joshua ...... 311
Hill, W. B. ...... 348 St. John, I. M.
. 301
Irwin, Jared . . . . . . 143 Schley, Wm. Iverson, Alfred ..... 263 Semines, Paul J. . Iverson, Alfred, Jr. .... 283 Simmons, Thos. J.
Simms, Jas. P.
. . 228 . 283 . 342 . 297
Smith, Gustavus W.
Jackson, Henry R. .... 279 Smith, Hoke
Jackson, Gov. Jas. . . . .150 Smith, Jas. M.
Jackson, James. ..... 327 Smith, Wm. D. .
Jackson, John K. . . . . .289 Sorrel, G. M. .
Jenkius, Chas. J. ...... 306 Stephens, Alex. H.
Johnson, Herschel V. . . . . 262 Stovall, M. A.
Johnson, James ..... 304 Talbot, Matthew .
Jones, Davis E.
. . . .279 Tatnall, Josiah
Jones, Noble W. . . . . .146 Terrell, Jos. M. .
. 291 . . .854
. 315 . 283 . 297 . 270 . 289 . . 184 . 253 . 350
Thomas, B. M.
. . . 289
King, John P.
226 Thomas, E. L.
. .287
Tomochichi .
. 18
Lawton, A. K. . Lochrane, A. O. . Long, Crawford W. Longstreet, James Lmnpkin, Joseph H.
. . . .279 . . . .313 .... 249 . . . .283 . . . . 248
Toombs, Bobert . Towns, Geo. W. . Treutlen, John A. . Troup, Geo. M. Twiggs, David E. .
. 261 and 283 . 257 . 96 . 202 i3
Lumpkin, Wilson ..... 223 Waddel, MOSP^ -
. 180
il-eeman ,
1Q/1
JfCOay, H. K. . .
i vv alker, W. H. T. . . . .379
McDaniel, Henry D. . . . .330 Walsh, Patrick ..... 339
McDonald, C. J. . . . . .243 Walton, George ..... 88
Mclntosh, Lachlan .... 105 Ware, Nicholas . . . . .200
McLaws, Lafayette .... 279 Warner, Hiram ..... 248
.Mercer, Hugh W. . . . . .279 Wayne, Anthony . . . .121
Mercer, Jesse ..... 233 Wayne,B.C. ..... 291
Milledge, John ..... 161 Wayne, Jas. Moore . . . .231
Miller, H. V. M. . . . . . 812 Wesley, John ...
23
Mitchell, David B. .... 165 Wheeler, Joseph ..... 289
Whitefleld, George . . . .36
Nisbit, E. A. . . Northen, Wm. J. . Norwood, Thos. M.
Willis, Edward ..... 287 Wilson, C. C. ..... 289 Wofford, W. T. . . . . .287 Wright, Ambrose K. . . . .283
Wright, G. J. ..... 291
Oglethorpe, Jas. E. .... 12
Orr, Gustavus J. . . . . .316 Young, P. M. B.
297
N. B. ALL THE PORTRAITS ARE COPYRIGHTED. ANT PERSON REPRODUCING ANY OF
$HEM IS LIABLE TO PROSECUTION.
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
EPOCH I.
Before English Colonization.
CHAPTER I.
DISCOVERY AND EABLY EXPLORERS.
; Fairest, frnitfulest, and pleasantest of all the world."--RlBAtTLT.
THE boys and girls who study this book know that the part of the land upon which we live is called Georgia. On the maps in "the Geography they have seen a section with the name " Georgia " printed across it, which they have been told is a map of this land. They have only to look around them to see some part of the land itself. We know this land and love it. We know the mountains and green valleys that lie in the northern part; we know the red hills and gentle slopes in the centre; we know the wide forest plains in the southern part. It is all Georgia, from the mountains to the sea. It does not even stop at the waters edge, but extends into the great Atlantic Ocean three miles beyond the line of white breakers that roll upon the shore of the islands along our coast.
Upon this land are great cities, busy towns and villages, and fertile fields. AcrossjthisJand in every direction extend lines of railroad, and^feroTagh i^Sf^&sth and breadth are churches and school-houses. -Within the\ boundaries of this
LIBRARY-
a
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
land live nearly two million people, skilled in the arts of civil ization, and united for the protection of their liberty, their lives, and their property in one political body or civil society, called the State of Georgia, " the Empire State of the South/
This land was not always called Georgia, and it was not always inhabited by the people that now crowd its cities and towns and cultivate its fields. About four hundred years ago it not only had no such name, but even its existence was not
HOME IA:FE OF THE SAVAGES.
known to the civilized world. As late as two hundred years ago it was almost unbroken forest, and the people who inhab ited it were savages, who built no cities, had no written lan guage, knew nothing of their own past history, and who led a wandering life in the solitude of the great forests which cov ered this land. The story of how that unbroken wilderness became the Georgia of to-day is of interest to every Georgian.
VOYAGES TO THE NEW WORLD.
3
This is the story which the students of this book have before them.
The voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492 proved to the people of the Old World that land lay beyond the great Atlan tic, although Columbus himself believed this land to be India, and called the savages whom he found here, Indians. He died still believing this. One of his friends, however, Americus Vespncius, who explored the coast of South America, became convinced that it was not India, but in fact a new continent. Upon his return Americus wrote a description of that continent, which he called the "!N"ew World/ The scholars who read his description and were convinced of the truth of his opinions called this new world the land of Americus, or America.
The news of the discovery spread rapidly over Europe and created excitement among all classes of people. Every civil ized nation fitted out ships and sent them across the Atlantic on voyages of discovery. England sent John Cabot and his son Sebastian, who reached Labrador and explored the coasts as far south as Cape Hatteras ; France sent Verrazano; Spain, Portugal, and Holland sent many explorers who followed in the path of Columbus, visiting the West Indies, South America, Mexico, and Central America, and even sailing around the world.
Among those who accompanied Columbus on his second voyage was Juan Ponce de Leon, a Spanish nobleman. He heard from the natives of the West India Islands of a great land lying to the north which they called Bimini, and in which was a wonderful fountain whose waters gave renewed youth to the old and feeble. De Leon told this to the King of Spain, and in 1512, twenty years after the first voyage of Columbus, he received a royal commission "to discover and settle the island of Bimini" in the name of the Spanish crown. Ponce de Leon was delayed until the following year, but in March, 1513, he sailed from the island of Porto Eico,
4
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
and steering northward past the Bahama Islands, he came in sight of the mainland of ISTorth America on Easter Sunday, the 27th of March, 1513. He named the land Florida in honor of the day, Pascua Florida being the Spanish name for Easter Sunday. A few days later he landed near the present site of St. Augustine, and took possession of the country in the name of the King of Spain. He turned southward, and passing through Florida Straits sailed up the western coast to a bay south of Tampa Bay. The curve of the coast convinced him he had discovered another island like Cuba. He then returned to Spain, and received from the king a new patent to conquer and settle the " island of Bimini and the island of Florida."
He did not conquer the natives, however, nor plant a colony, nor find the Fountain of Youth. Eight years passed before he attempted a settlement, and then he was himself wounded in a contest with the savages, and returned with his followers to Cuba, where he died very shortly from his wounds. He had not entered the territory that is now called Georgia, but his visit is of interest to us because it gave to our land the name Florida, the first name which was given it, and the name by which it was known in Europe for more than a hundred years.
In 1520, seven years after Ponce de Leon gave its first name to this country, an expedition was sent out by Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon, a wealthy Spaniard, from the island of San Domingo. Joining with another ship on the way, the expedi tion landed on the coast of what is now South Carolina, near the present site of Port Eoyal. The Indians were friendly, and a number were induced to come on the ships, where they were held as prisoners and carried to San Domingo to be sold as slaves. De Ayllon had the prisoners released, and four years later he sent two ships, under the command of Pedro de Quexos, to the newly discovered land. Pedro de Quexos suc ceeded in regaining the friendship of the natives, and explored the Atlantic coast for many miles, including the present coast
FIRST MAP OF OUR COAST.
5
of Georgia. No permanent settlement was made, but it is almost certain that the men attached to this party were the first white men who set foot on our soil.
About the time that the second expedition was sent out by De Ayllon, the King of. Spain sent another expedition, consist ing of a single vessel under the command of Stephen G-omez, with instructions to sail northward and ascertain if any western passage could be found through the continent south of Newfoundland and Labrador. G-omez reached the Labrador coast, and turning southward he explored the whole Atlantic coast of the United States. He proved that Florida was not an island, and the land of De Ayllon was not a new continent, but that both were parts of the same mainland that Ponce de Leon had discovered and named Florida. From his reports a map was prepared in 1529, by Eibero, who was employed by the King of Spain, and this map is the first that shows any knowledge of Georgias coast line.
QUESTIONS.
What is the name of that part of the land upon which we live? What can you say of our love for this land? What can you say of the extent of it? What do we find upon the land? How many people live within its boundaries? Why are they united? What do they make? What can you say of this soil four hundred years ago? Who lived here as late as two hundred years ago? What can you say of Christopher Columbus? Why was this country called America? Mention some other explorers in the New World. Who came with Columbus on his second voyage? What land did he seek to explore and settle? When did he discover the mainland, and how did he name it? What can you say of his efforts to colonize the land? Why is his visit of interest to us? What expedi tion was sent over in 1520? Where did they land? What expedition was sent out four years later, and what did they explore? What expedi tion was sent out by the King of Spain? What of the exploration of Gomez? What did he prove? What map was prepared in 1529?
1. The land of Georgia. 2. The State of Georgia. 3. Prehistoric condition.
TOPICS. 4. Story of De Leon. 5. Expeditions of De Aylloo. 6. Travels of Gomez.
CHAPTBE H.
DE SOTO. THE MAEGBAVATE OF AZILIA.
"Nature has not blessed the world with any tract which can be preferable to it. Para dise with all her virgin beauties may be modestly supposed at most but equal to its native excellences." EOBEKT MONTSOMEKY, 1717.
OF the many adventurers who visited and explored all parts of the New World, probably the only one who marched through the for ests of Georgia was Hernando. de Soto. De Soto landed in Florida in 1539. He had with him six hundred brave soldiers, two hun dred horses, a number of fleet grey hounds and savage blood-hounds, and also a drove of hogs which he intended to use for food.
Travelling northward he en tered the region of Georgia, and we have records of his marching through Irwin or Coffee County. From thence he went in a northeasterly direction through Laurens County; then crossing the Ogeechee Eiver and Briar Creek he camped on the Savannah Eiver, probably at Silver Bluff, a few miles below the present city of Augusta. During the march his soldiers searched everywhere for gold, breaking into wigwams, temples, and even the graves of the Indians. They suffered for food. At one village an Indian chief sent them a present of partridges, corn, and turkeys. He also
DE SOTOS MARCH.
f
gave them some dogs, and these were killed by the soldiers and eaten with great relish.
When De Soto reached the bank of the Savannah Eiver he was received by a beautiful Indian princess. She came across the river in her canoe and welcomed him. She took from her own neck a string of pearls <ind hung it around the neck of De Soto in token of friendship. She gave him many shawls and dressed skins for clothing. De Soto was moved by the beauty and kindness of the princess, and taking from his fin ger a ring of gold set with a ruby., he placed it on her finger.
At Silver Bluff the Indians brought in a dagger and a rosary, both of Spanish make, which proved that some Span ish party had visited the land before him. Historians agree that these were left by De Ayllons second expedition, which had explored this coast sixteen years before.
De Soto was hospitably treated by these Indians, but he did not return their kindness. He took from them basketfuls of pearls, and treated them with cruelty. When he left, he took the beautiful princess a captive, and compelled her to go, on foot, ahead of his army. He proceeded up the Savannah Eiver for some distance. At a point believed to be in the present county of Habersham, he turned westward and crossed northern Georgia to the Indian village Chiaha. This village was at the junction of the Oostanaula and the Etowah, where the city of Koine now stands. During the last march before he turned west, the Indian princess escaped from De Soto, taking with her a large box of rare pearls.
After leaving Georgia, July 2, 1540, De Soto continued his march until he came to the banks of the Mississippi Eiver in 1541. He crossed the river, and after wandering in the swamps he was seized with fever, and died in May, 1542. His followers concealed his death from the Indians, and carrying his body at night, weighted it with stones and dropped it into the waters of the great river he had discovered. Only forty of all the six hundred men lived to return to their homes in Spain.
s
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Everywhere on his march De Soto found the red men, whom Columbus had named Indians. They were a rough, ignorant, warlike race^ of brown or red color,, with high cheek bones and long, coarse hair. The men, when they were not at war, spent their time fishing and hunting, while the women cultivated patches of maize or Indian corn. They lived in small villages of skin-covered huts called wigwams,
MARCH Or DE SOTO.
scattered about through the woods and on the banks of the streams, where game and fish were plentiful. The Indians were not many in number. Probably not more than ten thou^ sand were in all Georgia at that time.
The exploration? of De Soto confirmed Spains title to the lands that we now call Georgia. If he had settled his follow ers on those lands instead of pushing west in search of some mightv empire to conquer, he would have founded here a
RIBAULT EXPLORES OUR COAST.
9
great Spanish-American state with a Spanish-speaking people. Through his failure to do so, Spain lost her claim to this soil, and more than twenty years passed before another visit was made to our shores by colonists with a view to settlement.
The next visit was made by a Trench company of Hugue nots sent out by Admiral Coligny, who was. himself a Hu guenot, and who thought to find religious freedom for them in the wilds of America. This expedition was under the command of John Eibault, who explored our entire sea-coast from the St. Johns Eiver to Port Eoyal. He gave French names to all of our rivers. The St. Marys he called the Seine; the Satilla, the Somme ; the Altamaha, the Loire ; the Newport, the Oharante; the Great Ogeechee, the Garonne; and the Savannah, the Gironde.
His descriptions of our coast are most glowing. He finally built a fort and planted his colony where Port Royal now stands. The fort was called Fort Charles, but was abandoned two years later, and a new fort, called Fort Caroline, was built at the mouth of the Eiver St. John, then called the Eiver May.
Spain was alarmed by these French settlements, and in 1565 sent a large force under Menendez to settle Florida. After founding St. Augustine and fortifying it, he surprised and murdered the French at Fort Caroline, and left a Spanish garrison there. Shortly after, a party of French, in retaliation, recaptured the fort and murdered the Spanish garrison, but did not attempt to hold the country. After this, Spain held peaceably, for a hundred years, the lands that are now Georgia, and the Spanish governors at St. Augustine sent mining parties into the Cherokee countryVto work the gold mines. Juan Paedo built a fort there, and the mining continued twenty years after Charleston was founded. The ruins of thp fort, and mining tools of iron, were found by the early white settlers of North Georgia after the removal of the Cherokees. ,- EnjjljjuI^suiLaiffuto the territory was founded on the explo it-.
10
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
rations of the Oabots in 149? and 149S, but for more than one hundred years ticTattempt was made to enforce this claim. In 1663 Charles II. granted all the land lying along the Atlantic coast, between the thirty-sixth and twenty-ninth degrees of north latitude, to eight noblemen, called the Lords Proprie tors of Carolina. All the land in the present State of Georgia was included in this grant, and from that date was called Caro lina by the English, thoughno attempt was made to settle the lands west of the Savannah River.
The permanent English settlements at Charleston and along the Carolina coast established Englands claim to Carolina, while the permanent Spanish settlement at St. Augustine had established Spains title to Florida; but no agreement could be reached as to the dividing line between Carolina and Florida. The northern line of Florida was not fixed until 1763, one
-ctv--^/?.
hundred years after the grant to the Lords Proprietors, when Spainjceded all_Floridg,.,to_ England.
The first effort to colonize the territory of Georgia was made by Sir Robert Montgomery in 1717, who secured from the Lords Proprietors of Carolina a grant of the land lying between the Savannah and Altamaha Rivers. It was to be called the Margravate of Azilia, and was to be a part of Car olina. Sir Robert was to pay a rental of one penny an acre for all lands occupied, and to give the Lords Proprietors one-fourth of all the gold, silver, and precious stones found there.
The most glowing accounts of the wonders and beauties of Georgia were written. Nowhere in the world could be found such beautiful woods and meadows, such rich mines and fields, such a soft climate and fertile soil. But these accounts did not attract settlers south of the Savannah River, and the red men of the forests remained the only inhabitants of Azilia, until a nobler man, with a loftier aim than Sir Robert, came to make its shores the home of the unfor tunate.
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.
11
[When General Oglethorpe came to America and went up the Savan nah River, he took with him the journal of Sir Walter Rrfleigh. From the latitude and marks of the place he was led to believe that Sir Walter had been there before him, had landed at Yamaeraw and had talked with the natives. He was told that about half a mile from the bluff there was a grave of an old chief who on his death-bed said: " Bury me on the place where I talked with that great, good man from over the sea."]
[To show the number of pearls taken by De Sotos men from the Indians of Georgia, it is related that one day a foot soldier called to a horseman who was his friend and offered him a .linen bag of pearls weighing six pounds, saying: " You may have these if you will. I am tired of carrying them." The horseman refused the offer, telling the soldier to keep the jewels for himself. But he replied: " If you will not have them, I will not carry them longer. They shall remain here." So saying, he untied the bag, whirled it around his head, and scattered the pearls in every direction among the thickets and grass.]
QUESTIONS.
Who landed in Florida in 1539 ? What did he bring with him ? What of his march through Georgia? Tell what they searched for. What of the Indian princess? What did the Indians bring in at Silver Bluff? How was De So to treated by the Indians? How did he treat them? Where did the army march after leaving Silver Bluff? What river did he reach in 1541 ? Describe his death and burial. How many of his fol lowers returned to Spain? Describe the Indians whom De Soto met. What if DeSoto had settled on this land? Who made the next visit? What names did he give to the rivers? How did he describe our coast? On what was the English claim to the territory of Georgia founded? What charter was granted in 16C3? What did this territory embrace? Who made the first effort to colonize Georgia? What was it to be called? Give a description of it. Did the effort succeed?
Let the pupil tetl
TOPICS.
1. The story of De Sotos march. 2. The story of Ribaults travels. 3. Of the Spanish occupation.
4. How Georgia was first a part of Carolina.
5. About the Margravate of Azilia.
EPOCH II.
Georgia under the Trustees,
.CHAPTER III.
WHY AND BY WHOM GEORGIA WAS SETTLED.
"Many of our poor subjects are, through misfortune and want of employment, reduced to great necessity, insomuch as by their labor they are not able to provide a maintenance for themselves and families ; and if they had means to defray their charges of passage and the expenses incident to new settlements, they would be glad to settle in any of our provinces in America, where, by cultivating the lands at present waste and desolate, they might not only gain a comfortable subsistence for themselves and families, but also strengthen our colonies and increase trade, navigation, and wealth of these om
realms." Exir&ct from Charter of Georgia,
MANY years ago it was the
custom in England to impris
on people for debt. These
debtors prisons, as they were
called, were often the scenes
of suffering, injustice, and
cruelty. The way in which
they were managed finally be
came so bad that it attracted
public attention, and the
British Parliament appoint
ed a committee to investigate
JAMES EDWARD OGLETHOKPE.
and reform the condition of
the prisons of England.
The chairman of this committee was James Edward
Oglethorpe, a member of Parliament and the author of the
resolution under which the committee was appointed. He
WHY GEOR&1A WAS SETTLEU.
13
was a good and wise man. In his visits to the prisons his heart was touched by the sufferings of the unfortunate debtors. He saw that these poor men could not possibly earn money to pay their debts while they were shut up in prison. Even if released it was not probable that they would succeed in life better than before. All the land in Eng land belonged to the rich, and a poor man, although willing to work, had no right to plant this land and raise food for his family. He thought of the great tracts of land lying idle on the shores of America. On these lands the poor
debtors could" build homes, and from this fertile soil they could support their families. (He enlisted several other noble men in his plans, and induced them to unite with1 him in a petition to the king, asking for a grant of land in "his Majestys Province of America," where they could colonize many of the worthy and honest poor people living in and near the city of London.
The petition was granted, and the charter foi & colony received the great seal of England, June 9, 1732. The terri tory granted was that part of South CaTolma West of the
14
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Savannah River. It included all the land between the Savan
nah and Altamaha Rivers, from the Atlantic coast to the head
waters of these streams, and thence extended westward to the
" South Seas," or Pacific Ocean. The name of Georgia was
given to this province in honor of George II., who was then
king of England.
The reasons for locating the colony in this place were to
protect the frontier of^Carolina from the ravages of the
Indians, and to take possession of soil that was disputed by
the English and Spanish. J@g^etnolPe a^&0 heard that mul
berry-trees grew along the Savannah River, and that the
climate was suitable for the silkworm._) He believed that a
fine quality of raw silk could be raised in Georgia by colonists,
who could thus find means of earning a living and save to
England vast sums of money paid to foreign countries for
silks. So firmly did he believe in this that he resolved to
send to Italy for persons to teach the colonists how to feed
the worms and wind the threads from the cocoons.
i.The charter created a
board of trustees, called
The Trusteesfor establish
ing the colony of Georgia
in America, for a term of
twenty-one years, with the
power of buying and sell
ing lands, of having a
seal, of making laws, and
of establishing courts for
the government of the
new colony. They were
given power to send for
SEAL OF THE TRUSTEES.
eigners and subjects of Great Britain to Georgia
and to grant them lands, not over five hundred acres to each
person, for which no rent should be "paid for ten years. On
BY WHOM GEORGIA WAS SETTLED.
15
the reverse of the seal of the Trustees was the motto "Non siK sed aliis," which means, "Not for themselves but for others." A clear impression, of this side cannot be found. The picture on the preceding page shows the front or obverse side of the seal, and the Latin inscription, " Colonia Georgia augeat," meaning, " May the Georgia colony flourish."
Having received the charter, the Trustees met and made rules for the settlement and government of the new province. \They resolved to grant only fifty acres of land to each man and his family. Land was granted for life only, and when a man died his sons inherited it. The condition was also put in the grant that the land must be cleared, planted, and a*house built by a certain time, or the right to it would be lost. It was required that a hundred white mulberry trees should be planted on every ten acres. The Trustees also prohibited the sale of rum and the use of negro slaves in the colony." The TrusteelTasEed for gifts of money to aid the enterprise. The responses were liberal. Even Parliament gave 10,000 to help them in their noble purpose.
The Trustees also offered inducements to men of means to join the colony. To a man of good character who would pay his own expenses and bring with him ten able-bodied menservants over twenty-one years of age, the Trustees agreed to grant five hundred acres of land, which could not be sold, but descended to his male heirs. A rental of twenty shillings a year was to be paid for every hundred acres, but the pay ments were not to commence for ten years. Within the ten years each person was to clear and cultivate two hundred of the five hundred acres of land, and to plant two thousand white mulberry trees. Persons having land under this grant must live in Georgia at least three years, and could not leave the province without permission of the Trustees.
It may seem strange that parties receiving land were not permitted to mortgage or sell it, and that the land descended only to the male heirs, but it must be remembered that the
16
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
object of the Trustees was to secure a large number of male
citizens who could be relied upon for the defence of the
colony. Every settler was a soldier, and was required to do
military service.
A great many persons were anxious to join this colony.
Many were rejected. No debtor was taken without the consent
of the creditor ; no criminals or wicked persons were accepted ;
no man was received who would leave a wife or little children
depending on him for support. The debtor prisons were care
fully examined, and the worthiest of these -unhappy people
were taken. Pour months were devoted to this work, and the
best people among the needy population of England were
chosen to be the first settlers of Georgia.
The plans for sailing-were made with care. November 17,
1732, the ship Anne (pronounced an), which bore the com-
pany with Oglethorpe at its head, weighed anchor and dropped
down the Thames River. On board were thirty-five families,
containing one hundred and thirty persons, bound for the
New World.
"~" -^"
-
The voyage was long, taking two months and seven days. Prayers were offered every morning and night that no accident or-misfortune should overtake them. At length,. January 13, .1733, their hearts were gladdened by the sight of land. They had reached the harbor of Charleston. The governor of South Carolina gave them a hearty welcome, and furnished a pilot to conduct them to Port Royal harbor. The next morn ing they continued their voyage, and on the 19th landed at Beaufort-town, /where they were saluted by the artillery.
[James Edward Oglethorpe belonged to an ancient family in England. He was called " a gentleman of unblemished character, brave, generous, and humane." He was born in 1689, and when a young man left college to begin the life of a soldier.
Oglethorpe soon became an ensign of the English army, then a lieuten ant of the first troop of the Queens Life Guards. Going abroad, he enlisted under Prince Eugene, and finally became his aide-de-camp.
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.
17
When he returned to England he entered upon very wealthy estates, and began political life. He was in Parliament for thirty-two years, and was the friend of the unfortunate and oppressed. His scheme to found a colony for poor debtors in Georgia will ever endear Mm to the hearts of all true philanthropists. ~So colony in America can point to a founder in whose character are more unselfish and generous qualities than are found in James Oglethorpe, the father of Georgia.
" To see a gentleman of his rank and fortune visiting a distant and uncultivated land, with no other society but the miserable whom he goes to assist, exposing himself freely to the same hardships to which they are subjected, in the prime of life, instead of pursuing his pleasures or am bition on an improved and well-concerted plan from which his country must reap the profits, at his own expense and without a view or even a possibility of receiving any private advantages from it, must give every one who has approved and contributed to the undertaking the highest satisfaction ; must convince the world of the disinterested zeal with which the settlement is to be made, and entitle him to the truest honor he can gain the perpetual love and applause of mankind."]
QUESTIONS.
What can you say of debtors prisons ? What did Parliament do ? Who was on this committee, and what did he think ? What petition was made, and for what ? When did the charter of Georgia receive the Great Seal ? What was the first object ? Describe the territory granted. Why was the province called Georgia ? Mention two other reasons for locating the colony on the Savannah River. What can you say of Oglethorpes hopes for silk culture ? What powers were given the Trustees ? What motto did the seal contain ? What were some of the rules made by the Trustees ? What did the Trustees ask for ? And what did Parliament give them ? Who. were rejected and who received as emigrants ? When did the emigrants sail ? How many were on board ? Who was with them ? When and where did they sight land ?
Tell about-- 1. Debtors prisons. 2. Oglethorpes plans. 3. What was granted him. 4. The charter of Georgia.
2
TOPICS.
5; The seal of the Trustees. 6. The rules for the new colony. 7. How the colonists were chosea 8. The voyage across the Atlantic.
CHAPTER IV.
WHEEE "AND WHEN GEOBGUA WAS SETTLED.
" The earth is so fertile that It will bring forth anything that can be sown or planted ix it, whether fruits, herbs, or trees. There are wild vines which run up to the tops of the tallest trees ; and the country is so go6d that one may ride full gallop twenty or thirty
mites."--Journal of Baron -con SecTc, nstt.
LEAVING the emi
grants to rest, after
their long voyage, in
homes provided by the
good people of South
Carolina, Oglethorpe
took a few friends and
set out in an Indian
canoe to find a site for
his colony. He wound
in and out among the
small islands at the
mouth of the Savannah
River, and at length
rowed up to a high
bluff eighteen miles
TOMOCHICHI AND HIS NEPHEW
from the sea. Here he
found a village of Yam-
acraw Indians and a Carolina trading-house. An old Indian
chief and warrior, Tomochichi, looked on him with some
distrust, and at first would not come near him. Oglethorpe.,,
found an Indian woman who could speak English, and
through her told the Indians that he meant peace and
WHERE AND WHEN GEORGIA WAS SETTLED. 19
friendship. Tomochichi then welcomed him, and promised his aid and protection to the colony.
Oglethorpe returned to Beaufort for the colonists, and February 12, 1733, they arrived at Yamac.ravMBlufE. (j^& landing, they all knelt down to offer thanksgiving and prayer to God. They then brought their goods ashore, pitched four large tents, and spent their first night in Georgia. Basing early next morning they began work. Trees were cut down, clearings made, and cabins built. In a few weeks fields had been planted, forts had been built, and everything looked like a busy, thriving colony. The city thus begun was namecl/ Savannah, after the river on which it was situated. ; Ogle thorpe pitched a tent for himself under four pine-trees, and lived in it for nearly a year. His goodness and wisdom so won the hearts and confidence of the colonists that they called him father.
(Oglethorpe sent word to the chiefs and warriors of the Indian tribes near Savannah that he wished to make a treaty of peace and friendship with them. The head men of eight tribes came to Savannah, where they were loaded with presents, Many useful articles, such as hatchets, hoes, hats, and clothing, were given to them, but they admired the gold beads and cheap jewelry more than anything else, and were especially pleased with gazing at themselves in the looking-glasses. After feasting and dancing, they made a solemn treaty of peace and good-will, binding themselves not to molest the colonists in any way whatsoever. Oglethorpe was always kind to the Indians, and one of them said : " "We love him because he has given us everything that we want and he has. He has given me the coat off his back and the blanket from under him."
After the treaty was made, Tomochichi said to Oglethorpe : "Here is a little present," and then gave him a buffalo-skir with the head and feathers of an eagle painted on the inside. He asked him to accept it, saying : " The eagle rqe^ns speed;
30
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
and the buffalo means strength. The English are as swift as the bird and as strong as the beast. Like the first, they fly from the utmost parts of the earth, over the vast seas ; and like the second, nothing can withstand them. The feathers of the eagle are soft and mean love ; the buffalos skin is warm and means protection. Therefore, love and protect our little families."
Oglethorpe thought it would be wise, however, to build a fort in the heart of the Indian country, eighteen miles from
ORIGINAL PLAN OP SAVANNAH.
Savannah, on the Great Ogeechee River. He selected a place where the Indians in their excursions against Carolina had been accustomed to ford the stream, and named the^Jgrt "Argyle. This was the second settlement of white people in (Georgia. In addition to the soldiers, ten families were sent down to build dwellings and cultivate the land around the fort.
In a few months emigrant ships began to arrive from England and elsewhere. The first of these, commanded by Captain Yoakley, brought needed supplies of food, clothing, and tools,~"anHIwasrgiven the prize of a gold cup offered by the
WHERE AND WHEN GEORGIA WAS SETTLED. 21
Trustees"-for the f5rst.ship unloading at Yamaeraw. The next one brought over two hundred and fifty emigrants. This was so large an addition to the town that in July, 1733, the colonists met on the bluff to enlarge the limits of Savannah, to lay off lots, to run streets and name them. Some of the streets in Savannah still bear the names given them on that day. While they were engaged in this work another ship, came up the river and landed forty Israelites, who asked per mission to join the colony. This was granted.
Eight months_afterward a ship arrived at Savannah, bringling a band of Salzburgers, who had been cast out of Germany
on account of thelFreligion. They were warmly welcome^by the colonists. Finding a place that suited them, they settled on the banks of a small creek flowing into the Savannah Eiver, twenty-five miles above the city. They named their town Ebenezer, which means "stone of help." That place is now in Effingham County.
Fifteen months had now passed since the first landing at- Yamacraw. During that time Savannah was laid out and improved; Fort Argyle was built; Abercorn, Highgate, and Hampstead were settled as small villages on the Savannah Eiver ; Ebenezer was founded, and a light-house was built on Tybee Island. Farms were started, silk-growing was com menced, and although everything was in the rough, state of a ; new colony, on all sides could be seen thrift and happiness.^/
[Tomochichi was the noble and aged chief of the small tiajje of Yama craw Indians. He belonged to the tribe of the Lower Creeks, but they had banished him, along with others, for some political cause. He had settled with them near the mouth of the Savannah River, and by them was chosen Mico or chief. He was ninety-one years old, but tall, vigor ous, dignified, and manly. He was a true friend to the colonists, and aided them in making treaties with other tribes of Indians. Let us not forget that while Oglethorpe deserves every praise as the leader of the colonists, yet this aged Indian chief made the colony possible by his guarantee of safety and friendship to the colonists, and to him is due the lasting gratitude of their descendants.]
22
HISTORY OP GEORGIA.
[During the years from 1729 to 1732 nearly thirty thousand German Salzburgers were driven from their homes by the persecutions of Leo pold on account of differences in religious belief. Some of these wander ers engaged the sympathies of the Trustees, who offered homes to them in the colony o Georgia. Forty-two families agreed to come, Baron von V.,Reck ^leading .them. They left Dover December, 1733, ancT reached Charleston in March, 1734. Oglethorpe happened to be there at the time, and welcomed them. They desired to settle somewhere, at a dis tance from the sea, in a hilly country where there were springs of water. They selected a spot forty miles from the ocean, where they could rest and worship God according to the ways approved by their own conscience.]
QUESTIONS.
What did Oglethorpe now set out to find ? What did he find at Tamacraw ? What can you say of Tomochichi ? When did the colonists land at Yamacraw ? "What was first done ? What was done the next day ? What was the city named, and why ? What did Oglethorpe pitch for himself ? What did the colonists call him ? What treaty did Oglethorpe make ? What did the Indians think of Oglethorpe ? What did Tomo chichi give Oglethorpe, and what did he say ? What fort was built soon after ? Where, and why ? What emigrants arrived soon after ? After the arrival of further emigrants, what was done ? Who asked permission to join the colony ? By whom was Ebenezer settled ? What was the condition of Georgia after fifteen months ?
TOPICS. Georgia was founded--
( As a relief to debtors and worthy pool . Why ? -\ To colonize disputed territory.
To encourage silk-growing.
f Oglethorpe. By whom ? -\ The honest poor of England.
The worthy imprisoned debtors.
( Savannah. Where ? j Port Argyle.
Ebenezer.
When ? February 12, 1733.
(Let the pupils write a composition from the above outline.)
CHAPTER V.
HOW THE COLONY GREW.
** So sweet the air, so moderate the clime, None sickly lives, or dies before his time ; Heaven, sure, has kept this spot of earth uncuret To show how all things were created first." WAIJ.BB.
AFTER an absence of fifteen
months Oglethorpe resolved to
visit England. He invited Tomo
chichi, his wife and nephew, and
several chiefs to go with him.
When they reached England, Ogle
thorpe was welcomed by the Trus
tees and people with every mark
of affection and regard. The In
JOHN WESLEY.
dians excited a great deal of inter est and were well cared for. They
were given suits of clothing and presents of many kinds, were
entertained by the nobility, and were presented to the king.
Tomochichi gave the king a bunch of eagle feathers, saying :
" These are the feathers -of the eagle, which is the swiftest of
birds, and which flieth all around our nations. These feathers
are a sign of peace in our land, and have been carried from
town to town there, and we have brought them over to leave
with you, 0 great King ! as a sign of everlasting peace." The
Indians were much impressed with the riches of the people of
England, and especially with the strength of their houses.
Tomochichi said that he coujd not understand why people
24
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
who would live so short a time should build houses that would last so long.
After a visit of four months the Indians returned to Georgia, but Oglethorpe stayed in England to attend to some business for the colony. In January, 1735, Oglethorpe sent over a colony of Swissjin^Moraviajijinigrants, who settled near Fort Argyle on the Ogeechee River. He also decided to found a town for a number of Scotch Highlanders who wanted to come to Georgia. A band of these hardy mountaineers sailed from Scotland in January, 1736, and settled on the Altamaha River. They named their town New Inverness and the district Darien. Upon their arrival in Savannah some of the Carolinians had tried to dissuade them from going so far south, saying: " The Spaniards from the houses in their forts will shoot you upon the spot chosen lor your future home." The brave Scotch replied: " "Why, then we will beat them out of their forts, and shall have houses ready built to live in."
In 1736 Oglethorpe returned, bringing two hundred and twenty-five persons and two ship-loads of supplies. One hun dred and twenty-five settlers were Germans, and were sent to Ebenezer. Twenty-five Moravians were added to the settle ment of Fort Argyle on the Ogeechee River. John and Charles "Wesley came with Oglethorpe on his return to Georgia for the purpose of preaching the Gospel. Both of them went back to England after a short period.
A colony was next established in February, 1736, on St. Simons Island, at the mouth of the Altamaha River. It was called Frederica, in honor of Frederick, Prince of Wales. A fort was built there for the defence of the colony on the south.
Oglethorpe went up to Ebenezer to visit the Salzburgers. They had moved to a new place called New Ebenezer, nearer the Savannah River, where he found their colony in fine order. These Germans were a hard-working people who were sure to prosper. He went over to New Inverness to visit the Scotch Highlanders. As a compliment to them he wore a plaid suit.
HOW THE COLONY GREW.
The captain of the settlement wanted Oglethorpe to sleep on
the bed in his tent, but Oglethorpe excused himself, and though
the weather was cold, lay down
in front of the guard fire all
night.
^/Wishing to know more of the
coast of Georgia, Oglethorpe
and a party of friends, with
several Indians, explored the
islands south of St. Simons.
They visited Jekyl Island, and
built a fort on its northern side.
The next island an Indian of
the party wished named for
the Duke of Cumberland. A
fort was built here also and
turned over to the Highland
ers. The next was a beautiful
island, which Oglethorpe named
Amelia. The knowledge of the
coasts served Oglethorpe well
in troubles with the Spaniards,
which came on soon afterwards.
By orders of Oglethorpe, a
military post was marked out
and established far up the Sa
vannah River in 1735. It was
called Augusta in honor of one
of the. royal princesses. This was the beginning of the present
MAP SHOWING THE FOKTS ALONO THE ATI-ANTIO COAST.
city of Augusta. Eoger de Lacey, an agent among the
Indians, was the first settler. This place soon grew into
importance as a centre for Indian trade.
Four years had now passed. The Trustees had sent -to
Georgia over one thousand persons. Fifty-seven thousand
26
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
acres of land had been granted. Five principal towns had been built, viz.: Savannah, New Ebenezer, New Inverness, Frederics, Augusta. Forts had been erected on the islands of the coasts, and along the Altamaha Eiver. Treaties had been made with the Indians, and their friendship obtained. So far all jwas going well with the new colony of Georgia. f' Let us turn aside from the thriving colony of Georgia, and take a view of the general condition of the New World at this time. We see a narrow semicircle of scattered European settlements stretched along the Atlantic Ocean. The vast interior of America was all a wild, unknown country, in habited by tribes of Indians. Over a hundred years before Georgia was founded, the English made their first permanent settlement at Jamestown, Virginia ; the Pilgrims _landed at Plymouth Eock and founded Massachusetts; Maryland was also occupied by the English, as well as New Hampshire, Con necticut, Ehode Island. , The Dutch landed on Manhattan Island and laid the foundations of the State of New York. The Danes and Swedes settled in New Jersey and Delaware, and the Quakers, led by William Penn, founded the State of Pennsylvania. Explorers from Virginia crossed the border and began the colony of North Carolina, whichwas followed thirty years later fey the settlement of South Carolina. To these twelve colonies Georgia was joined as the thirteenth, and on that account has been called " the last of the Original Thirteen."
[The voyage of Oglethorpe with the Salzburgers and Moravians was long and stormy. On one occasion the sea broke over the vessel from stem to stern, burst through the windows of the state cabin, and . drenched the inmates. A week later another storm occurred, and one of the waves came near washing John Wesley overboard. In all these storms and dangers the Moravians were calm and unterrified. The tempest began on Sunday, just as they had commenced their service. The sea broke over the ship, split the mainsail, and poured down into the vessel. The English screamed, but the Germans sang on. "Were you not afraid ? " said Wesley to one of them. " I thank God, no." " But
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.
27
were not your women and children afraid ? " " No," he replied ; " our women and children are not afraid to die." Mr. Wesley afterward said that the example of these Moravians exerted so good an influence over him as to make him doubt if he were really converted before he met them.]
[Previous to the establishment of Augusta, as early as 1716, there was near this point a Carolina trading-station called Fort Moore, or Savannah Town. It was named for the tribe of Sawanno or Savannah Indians, living near by. It was on the Carolina side of the river, about four miles below the present town of Hamburg. Goods were brought by land and water from Charleston. A laced hat was exchanged with the Indians for eight buckskins ; a calico petticoat for twelve buckskins ; and so great was the desire for salt, gunpowder, kettles, rum, lookingglasses, that the traders were allowed to exact of the savages all they were willing to give in exchange.]
QUESTIONS.
What did Oglethorpe now resolve to do ? Whom did lie invite to go with him ? How were the Indians treated ? What did Tomochichi say to the king ? How long did the Indians stay in England ? Whom did Oglethorpe send over in January, 1735 ? What can you say of the Scotch Highlanders ? Whom did Oglethorpe bring with him on his return ? Where did they settle ? What two men came over to preach the Gospel ? When and where was Frederica established ? What two places did Oglethorpe visit ? What of his explorations along the coasts ? When and where was Augusta established ? What can you say of the condition of the colonists after four years had passed ? What was the condition of European settlements in America at this time ? Name the twelve States founded before Georgia. What is Georgia often called?
First Settlers. Where ?
English. Swiss and Moravians. Scotch Highlanders. Salzburgers. Jews.
TOPICS.
First Settlements.
Savannah. Fort Argyle. Ebenezer. Frederica. New Inverness* Augusta.
By whom 9
CHAPTER Vt
TROUBLE WITH THE SPANIARDS. OGLETHORPE INVADES
FLORIDA.
"One man there is, my Lords, whose natural generosity, contempt of danger, and regard for the public prompted him to obviate the designs of the Spanish and to attack them in their own territories; a man whom by long acquaintance I can confidently affirm to have been equal to his undertaking, and to have learned the art of war by a regular education, who yet miscarried in the design only for want of supplies necessary to a possibility of success." DUKE op ARGYLE (speaking of Oglethorpe).
THE Spaniards had not given up their claim to the territory of Georgia. As the English colony grew larger and built forts on the islands and along the rivers, the Spaniards in Florida became more and more jealous. Finally the king of Spain sent a message to the king of England to allow no more forts to be built in Georgia and to send no soldiers there. When this message was read in the Kings Council, the Duke of Argyle said: " This should be answered, but not in the usual way the reply should be a fleet of battle-ships on the ; coast of Spain." Spain threatened to invade and put an ! end to the colony of Georgia. England then declared war, October, 1739. /Fearing that the French and Spanish would alienate the good will of the Indians, Oglethorpe decided to go in person to a great meeting of the warriors at Ooweta Town, three hundred miles from Savannah. Seven thousancTjsBarrlors were to be present, and the safety of Georgia depended on their friendship. The journey was long and dangerous, but Oglethorpe did not allow the perils to deter him. With a few chosen friends he set out in July, 1739. Following the river for twenty-five miles, the party landed and submitted to the
ATTACK ON ST. AUGUSTINE.
29
guidance of Indian traders. Across deep ravines, through tangled undergrowth and deep swamps where the horses would mire up, the travellers toiled for many weary weeks. Often they had to build rafts on which to cross the streams. The smaller ones they swam or waded through. At night Ogle thorpe would wrap himself in his cloak, lay his head upon his saddle, and sleep on the ground. If it happened to be wet, he sought shelter under the trees or under tents made of cypress boughs. For over two hundred miles they neither saw a human dwelling nor met a living soul. At their journeys end the Indians met them with every expression of love and
j y-
Oglethorpe soon won the hearts of the red men, and he made firm treaties of peace and friendship with them. As one of their beloved men, he drank of their black medicine and smoked the calumet, or pipe of peace. The importance of this treaty, in view of the approaching troubles with the ^Spaniards, cannot be overestimated. " The SpaniadjJ]ie^an^h.^wjir^by_janding a, party of men on ^SmeliaTlsland and killing two -unarmed men^wn^were^engaged in carrying wood. After cutting off the heads and man gling the bodies of the men, they fled to their boats and sailed away. Oglethorpe called out a thousand soldiers and a troop of horse, and with a regiment of Highlanders went in pursuit of the Spaniards."" He followed them up the St. Johns Kiver, burned all their boats, and drove them into the city of St. Augustine. He then returned to Frederica.
Oglethorpe next organized a large force. of Indians and colonists to invade._ FJ_oridji,_.Dec.em.b.er,_12392^jGoing up the St. Johns Eiver, he sent before him a party of Indian scouts, who fell upon a small fort of the Spaniards at daylight and burned it to the ground. Going further, another,Jort" war attacked and captured. This gave Oglethorpe possession of the St. JohnVRiver, and cut off the Spaniards in St. Augus tine from their Indian allies.
30
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Oglethorpe made up his mind to attack St. Augustine itself. In May, 1740, he left Frederica with nine-hundred .men and eleven hundred Indians. He captured first Tort St. Diego, nine-miles-f-ronrStrAogttstine, with fifty-seven men andTnine cannon. Fort Jtfoosa, two miles from St. Augusbine, was abandoned Tiy the Spaniards when they heard of the ap proach of Oglethorpe, and the garrison retreated to the city.
THE OLD GATEWAY AT ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA.
He summoned the commander at St. Augustine to surrender. The commander replied : " I will be glad to shake hands with Oglethorpe in the castle."
Oglethorpe decided to attack the city both by land and sea. After making all arrangements and drawing the land troops up in order and giving the signal for the attack, it was found that the ships could not get close enough to the city to support
ATTACK ON ST. AUGUSTINE.
31
the land forces. Accordingly, the plan of storming the city was abandoned, and a siege was begun.
In order to prevent any help reaching the city, Oglethorpe ordered one of his officers, Colonel Palmer, to take a body of men and scour the country; to be always on the march, show ing himself everywhere ; to pick up stragglers, cut oft all sup plies, deceive the enemy as to the strength of his force, and not rest two nights in the same place. Colonel Palmer dis obeyed this last order, and stayed three nights at Fort Moosa, The Spanish heard that he was there, and surprised his men early one morning, killing over twenty of them, and recap turing the fort. This opened the way for supplies of food, of which the people already stood in need, to reach the city. Ogle thorpe now resolved to storm the city. For twenty days his batteries threw shot and shell into the city. At the end of this time a fleet from Cuba came to the relief of the Spaniards. Moreover, many of his soldiers were sick, the climate was very hot, the Indians were growing restless, and Oglethorpe himself was not well.
The attack on St. Augustine was therefore reluctantly__abandoned, and the English returned to Frederjca^July, 1740. Oglethorpe had lost only fifty_ .men, while the Spaniards had lost four hundred and fifty men and four forts.
[To show the danger to which General Oglethorpe was exposed, the following story is told of his escape from the murderous designs of the dissatisfied soldiers. When Oglethorpe was on Cumberland Island superintending the building of forts and earthworks, he was one day standing at the door of his hut conversing with an officer, Captain Mackay. One of the soldiers came up and in a rude and impertinent manner demanded more rations. Oglethorpe replied : "We have given you all we promised, which is enough ; but if you need more, this rude speech and disrespectful behavior is not the proper way to get it." The man thereupon became very insolent. Captain Mackay drew his sword, but the soldier caught it, broke it in half, and threw the hilt at the captains head. Rushing to the barracks, he seized a loaded gun, and crying out, "One and all," with five others ran back toward Oglethorpe.
32
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
When they had approached quite near, one of them fired, the ball pass ing close to Oglethorpes ear, the powder burning his clothes. Another aimed his piece, but it missed fire. A third drew his sword and thrust it at the general, who, having drawn his own sword, parried the thrust. At this time an officer rushed up and ran the ruiBan through the body. The others fled, but were caught, tried, and shot for their mutinous con duct and murderous assault.]
QUESTIONS.
How did the Spaniards in Florida feel about the colony of Georgia ? What message was sent by Spain to the king of England ? How was it answered ? When was war declared ? Tell the story of Oglethorpes travels to meet the Indians. What treaty did he make with them ? How did the Spaniards begin the war ? What did Oglethorpe do ? What did Oglethorpe then prepare to do? Of what did he gain possession? How? What were the preparations for the capture of St. Augustine ? What forts were captured ? Why was not the attack on St. Augustine success ful ? What did Oglethorpe direct Colonel Palmer to do ? How was Colonel Palmer captured ? How was the city stormed ? Why was the siege abandoned ?
Tell about--
TOPICS.
1. The cause of the Spanish War. 2. Oglethorpes visit to the In-
dians. 3. The way the Spaniards began
4. The way Oglethorpe continued the war.
5. The way St. Augustine was attacked and relieved,
the war.
CHAPTER VII.
THE SPANIARDS IKTADE GEORGIA.
" We are resolved not to suffer defeat; we will rather die like Leonldas and Ms Spartans, if we can but protect Georgia and Carolina and the rest of the Americans from desola, tion." OGLETHORPE.
THE Spaniards soon prepared to carry out their threat to put an end to the colony of Georgia, but nearly two years passed before everything was ready. A great fleet of_fifty-six .ships,_with_seyen thousand men on board, was fitted out at~ Havana, and set"sail "for~Str Augustine -Oglethorpe heard of it at Frederica, and at once sent a request to South Carolina for troops. He collected all the guns, powder, and cannon of the colony, and called together his Indian allies and a regiment of Highland soldiers. Thus prepared, he fortified his camp at Frederica, and waited for the coming of the enemy. June, 1742, nine of the Spanish ships appeared in Amelia Sound, but were driven away by the guns of the fort on Cumberland Island. They next appeared in Cumberland Sound, but Oglethorpe, with six boats and a hundred men, again drove them off.
A large fleet of thirty-six vessels, with over five thousand men, appeared near St. Simons Island, June 28th, but made no movement to attack until July 5th. The flood tide then brought -the fleet in beautiful array into the harbor. The Spaniards raised the red flag, and landed their troops on the southern end of the island. Here they planted a battery of eighteen guns.
Oglethorpe abandoned Fort St. Simon, having spiked all the guns and ruined all the powder. The troops fell back to Fred-
3
34
.
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
erica, and made ready to meet the attack of the Spaniards. H* had only six hundred and fifty men to oppose the Spanish army.
July 7th, a scout announced a party of the enemy within two miles of Frederica. Oglethorpe sallied forth to meet them in the woods. Taking them by surprise, he killed or captured nearly all the advance force. Oglethorpe took two prisoners with his own hands. Pushing on several miles toward the main body, he laid an ambush in the woods. Before long the enemy came in sight, halted within the defile where the ambush was, and, stacking their arms, some began to cook their meals and others lay down to rest. One of their horses noticed a uniform in the bushes, and by rearing and pitching, gave the alarm. Oglethorpe then gave the signal of attack. A deadly fire was poured down upon the unprepared enemy. They fled in all directions, but were met by the bayonet of the soldier and the scalping-knife of the Indian warrior. So com plete was their surprise that many fled without their arms. The ground was strewed with the dead. Next morning an escaped prisoner told Oglethorpe that the Spaniards had lost two hundred and fifty-nine men. Prom this victory and the great slaughter of the Spanish the place was afterward called Bloody Marsh.
.Though his forces were small, Oglethorpe now resolved to surprise the Spaniards by night. He advanced to within a mile and a half of their camp, when a Frenchman, who, with out Oglethorpes knowledge, had come with the volunteers, fired off his gun and ran into the Spanish camp. The Indians pursued the man, but could not overtake him. Oglethorpe then hastily retreated. He knew this deserter would tell the enemy of the real strength and position of his army, and he thought of a plan to thwart his treason. He sent a letter to him, written in French, urging him by all means to persuade the Spaniards to the attack, to speak of the smallness of his forces, and the exposure of his position; or, at least, to per suade them to remain three days longer on the island, when
THE SPANIARDS INVADE GEORGIA.
35
other troops would arrive, and he could make an attack upon them.
Handing this letter to a Spanish prisoner, he told him to give it to the deserter who was a spy in the Spanish camp. He then gave the prisoner his liberty. The letter, of course, went at once to the Spanish headquarters. It there produced such alarm among the Spaniards that they hastily went aboard
BETHESDA ORPHAN ASYLUM (BEBUILT IN 1854), NEAK SAVANNAH.
their ships and sailed away, forgetting in their hurry part of their arms and ammunition. In this way ended the Spanish invasion of Georgia, July 14, 1742. That a small force of six or seven hundred should have put to flight an army of five thousand soldiers, was a wonderful achievement. A noted minister, Whitefield, said : " The deliverance of Georgia from.
GiN^K-\L LIBRARY
tJNiYERSiTY OF GEO ATHENS. GEORGIA
36
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
the Spaniards is such as cannot be paralleled but by some
instance out of the Old Testament."
After the Spanish war, Oglethorpe was called to England on
business. He took with him a quantity of raw silk made in the
colony, which pleased the Trustees very much. With this silk
a dress was made for the Queen of England, who wore it to one
of her receptions, in honor of Oglethorpe and the new colony.
Oglethorpe never came back to Georgia. War with Prance
occurring in 1754, King George II. made him a brigadier-
general. He also became major-general, and one of the com
panies in his command was named the Georgia Rangers. In
1765, having passed through the grade of lieutenant-general,
he was made commander-in-chief of all his Majestys forces.
By many it was said that he was offered command of the armies
sent to subdue the American colonies in the war of the Revo
lution. This he declined, saying he knew "the Americans
well; that they never would be subdued by force, but that
obedience would be secured by doing them justice." He lived
to see Georgia an independent State. In the ninety-seventh
year of his age he died, full of
years and honor.
Among the honored names of
the early history of Georgia we
must not forget that of the
young English preacher, Rev.
George Whitefleld. When John
Wesley was in Georgia and need
ed help with his work among
the Indians and the settlers of
the new colony, he wrote to Whitefield: "What if thou art
GEORGE WHITEFIELD.
the man, Mr. Whitefield ? Do you ask me what you shall
have ? Food to eat and raiment to put on ; a house to lay
your head in such as your Lord had not, and a crown of
glory that fadeth not away." Whitefield came in the next
O&LETHORPE LEAVES GEORGIA.
37
ship, and with him came James Habersham and a troop of soldiers.
When he arrived he found that John Wesley had resigned and returned to England. He turned his attention at once to the erection of an orphan asylum. The Trustees granted him five hundred acres of land about ten miles from Savannah. Upon that tract, in 1741, the orphan asylum was built and named Bethesda, " house of mercy." Forty orphans entered at first, and the number increased to one hundred and fifty. Whitefield raised money for the building from many sources, preaching all over England and America. He was very eloquent, so much so that Lord Chesterfield said: "He is the greatest orator I ever heard, and I cannot conceive of a greater/ The orphan asylum was burned after several years, but was rebuilt, and is still a lasting monument to the inspi ration and generosity of its founder.
[Of George Whitefields eloquence in raising money for his asylum, Benjamin Franklin wrote :
" I happened soon after to attend one of his sermons, in the course of which I perceived he intended to finish with a collection, and I silently resolved that he should get nothing from me. I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or four silver dollars, and five pistoles of gold. As he proceeded, I began to soften, and concluded to give thecopper. Another stroke of oratory made me ashamed of that and determined me to give the silver ; and he finished so admirably that 1 emptied my pocket wholly into the collectors dish, gold and all."]
[Miss Hannah More writes : "I have got a new admirer; it is the famous General Oglethorpe, perhaps the most remarkable man of his time. He is much above ninety years old ; the finest figure of a man you ever saw. He perfectly realizes all my ideas of Nestor. His litera ture is great, his knowledge of the world extensive, and his faculties as bright as ever. He is quite a preux chevalier, heroic, romantic, and full of the old gallantry."
The following are Popes lines on Oglethorpe :
" Hail, Oglethorpe ! with nobler triumphs crowned Than ever were in camps or sieges found
38
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Thy great example shall through ages A favrite theme with poet and divine ; People unborn thy merits shall proclaim, And add new honors to thy deathless name."
"His oody reposes within Cranham Church, and a memorial tablet proclaims his excellence; but here the Savannah repeats to the Altamaha the story of his virtues and his valor, and the Atlantic publishes to the mountains the greatness of his fame, for all Georgia is his living, speak ing monument."]
QUESTIONS.
With what preparations did the Spanish propose to invade Georgia ? "What did Oglethorpe do to meet this armament ? Where did the Spanish first appear ? Where next ? What appeared June 28th, near St. Simons ? What happened July 5th ? Where did the enemy land ? What did Oglethorpe do ? How many men did he have ? How were the Spanish first defeated ? Relate the incident of the ambush at Bloody Marsh. How was the night surprise prevented by a deserter ? How did Oglethorpe thwart his treason ? To whom did he give the letter ? What effect did it produce ? What did Whitefield say of the deliverance of Georgia ? After the Spanish war, where did Oglethorpe go ? What can you say of his after life ? What did he say of the Americans in 1765 ? What did he live to see ? When did he die, and how old was he ? What can you say of George Whitefield ? What did he come to Georgia for ? What did the Trustees grant him ? How did he raise the money ? What did he found near Savannah ?
Spanish Invasion--
TOPICS.
1. Preparations.
5. The effect of it.
2. Landing at St. Simon.
6. Oglethorpes return to England.
3. Ambush at Bloody Marsh.
7. Tell about the Bethesda Orphan
4. The decoy letter.
Asylum.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE ADMXNTSTBATION OF PBESIDENT STEPHENS.--THE LABOB QUESTION.--THE BOSOMWORTH CLAIM.
" I once thought it was unlawful to keep negro slaves, but I am now induced to think God may have a higher end in permitting them to be brought to this Christian country, than merely to support their masters."--JAMES HABEKSHAM.
; / = s* ' '."-, . ^ -.-...-.-
ABOUT two years >
before Oglethorpes de
parture the Trustees
had changed the plan
is* of government and had
divided Georgia into
twojcounties, Savannah
and Frederica. These
were the first counties
in Georgia, and each
was to have a presi
A SETTLERS CABIN.
dent with four assist ants. Savannah
County included all the territory north of Darien. Frederica
County included Darien and all the territory south. William
Stephens was appointed president of the county of Savannah.
No appointments were made for Frederica County, because
General Oglethorpe lived on St. Simons Island, and he still
retained his authority over the whole colony.
When Oglethorpe returned to England, in 1743, the plan of
having a president in each county was abandoned, and Colonel
Stephens was appointed by the Trustees president of Georgia.
As president he had a grand title, a small salary, and little real
40
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
power. The Trustees governed the colony, and he and his assistants merely represented them in enforcing their rules and regulations or in deciding controversies and disputes.
During the first six years of President Stephens adminis tration the colony did not prosper. No new settlers were sent over, because contributions to pay their expenses had ceased, and great dissatisfaction existed among the colonists. This dissatisfaction was due to the regulations of the Trustees prohibiting the use of negro slaves, prohibiting the sale of rum, and restricting the right of a colonist to mortgage or sell his lands. In order to understand the feelings of the people, it must be remembered that just across the Savannah River was the colony of South Carolina, and further north on the Atlantic coast were eleven other English colonies where none of these restrictions existed. In Massachusetts, Ehode Island, Connecticut, and every other English colony, the people owned slaves, could purchase rum, and could dispose of their land as they pleased. These facts made the regula tions of the Trustees appear all the more unreasonable to the Georgia colonists, and many abandoned their lands and crossed over into South Carolina, where they could enjoy the coveted privileges.
Although the Trustees prohibited the use of negro slaves in Georgia, they permitted and encouraged the employment of. white servants. These white servants were brought over under contracts, called indentures or articles, by which they bound themselves to work for their employers for several years, usually four. At the end of that time each received a portion of land for himself. These servants, because of the contracts which they signed, were called "articled" or "indented" servants. Their labor was very unsatisfactory. / Many of them were idle and would not work; others could not stand the heat and the malaria of the swamps. Many ran away to Carolina and to the other colonies, where they could procure land for themselves on easy terms..}
PRESIDENT STEPHENS'S ADMINISTRATION. 41
As early as June, 1735, a petition was sent to the Trustees asking that the use of negro slaves be permitted, but the request was promptly refused. In December, 1738, another petition was sent to the Trustees for permission to use slaves with proper limitations, but counter-petitions were presented by the Salzburgers at Ebenezer and by the Highlanders of Darien, stating that they were content with the present laws and wished no change. This permission was also refused. The Trustees would not allow the colonists even to hire negroes owned in South Carolina. Those who desired slaves, however, continued their petitions, and even sent Thomas Stephens, a son of President Stephens, to England, to secure a repeal of the regulation. Rev. George "Whitefield, who had at" first opposed slave labor, became convinced that it was necessary for the existence of the colony, and that it was really a Christian act to bring these Africans to America and convert and civilize them. His whole influence was exerted in favor of the petitions being granted. The Trustees con tinued firm in their refusal.
After nearly fifteen years, however, the Trustees became convinced that they must yield. Even the Eev. Mr. Bolzius, pastor of the Salzburgers at Ebenezer, wrote to the Trustees in 1748: "Things being now in such a melancholy state, I must humbly beseech your Honors not to regard any more our or our friends petitions against negroes." They therefore decided to petition his Majesty for a repeal of the objection able act, under certain conditions. A letter was written to President Stephens and his assistants, submitting to them a copy of these conditions. A convention of the colonists was called to consider the matter, and Major Horton, of Frederica, presided over its deliberations. The suggestions of the Trustees were approved, and a petition was signed by twentyseven persons of the highest standing in the province, requesting that slavery be allowed at once under the proposed conditions.
42
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
These conditions briefly were : that the colonists should em ploy one white man-servant for every four male slaves; that they should teach slaves no trade that would interfere with white citizens ; that inhuman treatment should be prevented ; and that moral and religious instruction should be given them. A condition added by the convention was that a pen alty of ten pounds should be paid by every master who forced or permitted a slave to work on the Lords Day, and that if he failed to compel his slave to attend church at some time on Sunday he should be fined five pounds for each offence. Upon these conditions the petition was granted, and slaves were by law admitted into Georgia on the 26th of October, 1749.
The regulation against the sale of rum and othermstilled liquors was soon repealed; and finally, on the 25th of May, 1750, the regulations concerning the holding of land were modified so that the owner had the power to mortgage or sell at his. pleasure. Thus the Trustees were finally compelled, by circumstances, to abandon three of their most important regulations for the colony of Georgia.
In 1749 the colony was for a time in constant dread of an attack from the Indians, and the story of the cause of the trouble is full of interest. Eev. Thomas Bosomworth, one .of the ministers sent out to the colony, had married Mary Musgrove, the Creek woman who had acted as interpreter for Oglethorpe when he first met the Indians at Yamacraw. Before her marriage to Bosomworth she had been very friendly to the whites, and had been employed as interpreter. After her marriage to him, he persuaded her to present a bill against the colony for five thousand pounds for her services, and for damages to the property of her first husband. He also induced her to claim to be an Indian princess and empress of the Creek Indians. She demanded a tract of land oppo site Savannah, and three islands on the coast, St. Catherines, Ossabaw, and Sapelo, which had been reserved by the Indians for bathing and fisidng.
PRESIDENT STEPHENS's ADMINISTRATION. 43
President Stephens would not recognize her as a princess, and refused to pay her claims or to surrender the land and islands. She then appealed to the Indians, and having col lected a large band, marched at their head to Savannah and demanded her rights. By her side was the Rev. Thomas Bos omworth, clothed in his white robes as a priest of the Church of England. Immediately following her came the kings and chiefs of the lower Creeks in war-paint and feathers, and alter them a large band of warriors, all fully armed.
The people were very much alarmed at the presence of this large body of savages, and a bloody battle was expected every moment. President Stephens called out the soldiers, and .when the Indians, arrived, he boldly demanded that they should give up their arms before they came into the town. To this the Indians agreed. Shortly after they entered the town, Mary and her husband were separated from them and locked up. President Stephens then addressed the Indians in a quiet, friendly way, showing them that Mary was no prin cess, and that the islands and land which she claimed as hers were the property of the Creek Nation. In this way the Indi ans were satisfied, and declared their friendship for the whites. Presents were then distributed, and they departed in peace.
Bosomworth and his -wife went to England to prosecute their claim before the Trustees and the King. His case was carried into the courts, and was a source of trouble for many years. Finally, however, Mary was awarded nearly two thou sand pounds in full payment of the damages to her property and for her services to the colony, and St. Catherines Island was given to her. There they both died, and are buried side by side on the seashore, where their graves may be seen to-day. Their demands are known as the " Bosomworth Claim."
[William Stephens was the son of a baronet who was lieutenant-gov ernor o.f the Isle of Wight, at which place he was born in 1671. He was remarkable for his gentle manners even when a boy. He studied law and was a member of Parliament. He was highly respected by his neighbors
4A
HISTORY OF GEOR&IA.
and was often called on to settle their disputes. When about forty years of age he came to South Carolina to survey a piece of land. Here he met General Oglethorpe, who was so pleased with him that he asked the Trustees to appoint him their secretary in Georgia. Accordingly he came to Savannah and took general charge oi their affairs. When Ogle thorpe left he became president of the colony, though he was over seventy years of age at the time.]
QUESTIONS.
What were the first two counties ? When were they formed ? Why ? What appointments were made for them ? What followed Oglethorpes return to England ? What of the first six years of Stephenss adminis tration ? What caused dissatisfaction ? What of the white servants ? What petitions were presented ? What convention was held ? On what conditions were slaves admitted ? What other regulations were aban doned ? Who was Thomas Bosomworth ? Who was his wife ? What did she claim ? What did President Stephens answer ? What followed his refusal ? What finally became of the Bosomworths ?
Let the pupil tell
TOPICS.
1. How Stephens became presi- 3. How slavery was admitted,
dent.
4. The story of the Bosomworth
2. Causes of dissatisfaction.
Claim.
CHAPTER IX.
THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT HENRY PAEKER.
" My present thoughts are that the colony never had a better appearance of thriving than now. There have been more vessels loaded here within these ten months than have been since the colony was settled." JAJJBS HA/BEKSHAM.
THE year 1750 marks
the beginning of an era
of growth and prosperity
for Georgia. New set
tlers came into the colony,
and lands were cleared
and cultivated. A flour
ishing export trade began
to grow up with England,
and the articles exported
were chiefly pitch, tar, staves,
rice, and deer-skins. The Trus
tees still insisted upon the culti
vation of mulberry-trees and the
production of silk, but this in
dustry did not flourish. The
SILK-WOEM, COCOON, AND MOTH.
(Half natural size.)
Salzburgers at Ebenezer produced one-half of the silk of the colony.
Many farmers were engaged in the cultivation of indigo,
and European grape-vines were brought over and planted.
The population of the colony at this time had increased to
one thousand five hundred.
The Trustees saw that as the population of Georgia in
creased it would become more and more difficult to find out.
46
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
what changes in the rules and regulations were necessary for the welfare of the colony. Therefore, in 17J50, they adopted resolutions creating a Provincial Assembly, composed of dele gates elected by the people, which should consider the interests of the colony and recommend to the Trustees such measures as those interests demanded. This assembly was to meet in Savannah once every year, and not to remain in session longer than one month. Every town, village, or district in the province containing a population of ten families was to send one deputy, and any settlement containing thirty families could appoint two deputies. Savannah had four deputies, Augusta and Bbenezer two each, and Frederica two, provided thirty families were living there. There were some "very curi ous qualifications for future membership in this assembly. No man could serve as a deputy in the second assembly who had not one hundred mulberry-trees planted and fenced in upon every fifty acres of land that he owned ; and after 1753 no one could be a delegate who had not in his family at least one female instructed in the art of reeling silk, and who did not annually produce fifteen pounds of silk for every fifty acres of land owned by him.
Writs of election were issued in 1750, and sixteen delegates were elected. (On the loth of January, 1751, the first General Assembly everlield in Georgia met at Savannah and elected Francis Harris speaker.) This assembly had no power to make laws, but could only recommend to the Trustees such measures as were deemed of advantage to the colony. The session lasted twenty-two days, and a number of recommenda tions were made, all of which received proper consideration from the Trustees.
Henry Parker, who had served as vice-president of the colony for the past eight years, was appointed president by the Trustees on the 8th of April, 1751, to succeed Colonel William Stephens, who had resigned his office on account of his age and infirmities. Colonel Stephens, during his service
PRESIDENT PARKERs ADMINISTRATION. 47
as president, had won the love and confidence of the whole people, and the Trustees, as an evidence of their appreciation, voted him a pension for the remainder of his life. James Habersham was appointed secretary of the colony.
One of the recommendations of the first assembly was that the militia be organized, and President Parker, immediately afterTuTappornEment, proceeded to carry out this recommen dation. General Oglethorpes regiment had been disbanded, and the colony was left almost without protection against the Indiaris, whose friendship was uncertain. The militia are not regular soldiers, but citizens who are organized and drilled in the use of arms, so as to be ready when called upon to defend their homes and property./ Those citizens who owned as much as threejiundred acreV-of land were ordered to appear at Savannah at a certain time, on horseback, to be organized as cavalry, and all who owned less land were to be organized as infantry.) The first general muster or gathering of the militia was"Tield in Savannah in June, 1751, when about two hundred and twenty men, infantry and cavalry, paraded under the command of Captain Noble Jones. The records of the day say "they behaved" well and made a pretty appearance."
In 1752 a most important addition was made to the colony of Georgia. A body of CongregationaHsts from Dorchester, S. C., secured from the authorities in Georgia the grant of a large body of land lying on the Medway Eiver, half-way between the Ogeechee and Altamaha, in. what is now Liberty County; and in December of that year Benjamin^ Baker and Samuel Bacon arrived with their families and servants to take possession. ""Others soon joined them, and in a few years thirty-five families of these South Carolina rice planters set tled on the lands. Their Puritan ancestors had settled at Dorchester in Massachusetts over one hundred years before this time, and fifty years before the removal to Georgia their fathers had moved to South Carolina, on the Ashley River,
48
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
eighteen miles above Charleston, where they founded a set tlement called Dorchester, after the home they had left. The good reports of the lands in Georgia induced them to leave South Carolina for a new home. They were industrious, prudent, intelligent people, fearing God and hating tyranny* They were not wanderers, but men of wealth who brought their property with them and immediately became one of the strongest communities in Georgia. They were Congregationalists, and their minister came with them. The Midway Church, which they erected a few years later, still stands, not far from the town of Dorchester. Many of the most dis tinguished citizens of Georgia have been descendants of these settlers at Midway.
The charter of Georgia had been granted to the Trustees for twenty-one years, and the end of the time was close at hand. The Trustees were weary of their charge and refused to have the charter renewed. They sent a memorial to the Lords of the Council proposing to surrender the control of the Province of Georgia, and to deed back to his Majesty the lands which had been conveyed to them in trust for the bene fit of settlers in the province. The King accepted their pro posal, and the last meeting of the Trustees was held on the 23d of June, 1752. Every bill had been paid, every claim against them"~Ea3>~been adjusted, and all the formalities involved in surrendering their trust had been complied with. The deed of surrender was read and approved, and the seal of the corporation was attached. Then the seal was defaced, the Trustees ceased to exist, and the colony of Georgia, which had been their generous and unselfish care for so many years, passed under the direct control of the King of England and under the special charge of the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations.
The Trustees were seventy-two in number, many of them noblemen of "rank and men of distinction. Only six of the original number survived when they surrendered their char-
PRESIDENT PARKEKS ADMINISTRATION. 49
ter. During the twenty-one years they had received no pay for their services, but with the purest and most unselfish motives had given their time, their energies, and their money to building up in America a colony for the poor and worthy ol England. Upon the surrender of their charter, their con nection with the colony ceased, and a new epoch in Georgia history is reached.
[Henry Parker, the second president of the colony of Georgia, held the officeBf Bailiff in Savannah as early as 1734. He acted as magistrate, and when on the bench wore a purple gown edged with fur. He made a set tlement on the Isle of Hope, near Savannah. In 1741, when Georgia was divided into two counties, he was made one of the assistants of William Stephens. When Stephens retired on account of bad health .and age, Parker became his successor and continued in the discharge of the duties of executive until his death.]
QUESTIONS.
What was the condition of the colony during President Parkers administration? What trade had grown up? What was the population of the colony at this time? What difficulties did the Trustees foresee? What was the Provincial Assembly? How composed? How did it differ from our legislature? Mention some of the qualifications for member ship. When and where did the first assembly meet? Why did Presi dent Stephens resign his office? What new settlers came to the colony in 1752? What of their character? What about the expiration of the charter? Did the Trustees wish it renewed? To whom did they surren der control of the colony? What can you say of the Trustees and their service?
Let the pupil tell about--
TOPICS.
1. The first assembly.
3. The colonial militia.
2. President Henry Parker.
4 The Midway settlement.
5. Trustees surrender charter.
EPOCH III.
Georgia under the Royal Governors, 1754-1776.
CHAPTER X.
ADMINISTRATION OB GOVERNOR REYNOLDS. THE GREAT
SEAL.
" Georgia continued, under the kings government, to be one of the most free and happy countries in the world. Justice was regularly and impartially administered ; oppression was unknown ; the taxes levied on the subject were trifling; and every man that had industry became opulent." STOKES Bemew.of Georgia, 1783.
UPON assuming control of Georgia,, the king ordered that the regulations of the Trustees should remain in force and that the officers then serving should continue in office until the council could agree upon a new form of government. Two years and five months passed before any change was made. Meanwhile President Henry Parker continued in charge of the colony until his death, when Patrick Graham, of Augusta, became president. It was a period of great anxiety to the colonists, who were in doubt as to the future and in continual dread of attacks from the Indians.
There were at that time three forms of government among the English colonies in America. Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland were under proprietors, and were governed as Georgia had been under the Trustees. Rhode Island and Connecticut had charters that is, written documents from the king, in which he gave them the privilege of electing their own governors and managing their own affairs, so long as they submitted to his supreme authority. The other colonies were called royal provinces, and each had a provincial govern-
TEE GREAT SEAL
51
merit, consisting of a governor and council appointed by the king to represent him, and a lower legislative house elected by the people.
After long deliberation the Lords of the Council finally recommended that Georgia should be raised to the dignity of a royal province. This was approved by the king, and in 1754 he appointed Captain John Eeynolds of the Eoyal Navy the first governor of the Province of Georgia.
As a royal province, Georgia was entitled to a great seal. Therefore, on the 21st of June, 1754, the king ordered the dies for the seal to be made of silver and engraved with the design selected as the coat of arms of the new province. These old seals were very curious affairs. They were of wax, as large as a saucer and half an inch thick. When an offi cial document was written and signed, holes were punched in the top of the pages and a piece of tape or ribbon was passed through these holes and tied, so as to fasten the sheets to gether. The ends of the tape were then placed between two round plates of wax softened by warming, and these pieces of wax were placed between the dies. Pressure was then applied to the upper die, usually by a screw, so as to unite the two plates of wax. After the pressure was removed the dies were taken off, and a single piece of wax was found, bearing on either side in relief the figures that had been engraved on the dies. Such a piece of wax, thus stamped, was the great seal of the Province of Georgia, and was attached to official documents as a proof that they were genuine. The illustrations on the accompanying pages represent one of these seals. They also show a portion of the document, with the holes and the tape by which the seal is attached.
The front of this seal, called the obverse, shows a female figure, representing the young Province of Georgia, kneeling before the king in token of her submission, and presenting him with a skein of silk, while the motto beneath, " Hinc laudem sperate coloni"--meaning, " Hence hope for praise, 0
52
HISTORY OF GEOR&IA.
colonists! " notifies the colonists that the king still expected them to supply him with silk. The Latin words around the circumference mean, " The seal of our Province of Georgia in America." On the other side of the seal, called the reverse, is the coat of arms of George II.
Governor Keynolds arrived in Georgia October 29, 1754. As he landed at the bluff, the people crowded around and welcomed him with joy. At night bonfires were lighted and the houses were illuminated to show the delight of the people upon the arrival of the new governor. He took the oath of office and began his duties at once. His official title was " Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief of his Majestys Province of Georgia, and Vice-Admiral of the same." He was addressed as " Your Excellency."
No officer in Georgia ever had such a magnificent title or filled so many offices as Governor Eeynolds and the other royal governors. As captain-general he had entire control of the militia; as vice-admiral he commanded the naval forces; as governor he had the power of calling "together, adjourning, and dissolving the General Assembly at will, and of vetoing (that is, refusing his consent to) any bill that was passed by the Assembly. He had charge of the great seal and was chancellor of the province. He presided in the Court of Errors, hearing bills from the lower courts, and as ordinary he had charge of the probate of wills and the administration of estates.
The General Assembly consisted of two parts. The smaller body, called the Upper House of Assembly, was made up of twelve members who were appointed by the king. It was also the Governors Council. The larger body was called the Commons House of Assembly, and was made up of representa tives elected by the people of the several districts of the prov ince to represent them and their wants. Before any bill could become a law it must be passed by both of these houses and be approved by the governor. The Commons House of Assembly,
3RBAT SEAL OF TKK
PROVINCE-- (OBYEBBBV
SBBAT SEAL OP THE \fflSA PROVINCE--(REVEBSB)
RETNOLD&S ADMINISTRATION. 55
as the representatives of the people, claimed the exclusive right of proposing bills for levying taxes and appropriating money.
Governor Reynolds found the province in a depressed con dition, in spite of the bright pictures that had been painted of its prosperity. His first letter to the Board of Trade said : " The town of Savannah is well situated and contains about one hundred and fifty houses, all wooden ones, very small, and mostly old. The biggest was used for the meeting of the president and assistants, and wherein I sat in Council for a few days; but one end fell down whilst we were all there, and obliged us to move to a kind of shed behind the Court-house."
The first legislature of Georgia met in Savannah January 1, 1755. Twelve acts were passed and were approved by the governor. Among them was an act for printing, issuing, and circulating seven thousand pounds sterling in paper bills of credit, which should be legal tender (that is, lawful money) in the province. These paper bills of credit were simply paper money, and were loaned at interest on good security at six per cent, in order to supply the people with currency.
Governor Eeynolds made a visit to the southern part of the province. He visited Frederica, but found that once lovely city almost in ruins. He journeyed up the Ogeechee River and found a beautiful site for a town. He laid off a town, and named it Hardwicke, after the earl of that name. He pro posed to have the capital of the province located here, as it was a more central and beautiful location than Savannah, but the Lords Commissioners did not furnish the money needed to erect public buildings. Governor Reynolds devoted much of his time to improving the forts and defences of the colony. He went up to Augusta to make a treaty with the Indians. After waiting ten days, during which the Indians did not arrive, he was compelled to return to Savannah. He left presents.in charge of his secretary, who delivered them to the Indians and received their assurances of friendship.
56
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
The business which called Governor Keynolds back to Savannah was the arrival of two ships with four hundred Acadians on board. These Acadians were French Catholics from Nova Scotia, then called Acadie. Their homes and their churches were burned, and the poor Acadians were driven on board British ships and distributed among the British provinces along the Atlantic coast. The reason for doing this was that the Acadians were opposed to British rule. Nothing more cruel and inhuman was ever done by any government. Under the laws of Georgia no Catholic could be admitted to the province, and as these Acadians were Catho lics the governor was in doubt what to do. The feeling of humanity prevailed over his respect for the law, and the Acac_ dians were cared for during the coming winter. Most of them left Georgia as soon as possible.
Although Governor Eeynolds's administration had begun so pleasantly, it did not prove satisfactory. He became involved in disputes with his Council and with the General Assembly, and much bitter feeling resulted. The people complained to the Lords Commissioners of the Board of Trade and Plan tations, and that body, being satisfied that something was. wrong, on August 3, 1756, summoned Governor Eeynolds to appear before them. He remained in the province until a lieutenant-governor could be appointed and sent out to Savan nah to relieve him.
[John Reynolds was born in England in 1700. He entered the navy at an early age, and had been advanced to the rank of captain when he was appointed by the king as the first governor of Georgia. Upon resigning his position he set sail for England to answer the charges made against him. The vessel in which he embarked was captured by a French priva teer, and Reynolds was robbed of his journal, papers, and everything of value belonging to him. After he arrived in London it was nearly a year before he was tried by the Board of Trade. His answers were not satis factory, however. He then resumed his rank and position in the navy, and before his death he rose to the rank of Rear-Admiral of the Royal Blue. He died in 1776.1
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.
57
[The initials on the circumference of the coat of arms of George II. stand for the following Latin words: " Georgius II., Dei Gratia Magnx Britanniai, Francice ei Hibernice Bex, Fidei Defensor, Brunsvici et Luneburgi Dux, Sacri Rornani Imperii Archi-Thesaurarius et Elector," meaning, "George II., by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, Prance, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Duke of Brunswick and Luneburg, High-Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire." The lion and the unicorn with the crown of Great Britain are the coat of arms of the kingdom, and the quarterings on the shield represent the different titles of George II.]
[The first officers appointed for the Province of Georgia were as fol lows : William Clifton, Attorney-General; James_HakjgKsham, Secretary and Register of the Records ; Alexander Kellet, Provost Marshal ; Wil liam Russell, Naval Officer ; Henry Yonge and William DeBrahm, Joint Surveyors of Land; Sir Patrick Houstoun, Bart., Register of Grants. The members of the first Council were : Patrick Graham, Sir Patrick Houstoun, James Habersham, Alexander Kellet, William Clifton, Noble Jones, Pickering Robinson, Francis Harris, Jonathan Bryan, William Russell, and, subsequently, Clement Martin.]
QUESTIONS.
After the king assumed control of Georgia, what did he order ? De scribe the three forms of government among the English colonies in America. What important change was now made in the government of Georgia? Who was the first royal governor? Describe the great seal of the Province. The motto. When did Governor Reynolds land? What were some of his titles and powers? Describe the General Assemhly. How did Governor Reynolds find the colony? What did he say in his first letter ? What was one of the acts of the first legislature ? What steps did the governor take to find out the condition of the col ony? Who were the Acadians? Was Governor Reynolds's administra tion satisfactory to the people?
TOPICS.
Tell about--
.1. The government of Georgia. 5. Meeting of first legislature.
2. The seal of Georgia.
6. Keynolds's tour.--Hardwicke.
3. Powers of the governor.
7. The Acadians.
4. The General Assembly.
8. Reynolds removed.
.CHAPTER XI.
GOVEBNOK HENRY ELLIS.--AFFAIBS PRECEDING THE
REVOLUTION.
" I can with unfeigned sincerity declare that I enter upon this station with the most dis interested views, without prejudice to any man or body of men, or retrospect to past transactions or disputes, but animated with the warmest zeal for whatever concerns your happiness or the public utility, sincerely inclined to concur with you in every just and necessary measure, and fully resolved that if, unfortunately, my wishes and endeavors prove fruitless, to be the first to solicit my recall."--HENKY ELLIS.
HENRY ELLIS, who had been appointed by the king lieuten ant-governor of Georgia, was still a young man about thirtysix years of age. He had been a daring and skilful sailor in the Pacific Ocean and had received high honors in England. He landed in Georgia February 16. 1757, and waited upon Governor Eeynolds at once. He was then taken to the coun cil chamber, where he was installed as lieutenant-governor and acting-governor of Georgia during' the absence of Governor Eeynolds, who sailed for England the same day. The people welcomed him with bonfires and public parades. In the evening the houses were illuminated, and everybody rejoiced in the hope of a new season of prosperity. The lieutenantgovernor was especially pleased with the address of a band of young soldiers who, to the number of thirty-two, had enrolled _ themselves under the command of their schoolmaster and paraded before his house.
The first care of Lieutenant-Governor Ellis was to provide for the defence of the colony. He obtained a ship of war and five hundred stands of arms to protect the coast. He tried by justice and mild measures to heal the discontent that Eey nolds had created. He looked into every department of the
GOVERNOR HENRY ELLIS.
59
government, and recommended a chief justice for the prov ince. He visited the southern section, and favored the removal of the capital from Savannah' to Hardwicke. He held a conference with the Creek Indians at Savannah, and by his tact secured their friendship and promises of peace. This was very important, as Prance and England were at war, and French agents had been sent among the Creeks to induce them to attack the English in Georgia.
-When the legislature, or General Assembly, met, June, 1757, the governor made an opening address full of good wishes for the welfare of the colony. Among the bills passed by this legislature was one offering the Province of Georgia as a home for debtors who could not pay what they owed. Here they could find work and lands, and gradually save enough to pay their debts.
The rapid growth of the settlements on the Medway Eiver impressed the people of that district with the necessity of having a port of entry of their own from which their crops could be shipped and where supplies for their plantations could be bought. On the 20th of June, 1758, Thomas Carr con veyed to five trustees three hundred acres of a grant which he had received a year before from the king, to be laid out by them as a town called Sunbury. The trustees were men of promi nence, and two of them, John Stevens and John Elliott, were influential members of the Midway Church. The site selected for the town was twelve miles from the ocean, on a beautiful bluff on the Medway Eiver, covered with magnificent live-oaks and magnolias. A more beautiful spot could not be found in Georgia,- The town was laid off into streets, wharves were built, and it soon became a place of great importance in the colony, second only to Savannah. Its principal trade was with the West Indies and the northern colonies.
In 1758 Georgia was divided into eight parishes : Christ Church Parish, including Savannah ; St.' Matthew^s Parish, including Ebenezer; St. Paul's Parish, including Augusta;
60
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
St. George's Parish, including Halifax ; St. Philip's, including Great Ogeechee ; St. John's, including Midway and Sunbury;
!
MAP SHOWING
THE PABISHES FROM 1765 TO
THE REVOLUTION
5IAP OP PARISHES, 1765 TO THE REVOLUTION.
St. Andrew's, including Darien ; and St. James', including Prederica. These' divisions were made in order to better regulate the government of the colony. The law provided for
GOVERNOR HENRY ELLIS.
61
the holding of public worship in each of these parishes. In 1765 four new parishes were added to the number then in Georgia. They were St. Patrick's, St. David's, St. Thomas', and St. Mary's, and were all between the Altamaha and the St. Mary's rivers. These parishes were really counties.
In 1758 Governor Eeynolds, who had gone to England for trial, was removed, and Lieutenant-Governor Ellis was com missioned " Governor-in-Chief of the Province of Georgia," an honor he fully deserved. During the same year the colony sent over to England twenty-five thousand pounds of indigo and fifty-five hogsheads of rice. Georgia was steadily grow ing in population, commerce, and importance.
The wisdom of Governor Ellis in making fast friends of the Creek Indians wag. apparent in 1759, when the Oarolinas and Virginia became involved in war with the Cherokees, a most powerful tribe. Their lands covered all North Alabama and North Georgia and much of South Carolina and extended north to the Ohio Eiver. Their warriors had' assisted the English attack on Fort Du Quesne, where Pittsburg now stands. After the capture of this fort, the Cherokee warriors returned home through Virginia and carried off some horses that they found pasturing in the woods. They were followed by a party of Virginia frontiersmen, and twelve of their number were killed and the others captured. This injustice aroused the young warriors of the whole Cherokee Nation, and, instigated by French agents, they began attacks on the Carolina frontiers. On the Little Tennessee Eiver, in the valley beyond the moun tains, was Fort Loudoun, and in. South Carolina, near the town of Keowee, was Fort Prince George, both in the Chero kee country. Fort Loudoun was surrounded by the Cherokees and the garrison cut off from all supplies.
Governor Lyttleton, of South Carolina, called out the mili tia and prepared to march against the Cherokees. Thirty-two chiefs, hearing of this, went to Charleston to make peace; but the governor refused to listen to them, and forced them to
62
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
march with his army to Fort Prince George. He put guards over them on the march, and confined them when he reached the fort. This unjust treatment was a great outrage. Find ing his army not strong enough to attack the Cherokees, the governor now concluded to make peace with them, so that he might return with credit to Charleston. He sent for Attakullakulla, a wise old Cherokee chief, who was a friend of the English, and with his assistance peace was arranged. Twenty-two Indians were to be held in the fort as hostages for the surrender of the twenty-two Indians who had been mur dering the whites, and the governor returned to Charleston.
Governor Lyttleton's treatment of the chiefs had aroused a spirit of revenge, and before he reached Charleston they had killed fourteen men and besieged the fort. Unable to cap ture it, they .decoyed Captain Cotymore and two lieutenants out from the fort and murdered them. In retaliation, the soldiers in the fort attempted to put the hostages in irons. One of them resisted and stabbed a soldier, whereupon they were all murdered. This act again aroused all the Cherokee warriors, and they at once began to murder the settlers along the frontier of South Carolina. Small-pox had broken out in South Carolina, and the militia could not be called out. Gen eral Amherst sent ColonelJMontgomery from New York with a force of regulars and seven troops of Eangers from North Carolina and Virginia. He at once attacked the Cherokees in South Carolina, burned several of their towns, killing men, women, and children, and drove them to the mountains. Here he attempted to follow them, but he was drawn into an ambuscade and narrowly escaped defeat. He saw that he could do nothing against them in the mountains with his small force, so he returned to Charleston and thence to New York.
On August 7, 1760, the garrison at Fort Loudoun, cut off from supplies and being on the point of starvation, was forced to surrender. The Cherokees promised that the garrison
GOVERNOR HENRY ELLIS.
63
should be conducted in safety to Fort Prince George, but the first night of the journey the soldiers were attacked and many of them were killed. The others were carried back to Port Lqudoun as prisoners. The British Government now recog nized that the Cherokee war was a very serious matter, and prompt steps were taken to end it.
Meanwhile Governor Ellis was preparing to leave Georgia. The climate did not agree with him, and he had applied, a year before, for permission to return to England. This had been granted, but he was forced to wait for the arrival of the lieutenant-governor, James Wright, who had been appointed to relieve him.
[Governor Henry Ellis was born about the year 1720, and was distin guished at an early age for his study of the naturaljscienoes and by his interest in geographical discoveries. When he was twenty-six years of age he was entrusted with an expedition to find a new route to the Pacific Ocean, and was offered 20,000 if he succeeded. With two ships he set sail and entered the Straits of Hudson. For over a year he tried to find his way through, braving the dangers of new seas and a severe winter. He returned to England in 1747, and was at once made a Fellow of the Boyal Society. He was soon after appointed lieutenant-governor of Georgia. He was spoken of as "an active, sensible, and honest man."]
[Governor James Wright was descended from an ancient and honorable family. His father had settled in Charleston, where he married, and afterward became Chief Justice of South Carolina. James Wright was born in Charleston, but educated in England. Upon his return to Caro lina he began the practice of law, and was appointed attorney-general of the Province when only twenty-five years of age. When he entered upon his duties as governor of Georgia he was about forty-six years of age, in the prime of his life, a firm and loyal adherent to the Crown, and ever true to the trust imposed upon him in the trying times of the Revolution soon to follow.]
[The way in which the Indians were received at Savannah when Gov ernor Ellis made his treaty with them in 1757 is shown by the following account:
"The Indians were escorted by Captain Milledge with his troop of
64
HISTORY OF GEORGIA,
Rangers, and approached the town. They were met in an open savanna about a mile distant by Captain Bryan, with the principal inhabitants ot
the town, on horseback, who welcomed them in the name of his Honor the governor, and regaled them in a tent pitched for that purpose.
" The Indians were conducted to the council, and were introduced to his Honor the governor, who, holding out his hand, addressed them in the following manner: ' My friends and brothers : Behold my hands and arms ! Our common enemies, the French, have told you they are red to the elbows. View them ! Do they speak the truth? Let your own eyes witness. You see they are white, and could you see my heart you would find it as pure, but very warm and true to you, my friends. The French tell you whoever shakes my hands will be immediately struck by disease and die. If you believe this lying, foolish talk, don't touch me. If you do not, I am ready to embrace you.' Whereupon they all approached and shook hands, declaring the French had deceived them in this manner."]
QUESTIONS.
Who was appointed lieutenant-governor of Georgia? How was he received by the people? What was the first care of Governor Bllis? What did he try to do? What did he favor? What bill was passed by
the legislature of 1757? Describe the founding of Sunbury. Name and locate the first eight parishes. What four were added in 1765 ? What can you say of the exports of Georgia in 1758 ? What trouble arose with the Indians in 1759 ? What was the cause of the outbreak ? What did the Governor of South Carolina do ? What was the effect of his treat ment of the Indians ? Give further details of the trouble. What occurred at Port Loudoun? Why did Governor Bllis resign ? Who succeeded him ?
Henry Ellis-- 1.' Landing and welcome. 2. First cares. 3. Sunbury.
TOPICS.
4. The parishes. 5. Cherokee war. 6. Returns to England.
CHAPTER XII.
ADSIINISTKATION" OF GOVEKNOB WEIGHT.
" With an increasing population and expanding commerce, and presided over by a chief magistrate eager for the promotion of its best interests, the province day by day rose in importance and was fast realizing the expectations which its illustrious founder had con ceived for it."--JONES'S History of Georgia.
HON. JAMES WEIGHT, the newly appointed lieutenantgovernor, arrived in Georgia October 11, 1760. Two days later Governor Ellis sent his last message to the Assembly, and on the 3d of November he sailed for England amid the regrets of the people of the whole province.
Lieutenant-Governor Wright was an American by birth, although educated in England. He was born in Charleston, and had been attorney-general of the province of South Caro lina for twenty-one years. He was the third and last gov ernor of Georgia under the British crown.
He at once sent a message to the Assembly, calling atten tion to the necessity of completing the defences of the colony. Fort Loudon had just been captured, and the people of Georgia were in constant dread of an attack from the Cherokee Indians. Savannah was completely enclosed with pali sades and forts, so as to afford an asylum to the planters living in the vicinity, and the other forts of the province were put in good condition.
Lieutenant-Governor Wright determined not to remove the capital from Savannah to Hardwicke. This decision was of great importance to Savannah and to the whole province. The people, feeling sure that Savannah would be the perma nent seat of government, invested .capital in business there,
5
66
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
and substantial brick buildings began to take the place of the temporary wooden structures that composed the town.
February, 1761, was a memorable month in Georgia. A ship arrived bringing news of the death, in October, 1760, of the old king, George II., for whom the province was named, and of the crowning'of his successor, George III. The Assem bly was dissolved, and funeral services held in memory of the old king. The following day George III, was proclaimed king.
Meanwhile, Governor Ellis had reached England, and had induced the king to relieve him from serving any longer as governor of Georgia. On the 20th of March, 1761, Lieutenant-Governor James "Wright was appointed " Captain-Gen eral, Governor, and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Georgia," although his commission did not reach him until the 28th of January of the next year, nearly ten months after his appointment. This news was received with great rejoic ing by the people.
Early in 1761, Lieutenant-Colonel James Grant reached Charleston with a force of Highlanders to cooperate with the South Carolina militia in conquering the Cherokees. With about two thousand six hundred men he marched to Fort Prince George in May, where he was met by Attakullakulla, who begged him to advance no farther. The old chief be lieved that he could persuade the Cherokees to sue for peace; but Colonel Grant declined to wait, and moved at once into the Cherokee country. A bloody fight occurred four days later on the spot where Colonel Montgomery had been drawn into an ambuscade the year before. The Cherokees fought bravely for three hours, but were finally compelled to retreat. Colonel Grant pressed on to the Indian town of Etchoe, which he burned. Advancing into the heart of the Cherokee coun try, he burned fourteen other towns and left the entire region desolate. He then returned to Fort Prince George. The power of the Cherokees was tho"jughly crushed,, and peace
GOVERNOR WRI&RTS ADMINISTRATION. 67
was soon made. During the two years in which they had been at war with Virginia and the Carolinas, the Oherokees had not attacked any settler in the province of Georgia.
In Europe events were taking place which deeply affected the future of Georgia. France, Austria, and Russia were en gaged in a war with Prussia and England, but had gained no advantage on the continent of Europe. But England had conquered Canada, had made large gains in India and Africa, and had seriously crippled the Erench navy, so that in 1761 the resources of France were exhausted.
Now it happened that France, Spain, Sicily, and Parma were governed by princes of the house of Bourbon, and the king of France persuaded his kinsmen to form an alliance, known in history as the " Family Compact." Spain, then a great naval power, secretly agreed to aid rance~nT~the war against Eng land. In 1762 England learned of this secret compact, and promptly declared war against Spain. The contest was short. Within a few months England had almost destroyed the Spanish navy and captured Havana. Spain's commerce and her rich colonial possessions were at the mercy of England, and a treaty was agreed upon.
This treaty, known in history as the__Peace_of_Pj,ris, was proclaimed February 10,_1_763. Its provisions affecting Geor"gia were that England gained Florida, which was ceded by Spain, and the valley of the Mississippi east of the river, which was ceded by France.
It will be remembered that up to this time the northern boundary line of Florida had never been settled. Now that all the land had come into possession of England, King George III., by royal proclamation, on the 10th of October, 1763, fixed this boundary line at the St. Mary's Eiver and a straight line to be run from the head waters of that river to the beginning of the Appalachicola River. The territory south of this line and east of the Appalachicola River became the province of East Florida. The territory between the
68
. HISTORY OF GEORGIA,
Appalachicola Eiver and the Mississippi was organized into a new province, called West Florida, with its northern boundary line on the thirty-first parallel of latitude. By the same proc lamation the king added to the province of Georgia all the lands lying between the Altamaha Eiver and the northern line of Florida. Thus it happened that Georgia profited by the Treaty of Paris. The addition to her territory made her one of the largest provinces in America, and the organization of Florida as an English province removed the Spaniards, who had always been troublesome and dangerous neighbors. A new commission was issued to Governor Wright early the next year, giving the exact boundaries of the province he was to govern. This commission, years afterward, was an impor tant document in settling the boundaries of the United States.
In the same proclamation the king had set aside, for the use of the Indian tribes, the lands between the Mississippi River and the head waters of the streams flowing into the Atlantic, and had forbidden whites, "for the present," to settle on these lands. In order to establish friendly relations between the whites and the Indians, the king ordered the governors of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, within whose boundaries the Indian lands lay, to hold a joint conference with the chiefs of the tribes. Augusta was selected as the most convenient and suitable location, and the congress was opened at the King's Fort in that town on the 5th of November, 1763. Seven hundred Indians were in attendance; among them were the leading chiefs of each tribe. As the conference was held in Georgia, Governor "Wright was made president, and after five days of negotiation, a solemn treaty of perpetual peace and friendship was agreed upon and signed by all the parties.
. [Although England had granted to the colonies along the Atlantic coast charters which extended their boundaries " westward to the South Sea " or " from sea to sea," as a matter of fact, these colonies had never
GOVERNOR WRIGHT's ADMINISTRATION. 69
extended west of the Alleghany Mountains. According to the law of nations, Prance had a clear title to this territory which she now ceded
to England.]
[The fighting, which really began in 175_on the western borders of Virginia, had not caused a declaration of war between France and Eng land, although both countries had been irritated about it. Two years later Prance formed an alliance with the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria and the Empress Elizabeth of Russia against Frederick the Great of Prussia. England, through her'interest in Hanover, carne to the assistance of Frederick, who had not then won his title " the G-reat," and declared war on France in 1756. This war is known in history as "the Seven Years' "War," and was fought in Europe, in India, in America, and on the ocean. The fighting done in America is called in American history "the French and Indian War," though it was really a part of the great " Seven Years' War," and is so called by European historians. Spain did not take part in the war until 1761. The results of this war were most disastrous for France. Prussia became one of the great powers of Europe; France lost the better part of her colonial possessions, and England from this time was mistress of the seas.]
QUESTIONS.
When did the lieutenant-governor arrive? What of Governor Ellis? Who was Lieu tenant-Governor Wright? To what did he turn his atten tion? What of his decision as to the capital? What of the death of George II. ? When did Lieutenant-Governor Wright become governor? His inauguration? Give the conclusion of the Cherokee War. ' What was taking place in Europe? Describe the "Family Compact." What was the result of this compact? By the terms of the Treaty of Paris what changes occurred in America ? Who fixed the northern boundary line of Florida? What two new provinces were organized?. What addition was made to the province of Georgia? Why are the "Seven Years' War" and the "Family Compact" of interest to Georgians? What of Governor Wright's new commission? What conference was ordered by the king? Tell all about the conference.
TOPICS. Let the pupil tell about-- ,'
1. James Wright. . -2. Cherokee War. r'\--
4. Treaty of Paris. 5. The king's proclamation.
3. European affairs.
6. Augusta conference.
OHAPTEE XIII.
HOW THE PEOPLE TREATED THE DEMANDS OF THE MOTHER
.COUNTRY.
" It was certain, beyond a doubt, that this province has made, most and will make a rapid progress, and in a few years will make as considerable a figure as most on the continent."--Letter of GOVERNOR WEISHT.
ENGLAND'S expenses in the Seven Years' War had doubled her national debt, and now that the war was over. Parliament found that a new tax must be levied every year to pay the interest on the new debt. Taxes in England were already very high, and so the prime minister proposed that part of this new tax be levied on the American colonies, because, he claimed, a part of the debt had been for their defence. The colonies denied both the justice of the tax and the right of Parliament to levy it. It was not just, because they had already borne their part of the expense when they furnished and equipped soldiers who fought and won the campaigns in America. It was not right or constitutional, because the " Bill of Rights" which the English people had forced their kings to sign guaranteed that English citizens should not be taxed except by the votes of their representatives. Although these colonists lived in America., they were still Englishmen, entitled to all the rights of English citizens; and Parliament, in which
THE STAMP ACT.
71
they were not represented, had no right to tax them. In Georgia and in the other provinces Parliament had recog nized this principle by permitting the lower house of the General Assembly, elected by the people, to exercise the sole right of levying taxes in the province.
The protests of America were not regarded, and in March, 1765, Parliament passed the famous " Stamp Act." The tax which was levied by this act was to be collected by the sale of stamped paper. Pamphlets could not be sold unless printed upon stamped paper, and legal documents, such as notes, bonds, contracts, and even marriage licenses, were null and void unless written upon stamped paper. The price of the stamp was added to the cost of the paper, and each person that bought a sheet of this paper would in this way pay the tax.
When the news of the passage of the Stamp Act reached Georgia the people were filled with indignation. The ring ing words of Patrick Henry in the General Assembly of Vir ginia expressed the conviction of every freeman in Georgia. When the call came from Massachusetts for a congress of all the colonies to protest against the tax, the people of Georgia were ready to respond. Governor Wright's personal influ ence prevented the election of delegates, but a letter was sent promising the cooperation of Georgia. . William Knox, agent for Georgia in England, was dismissed because he advised the people to submit to the stamp tax. The people formed them selves into associations called " Sons of Liberty " (nicknamed Liberty Boys), and pledged themselves not to use stamped paper or to permit it to be used or distributed in the province.
On the 26th of October, Governor Wright ordered a general muster of the militia of the province to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the king's accession to the throne. A. large crowd gathered in Savannah, but instead of taking part in the celebration, they paraded the streets with noise and excite ment, threatening the governor and denouncing the Stamp Act. They made effigies of certain persons who had favored
72
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
submission to the Stamp Act, and burned them with jeers and insults.
Although the Stamp Act was to take effect November 1st, 1765, it was the oth of December before his Majesty's ship Speedwell arrived at Savannah with the stamped papers on board. The papers were taken out and placed in the king's storehouse, in charge of the commissary, guarded by forty men. On the 3d of January, Mr. Agnus, the distributor, arrived, was secretly landed in a scout-boat, with an officer and a party of men to protect him, and was taken safely to the governor's house, where he took the oath of office. He remained in the governor's house about two weeks without daring to go out, and was then sent to the country for safety. There was good reason for this. The whole colony was aroused. Governor Wright received threatening letters. James Habersham, President of the Council, was waylaid at night and forced to seek protection in the governor's guarded mansion.
Finally, toward the end of January, a body of six hundred armed men arranged to assemble in Savannah, and either to force the governor to agree not to carry out the law, or else to destroy the stamps in his possession. The governor heard of this, and sent the stamps to Port George, on Cockspur Island, where they were still guarded by soldiers. The general excite ment continued. On the 2d of February, the SpeedwelLreturned to Savannah, and the governor, a few days later, trans ferred the stamps from the fort to the ship. That night a riotous procession was formed, and burned an effigy of the governor holding in its hand one of his offensive circulars. The only stamps used in Georgia were employed in clearing sixty or seventy vessels which had collected in Savannah and were afraid to sail without them, because any ship found upon the high seas without clearance papers duly stamped might be seized by any other British ship, or by the ships of any other nation. The citizens consented to the use of these stamps in this instance alone.
SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE IN GEORGIA. 73
February 22, 1766, the Stamp Act was repealed, and peace and order once more prevailed in the colonies. "When the news reached Georgia, Governor "VVright convened the General Assembly, and congratulated them that the Province of Geor gia would have to pay no compensation for any injuries or damages to public or private property, and that the Assembly itself had no votes or resolutions to reconsider.
In the following January an incident occurred which showed the spirit of independence pervading the people and their representatives in the Commons House of Assembly. The governor made a requisition on the Assembly for supplies for the British soldiers stationed in Georgia, and sent a copy of the "Mutiny Act" under which the supplies were authorized. The upper house cheerfully agreed, but the lower house, after a long delay, replied that a compliance with the requi sition would be a violation of the trust reposed in them by their constituents, and would furnish a precedent which they did not feel themselves justified in establishing. The gov ernor was very indignant, but was afraid to dissolve the Assembly, because it contained several members who were dis posed to support the government, while if a new Assembly were elected, he feared that it would be composed wholly of the "Sons of Liberty."
Another dispute between the governor and the Assembly was with reference to the election of an agent to represent Georgia in England. The lower house refused to elect the man proposed by the governor, and he refused to approve the man elected by the house. Consequently, Georgia had no agent until 1768, when Dr. Benjamin Franklin was elected. His salary was fixed at 100 a year, and he continued to rep resent Georgia until the outbreak of the Eevolution.
Although Parliament had repealed the Stamp Act, it had not abandoned its claim to the right to tax the colonies, and so a bill was framed levying a tax upon paints, paper, glass,. and all articles of British manufacture. On the llth of Jan-
74
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
uary, 1768, the Massachusetts House of Eepresentatives sent a circular to the Provincial Assemblies of America, advising a union against the oppressive acts of Parliament. The Assem bly of Georgia was not in session, but Mr. Wyley, who had been speaker of the lower house, sent a sympathetic response. When the Assembly met, the lower house elected Dr. Noble Wimberly Jones speaker, and transacted the regular business of the session. After the necessary laws had been passed, Mr. Wyley laid before the house the letter from Massachu setts and a similar letter from the speaker of the Commons House of Assembly of Virginia. The house ordered these letters entered upon the journal, and immediately passed strong resolutions indorsing the position taken by the other provinces. Governor "Wright sent an indignant message to the Assembly, and, by virtue of his authority as governor,
dissolved it. In November, 1769, the merchants of Savannah met and
solemnly agreed not to import any of the articles subject to the tax, and shortly afterward a mass meeting of the people adopted very strong resolutions, agreeing not to buy any of these articles, and "neither to bay nor to give mourning," because all mourning goods were manufactured in England. Jonathan Bryan, who presided, was at this time a member of the Council, and the king, upon receiving these resolutions, at once ordered that Mr. Bryan should be suspended from the Council and be removed from any office that he might hold in Georgia.
The contest between the governor and the Assembly con tinued, the Council being generally in sympathy with the governor and willing to do as he wished; but the Commons House of Assembly, coming direct from the people and repre senting the popular sentiment in the province, showed in all things a spirit of independence. In 1770, Dr. Noble "W. Jones was again elected speaker of the house, but Governor Wright refused to sanction the choice and ordered the house
STAMPS--JAMES HABERSEAM.
75
to elect another speaker. Instead if doing so, the house passed resolutions complimentary to Dr. Jones and refused to elect any other speaker, declaring that the governor had no right to reject a speaker unanimously elected by the house. The only thing the governor could do was to dissolve the Assembly, and this he did. Noble W. Jones has been styled " one of the morning stars of liberty in Georgia."
[At the head of the chapter is the picture of one of the stamps which England attempted to make the American people use. The original was cut from a piece of parchment and is in the New York Historical Society library. The values of the stamps varied from a few pence up to several pounds, according to the tax levied on the different articles. The stamp in the picture is for two shillings and sixpence, which was the amount of the tax on a deed. The sale of stamps is a very common and a very satis factory way of collecting a tax. Our internal revenue tax on cigars and tobacco is collected to-day by the sale of stamps, and every box of cigars or tobacco has one and sometimes two stamps upon it. Bach person who buys a cigar or a piece of tobacco pays a part of this tax. The stamps required by the "Stamp Act" were very different, however, from onr internal revenue stamps, and were not sold separately, but were stamped upon the paper in England, and the paper thus stamped was sent over to be sold to the colonists.]
[James Habersham was born in England in 1712. He was a friend of George Whiteiield, and came to Georgia with him in the interest of the orphan asylum. Soon after his arrival Habersham opened a school for destitute and orphan children. When Whitefleld left for England, the care 01 the orphan asylum devolved upon Habersham, under whose management the institution flourished. In 1744 he resigned his position and entered into business with Francis Harris. Harris & Habersham was the first commercial house in Georgia. His house opened trade with Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, and later on began to trade directly with London. In 1750 Habersham was appointed by the Trustees com missioner to advance the culture of silk in the colony. His letters on this subject show an intimate knowledge of the agricultural and commer cial interests of the colony. In 1754 he was appointed by the king secretary of the province and one of the Council. In 1767 he was presi dent of the .upper house of the General Assembly. When Governor
76
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Wright applied for leave of absence, he recommended James Habersham for his successor, " as being a gentleman of property and no Liberty Boy." He died at New Brunswick, N. J., in 1775, where he had gone on account of his illness.]
QUESTIONS.
Why did Parliament propose to tax America ? Why was this not just? Why was it not right or constitutional ? How did Parliament act ? De scribe the Stamp Act. How was the Stamp Act received in Georgia ? Who were the Liberty Boys ? How did Georgia celebrate the anniversary of the king's coronation ? When did the stamped papers reach Georgia ? What was done with them? When did the distributor arrive ? What happened to him ? What was the feeling in Georgia ? What finally became of the stamps ? Were any of them used in Georgia ? How was the trouble about the Stamp Act settled ? What did Governor Wright do when he heard the news ? What incident showed the spirit among the people ? What other dispute occurred between the governor and the lower house of Assembly ? What new act was passed by Parliament ? What was done with the letter of the Massachusetts Assembly ? How did the people of Georgia regard the new tax ? What of Jonathan Bryan ? What of the contest between the governor and the lower house of Assem bly ? Why was there no meeting of the Assembly in 1770 ?
TOPICS.
What brought on the Revolution :
1. Taxation without representa- 4. How the Stamp Act was treated.
tion.
5. How the Mutiny Act was
2. Stamp Act.
treated in Georgia.
3. Disturbance at Savannah.
6. Trade with England stopped.
CHAPTEE XIV.
FIRST ACTS OE RESISTANCE.
"Sesolved, no man dissenting, That his Majesty's subjects in America owe the same allegiance, and are entitled to the same rights, privileges, and immunities with their fellow subjects in Great Britain."--Resolution of Georgia Patriots.
GOVERNOR WEIGHT obtained a leave of absence and sailed for England in July, 1771. Hon. James Habersham, President of the Council, had been ap pointed by the king to discharge the duties of governor during Governor Wright's absence. His title was Presi dent. He was one of the people and sympathized with them, but as an officer of the Crown he was loyal to his trust, JAMES HABEKSHAJI. and felt bound by his oath to carry out the king's wishes. One of the orders of the king was that Dr. Noble W. Jones should not be chosen speaker of the Commons House of Assembly. The Assembly elected him twice, and each time Acting-G-overnor Habersham refused to sanction the choice. The third time, Dr. Jones declined to serve, and the Assembly elected Archibald Bulloch. All this was put in the journal of the house, and when the acting-governor directed the As sembly to leave it out of the minutes, they refused. For this he dissolved the Assembly. Governor "Wright returned to Savannah, February, 1773. He had been absent from Georgia for nineteen months. He was made a baron while in England, and treated with much
78
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
respect. His position as royal governor of Georgia at this time was a very trying one, but he acted throughout with justice and loyalty, and did his duty, as he understood it,
to the king. As soon as he returned he went to Augusta and met the
chiefs of several tribes of Indians. He obtained from them the territory of the present counties of Wilkes, Taliaferro, Greene, Elbert, Oglethorpe, Lincoln--about 2,100,000 acres in all. This was in payment of a debt of $200,000 which the Indians owed the traders. In this way, by frequent treaties ' - the lands were being gained from the Indians and opened for the whites to settle upon. No lands were taken by force, however ; the land was always bought and payment was made
as promised. The British Parliament repealed the tax on all articles
except tea. They kept a tax on this in order to show their right to tax the colonies.- But the American people resolved not to use tea. The tea ships were sent back from New York and Philadelphia. In Charleston the tea was landed, but was allowed to rot in damp cellars. At Boston a company of men dressed like Indians went on board the tea ships and threw the chests into the sea. The British Parliament then passed the Boston Port Bill, March, 1774.
This act was designed to close the port of Boston, thus keeping any ships from coming in or- going out. The charter of Massachusetts was taken away, and a law was made requir ing persons charged with committing crimes in America to be carried to England for trial. These measures made the people more and more discontented. Those who sided with the colonies and were in favor of liberty were called " Whigs," while those who favored the king were called " Tories/' " Tory " soon became a term of bitter reproach.
August 10, 1774, a band of patriots met in Savannah, passed resolutions of sympathy for the people of Boston, and declared the acts of the mother country unjust. These reso-
FIRST ACTS OF RESISTANCE.
79
lutions declare that the Americans deserved the same rights as subjects living in Great Britain ; that they had a right to petition the throne for a redress of their wrongs; that the closing of the port of Boston was an act of tyranny ; -that the withdrawal of the charter of Massachusetts was an invasion of American rights ; that Parliament had no right to tax the colonies without their consent; that it was unjust to transport criminals to England for trial; and that Georgia would unite with the other colonies to resist these measures of oppression by the British Government. A subscription was started for the Boston sufferers, and six hundred barrels of rice were given and sent to that place. Among the patriots at this meeting was Jonathan Bryan, again a member of the King's Council in Georgia. When Governor Wright called his Coun cil together, a motion was made "to expel Mr. Bryan" from his seat in the Council. " I will save you the trouble," said Bryan, and at once handed his resignation to the governor and walked out.
In order that Georgia should not fall behind other provinces in resenting the action of Parliament, it was decided to hold a Provincial Congress in Savannah, in January, 1775, composed of delegates from all the parishes of Georgia. Governor Wright did all he could to prevent this meeting and thwart its designs. When the congress met, only five out of the twelve parishes were represented. One of the objects of the meeting was to elect delegates to a general Continental Congress of representa tives from all the provinces, to meet in Philadelphia in May. The Georgia Provincial Congress elected three delegates, Noble W. Jones, Archibald Bulloch, and John Houstoun. These delegates did not attend the Continental Congress, however, because they were not appointed by a majority of the parishes, and hence there might be a question as to their right to repre sent the sentiment of the province. They wrote a letter to the Continental Congress, in which they said : " There are still men in Georgia who, when an occasion shall require, will be
so
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
ready to evince a steady, religious, and manly attachment to the liberties of America."
The parish of St. John was represented in the Provincial Congress, but was not satisfied with the action of that body. Its representatives desired the Province of Georgia to take as bold and active a stand for liberty as any province in Amer ica. The parish was a wealthy and influential one, and re solved to send its own delegates to the Continental Congress. I)r. Lyman Hall was chosen, and took his seat in the Conti nental Congress " as a delegate from the parish of St. John in the colony of Georgia, subject to such regulations as the Con gress should determine relative to voting."
For the patriotic and independent spirit of its people and this prompt and courageous movement, the legislature in after years conferred the name of Liberty County on the consolidated parishes of St. John, St. Andrew, and St. James. Governor "Wright said that the head of the rebellion was in St. John's Parish.
The sentiment of the people of Georgia was divided. There were those who were anxious to act at once, throw off the yoke of Great Britain, and proclaim the liberty of the American colonies. There were others who were conservative in their views, and who hesitated to involve the province of Georgia in war. They still loved the mother country and believed that the disputes between the Parliament and the colonies would be settled in a friendly manner. This feeling was rather credit able to Georgia than otherwise, for, of all of the colonies, she had least cause to complain and take up arms against the mother country.
The British General Gage was sent to Boston with a fleet and army to subdue the American colonies. By April, 1775, three thousand British troops had collected in Boston. Soon after, the battle of Lexington occurred, in which the British were defeated. To learn how these regular British soldiers were routed by the American farmers with their shot-guns
POWDER MAGAZINE SEIZED.
si
and old rifles, you will have to read the history of the United States, where not only this but all the other battles of the Kevolutionary war are described. The tidings of the battle of Lex- ington removed all hesitation, and, excepting a few members of the King's Council, united all the people of Georgia in the determination to resist the British rule. Georgia cast in her lot with her sister colonies. \ News of these events made great excitement in Savannah. On the night of May 11, 1775, a party of six men, led by Joseph Habersham, broke open the door of the powder magazine and took out all the ammunition. A part was sent to South Carolina, and the rest concealed in the cellars and garrets of the people's houses. Finally, some of it was sent to Boston, and was said to have been used at the battle of Bunker Hill.
The king's birthday was to be celebrated June 5, 1775. On the night of the 2d, a party collected together, spiked the battery guns, and threw them off the bluff into the river.-^ The royalists hoisted them up again, drilled new holes, and went through the ceremony, hooted and jeered at by the people. A liberty pole was afterward put up by the colonists, and a flag placed at the top. About five hundred people paraded through the town with noise and defiance. , June 22d, a " Council of Safety," of fourteen members, was elected by the people of Savannah. They had the entire con trol of the affairs of the parish. William Ewen was chosen president. "When they began the discharge of their duties they were, of course, opposed by the royalists, who followed Governor Wright and his orders. A young man named Hopkins made sport of their meeting. For this he was .taken out to the public square, tarred and feathered, and paraded through the town amid the jeers of the people. He was carried to the liberty pole, and was threatened with hanging unless he drank a toast to the success of the American arms, which he hastened to do. He was then set free.
The population of Georgia at this time was 17,000 whites,
6
82
HISTO&Y OF GEOR&IA.
and 15,000 blacks. The militia numbered 3,000 men. There were 40,000 Indians living in the interior to the west and south of the Georgia colony, with 10,000 warriors. It was fortunate that their friendship and peace were secured during the trying times of the War of the Devolution, which was fast approaching.
[In a report of the condition of Georgia in 1773, by Governor "Wright, we are told that the territory of Georgia at this time embraced 6,695,429 acres. About 120,000 acres were improved and cultivated by 1,400 plantations. "The trade of the province is principally with Great Britain, from whence we are supplied with linens and woollens of all sorts ; ironware of all sorts ; hats, shoes, stockings, and all sorts of apparel ; tea, paper, paints, and a great variety of other articles. To Great Britain we export deer-skins, rice, indigo, naval stores, and sundry other articles. We are supplied with rum and sugar from the West In dies ; and also with rum, flour, and biscuit and other provisions from the northern colonies. To the West Indies we send rice, corn, peas, lum ber, shingles, cattle, horses and live-stock ; also barrelled beef and pork."J
[Among the many traders interested in the cession of lands in 1773 was George Galphin, one of the influential and enterprising citizens of the early history of Georgia. His home and depot of supplies was at Silver Bluff, on the Savannah River, a few miles below Augusta, on the Carolina side. His friendship and business relations, however, were nearly all with 'Georgians and Georgia Indians. His trade extended to Charleston, Savannah, St. Augustine, Pensacola, and Mobile.
The claim of George Galphin for debts due him by the Indians was not paid by Governor Wright, because Galphin sympathized with the colonists. War came on, the claim was transferred to the United States, and it was not until 1848 that the " Galphin Claim " was settled by the General Government, and paid to the heirs of the Indian trader of Silver Bluff.]
[William Ewen was a native of England, and came to Georgia in 1734 as an apprentice to the Trustees. His habits were correct, and his indus try made him popular. He took an active interest in the complaints against the treatment of Georgia by the Trustees, and was brought into frequent collision with the president of the colony. When the struggle
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.
83
for liberty began, he was among the first to take up arms in defence of the rights of the colony. In January, 1775, he was appointed member of the Council of Safety, and shortly afterward became p,resijlnj; of that body. He"lived to see Georgia an independent State, his country free from the yoke of Great Britain.]
QUESTIONS.
Who acted as governor during Governor Wright's absence ? When did Governor Wright return to Georgia ? What can you say of him at this time. What treaty was made at Augusta ? What territory was gained by the treaty ? What was the Boston Port Bill ? What other measures made the colonists discontented ? What resolutions of resistance were passed by the patriots of Savannah ? How did they show their sympathy with the people of Boston ? What can you say of Jonathan Bryan ? What can you say of " Liberty Boys," " Whigs," " Tories " ? What mes sage did the delegates from the Provincial Congress send to the general or Continental Congress ? What about General Gage and the battle of Lexington ? What did Joseph Habersham and his party do ? How was the king's birthday celebrated ? What was the Council of Safety ? Who was president ? What can you tell of Hopkins ? What was the popular tion of Georgia at this time ? What can you say of the Indians ?
Tell about--
TOPICS.
1. Habersham's administration. 2. Governor Wright's return. 8, England's fm-ther acts. 4. How the colonists resisted.
5. Resolutions at Savannah. 6. Magazine broken open. 7. Disturbance on king's birthday. 8. "Council of Safety."
CHAPTEE XV.
THE PEOPLE OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT OF THE KING.
"Believe us, great Sir, America is not divided ; all men (Crown officers not excepted) epeak of these acts and measures with disapprobation, and if there has been some differ ence of opinion as to the mode of relief, the rigorous experiments which your Ministry thought fit to try on the Americans have been the most effectual means to convince these of the iniquitous designs of your Ministry and to unite them all as in a common cause."--Provincial Congress's Address to the King.
GOVERNOR WEIGHT was alarmed
at the way things looked in Georgia.
He wrote a letter to the British
general, Gage, asking for help.
This letter was opened in South
Carolina, the papers taken out, and
another letter placed in the envel
ope, stating that Georgia was quiet
d needed no help. Thus the
royal government in Georgia had
ARCHIBALD BULLOCH.
no aid from the British troops.
The reason was not found out until years after, when Governor
Wright, meeting General Gage in London, asked him why he
had not sent soldiers to his relief.
Governor Wright had good reason to be alarmed. Meetings
were being held all over the province and delegates elected to
another Provincial Congress, which a Council of Safety had-
called to meet at Savannah on the 4th of July, 1775. On
that day every parish was represented and by its leading men.
They came by authority of the people and in defiance of the
authority of the king. Colonel C. C. Jones calls this congress
" Georgia's first secession convention." The delegates met in
TEE COUNCIL OF SAFETY.
85
the long room at Tondee's Tavern, and organized by electing Archibald Bulloch president of the congress, and George Walton secretary. Two days later resolutions were unanimously adopted, endorsing all that the Continental Congress had done, ' adopting the Bill of Rights published by that congress, forbid ding all trade with England or with any province that did not agree to these resolutions, and binding themselves and their constituents, " by the ties of virtue, honor, and love of our country, to adhere to this association," until the objectionable acts of Parliament were repealed. A Council of Safety for the province .was created, with power to act for the people when the Provincial Congress was not in session, and five delegates were elected to attend the Continental Congress then in session in Philadelphia. An address to the people of the province was prepared, setting forth what had been done in their name ; also an address to the governor ; and, as a last resort, a petition to the king, urging him to listen to the appeals of America.
While the Provincial Congress was in session, news came that a British ship would arrive shortly with fourteen thousand " pounds of powder. The people made up their minds to capture this prize if they could. Commodore Bowen and Major Joseph Habersham, with a number of volunteers, went quietly down the river on a schooner armed and commissioned by the Pro vincial Congress. They boarded the ship as soon as it appeared _off Tybee Island, and captured it. This was the first naval -capture of the Revolution, and their schooner was the first war vessel commissioned by an American congress. Nine thousand pounds of powder were kept by Georgia, and five thousand sent to General George Washington, to help him to drive the British from Boston.
Royal power was now at an end in Georgia. The militia companies met and expelled all royalists from their ranks. The Council of Safety elected by the Provincial Congress took charge of the affairs of the province. A battalion of
86
HISTORY OF GEOR&IA.
soldiers was raised for defence against the British vessels and
troops.
The Council of Safety ordered the arrest of Governor "Wright
and his assistants in January, 1776. Major Joseph Habersham
undertook to do this aided by a few friends only. He went '
to the house of the governor, and, boldly
entering, passed by the sentinel and
found the governor surrounded by his
council. Walking up to the governor,
he put his hand on his shoulder and
said : " Sir James, you are my prisoner."
Thinking his captor was well supported,
the governor surrendered, and the mem
bers of his council fled. A guard was
J05EPH UABERSHA*.
placed over the house, but the governor
out of the back part of his house at night ; and before his absence was discovered he was safe on board a British ship that was lying at the mouth of the river. " Another Provincial Congress met in Savannah on the 22d of January, 1776, and Archibald Bulloch was elected president. Five delegates were elected to represent Georgia in the next Continental Congress at Philadelphia, and a com mittee was appointed to buy arms and ammunition for the province. To pay for these, bills of credit were issued, and it was made a penal offence in Georgia to refuse to receive them or to depreciate their value. The most important work of this congress was the adoption of certain rules and regulations under which they organized a government. The first govern ment organized by the people of Georgia was very simple. All the legislative power was in the hands of the Provincial Congress ; courts were organized in the name of the people for the trial of cases, and the chief executive power was vested in a president. Acting under this tejnpajary constitution, the Congress elected Archibald Bulloch president and com'
THE COUNCIL OF SAFETY.
87
mander-in-chief of Georgia, John Glenn chief-justice, Will iam Stephens ^attorney-general, and James Jackson clerk of the court. (Thus Archibald Bulloch, the distinguished patriot, who had been presi3enTof~t)61;lrProvincial Congresses, had the honor of being elected the first president of" th'irfirst republican government organized on Georgia soil.
A rhlrrlbef of vessels loaded with rice lay at the landing oppo site Savannah, but, under the regulations of Congress, were not permitted to sail. Fearing these vessels would slip away, Captain Rice" was detailed to disable them. British ships of war lay at the mouth of the river, and one night troops from these ships seized several of the vessels lying opposite Savan nah. Captain Rice boarded one of the vessels the next morn ing and was captured by the British. When the people heard of this they were much excited. Colonel Mclntosh, with three hundred men and several cannon, marched down to Yamacraw Bluff opposite the vessels and sent two officers to demand the release of Captain Eice. But these officers were also seized and held prisoners. Colonel Mclntosh, through a speaking trumpet, demanded the return of his men. This was refused, and a number of shots were exchanged, but the British re gained in possession of the vessels.
The Council of Safety ordered the vessels in the harbor to be set on fire in order to drive away the British troops.. The ship Inverness was set on fire and cut loose. It drifted against the brig Nelly, which also took fire. These two burning ships drifted among the vessels which had been seized by the British. Several of these vessels caught fire and men and officers jumped overboard, some being drowned and others captured. Two ships escaped to the mouth of the river, carrying the Georgia officers with them. The Council arrested the royal chief-justice and other royalists and held them as hostages for the return of Eice and the other officers. After a long delay the officers .were exchanged. South Carolina sent four hundred and fifty soldiers under Colonel Bull to help Georgia during this time.
88
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
August 10, 1776, news of the Declaration of Independence
reached Georgia. It had been signed
at Philadelphia, July 4th, by the dele
gates of the thirteen colonies. George
Walton, Button Gwinnett, and Lyman
Hall signed on behalf of Georgia. It
took a long time for news to travel in
those days. It had to be carried by
men on horseback or in stages which
could not go more than thirty or
forty miles a day. When the news
did reach Georgia it was received with
GEORGE WALTON.
great joy. A liberty flag was run up
to the top of the
liberty pole, at the
base of which the
Declaration was
read bv President
Bulloch to great
crowds of people,
who shouted them-
selves hoarse with
excitement. A
great procession
paraded the streets,
the batteries and
the ships fired sa-
lutes, a banquet
was given, and the
royal government
was buried with
muffled drum and
BUTTON GWINNETT.
failing arms. At
night speeches were made and bon
fires lighted in the streets.
[In July, 1775, Archibald Bulloch, John
Hpustoun, Rev. Dr. Zubly, Dr. Lyman Hall,
and Dr. Noble Wirnberly Jones were elected
delegates to the Continental Congress at
Philadelphia: Dr. Lyman Hall and Dr.
Noble Wimberly Jones were detained at
home, but the other delegates tdok their
seats on the 13th of September. Dr. Zubly
had been a leader in opposition to the acts of Parliament, but his plan was for the
LTMAN HALL.
provinces to force a repeal of these acts and a recognition of their consti-
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.
89
tutional rights, after which they should renew their allegiance to the king. He found, however, on reaching Philadelphia, that the delegates were determined upon establishing a republic, and that his colleagues, Messrs, Bulloch and Houstoun, were heartily supporting this plan. His heart failed him, and he wrote to Governor Wright, telling him what was pro posed. He was suspected, watched, and one of his letters seized. When Chase of Maryland alluded to this fact, Dr. Zubly abandoned his seat and returned to Georgia. He was banished from Savannah, but returned after that city was captured by the British, and died there in 1781.]
[In January, 1776, Archibald Bulloch, John Houstoun, Dr. Lyman Hall, Button Gwinnett, and George Walton were the delegates to the Conti nental Congress. Bulloch, being President of Georgia, could not leave the State, and John Houstoun was detained^aTTome. They thus lost the honor of being among the signers of the Declaration of Independence with tne other Georgia delegates.]
QUESTIONS.
What of Governor Wright's letter to General Gage ? Why was Gov ernor Wright alarmed ? What occurred on the 4th of July ? By whose authority ? Who was elected president ? How was Congress organized ? What was done ? What was the first naval capture of the Devolution ? What of the militia companies ? Describe the arrest of Governor Wright. When did the next Provincial Congress of Georgia meet ? What was done ? How did they pay for supplies ? What was the most important work of the Congress ? What sort of government did they organize ? Who were the first officers of the Republic of Georgia ? What of the vessels lying opposite Savannah ? What news came in August, 1776 ? Who were the signers of the Declaration of independence for the State of Georgia ? How was the news received ?
TOPICS.
Tell about--
\. Governor Wright's letter.
5. The second Provincial Congress.
2. The first Provincial Congress. 6. The Republic of Georgia.
3. The first naval capture.
7. Burning the merchant vessels.
4. The arrest of Governor 8. The Declaration of Independ-
Wright.
ence.
EPOCH IV.
Georgia an Independent State, 1776-1789.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE CONSTITUTION OF 1777--PERMANENT STATE
ORGANIZATION.
" We therefore, the representatives of the people, from whom all power originates and for whose benefit all government. is intended, by virtue of the power delegated to us, do ordain and declare, and it is hereby ordained and declared, that the following rules and regulations be adopted for the future government of this State."--Extractfrom thefirst Constitution of the State of Georgia.
KBBT SBEAT SEAL a, THE STATE , SEOEaiA.
IN order to under stand the impor tance of the step taken by our fore fathers in the year 1776, a little knowl edge of Civil Gov ernment is neces sary. A Colony is a body of people planted by some government on for eign soil, with no power to govern themselves. A.Prov~
^ ^ ft district j n
which the people have a government provided for them by the power to which
THE CONSTITUTION OF 1777.
they are subject, and they enjoy certain rights and priviit>b
A State is the whole body of people united for the purpose
of government, and not in any way subject to any outside
power. In some cases the people are united by a written
agreement called a Constitution, but in others they are united
simply by mutual consent. They must own the land upon
which they live, and the other nations of the world must admit
their right to establish a government. England, Prance, and
Spain are states.
When Oglethorpe brought the first English settlers to this
soil he established The_Jjolsfflf--QJL-[6orgia. When King
George II., in the year 1754, gave these settlers an established
form of government in which they had certain rights, but
were still subjects of the king, the colony became The Prov-
ince_jifJ2eo.rgia. When the people rebelled against the au
thority of the king and arrested and imprisoned the governor
who represented him, they organized a government for them
selves. The people thus united became 27ie State of Georgia.
The form of government which they selected for ihe State
made it a republic.
^
The government first established for the new State of
Georgia, April^jL5JjL77j3,_was temporary, because the people
were not strong enough to defend their government alone,
and they waited to know that they would have the support of
the other twelve States in the fight with England, which was
sure to come. The Declaration of Independence assured
them of this support, and as soon as the news reached Georgia
a convention was called to adopt a written constitution and to
establish a permanent government for the .young republic.
This convention met at Savannah in October, 1776.
The convention adopted a seal for the State, to take the
place of the old provinciat-seal which had been used by the
British governors and which was emblematic of their subjec
tion to the king. The accompanying cuts show the two sides
of the seal of 1777, with the devices and mottoes.
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
The first constitution consisted of sixty-three articles, and
provided for a governor, a legislature, and a judiciary.
Members of the legislature were to be elected in December of
each year, and to meet in January following. The first duty
of the legislature was to elect a governor,'who should serve for
one year, whose title should be Honorable, and an executive
council, consisting of two of the members of the legislature
from each county that had as many as ten representatives.
The remaining representatives constituted the House of As
sembly, which had the sole power of making laws. The
speaker of the Assembly wore his hat when presiding.
The Executive Council took the. place of our Senate, but
did not have the same-.power. Laws proposed in the House of
Assembly were referred to the Executive Council, which could
not make amendments, but could propose them to the Assem
bly. A committee
of the Council com
ing into the House
of Assembly to pro-
p o s e any amend
ment had the privi
lege of sitting with
their hats on.
No clergyman
could be a member
of the legislature.
Every person who
failed to vote in an
election, except for
a good reason, could
be fined five pounds.
(.Reverse.) XTBST GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
Schools were to be established in each
county and sup
ported at the general expense of the State. Free toleration of
FIRST EIGHT COUNTIES.
93
all religions should be guaranteed, provided they did not threaten the peace and safety of the State.
The twelve parishes were abolished, and the State was
MAP OP THE FIRST EIGHT COUMTES
OP GEORGIA 1777
divided into eight counties. The names of the first eight counties are Wilkes, Eichmond, Burke, Effingham, Chatham, Glynn, Oamden, and Liberty.
94
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
The first seven of these were named for English statesmen who had been, the champions of the rights of the American colonies. The last one was so named on account of the devo tion of the citizens of St. John's parish to the cause of liberty. It will be remembered that this parish alone sent a representa tive, Lyman Hall, to' the meeting of the Continental Congress, and that two of its citizens, Lyman Hall and Button G-winnett, had been signers of the Declaration of Independence. ~ The convention remained in session four months. It was the 5th of February, 1777, when the first permanent constitu tion of the State of Georgia was adopted. Archibald Bulloch was to continue as president until the legislature should elec& the first governor.
Before the end of February President Bulloch died, and on the 4th of March Button G-winnett (see sketch, p. 101) was elected by the Council of Safety president and commanderin-chief, to serve until a governor could be elected under the new constitution. G-winnett at once issued a proclamation ordering & special election for members of a legislature, which he called to meet in Savannah the first Tuesday in May.
Lachlan Mclntosh had recently been made a brigadier-gen eral and placed in command of the Georgia forces. G-winnett had also been a candidate for the position of .brigadier-general. When Mclntosh was chosen Gwinnett was much disappointed. When Gwinnett became president and commander-in-chief, he resolved to ignore and humiliate his rival by heading in person an expedition against the British in Florida, who had invaded Georgia, captured Fort Mclntosh, and committed other depredations. He did not allow Mcln tosh to accompany even his own brigade. But the expedition was. badly planned, and failed in every particular.
While these things were going on, the special election for members of the legislature had been held, and the first legis lature of the State of Georgia met in Savannah on the eighth day of May, 1777. Gwinnett was a candidate for the position
DEATH OF
95
of governor, but John Adam Treutlen was elected by a large majority. General Mclntosh was much gratified at the defeat of Gwinnett, and did not hesitate to say so. This provoked Gwinnett, who sent him a challenge to fight a d u e 1. They met at sunrise within the limits of the present city of Savannah. They exchanged shots at the dist a n c e of twelve paces : both, were wounded in the thigh. Gwinnett died
twelve days alter the duel. HOUSE WHERE THE PIBST LESISLATTJEE MET.
Mclntosh recovered, and was transferred by the advice of his friends to the Continental army, in the western districts of Virginia and Pennsylvania.
QUESTIONS.
What is a colony ? A province ? A state ? When was Georgia a colony ? When a province ? When a state ? What form of govern ment was chosen ? Why was the first government temporary ? Why was the convention called ? When did it meet ? Describe the Great Seal. How was the government divided ? How was the governor to be elected ? Who constituted the Executive Council ? What was the House of Assembly ? Mention some provisions of the constitution. Name the first eight counties. Who succeeded President Bulloch ? Explain the quarrel between Gwinnett and Mclntosh. Who was the first governor of Georgia ? What was the result of Gwinnett's defeat ?
Tell about--
TOPICS.
1. How the State was established. 4. The first eight counties.
2. Provisions of the constitution. 5. The first governor.
3. The Great Seal of State.
6. The Gwinnett-Mclntosh duel.
CHAPTEE XVII.
THE BRITISH OVER-RUN GEORGIA.
" At this period Georgia occupied a very critical situation. Of all the colonies, none was so ill prepared to dispute the claims of the mother country. On the south, she was exposed to the attacks of the British from Florida; on the east, her coast was at the mercy of the foe ; on the north and west, countless tribes of savages were ready to make inroads upon her population."--WHITE'S Hist. Coll. of Georgia.
JOHN ADAM TREUTLEN, the
first governor of the State of
Georgia, was at once inaugurated.
The Council of Safety was dis
solved, and an Executive Council
was elected under the constitution.
During the months that followed,
the people were busy fortifying the
towns, collecting provisions, and
preparing to stand the shock of
TOHN A. TKBUTLEN.
war- Colonel Samuel Elbert suc
ceeded Mclntosh in command of
the Georgia troops. Tories and Indians in East Florida made
frequent raids into southern Georgia, murdering citizens, burn
ing houses, and stealing cattle. These marauders were under
the command of the notorious Colonel McGirth.
When the legislature met on January 17, 1778, John
Houstoun was elected governor, Governor Treutlen being
ineligible under the constitution for reelection. Governor
Houstoun, like Gwinnett, was very anxious to drive the
British from East Florida.
Major-General Eobert Howe, commander of the American
army in the Southern States, had his headquarters at Savan-
THE BRITISH OVERRUN GEORGIA.
9?
nah. He was won over to Governor Houstoun's plans, and organized an expedition to capture East Florida. He marched the Georgia brigade to the St. Mary's Biver, and waited for other troops to arrive by sea. Hearing that a force of British were within fourteen miles of his camp, General Howe resolved to attack them without waiting for the other forces. The attack failed, however, and nothing came of the expedition.
While these events had been happening in Georgia, the War for Independence was being fought in the North. At first the king's armies had triumphed. They captured New York City and Philadelphia, and for a while held the entire State of New Jersey, with parts of New York and Connecticut. But the tide had turned. One of the king's armies, under General Burgoyne, had surrendered at Saratoga, and Prance, encour aged by this success, had recognized the States as independent, and promised to send soldiers and ships of war to assist them in resisting the king. Washington forced the British to abandon Philadelphia, and gradually all the lost territory was regained, so that, as the year 1778 drew to a close, nothing was left to the king except New York City and Newport.
Under these circumstances, the British general, Sir Henry Clinton, determined to conquer Georgia and South Carolina. He sent Colonel Campbell from New York to Savannah with a fleet of ten vessels and thirty-five hundred men, and at the same time he ordered General Augustin Prevost (Pre-vo), com mander of the British forces in Florida, to invade Georgia from the south.
General Prevost organized two expeditions. One, under Lieutenant-Colonel Fuser, went by sea, and the other, under Lieutenant-Colonel Mark Prevost, marched overland. They were to meet at Sunbury. McGirth, with three hundred Tories and Indians, accompanied Lieutenant-Colonel Prevost. On the 19th of November the invaders entered Georgia and proceeded toward Sunbury. Colonel John Baker hastily col lected some militia to oppose them, but was compelled to re-
1
98
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
treat. On the 24th a fight occurred near the Midway church., in which the Georgia militia were outnumbered and driven back. General James Screven, who was severely wounded, was taken prisoner by the British, and was killed by them after he had surrendered. Finding that Colonel Fuser had not reached Sunbury, Colonel Prevost burned the Midway church and returned to Florida, plundering and burning all the dwelling-houses within reach.
Colonel Fuser, having been delayed by head winds, reached Sunbury late in November, and summoned Colonel John Mclntosh, in command of Fort Morris, to surrender. To this summons Colonel Mclntosh made the bold reply : " Come and take it." Fuser, hearing of Prevest's return to Florida, raised the siege and retired to Frederica. The legislature of Georgia presented to Colonel Mclntosh a sword, with the words " Come and take it" engraved upon it.
On the 27th of December, 1778, the fleet from New York under Colonel Campbell entered the Savannah River and anchored below the city. The news was -brought to General Howe, and he at once set to work to defend Savannah.
The British landed a few miles south of Savannah, where they waited to learn Howe's position and strength. The Americans had chosen a strong position between a wooded swamp and the Savannah Eiver. Their front was protected by a stream, the bridge over which had been burned, and by a ditch filled with water from the marsh. Here they awaited the attack confidently, although they had less than seven hun dred men to oppose nearly three thousand British regulars.
The British commander thought the American position was too strong to be attacked in front, and he determined to find a way through the swamp by which he could pass around their lines and attack them in the rear. By chance, he met an old negro man who knew the roads and pointed out a path lead ing through the swamp directly to the rear of General Howe's army. This path had been left unguarded. Colonel Camp-
THE BRITISH OVER-RUN GEORGIA,
99
bell posted his artillery and drew up part of his force in line
of battle before the American lines, as if about to make an
attack, but secretly sent his light infantry through the swamp
by the path, with the old negro as a guide.
While the Americans were engaged with the enemy in front,
the regiments that had been sent through the swamp sud
denly appeared on their flank and in the rear. At the same
moment the British artillery opened fire and a charge was
ordered all along the line. Surrounded and outnumbered,
the Americans fought gallantly, but resistance was in vain,
and they were driven
from the field. The
British pursued them
into Savannah.
Some were taken
prisoners, some were
wounded, and many
were run through
with the bayonet in
the streets of Savan
nah by the British
soldiers. General
Howe, with the rem
nant of his army, re
treated up the Savan
nah River, and two
SALZBURGER CHURCH.
days later crossed into South Carolina,
where he was relieved of his command, being superseded by
General Benjamin Lincoln.
Savannah fell into the hands of the British, who plundered
the houses of the patriots. Many of the leading citizens,
including the aged Jonathan Bryan, were arrested and con
fined on prison ships. Colonel Campbell pressed on to Eben-
ezer, which he captured, and this place became a British out-
loo
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
post for the rest of the war. The fine brick church of the Salzburgers, built in 1767, was used by the British troopers, first as a hospital, and then as a stable for their horses. This church is standing to-day.
General Augustin Prevost, marching overland from Florida with several thousand soldiers, reached Sunbury on the 9th of January, and captured Fort Morris, with its garrison of two hundred and twelve officers and men and all the stores of war. He then proceeded to Savannah, where he took command of the British forces in Georgia. Colonel Campbell, with a thousand men, was sent out from Savannah to capture Augusta, the only post in Georgia held by the Americans. Colonels Brown and McGirth commanded the advanced guard, and were defeated in Burke County by a band of Georgians under Colonels John Twiggs and Benjamin and William Few. Two days later they were again defeated, but Colonel Campbell coming to their assistance, the Georgians were forced to retreat, and Augusta was captured without a struggle. Colonel Brown, notorious for his cruelty, was left in command, and Colonel Campbell marched into Wilkes County. Many families fled to South Carolina. Georgia was thus completely occupied by the armies of the king.
Parties of royalists and Tories went through the country, burning houses, stealing property, and terrifying the people. A noted Tory named Boyd led a large band of these plun derers into Wilkes County. Colonel Pickens, of South Caro lina, and Colonel John Dooly, of Georgia, with a small fqrce, had crossed the Savannah Eiver and had defeated the British forces at Carr's Fort, which they were besieging. They abandoned the siege and started in pursuit of Boyd, and were reenforced by one hundred dragoons under Colonel Clark. On the night of the 13th of February they camped at dark's Creek, and early the next morning they surprised Boyd in hi camp .at Kettle Creek, where his men had turned out theii horses and were preparing breakfast. A bloody fight fol-
THE BRITISH OVER-RUN GEORGIA. lOi
lowed, in which Boyd was killed and his band captured or scattered. The Americans captured six hundred horses and a large quantity of arms and clothing. This victory at this time gave renewed courage to the patriots of Georgia, and is known as the battle of Kettle Creek.
Instances of adventure and hair-breadth escapes were fre quent at this time. Desiring to know more about the defences of Augusta, Colonel Samuel Elbert sent a young lieutenant, named Hawkins, to get the information. Near an outpost Hawkins came suddenly upon three Tories. To avoid them was impossible, so he advanced and boldly inquired : " Who are you and where are you going ?" They replied that they were on their way to join the British commander McGirth. Hawkins had on a British uniform, and so he said: "I am McGirth; but I take you to be rebels, and shall turn you over to my camp, near by." They protested their innocence, and upon the order of Hawkins placed their guns on the ground. No sooner had they done this than he levelled two pistols at them and shouted : " Hold up your hands!" They were greatly astonished, but obeyed the order, and were marched in front of Hawkins back to the American camp.
[Button Gwinnett was born in England, and came to Georgia in 1772. In 1776 he represented Georgia in the Continental Congress, and his name is affixed to the Declaration of Independence. He was a member of the convention of 1777 to frame a constitution for Georgia. On the death of Archibald Bulloch he became President of Georgia.]
[Of the birth and education of John Adam Treutlen but little is
known. He was a member of the Provincial Congress of 1775, from the
parish of St. Andrew. Having been driven out of Georgia by British
and Tories, he moved to South Carolina, where he established himself,
with Ms family, in a block-house. Here he met a most tragic death.
Attacked by British and Tories, who deceived him by declaring that all
they wanted was food, he unbarred his doors, when he was immediately
taken out and " drawn and quartsrgd^m the presence of his family. His
grave is unmarked, and J^Qi^ia's'6i'fa?/6^|ailed to respect his memory
by naming any countyxin his honor.!
''wjt
102
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
[John Houstoun was among the earliest and most zealous patriots in the colony. He was appointed in 1775 to represent Georgia in the Continental Congress, and also in 1776. His name would have been signed to the Declaration of Independence, but he returned to counter act the evil influence of Dr. Zubly, who was opposed to the measure. In 1777 he was elected a member of the Executive Council, and, in 1778, became Governor of Georgia. He died at "White Bluff, near Savant nah, July 20, 1796.]
QUESTIONS
What occurred during the administration of Governor Treutlen f Who succeeded him as governor ? What expedition did he plan ? Who commanded it ? The result ? What war was going on in the North ? Give some of the events that had occurred. What did General Clinton now propose ? What two expeditions did General Prevost organize ? Who opposed the invaders ? With what success ? What of General Mclntosh's defence of Fort Morris ? What fleet appeared before Savannah ? Describe the attack on the city. Why were the enemy successful ? How did the British treat the inhabitants of Savan nah ? What place was Colonel Campbell sent to capture ? How much of Georgia was held by the British at this time ? Describe the battle of Kettle Creek. What of Hawkins's adventure ?
Tell about--
TOPICS.
1. Governor Treutlen's adminis- 5. General Prevost's expedi
tration.
tion.
2. Governor Houstoun's adminis- 6. Capture of Augusta,
tration.
7. Battle of Kettle Creek.
3. Expeditions against Savannah. 8. Lieutenant Hawkins's adven^
4. Capture of Savannah.
ture.
CHAPTEE XVIII.
THE PROGRESS OF THE WAR IN GEORGIA.
" Governor Wright, at Savannah, supported by the king's army, was striving to re-create the royal government; while at Augusta the memhers of the Supreme Executive Council, invested with unlimited powers, yet sadly deficient in all material appliances, were endeavoring to perpetuate the sovereignty of a republican State, just born into the sister hood of nations, and to arm, feed, and clothe a patriot band, few in numbers yet brave of heart, fighting for home and property and liberty."--CHAKLES C. JONES, JK.
DURING the months of January and February, 1779, while the British were in possession of Georgia, the southern divi sion of the Continental army rested quietly at Purysburg on the Savannah Eiver, in South Carolina, about forty miles above Savannah. At this point General Lincoln could protect the Carolinas from invasion while he was drilling and equip ping the raw recruits sent in from the Carolinas. By the end of February he had collected about five thousand men in his camp, and he had at his command three or four thousand more at different points in South Carolina along the Savan nah River. Colonel Campbell, in command of the British forces at Augusta, became very much alarmed at the situation. The defeat of Boyd at Kettle Creek had broken up the Tories, and Colonels Clark, Pickens, and Dooly were moving against Augusta from the north. A few thousand men thrown across the Savannah Eiver would completely cut him off from the main body of the British army. In the latter part of Feb ruary he hurriedly abandoned Augusta, not even taking time to destroy the military stores which he could not carry with him, and took a position at Hudson's Ferry, on the Savannah Eiver, thirteen miles below the mouth of Brier Creek.
Although his army was badly armed and badly equipped,
104
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
General Lincoln felt that he was strong enough to make an effort to drive the British from Georgia, and on the 1st of March sent General Ashe, with twenty-three hundred men, across the Savannah River, to occupy a strong position and hold it until the entire American army could be concentrated there. General Ashe chose a position which he regarded as particularly strong, on the north side of Brier Creek. Peeling very confident of the strength of his position, he sent out various scouting parties, retaining only about eight hundred men in camp. Part of these were militia, armed with shot guns and rifles.
Colonel Campbell, hearing of General Lincoln's plans, de termined to prevent the concentration by attacking and defeat ing General Ashe before the other generals could join him. The British commander, with nine hundred regulars, crossed Brier Creek some distance above General Ashe's position, and was not discovered until he arrived within a mile of the American camp. The long roll was sounded and the line of battle was hastily formed, but the poorly armed and raw recruits were no match for the British regulars. The Ameri can centre and right wing gave way at the first attack, and the men took refuge in the swamps of the Savannah Eiver. Some swam to the South Carolina shore, but many were drowned in the attempt. The left wing, consisting of one hundred and fifty Georgia militia and sixty Continentals, under General Samuel Elbert and Colonel John Mclntosh, made a gallant fight. Notwithstanding the overwhelming force against them, General Elbert continued the conflict until nearly every man in his command was either killed, wounded, or captured. He himself was taken prisoner.
General Ashe escaped with such of his command as could follow him through the swamps, leaving three hundred and forty men dead or prisoners, and nearly all his arms and camp equipments in the hands of the British. The large number of slain was due to the order of a British officer who cried out
THE PROGRESS OF TEE WAR IN GEORGIA. 105
to his men : " Every man of you that takes a prisoner shall
lose his ration of rum." The enemy lost only sixteen men.
This disaster was keenly felt by General Lincoln,. who
was compelled to abandon his campaign for the relief of
Georgia.
In April following, General Lincoln decided to occupy
Augusta in order to prevent supplies being sent in to the
British army at Savannah; and leaving General Moultrie at
; Purysburg with twelve hundred men to protect Carolina, he
set ou^for Augusta with about two thousand men. As soon as
General Prevost heard of this
he put his army in motion,
crossed the river at Purys-
burg, and marched toward
Charleston. General Lincoln
hastened to protect Charles
ton, and General Prevost re-
t r e a-t e d to Savannah. A
month later, General Lachlan
Mclntosh, who had distin
guished himself under General
GENERAL LACHLAN McINTOSH.
Washington, was sent back to Georgia to take command of
the forces in the State. He was second to General Lincoln,
who remained in South Carolina with the main body of the
-army.
When Savannah fell Governor Houstoun and the Council
withdrew to Augusta and summoned the General Assembly to
meet them in January to elect a Governor. But ten days
later Colonel Campbell's troops occupied Augusta, and the
State officers sought refuge in the Carolinas. Consequently
there was no meeting of the Assembly. The State was with
out a regular governor and council. After Augusta was
abandoned by the British, the legislature met there, but did
not have a quorum. The few members present elected a new
106
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
executive council. John Wereat was elected President of the Council and acted as G-overnor.
France had sent a great fleet under Count d'Estaing to assist the States in their struggle for independence. This fleet re mained for a while at Sandy Hook, intercepting British ships, and sailed to the West Indies to protect French interests. In August, 1779, General Lincoln, with the assistance of the French minister and Governor Eutledge of South Carolina, persuaded Count d'Estaing to bring his fleet to assist in recap turing Savannah. The French fleet consisted of twenty-two ships of the line, ten frigates, and one cutter. They reached the coast of Georgia the 1st of September.
General Prevost, in Savannah, hearing that the French fleet had come, sent orders for all outposts to fall back into the city, and for all boats to retire up the river. He began to fortify the city thoroughly, working the soldiers, sailors, and a large body of negroes night and day. The cannon were taken from the ships of war and mounted around the city, and a messenger was sent to Colonel Maitland at Port Eoyal to come at once to Savannah.
Among the outposts ordered into Savannah by Prevost was a large body of British under Captain French at Sunbury. They tried to bring five vessels, manned by forty sailors and a body of over a hundred soldiers, up by the coast inlets and canals to Savannah before the Americans could cut them off. But head winds delayed them, and they landed about fifteen miles from Savannah, hoping to march up into the city with out being found out. The Americans heard of their presence, and Colonel John White, of the Georgia line, resolved to cap ture them if he could. When he told how he intended to do it, the officers laughed at him. He took only six men to help him, and quietly went by night to the neighborhood of the British camp. Here he and his companions built a number of camp fires such as would be used by a large force of men. They moved around the fires, showing themselves as much as
THE PROGRESS OF THE WAR IN GEORGIA. 10?
possible. Mounting horses, they galloped up and down the line of the camp fires, issuing orders in loud tones, as if command ing several hundred men. They appeared first at one end of the camp and then at the other in rapid succession. These movements deceived the British completely, who thought themselves surrounded by a large body of Americans.
At last Colonel White dashed into the British camp and rode up to the officer in command. " Surrender at once, sir," said he. "I am in command of the American soldiers you see yonder. They are restless for the attack, and I cannot restrain them any longer. If they fall upon your men they will cut your whole force to pieces." At this time a man dashed up on horseback and demanded of Colonel White, " Where shall I place the artillery, sir ? " " Keep them back, sir, keep them back. The British will surrender," replied White in excited tones. " Go and send me six guides to Sunbury." The British officer thanked Colonel White for restraining his men, and readily surrendered. The six guides arrived and took charge of the prisoners, nearly one hundred and fifty in all. Colonel White went back, as he said, to hold his cavalry in check and prevent them rushing on the prison ers. The five vessels were burned, the guns and ammunition stored in a hiding-place, and the prisoners brought safely to the American lines at Sunbury.
D'Estajng moved up the river, capturing several vessels near Tybee. September 12th, he sailed up Ternon River and landed his troops at Beaulieu, the old home of President Wil liam Stephens. He then marched toward Savannah, and camped three miles from the city.
[John Wereat was an early and decided advocate of American lib erty. He was a member of the first Provincial Congress in 1773, a speaker of the Provincial Congress of 1770. In 1782 the people west of Augusta suffered a great deal from lack of food. Wereat employed his negroes and boats for a considerable time in carrying rice to relieve their wants. He died in Bryan County in 1798.]
108
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
[Laohlan Mclntosh was born in Scotland, 1725. His father had come to Georgia in 1786 with a company of Highlanders, and settled at Darien. Lachlan studied mathematics under Oglethorpe himself. He became a distinguished soldier, of whom Washington said: " I esteem him an offi cer of great merit and worth." He died in Savannah in 1806.]
QUESTIONS.
What of General Lincoln ? Why was Augusta abandoned by the British ? What were General Lincoln's plans? What of General Ashe? What did Colonel Campbell do? Describe the battle of Brier Creek. Why did General Lincoln abandon Georgia? What general took command in Georgia? What had become of the State officers? What of the French fleet? What did General Prevost do ? Describe Col. John White's cap ture. What did D'Estaing do?
Teu about--
TOPICS.
1. Augusta's being abandoned. 4. The State government.
2. General Lincoln's plans.
5. The French fleet.
3. The battle of Brier Creek.
6. Colonel White's exploit
CHAPTEE XIX.
THE ATTACK UPON SAVANNAH.
" While I regret the misfortune, I feel very sensible pleasure in contemplating the gal lant behavior of the officers and men of the French and American army ; and it adds not a little to my consolation to learn that instead of the mutual reproaches which too often follow the failure of enterprises depending upon the cooperation of troops of different nations, their confidence in and esteem for each other are increased."--GEORGE WASHING TON to GENERAL LINCOLN.
ON the 15th of September, 1779,
Count d'Estaing sent a letter to Gen
eral Prevost, demanding the " surren
der of Savannah to the arms of the
King of France/' The British defences
were still incomplete ; the cannon were
not mounted, and it would have been
impossible for them to offer a successful
resistance if an assault had been made.
General Prevost needed time to com
COUNT C. PULASKI.
plete these defences, and so he proposed
a truce for twenty-four hours, and
promised to give his answer at the end of that time. Count
d'Bstaing consented, and most unfortunately for the American
cause. During the night the fortifications were finished, and
the British garrison was reenforced by the arrival of eight hun
dred soldiers under Colonel Maitland from Port Royal. At
the end of the twenty-four hours General Prevost replied that
he would hold the city until driven out of it.
On the 16th the American army under General Lincoln
marched down from Ebenezer and took a position on the north
side of the city. The American cavalry were west of the city,
no
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
and the French forces were camped south and southwest. Now a regular siege was begun. Short sallies, skirmishes, and firing of cannon occurred almost daily. The bombardment made no impression on the forts around the city, but the people of Savan nah suffered a great deal. A letter written by an eye-witness describing the scene says : " The poor women and children have suffered beyond description. A number of them in Savannah have already been put to death by our bombs and cannon. A deserter has this moment come out, who gives an account that many of them were killed in their beds, and, amongst others, a poor woman with an infant in her arms was destroyed by a cannon-ball. They have all got into cellars, but even those do not escape the fury of our bombs."
When the siege had continued about three weeks, Count d'Estaing grew impatient. Many of his soldiers and sailors were sick, and the coming of autumn with its storms threat ened his fleet. He therefore resolved to storm the works and capture the city, and General Lincoln unfortunately gave his consent. At three o'clock on the morning of October 9th, twenty-five hundred men were set in motion for the enemy's works. The assault was to have been made before the day dawned, but the troops were delayed by the darkness, and it was daylight when they reached the edge of the woods before the enemy's lines. The battle was begun by an attack on the left, intended to draw the. attention of the British from the right, the real point to be attacked; but the British were not deceived by this, as a deserter had informed them of the plans, and they had posted their best soldiers where the assault was to be made. As soon as the cannon began firing on the left, the French troops moved forward. Count d'Es taing was at the head of the column, and led his soldiers up the breastworks to the very mouth of the cannon. His troops fell thickly about him, and he was wounded in the shoulder. The bravest men could not stand the deadly fire, and the col umn was driven back. Count d'Estaing rallied his troops,
THE ATTACK UPON SAVANNAH.
Ill
re-formed Ms lines, and charged again, only to be again driven back. In the third charge he was again wounded, and was borne from the field.
At the same time an American column., led by Colonel Laurens, advanced toward Spring Hill redoubt, the strongest of all the forts. They were received with a galling fire from the guns of the fort. Many were cut down, but their comrades pressed on. They reached the ditch and passed it. They climbed the parapet, and planted on its top the flag of South Carolina, a flag that had been presented to the regiment by Mrs. Elliott, of Charleston. A storm of shot drove back the brave men, and cut down the staff of the flag. Sergeant William Jasper saw that it would fall into the hands of the BritTsEpanS. leaped again on the wall, seized the fallen flag, and carried it back to the regiment. At that moment he re ceived a mortal wound. He was borne from the field, and on his death-bed said, " I have got my furlough;" and, pointing to his sword, continued: " That sword was presented to me by General Eutledge for my services in defence of Fort Moultrie. Give it to my father, and tell him that I have worn it with honor. If he should weep, say to him his son died in the hope of a better life. Tell Mrs. Elliott that I lost my life sup porting the colors which she presented to our regiment."
Between the French and American armies, Count Pulaski, mounted on a beautiful black horse, rode at the head of the cavalry. The plan was for him to hold his command in reserve until the works were carried by one of the assaulting columns. In the midst of the conflict, Pulaski thought he saw an opening in the enemy's works, and resolved to charge through with his legion and a detachment of Georgia cavalry. Eiding in advance, Pulaski shouted to his men to follow, and they rode at full speed after him. As they reached the gap between two batteries, a cross-fire poured a shower of shot into their ranks. Pulaski fell, wounded in the breast and in the thigh. In the retreat he was left where he
112
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
fell, but Captain Thomas Glascock, a young Georgian of Pulaski's legion, returned with a few men through a storm of shot and shell and rescued his wounded leader. Pulaski was placed on an American vessel, and was attended by the French surgeons, but he died a few days later on the way to Charleston, and his body was dropped into the ocean.
The repulse was complete. The French and American soldiers had done all that brave men could. The British
forts could not be carried, and a thousand dead and wounded lay upon the field of battle. Two of the heroes of the Eevolution, Count Pulaski and Sergeant Jasper, had sacrificed their lives for the liberty of Georgia. In after years the legisla ture named a county in honor of each, and the people of Savannah have erected in their public squares HE>AI. THOU. UASOOOK. monuments to the men who gave their lives to redeem that city. The next day a truce was agreed upon, and the dead were buried. Count d'Estaing took his broken army on board his ships and sailed away. General Lincoln retreated to Ebenezer, and thence to Charleston. For the time, Georgia was again completely in the hands of the British.
[About this time there lived in Liberty County a famous partisan by the name of Robert Sallette, of whose exploits the following accounts have been written: "He appears to have been a sort of roving character, doing things in his own way. The Tories stood very much in dread of him, and well they might, for never had they a more formidable foe. On one occasion a Tory who possessed considerable property offered a reward of one hundred guineas to any person who would bring him Sallette's head. This was made known to our hero, who provided him self with a bag, in which he placed a pumpkin, and proceeded to the house of the Tory, and told him that, having understood he had offered one hundred guineas for Sallette's head, he had it with him, and that he
THE ATTACK UPON SAVANNAH.
113
was ready to deliver it provided the money was first counted out for him. The Tory, believing that the bag contained Sallette's head, laid down the money, upon which Sallette pulled off his hat, and placing his hand upon his head, said : ' Here is Sallette's head.' This answer so frightened the Tory that he immediately took to his heels, but a well-directed shot from Sallette brought him to the ground."]
[Thomas Grlascock, a son of William Glascock, Speaker of the House of Representatives, was born at Augusta, Ga. He served as captain in Pulaski's Legion. He subsequently became colonel in the war with the Creek Indians, and later was made brigadier-general. He was twice elected to Congress. He died at Decatur in 1841.]
QUESTIONS.
What letter did D'Estaing send to General Prevost ? What reply did PTevostmake? Why? What occurred during the truce? What did the American and French army then do ? Describe the sufferings of the citizens during the bombardment. What did D'Estaing resolve to do, and why ? Describe the first attack. Tell of D'Estaing's bravery, and how he was wounded. What of the American column ? What of Sergeant Jasper? Tell how he was wounded. What did he say on his death-bed ? Describe the conduct and death of Pulaski. What was the result of the attack on Savannah ? How are Pulaski and Jasper hon ored? What did D'Estaing and Lincoln do?
TOPICS.
TJi6 Repulse at Savannah:
1. Summoned to surrender.
5. D'Estaing wounded.
2. Prevost's strategy.
6. Death of Jasper.
3. Bombardment.
7. Death of Pulaski.
4. The charge at daybreak.
8. The repulse.
CHAPTEE XX.
AUGUSTA TAKEST AND BETAKEN.
" The condition of the republicans in Georgia was indeed deplorable. Driven from Savannah and the seaboard, compelled to evacuate Augusta, hemmed in by hostile Indiana on the frontier, and confined mostly to a few scattered settlements in and around Wilkes County, they lived in daily peril, had almost daily skirmishes with regular Tories or Indians, were harassed with alarms, were surprised by ambuscades, were pierced with want, and had one long, bitter struggle for simple existence, with scarce a ray of hope to light up the future."--STEVENS' History of Georgia.
AFTEE the repulse of the Ameri cans, Sir James Wright, who had returned in July previous and re sumed his office of governor of the provi ace, issued a proclamation prom ising protection to all Georgians who would submit to British rule. He called a Provincial Assembly, which convened at Savannah in May fol lowing, and passed an act declaring all officers of the State of Georgia
ELIJAH CLAKKE.
to be traitors and all their prop erty forfeited to the crown.
At Augusta, John Wereat, president of the Council, was acting as governor. On the 4th of November, 1779, he issued a proclamation calling for the regular election, on the first Tuesday in December, of members of a General Assembly, to meet in Augusta in January following, and authorizing the citizens of the southern counties which were held by the Brit ish to cast their votes for delegates wherever it might be most convenient for them to do so. A few days after the proclama-
AUGUSTA TAKEN AND RETAKEN.
115
tion was issued, G-eorge Walton denounced as illegal the elec tion of Wereat and the Council in August preceding. He persuaded a number of refugees from the southern counties, who had been'members of the previous assemblies, to organize at Augusta a body called a General Assembly. This assembly, although unconstitutional, elected George Walton governor. Thus, at the time of sore trial the republic was divided into -factions, and for over a month had two acting governors, neither of whom was legally elected. The General Assembly elected in December, 1779, met in Augusta on the 4th of January, 1780, and elected Eichard Howley governor. The defenceless condition of Augusta made it so unsafe that the assembly designated Heard's Fort, where Washington, in Wilkes County, now stands, as a place of meeting if it became necessary to leave Augusta. A month later Heard's Fort became the temporary capital of the State of Georgia. Gov ernor Howley left the State to take his seat in the Continental Congress, and George Wells, the president of the Council, acted as governor during his absence. Upon the death of President Wells on the 18th of February, Stephen Heard, of Wilkes County, was elected president of the Council, and acted as governor for some time.
Charleston fell in May, and Augusta was at once occupied by a British force under Colonels Brown and Grierson., two Tory officers. Brown was living in Augusta when the people rebelled against the king, and had given such offence to the citizens that he had been tarred and feathered and carried through the streets in a cart by an angry mob. He made his escape from Georgia, vowing vengeance against all patriots. Being now intrusted with the command of the British forces at Augusta, he had an opportunity for revenge. He seized all the property of the republicans, and then issued an order banishing them and their families beyond the limits of Geor gia. All who remained were compelled to take the oath of allegiance to the king, and Colonel John Dooly, one of the
116
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
leading patriots, was murdered in his home, in the presence of his wife and children.
The patriots of Georgia and Carolina had not entirely lost heart. Colonel Elijah Clarke, who had been with the Conti nental army in North Carolina, returned home and set about collecting troops to retake Augusta. Five hundred men were gotten together, and on the 14th of September marched to Augusta. An attack was made on the Indian camp at Hawk's G-ully, and Brown and Grierson, the British officers, came to their support. Being hotly pressed, the British took refuge in a strong building called Seymour's White House. This they defended. Colonel Clarke laid siege to the house for four days. Brown was wounded, and many of his men were killed. The British were on the point of starvation, and were nearly famished for water. They were about to surrender when reinforcements from Ninety-Six arrived, and the Amer icans were forced to retreat, leaving thirty wounded soldiers in the hands of the British.
The cruelty of Brown was again shown in his treatment of these wounded prisoners. He caused thirteen of them to be hanged just outside of his sick-room, on a staircase, where he could see them swing off. The others he gave up to the Indians to be tortured to death.
In May, 1781, Colonel Henry Lee, who was called " LightHorse Harry/' and was the father of General Eobert E. Lee, arrived near Augusta with a body of troops. He came for the purpose of making another effort to take Augusta from the British. He was joined by General Pickens, of South Caro lina, and Colonel Elijah Clarke, with a body of Georgia troops.
Clarke had found out that a large supply of Indian presents and firearms were placed in Fort Galphin, at Silver Bluff, on Beech Island, twelve miles below Augusta. He told Pickens and Lee of this, and they undertook to reduce this stockade fort before Brown could find out and defeat their intention. The attack was made with such spirit that the fort soon gave
AUGUSTA TAKEN AND RETAKEN. 117
up, with one hundred and twenty-six prisoners, besides arms, ammunition, blankets, and salt enough to supply the whole army. This fort had been named for George Galphin, an Indian trader, whose home had been upon the bluff. (See Note, Chapter XIV.)
Augusta was defended by Forts Grierson and Cornwallis, the former being on the site where the upper market stood, and the latter on the site of St. Paul's Church, with a large, open plain between them. The British commanders, Brown and Grierson, had taken refuge in these forts. General Pickens formed his troops between the forts, and placed his batteries to play upon both. Just before the attack Grierson aban doned Fort Grierson, and tried to join Brown in Fort Corn wallis. The Americans were prepared for this moye, and opened a deadly fire on the retreating garrison. Very few escaped; many were killed, and many captured. Colonel Grierson was taken prisoner, and shot by one of the Georgians on account of his cruelties to the people.
The Americans surrounded Fort Cornwallis, and began their plans to reduce it. The ground was so level and open that the fort could not be carried by storm. Colonel Lee pro posed to erect a wooden tower, to fill it with brick and dirt, to mount cannon on the top of it, and thus to command the inside of the fort. The tower was built behind an old house, but Brown discovered the work and made several bloody sallies from the fort iu order to destroy it. The tower was finished, cannon were placed upon it, and fire was opened upon the fort. Brown saw that further resistance was use less. He surrendered June 5, 1781, with all his arms and ammunition. The troops marched 6irtJ"^id~were~carrrie Savannah. Brown was protected from the enraged people by a special escort. Augusta was _again_Jn__tLe.r hands_of the Americans. Major James Jackson was in command, while Pickens and Lee led their soldiers back into South Carolina.
To illustrate the heroism of the women at the time, the fol-
NAHOT HART CAPTURING THE TOBIES.
AUGUSTA TAKEN AND BETAKEN. 119
lowing anecdote is told of Nancy Hart, who lived on the fron tier. She was tall, strong, fiery tempered, cross-eyed, and cordially hated the Tories. A party of these gave her a call and ordered a breakfast. Nancy soon had the smoking viands spread before them, and with apparent hospitality urged them to eat. They stacked their arms in one corner of her cabin, and sat down to the meal with jesting and mirth Quick as thought the dauntless woman sprang to the guns, , jerked one up, cocked it, and with an oath swore she would shoot the first Tory that dared move. All were terrorstricken, for each thought from her cross-eyes that he was the one she was looking at. " Go," said she to one of her chil dren, " and tell the Whigs that I have taken six base Tories." One of the men made a motion to advance upon her, and, true to her threat, she fired, and he fell dead upon the floor. , Seizing another musket, she brought it to bear upon the others, in readiness to fire. By this time her husband and several Whigs had arrived, and, at Nancy's suggestion, who swore shooting was too good for the~n, the Tories were taken. out and hanged. The. place where her cabin stood is pointed out to-day in Hart County, a county named in her honor by the men of Georgia.
[General Elijah Clarke was born in North Carolina about 1735. He came to Georgia in 1774 and settled in Wilkes County. When the war broke out Clarke took 'the field, and the only regiment raised in upper Georgia was commanded by him. His famous Wilkes riflemen inspired the Whigs with hope and struck terror to the Tories and Indians. When Georgia and South Carolina were abandoned to the British, and the forces of the United States were withdrawn, Clarke alone kept the field, and his name spread terror through the whole line of British posts. Clarke was a man of fine presence, and of striking, bold, and resolute force. The State ol Georgia, by act of the legislature, gave him a plan tation in acknowledgment of his services. General Clarke died in his home in Wilkes County, December 15, 1779.]
[George Walton was born in Virginia in 1740, and received no other education save that he acquired by his own efforts. He was apprenticed to
120
HISTORY OF GJEOE&IA.
a carpenter, but sueh was his zeal for knowledge that he studied at night by a light-wood fire, his master not allowing him a candle. He moved to Georgia and began to practise law. He was elected to Congress six times, and his name is. signed to the Declaration of Independence. At the capture -of Savannah he was taken prisoner, but was exchanged in 1779, a few months before he was elected governor. After the war he became judge of the Superior Court, and died in Augusta in 1804.]
[Richard Howley was a lawyer by profession. He represented Liberty County in the legislature, and was elected governor in January, 1780. When the State was overrun by the British, a council of officers was held near Augusta, in which they determined to retreat to North Carolina, and they narrowly escaped capture on the way. McCall says : " The value of paper money was at that time so depreciated that the governor dealt it out by the quire for a night's lodging for his party, and if the fare was anything extraordinary, tho landlord received two quires."]
[Stephen Ileard was born in Ireland, and with his father moved to Virginia during the period of the French war. Later on, when many families were moving from Virginia, Heard came to Georgia, and settled in Wilkes County. When the war broke out he joined Elijah Clarke and his riflemen, and served nobly at Kettle Creek and other battles. Dur ing a portion of the time when Georgia was overrun by the British he was president of the Executive Council. After the war he was one of the most influential citizens of Wilkes County.]
QUESTIONS.
What of Sir James Wright and the Provincial Assembly? What of John Wereat ? How did Georgia have two acting governors ? Who was elected governor in 1780? What of Heard's Port? Who occupied Augusta in May ? What of Brown? Describe Clarke's attack on Augusta. How did Brown show his cruelty? What of Col. Henry Lee? What happened at Fort Galphin? Describe the capture of Augusta. Tell the story of Nancy Hart.
Tell about-- 1. The British in Georgia. 2. The State government. 3. Brown in Augusta.
TOPICS.
4. Elijah Clark's attack. 5. Capture of Fort Cornwallis, 6. StoT of Nancy Hart.
CHAPTER XXI.
GEOBGIA IS BECOGNIZED AS FREE AND INDEPENDENT.
"The duty we have done in Georgia was more difficult than that imposed open the children of Israel. They had only to make bricks without straw, but we have had pro vision, forage, and almost every other apparatus of war to procure without money; boats, bridges, etc., to build without materials except those taken from the stump; and what was more difficult than all, to make Whigs out of Tories."--Letter cf GENERAL WAYNE.
THE capture of Augusta restored
all the northern counties to the
Americans, and the Continental
army in the State was strong enough
to protect them from the advances
of the British. The citizens who
had been driven from their homes
during the past two years now re
turned, and in August, 1781, the
General Assembly met at Augusta
and elected Dr. Nathan Brownson
governor.
GBNIRAL ANTHONY WAYNZ.
The British still held the city of
Savannah, where Governor Wright
was claiming to act as governor, but Ebenezer, on the Savan
nah Eiver, and the posts on the Great Ogeechee Ferry and at
Sunbury were the only outposts held by them. The Conti
nental troops in Georgia were commanded by General Twiggs
and Major James Jackson. Major Jackson attempted to take
the Ogeechee post, but was forced to retreat. However, he
compelled the British to abandon Ebenezer and retire to
within a few miles of Savannah.
On the 19th of October, 1781, General Cornwallis, com-
122
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
mander of the British forces at Yorktown, Va., surrendered his entire army to -General Washington. The news of this victory filled the patriots with joy, and the Tories lost heart. It was evident to every one that the States would win their independence. The British occupied only a few places in America, and the English people were not willing to equip new troops to continue the war.
In January, 1782, the General Assembly met at Augusta and elected John Martin governor. Although the people were rejoicing in the certainty of victory, much distress pre vailed in Georgia. Pood was scarce and sickness was general. Prices for all the necessaries of life were very high. Salt sold at two dollars a quart, and a pair of shoes for twenty-five or thirty dollars. As the farmers had turned soldiers, or had been driven from their homes, few crops had been raised, and a famine threatened the whole country.
The soldiers who were fighting the battle of liberty were only half-clothed and many of them barefooted. One hun dred and fifty Virginia troops had marched three hundred miles barefoot over mountains and hills to join the Georgia army. When they arrived they were in great distress for shoes, and other clothing, but the people of Georgia were powerless to help them. It was difficult to furnish them even with food.
In January, 1782, General Anthony Wayne, known in his tory as "Mad Anthony," was sent to Georgia by the Conti nental Congress to take command of the Continental troops. He brought with him a body of dragoons and a detachment of artillery, and was joined soon after his arrival by three hun dred mounted men from South Carolina. The presence of General Wayne's army greatly strengthened the State. Gov ernor Martin at once issued proclamations, inviting all citir zens who had submitted to the British rule to unite them selves with the State of Georgia, and calling upon the soldiers to desert the king. Many former citizens who had been com-
GEORGIA FREE AND INDEPENDENT. 123
pelled to accept the protection of the British government, and some who had joined the British army, took advantage of this offer and came into General Wayne's camp.
The British were very much alarmed when they heard of General Wayne's arrival, and prepared to defend Savannah. The garrison there amounted to only a little over a thousand men, and these were scantily supplied with food and'arms. The American army hemmed them in on all sides, and cut off supplies from every direction except by sea. The notorious Colonel Brown, who had collected a body of Indians near Ogeechee Ferry, was pursued by General Wayne. Wayne pushed through a thick swamp, reached the Indian camp in the dead of night, and drove Brown and his party into the woods. All the arms and horses of the party were captured, together with thirty prisoners. This was the last battle of the Eevolution in Georgia.
In May, 1782, orders came from the king to Governor Wright to surrender Savannah and to return to England. Governor Wright opened correspondence with G eneral Wayne, and all the details were arranged between them. The king had sent ships to take away the British soldiers and the Tories who had taken refuge in Savannah. By the 21st of July everything was ready for the departure of the British, and the American army was drawn up in dress parade to occupy the city. Major James Jackson had been selected by General Wayne to receive the city. This honor was conferred on him because of his bravery, and the prominent part he had taken in driving the British from Georgia. Governor Wright formally delivered the keys of Savannah to Major Jackson, and he marched into the city at the head of his troops. The first capital of Georgia, which had been held by the British for three and a half years, was again in the hands of the State.
Governor Martin and the other State officers came at once to Savannah. The legislature was called together and much
124
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
important business was transacted. The home of one of the royalists, which had been confiscated,, was presented to Major James Jackson in recognition of his distinguished services. Two plantations were bought by the legislature, and one of these was presented to General Greene and the other to Gen eral Wayne, both of'whom became citizens of Georgia.
The long war was over. Peace and liberty had come. A preliminary treaty of peace was signed at Versailles on the 30th of November, 1782, in which England recognized the independence of Georgia and the other States in America, and settled their boundaries. All the other states in Europe had already recognized the independence of the American States.
The final treaty of peace was not signed until September 3, 1783. This treaty made the Mississippi Eiver the western boundary of Georgia, and the thirty-first parallel of latitude the southern boundary between the Mississippi Eiver-and the Chattahoochee. The same day England signed a treaty of peace with France and one with Spain, the two European states that had come to our assistance in our struggle for indepen dence. All three treaties took effect at the same time. In the 'treaty with Spain, England ceded back to that nation East and West Florida. The northern boundary line of "West Florida had originally been the thirty-first parallel of latitude; but a few years before the Revolution, the province had been extended northward to the mouth of the Yazoo Eiver, and a line extending from that point east to the Chattahoochee had been made the northern boundary. The people of Georgia and the other States knew nothing of this change. But the Spanish troops under General Galvez, Governor of Louisiana, had captured the Ploridas during the war and occupied the country along the Mississippi as far as the present site of Vicksburg, where they had a fort. If the student will draw this line on the map it will be seen that the territory between the mouth of the Yazoo Eiver and the thirty-first parallel of latitude was in this way ceded to the United States as a part
QUESTIONS.
125
of the State of Georgia, and also to Spain. Both Georgia and Spain claimed this territory, and a few years later a great deal of trouble grew out of the conflicting claims. The people of Georgia never admitted that the change of the northern boundary line of West Florida had been legally made.
[Anthony Wayne was born in Pennsylvania in 1746. He was a farmer and land surveyor. In 1775 he entered the Continental army as colonel, and distinguished himself throughout the Revolutionary "War. After the war he became a citizen of Georgia, and lived upon the plantation which the legislature presented to him. He was a delegate from his county to the State Convention in 1787 to frame a constitution. He was one of the representatives from Georgia in the Second Congress of the United States, serving from October, 1791, to March, 1793. Major James Jackson contested his seat, and it was declared vacant. A new election was ordered, but he refused to be a candidate, and John Milledge was elected. Shortly after, he reentered the military service of the United States, being commissioned Major-General and Commander-inChief of the armies sent against the Indians in the Northwest Territory. He died in December, 1796, and was buried in his native county of Chester, Pennsylvania.]
[Nathan Brownson was a physician of Liberty County. He was an early supporter of the rights of his country, and was connected with the Georgia Brigade as surgeon. He was quiet and dignified, and full of good sense. He died on his farm in Liberty County, 1796.]
[John Martin was an active defender of the rights and liberties of his country. He was a member of the first Provincial Congress. He entered the army as a captain, and afterwards rose to the rank of lieu tenant-colonel. He represented Chatham County in the legislature. It was during his term of office that provisions were very scarce in Georgia. The legislature had to purchase supplies for the governor and council.]
QUESTIONS.
What was the result of the capture of Augusta ? When and where did the General Assembly meet ? Who was elected governor ? What places were still held by the British ? Who was acting as governor at Savannah ? What event, important to the whole country, occurred in
126
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
October ? What was the general effect of this surrender ? Who was elected governor in 1782 ? What was the condition of affairs in Georgia at this time ? Why were food and clothing so scarce ? What general was now placed in command of the Continental troops in Georgia ? What forces did he bring with him? What proclamations did Governor Martin issue ? What of the capture of Colonel Brown ? What orders came from the king ? Describe the surrender of Savannah to the patriots. When was the treaty of peace signed? What disputes about boundaries afterwards arose out of this treaty? What officers were rewarded by the legislature for their services ?
1. The war in Georgia. 2. British posts. 3. Want and suffering.
TOPICS.
4. General Wayne's advance. 5. Surrender of Savannah. 6. Treaty of peace.
CHAPTER XXII.
GEORGIA IN" THE COHFEDEKATIO.N', 1783-1789.
" It affords me the most agreeable sensations to contemplate the happy change in the affairs of this country ; and it is among the first of my wishes that you may long, long enjoy the blessings of freedom and independence."--GEN. NATHANAEL GREENE.
THE British had all left Georgia.
The ill effects of the war were still
felt, but the people cheerfully went
to work to build up the State they
had established and defended.
In 1783, Lyman Hall was elected
governor. One of the first things
to engage the attention of the legis
lature was the confiscation--that
is, taking possession--of the lands,
NATHANAEL SEEEKE.
houses, stock, negroes, and other
property belonging to those persons
who had given, help to England during the war. Their property
was sold for the benefit of the State. The property of Sir
James Wright, valued at $160,000, was confiscated. This was
done because the king had confiscated all the property of the
patriots in Georgia, while his troops held the State. The
great Land Act of 1783 was passed by this legislature.
Now that the State was at peace within and without its
borders, the attention of the people was turned to the sub
ject of education. The Constitution of 1777 declared that
" Schools shall be erected in each county and supported at the
general expense." In July, 1783, the legislature established
Richmond Academy at Augusta, and endowed it with a tract
138
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
of laud. This academy was the first and is now the oldest chartered school in Georgia, and the present building stands upon the orginal survey of two thousand acres set apart as its endowment. The legislature also authorized the establish' ment of free schools in other counties. Chatham Academy
was established five years later. In November, 1783, commissioners for the State met the
RICHMOND ACADEMY, AUGUSTA, GA. CHARTERED 1783.
chiefs of the Creeks at Augusta and made a treaty with them by which the State received another cession of land to the north and west of Wilkes County.
In 1784, John Houstoun was elected governor. The new territory was at once laid out by the legislature into the coun ties of Franklin and Washington. To reward the brave patri ots of the Revolution who had risked everything and lost much for their country, a tract of land was given to each one for a home, to be located in these new counties. The Land Court
LAND ACTS.
129
was opened in Augusta, and warrants were given to over four thousand persons, all of whom had served the State in some way during the war. A warrant generally contained a grant of "two hundred and fifty acres of good land, which was to be exempt from taxation for ten years." These warrants were called Head-right Land Warrants. In addition to these, each head of a family had the right to locate a tract of land by paying a small fee. Grants were made to soldiers from other States who had served Georgia during the war. In this way many Virginians came to the State and settled on Broad Kiver, where they were known for many years as the Virginia colony. They furnished some of the most prominent men of the State, and many of their descendants are now living in Wilkes, Columbia, Elbert, Lincoln, and other counties.
Special grants of land were made to other persons on account of their services to Georgia. Twenty thousand acres were granted to Count D'Estaing for his bravery at Savannah and his devotion to the cause of liberty. This gift greatly affected the noble count, who was then ill from a dangerous wound. He wrote a letter of grateful acceptance, in which he said: "The mark of its satisfaction which the State of Georgia was pleased to give me, after I had been wounded, was the most healing balm that could have been applied to my pains."
Besides distributing bounties to the 'soldiers, the Act of 1784 had still another great purpose. It contained provisions for granting forty thousand acres of land as "an endowment of a college or seminary of learning." This land was to be laid out of the new counties of Franklin and Washington and was the original endowment of the university. The purpose was to sell this land and use the money to build and equip the uni versity which the legislature first intended to locate at the State capital. We shall learn more about this later on.
Savannah as the seat of State government was unsatisfactory to the people. In those days, when travelling was done by
130
HISTORY OF GEORGIA:
stage or on horseback and generally over bad roads, the set tlers in the back country or on the newly ceded lands found it difficult to go so far. In 1783 the Council resolved that the executive department, consisting of the governor and his Council, should meet in Augusta for three months, during June, July, and August. The legislature met there at the same time. For the next two years the legislature met in Savannah, but it adjourned in 1785 to meet in Augusta in
CHATHAM ACADEMY,. SAVANNAH, GA. CHABTEBED, 1788; REBUILT AND ENLAKGED, 1908.
1786. The legislature of 1786, at Augusta, resolved to find another location for the State capital, and appointed commis sioners to choose a suitable site, within "twenty miles of Galphin's old town," on the Savannah Eiver, and to name the place Louisville. The government house and lot in Savannah were to be sold, and the money applied to purchasing the land and erecting the public buildings in Louisville. Until the
TREATY OF BEAUFORT.
isi
new capital was ready for occupation, it was decided that the place of meeting of the legislature, the residence of the gov ernor and the other officers of the State House, should be at Augusta. In this way Augusta became the seat of govern ment in 1786, and continued so for ten years.
There was a dispute of long standing between Georgia and South Carolina regarding boundary lines. South Carolina claimed that the northern line of Georgia should be run from the mouth of the Tugaloo River, since "the Eiver Savannah loses its name at the mouth of . the Tugaloo." Georgia claimed that the northern line should be run from the head waters of the Keowee Eiver.
South Carolina also claimed all the lands lying west of a line drawn from the headwaters of the St. Mary's Eiver to the headwaters of the Altamaha Eiver. South Carolina appealed to the Continental Congress in 1785, and a court w'as selected to hear both sides. Georgia was notified to appear and answer the complaint of South Carolina. Before this court could meet, however, the two States agreed to settle the dispute between themselves in a friendly way, and appointed commis sioners, who met at Beaufort, in South Carolina, in 1789 and made a treaty known as the Treaty of Beaufort. The com missioners agreed that South Carolina had no just claims to any lands west of the Savannah Eiver. This disposed of the claim of South Carolina for lands in the southern part of the State. They also agreed that the Tugaloo and not the Keowee was the main stream of the Savannah Eiver, and that the northern line of Georgia was to be run due west from the most northerly branch of the Tugaloo Eiver.
When the line was run it was found that a strip of territory twelve miles wide and extending to the Mississippi Eiver was the property of South Carolina. South Carolina ceded this to the United States, by whom it was held until 1802.
A sad incident of the year 1786 was the death of Gen. Nathanael Greene. At the close of the war he had come to
132
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Georgia to live, at a beautiful liome fourteen miles above Savannah, called "Mulberry Grove," an estate granted him by the legislature. While at work on his farm he was over come by the heat of the sun., and died in a few days. His body was brought down the river on a barge and met by a large procession of people. He was buried with military hon ors and mourned for by the whole nation. A few months before his death the legislature had ordered the county of Washington to be divided and a new county organized, named Greene, and a town laid out named Greenesborough.
In 1785 Samuel Elbert had been elected governor. He was succeeded in 1786 by Edward Telfair. In 1787 George Mat thews was elected to this office. During his term Georgia took a very important step, which changed its relations to the other States. Of this we shall study in the next chapter.
[Lyman Hall was born in Connecticut, in 1731, and was a graduate of Yale College. He studied medicine, moved to South Carolina, and thence to St. John's Parish, or the County of Liberty, in Georgia. He represented Georgia in the Continental Congress, and was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He moved to Burke County, where he died in the sixty-seventh year of his age.]
[Samuel Elbert was born in South Carolina in 1740. He was left an orphan at an early age, and came to Savannah looking for work. He was a member o the Council of Safety, and when the war broke out took the field as an officer of high rank and was engaged in a number of bat tles in Georgia and elsewhere, and was made major-general by the legis lature. He died in Savannah in 1788.]
[Edward Telfair was born in Scotland in 1735. When twenty-three years old he came to Virginia as an agent of a mercantile house. He afterwards moved to Xorth Carolina, and thence to Georgia, where he engaged in business in Savannah. He was a member of the brave band who, led by Joseph Habersham, broke open the powder magazine in Savannah. He was a member of the Continental Congress until 1783. He died in Savannah, September, 1807.]
[George Matthews was born in Virginia. At the beginning of the Revolution he joined the army of Washington. In a skirmish he was
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.
133
taken prisoner, and confined on board a prison-ship in the harbor of New York. After his exchange he joined the army of General Greene. In 1785 he purchased a tract of land called the Goose Pond, on Broad River, in Georgia.. He died in Augusta, in 1812, and was buried in St. Paul's churchyard.]
QUESTIONS.
What engaged the attention of the legislature of 1783 ? "What did the Constitution of 1777 declare regarding schools ? What of Richmond Academy ? Chatham Academy ? What cession was made in' 1783 ? What two new counties were formed ? What about rewarding the patriots ? What court was opened ? What did each warrant generally grant ? What about the grant to D'Estaing ? What was another pur pose of the Land Act ? What complaint was made regarding the loca tion of the capital ? What was decided on in 1786 ? How long did the legislature meet in Augusta ? What dispute had arisen with South Carolina ? Describe the Treaty of Beaufort. What of the twelve-mile strip ? Relate the incident of the death of General Greene. Name the governors from 1783 to 1787.
TOPICS.
1. Confiscation. 2. Education. 3. Rewarding the patriots. 4. Endowing a university.
5. Changing the capital. 6. Treaty of Beaufort. 7. Death of General Greene.
EPOCH V.
Georgia in the Federal Union.
CHAPTER XXIII.
GEORGIA ENTERS THE UNION OF STATES.
" Georgia was the fourth State to ratify this great instrument which gave shape and permanence to a government for which the Americans had been struggling against oppression for twenty-five years."--Siemens' History of Georgia.
Georgia and the twelve other States first called them selves the United States of Amarica, in 1776, they had united only in the Declaration of Independence and in fighting for liberty. The first written agreement which bound them together was the Articles of Confederation. These Articles were agreed upon in 1778, and at once ratified by Georgia; but they did not take effect until the last State signed them in 1781, when the war was nearly over. The United States as a Confederation had no President, no courts, and no congress like ours of to-day. There was only a congress usually known as the Continental Congress, to which each State sent dele gates, but this body had no powers of government over the States.
After peace was made with England it soon became evident that the Articles of Confederation were not equal to the needs of the country. George Washington said: "We are thirteen independent sovereignties, eternally counteracting each other." A closer union of these separate States was needed. For this purpose a general convention of delegates
GEORGIA ENTERS THE UNION.
135
from each State met in Philadelphia, and in September, 1787,
agreed upon a Constitution of the United States which was to
be submitted to each State for its adoption or rejection. This
Constitution proposed to unite the thirteen States into one
federal republic and to establish a government for the Union.
A great English statesman, William E.
Gladstone, has said of it: " The Ameri
can Constitution is the most wonderful
work ever struck off at a given time by
the brain and purpose of man." The
Constitution was signed by Abram Bald
win and "William Pew, from Georgia.
It was now necessary for each State
to decide for itself whether it would
accept this Constitution of the United
ABIiAM BALDWIN.
States and thus enter the Union, or reject it and stay out of the Union.
For this purpose the legislature of Georgia called a convention
to meet in Augusta to consider the Constitution, " and to adopt
or reject any part or the whole
thereof."
The leading men of the State
were elected as delegates to this con
vention. John Wereat was chosen
President. After due considera
tion the Constitution was adopted
without any change, January 2,
1788, and Georgia thus agreed to f
enter the Union of the States.
Georgia was the fourth State to
ratify the Constitution. . When the last name was signed to the
WILLIAM FEW.
resolution of agreement, a body of soldiers, stationed near the
house where the convention was in session, fired a salute of
thirteen guns in honor of the event.
136
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
The first election under the Constitution was held in Jan uary, 1789, and the 4th of March following was fixed as the date when the old confederation should be dissolved and the new government of the United States be organized. The first Congress was to meet in New York city, then the seat of government of the -United States, but when the 4th of March came only a few members were present, and it was late in April before a majority of the newly elected senators and rep resentatives from the different States arrived. James Gunn and William Few were the first two United States senators from Georgia, and Abram Baldwin, James Jackson, and George Matthews were the Representatives from Georgia in this first Congress. On the 30th of April, George Washington was inaugurated first President of the United States. During his second administration, Joseph Habersham, of Georgia, was appointed postmaster-general of the United States".
The adoption of the Constitution of the United States made it necessary to revise the Constitution of Georgia. A convention for that purpose met in Augusta in November, 1788, and after twenty days of deliberation a new State Con stitution was agreed upon. This new Constitution was printed and distributed over the State, and made subject to another convention which, met in Augusta in January, 1789. This convention met and proposed certain changes, and called a third convention to meet the following May. This last con vention adopted the Constitution for the State, known as the Constitution of 1789. It was agreed to by the governor, and a salute of eleven guns was fired in honor of the eleven States which had thus far ratified the Constitution of the United States.
The Constitution of 1789 was an improvement on the Con stitution of 1777, and showed that the people had made prog ress in the matter of. self-government. The Executive Coun cil was abolished and a Senate was established, with powers similar to those of the Senate of to-day. The governor was to serve two years instead of one.
WASHINGTON VISITS GEORGIA.
137
In 1788 George Handlgy. was elected governor, and served while the Constitution was undergoing revision. He was suc ceeded in January, 1789, by George Walton. The new Con stitution went into effect in October, 1789. Edward Telfair was elected the first governor under the new Constitution.
Scarcely had the new governor been inaugurated, when the State was called on to join the nation in a day of thanksgiving and prayer. November 26, 1789, the people of Georgia ob served their first Thanksgiving day, with grateful hearts to the Almighty for many and signal favors, " especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of govern ment for their safety and happiness."
December, 1790, the State was divided into three Congres sional districts. The counties of Camden, Glynn, Liberty, Chatham, and Effingham composed the.lower district; Burke, Eichmond and Washington, the middle district; Wilkes, Franklin, and Greene, the upper district. James Jackson was elected to represent the lower district; Abram Baldwin, the middle district; George Matthews, the upper district.
George "Washington, the first President of the United States, made a visit to Georgia in May, 1791. When he reached Savannah he was met by a large gathering of people from all over the State. An escort of horse travelled with him through the country up to Augusta, where the governor and the peo ple warmly welcomed him. At Augusta he visited the Eich mond Academy and listened to an exhibition of declamation by the students. He was so pleased with the speakers and the performance of the young orators that he secured a list of their names, and on his return home sent each of them a book. Washington remained in Georgia one week, and on the day of his leaving was escorted to the bridge over the Savannah Eiver by the governor and his officers.
[The names of the delegates who represented Georgia at different times in the Continental Congress, during the Confederation, are as follows : Abram Baldwin, Nathan Brownson, Archibald Bulloch, Joseph Clay,
138
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
William Pew, William Gibbons, Button Gwinnett, John Habersham, Lyman Hall, John HoustoTin, William Houstoun, Richard Howley, Noble Wimberly Jones, Edward Langworthy, William Pierce, Edward Telfair, George Walton, Joseph Wood, John J. Zubly.]
[George Handley was born in England, in 1752, and came to Savannah at the beginning of the Revolution. He was engaged in the main battles of Georgia and South Carolina. At the close of the war he moved to Augusta. He held various other offices until his death in 1793.]
[William Few was born in Maryland in 1748. He was descended ifrom William Ffew, who came to this country with William Penn. After studying law, he began practice in Augusta. He was in the Con tinental Congress, and in the convention that framed the Federal Consti tution. He died in New York in 1828.]
QUESTIONS.
What was now the condition of the thirteen American colonies ? What of the Articles of Confederation ? What did George Washington say? What was needed ? When, where, and by whom was the Constitution of the United States agreed upon ? What has Gladstone said of it ? Who signed on behalf of Georgia ? Describe the way Georgia entered the Union ? When did the government of the United States begin ? Who were the Senators from Georgia ? The Representatives ? Who was postmas'jer-general from Georgia? What can you say of the Constitution of 1789 ? Who was the first Governor under this Constitution ? Men tion other Governors at this time. Describe the first Thanksgiving day. What about the Congressional districts? Describe the visit of Washing ton to Georgia.
TOPICS.
1. Constitution of the United States. 8. The Constitution of 1789.
2. How adopted by Georgia.
4. Other events of 1789-1791.
CHAPTER XXIV.
ELI WHITNEY A3STD THE COTTOST GIN.
" What Peter the Great did to make Russia dominant, EH Whitney's invention of the Cotton Gin has more than equalled in its relation to the power and progress of the United States."--MACAULAY.
COTTON' was not known to the people of Georgia, except as a garden plant, until after the Revolutionary war, at which time it'was said that there was a plantation of thirty acres of green seed cotton under culture near Savannah. In 1784 eight bags of cotton were shipped to England, and seized on the ground that so much cotton could not be produced in the United States. In 1786 sea-island cotton was first raised on the coast of Georgia, and two years later its exportation was commenced by Alexander Bissell, of St. Simon's Island. The seeds were obtained from the Bahamas. It was not difficult to separate the lint from the seed of the sea-island cotton, but this valuable staple grows only on the islands and along the coasts.
The cotton which grows everywhere else in Georgia is called the short-staple cotton, and the lint adheres very firmly to the seed. There was a machine for cleaning the long-staple cotton, but the upland cotton had to be picked from the seed by hand. A negro could not clean more than a pound of upland cotton in one day. A man and his family could hardly pick out more than eight or ten pounds. If a large crop was planted there were not hands enough to separate the seed from the lint.
This kept the farmers from planting upland cotton. It was not a profitable crop. They raised corn, wheat, oats, live stock, and other things. In the year 1791 only three hundred and
140
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
ninety-nine bales of cotton were exported from all the United
States.
About this time a young man named Eli Whitney was living
in Georgia at the home of Mrs.'Nathanael Greene, fourteen
miles above Savannah. He was bom in Massachusetts, and
having just graduated at Yale College, had come South toward
the end of 1792 to teach school and practise law. Mrs. Greene
had invited him to make her house his home. While there he
had made several things that gave her confidence in his power
of invention. One day some visitors at the house of Mrs.
Greene were regretting that it was such a hard matter to clean
the upland cotton, and said that it was a pity that there was
not a machine for this purpose. Mrs. Greene said, '' Ask
Mr. Whitney to make a machine for you. He can make any
thing." Some raw cotton and cotton seed were given to
Whitney, who had never seen any up to that time. He at once
set to work to see
what he could do.
He labored for
several months un-
der much diffi
culty. He had to
make his own wire
and tools. Mrs.
Greene and another
friend were the
only persons per
WHITNEY COTTON GIN.
mitted to see the machine, but others
heard of it, and were so anxious to know how it would work
that before it was quite finished the shop was broken open and
his model machine carried off. The result of this was that
Whitney's idea became known, and before he could make
another machine and get it patented there were others in
operation based upon his invention.
ELI WHITNEY AND THE COTTON GIN. 141
Whitney made another machine which was a complete suc cess. The accompanying cut is a picture of the original cotton gin which he invented and patented. He built a factory to make his machines, near Augusta, and about two miles south of the city the dam is still to be seen which held the water to run his works. These machines were at first called cotton engines, but this name was soon contracted into " cotton gins."
A few years later he wen,t to Connecticut and began to man ufacture his cotton gins on a large scale. So valuable was the gin that the legislature' of South Carolina granted him $50,000 for the use of his invention. North Carolina also gave him a royalty on the use of his gins for five years. Farmers now began to plant cotton in the uplands. By using the cotton gin a planter could clean for market a thousand pounds of cotton a day instead of five or six as before by hand. This made a rapid increase in the amount of cotton raised. Eight years after this invention seven thousand bales of cotton were exported from Georgia alone, and the number ha's increased steadily ever since.
Whitney was a great benefactor to the cotton States. His invention made the raising of cotton the great industry of the people of the South and the chief source of their .wealth. Lands that had been regarded of little value were now sought for and planted in cotton. New towns grew up all over, the State.
Another event of the same year excited as much interest at the time as the invention of the cotton gin. A citizen of South Carolina named Chisholm brought suit against the State of Georgia in the Supreme Court of the United States. The officers of Georgia refused to recognize the summons or to permit lawyers to appear for the State. They held that each State was a sovereign. Now a sovereign, being supreme, can not be sued by a citizen. Therefore, they declared, the clause of the Constitution which authorized the suit was void from
142
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
the very nature of things. The court decided in favor of Chisholm, but Governor Telfair threatened to imprison any marshal who attempted to execute the decree. The other States all agreed that each State was a sovereign, but there was a difference of opinion as to the authority of the court under the Constitution. To settle this question forever, the eleventh amendment to the Constitution was proposed and adopted. This amendment recognized the sovereignty of each State by declaring distinctly that the Constitution should not be construed to give citizens power to sue a State. Its adop tion was due to Georgia's firm stand in the historic case " Chisholm versus the State of Georgia." The Chisholm suit was then abandoned.
[The Mexicans and Peruvians appear to have understood the manu facture of cotton cloth long before Columbus discovered America. Columbus found the plant growing wild in the West Indies, and Cortes gathered it in abundance to quilt the jackets of his soldiers as a protec tion against the arms and darts of the Mexicans. In the United States cotton seeds were first planted as an experiment in 1621. In the prov ince of Carolina the growth of the cotton plant is noticed in 1666.]
QUESTIONS.
"What about the planting of cotton up to this time? What of shortstaple cotton? What of sea-island cotton? How was lint separated from -the seed? How much cotton was exported from the United States in 1791? What of Eli Whitney? Tell the story of the invention of the cotton gin. What was the effect of the invention? How was Eli Whit ney a benefactor to the cotton States? What was the Chisholm case ?
TOPICS.
Let the pupil tell--
1. Why cotton planting was unprofitable.
2. Who Eli Whitney was. 3. How Whitney happened to in-
vent the gin.
4. The difficulty of his labors, 5. The success of his machine. 6. The eleventh amendment to
the Constitution,
CHAPTER XXV.
YAZOO FRAUD.
" The last legislature, not confining itself to the powers with which that body was constitutionally invested, did usurp a power to pass the obnoxious act, contrary to constitutional authority and repugnant to the deruocratical form of government of the
State."--!
^ IN November, 1793, George
Matthews was chosen a sec
ond time governor of Georgia.
While he was governor an event
occurred known as the. " Yazoo
Fraud,'' which for many years was
the cause of great excitement and
bitterness.
The territory of the State of
Georgia at this time embraced
nearly all the present States
JAEBD IBWIN.
of Alabama and Mississippi.
Georgia's claim to that part of
this territory called British West Florida, was disputed by
Spain, and also by the general government. We need not
consider these' disputes here. It is enough to know that
Georgia did possess large tracts of land west of the Ohatta-
hoochee Eiver.
In 17139, four stock companies were formed- for the pur
pose of purchasing from the legislature__of_ Georgia a part of
this western land. They were called Yazoo companies, from
the Yazoo Eiver, which ran through the territory proposed to
be purchased.
144
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
The legislature with undue haste passed an act selling to these companies large tracts of land for a very small price. The companies,, however, did not comply with all the provi sions of the law, and the sale was never completed. Thus the first attempt to buy the western lands was a failure.
InJ794 new companies were formed and the legislature was again approached on the subject. These new companies pro posed to buy a much larger tract of land.
Governor Matthews was not in favor of selling the lands. A committee of agents from the companies called to see him and argued the case with him. Still he opposed the sale, and. when the bill was passed, promptly vetoed it.
This checked the success of the companies for a while, but the objections of the governor were at length overcome, and he stated his willingness to sign the bill if certain changes were made. Accordingly, a new bill was introduced, under a new title, but in reality for the same purpose. The bill was passed by the legislature and signed by the governor, and became the law of the land.
The four companies under this grant were " The Georgia Company," " The Georgia-Mississippi Company," " The Tennessee Company," and " The Upper Mississippi Com pany. '' Thirty-five million acres were sold for a half million of dollars, which was about one and a half cents an acre. Thus we see that the legislature sold a tract of land nearly as large as the present State of Georgia for a very paltry sum of money. This was the famous Yazoo Act, and was.passed in Augusta in January, 1795. The accompanying map, which is a copy of an old map made at the time, shows the location of the grants.
The people of the State, who all along had opposed the sale of these western lands, were very indignant that the legisla ture had sold so much land at so small_ji price. The legisla ture and the governor were accused' of having been bribed to pass the act, and the people demanded its repeal. It"'was
YAZOO FRAUD.
145
said that the governor's secretary was violently opposed to the passage of this act, and dipped the pens in oil, so that when Governor Matthews went to sign the act the pens would make'
MAP OF THE GRANTS OF THE
GEORGIA WESTERN TERRITORY
no mark. It took only a few moments, however, to get other quills and make new pens for that purpose.
One of the senators from Georgia at this time was the young and brave James Jackson. He had been elected in 1793 to succeed William Few. When he heard of the attempt
146
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
to procure the Yazoo lands he strongly opposed it. Jackson had
been urged to take shares in one of these companies, and was
told that " he might have any number of acres he pleased, to
half a million, without paying a cent, provided he would put
his name to the application." But he refused, and told the
men that " he, not they, had fought for Georgia and the right
to that territory; that he fought for the people, and it was
their right, and the right of future generations; and if they
did succeed he should hold the sale void, and would resign his
seat in the Senate, come home and head his fellow-citizens,
and either lose his life or have the act annulled." Now that
the sale had been made, he resigned his seat as senator, and
returned to Georgia to defeat what he called " a conspiracy of
the darkest character and of deliberate villany." He was
elected to the legislature of 1796 to represent Chatham
County.
In the meantime a Constitutional Convention had met at
Louisville in Jefferson County in
May, 1795. This convention was
presided over by Noble Wimberley
Jones. The State House and public
offices, which had been in process of.
erection for several years, were now
completed, and the seat of govern- -
ment was permanently located at
Louisville. The governor and the
State House officers moved from
Augusta, their temporary home, and
NOBLE w. JONES.
the meetings of the legislature were .
held from this time in the new capi-
tol building. The time of meeting of the legislature was
changed from the first Monday in November to the second
Tuesday in January of each year.
In January, 1796, the legislature assembled in Louisville
amidst great excitement. Governor Matthews sent them a
YAZOO FRAUD.
147
message on the situation. He advised them to repeal the Yazoo Act if it could be done legally. On the second day of the session, Jared Irwin was elected governor. About the same time Josiah Tatnall was elected to the United States Senate, to succeed George Walton, who had been appointed
BURNING THE YAZOO ACT.
(Copyrighted.)
by Governor Matthews upon the resignation of James Jack son. The legislature at once took up the Yazoo Act. A committee of investigation pronounced it not binding on the State on account of the fraud used to obtain it. James Jack son introduced a bill known as the " Rescinding Act." This
148
HISTORY- OF GEORGIA.
was at once passed by both houses and signed by Governor
Irwin, February 13, 1796. This declared that the sale of the
Yazoo lands was not binding on the State, and that the money
paid into the treasury should be given back to the Yazoo com
panies and the grants be considered void.
It was resolved to burn the papers of the Yazoo Act, and to
purge the records of everything relating to it. February 15,
1796, wood was piled in front of the State House, and ignited
by a burning-glass, in order that fire drawn from the heavens
might consume the offensive papers. The Senate and House
of Eepresentatives marched out in solemn procession. When
they reached the fire they formed a circle around it and rever
ently removed their hats. The committee appointed to obtain
the papers and records handed them to the president of the
Senate. He passed them to the speaker of the House. They
were then given to the clerk, and.finally to the messenger.
The messenger approached the fire and uttered these words:
" God save the State! and long preserve her rights! and may
every attempt to injure them perish as these corrupt acts now
do! " He then threw the papers into the fire and they were
burned to ashes. The members returned to the Capitol and
work was resumed.
,
The Yazoo companies refused to accept the proposed return
of their money. They claimed the right to keep the land
they had bought from the State, and carried their claims into
the courts, and even before the Congress of the United States.
After Georgia ceded to the general government in 1802 its
territory west of the Chattahoochee Eiver, the claim of the
Yazoo companies became a claim against the United States.
The Supreme Court decided that the title of the companies to
the lands which they had bought was valid, and the general
government was forced to purchase the right to these lands
from the Yazoo companies for large sums of money.
While Georgia owned this western land the legislature had
organized the district around Natchez into a county called
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.
149
Bourbon. Justices of the Peace were appointed, among whom was Thomas Marston Green, who in after years performed the marriage ceremony of General Andrew Jackson and Mrs. Ra chel Bobards, on Georgia soil. Owing- to the fact that Spain held this territory, the act was repealed after three years.
[Jared Irwin was a faithful soldier in the Revolutionary war, and served in various campaigns against the Indians. He lived in Burke County in early life, but afterwards moved to Washington County. He was a brigadier-general of militia. He was a member of the various conventions for revising the Constitution of Georgia. He was president of the State Senate at different times from 1790 to 1818. He died in Washington County at the age of sixty-eight years.]
[The details of the appearance of the old State .House were furnished by Mr. William Fleming, of Jefferson County. The man with the burn ing-glass in his hand is James Jackson ; next to him stands Thomas Glascock ; then John Milledge. The man on the right is William Pew, while Jared Irwin stands behind the messenger. David B. Mitchell stands behind Jackson, and Peter Early behind Pew. Benjamin Taliaferro, David Meriwether, and David Emanuel were also present on this occasion.]
QUESTIONS.
Who became governor in 1798 ? What of Georgia territory at this time ? What of the Yazoo companies in 1789 ? Why named Tazoo ? What was the result of the first attempt to buy the western lands ? What were formed in 1794 ? What was the action of Matthews ? Name the four companies. What was the size of the territory and the amount paid for it ? How was the Yazoo sale considered by the people f What of James Jackson ? What of the Constitutional Convention of 1795 ? What city became the permanent seat of government ? Who was elected governor in 1796 ? What act was passed by the legislature ? Describe the fate of the Yazoo papers. What finally became of the claim of the Yazoo companies ?
1. Western territory. 2. First Yazoo companies. 3. Yazoo Act,
TOPICS.
4. Rescinding of Act. 5. Burning the papersu 6. Final settlement
CHAPTER XXVI.
CONSTITUTION OF 1798.
" The experience of sixty years has demonstrated the wisdom of the Constitution of '98. It has undergone bat few changes, and these were rendered necessary by the changes in the condition of the country."--JOSEPH HENKT LUMPKIN.
JANUARY, 1798, James Jackson was elected governor. His recent course in regard to the Yazoo Act had made him the idol of the people. His administra tion was marked for the adoption of the great Constitution of 1798.
As we have already seen, the first Con stitution of Georgia was adopted Feb ruary 5, 1777, soon after the people had formed a State government. After GOY. JAMES JACKSON. Georgia entered the Union, this Consti tution was revised, and in October, 1789, another Constitution went into effect. This Constitution was further considered by a convention which met at Louisville in May, 1795. On account of the disturbed state of affairs but few changes were made. Another convention was ordered to be held in 1798. This last convention finally adopted the Constitution that lasted the State for over half a century. A convention of fifty-six delegates from twenty-one counties met in Louisville, the capital, May, 1798, "for the purpose of taking into consideration the further alterations necessary to be made in the Constitution." Among some of the promi nent men of the convention were Governor James Jackson, Jared Irwin, Jesse Mercer, Eobert Watkins, Benjamin Taliaferro, Thomas Glascock, and Peter J. Carnes. Jared Irwin, the late governor, was elected president of
CONSTITUTION OF iws.
151
the convention. The session pasted three weeks, and every article was carefully considered before it was adopted. The Constitution was then drawn up on parchment, signed by the members, the Great Seal of the State was attached, and it was deposited in the office of the secretary of state. When the signal was given that the last name was signed to this great instrument, a salute of sixteen guns was fired by an artillery company stationed near by.
The Constitution declared that the legislative, executive, and judiciary departments of the government should be kept separate and distinct. The legislative power was vested in a Senate, consisting of one member from each of the twenty-four counties, and in a House of Eepresentatives, composed of sixty-two members. These two branches made up the legisla ture or General Assembly, which was to meet once a year.
The executive power was vested in a governor, who was to he elected every two years by the legislature. He was the commander-in-chief of the army, navy, and militia of the State, had power to grant pardons, fill vacant offices, and his consent was required to all acts of the legislature. There was also a secretar}r of state, a treasurer, and a surveyor-general.
The judicial powers of the State were vested in superior and inferior courts. Each court was required to sit in each
county twice a year. The boundary lines of the State were defined, and the efforts
of the preceding legislature to dispose of large tracts of the western territory were declared " constitutional^ void." The freedom of the press and trial by jury were to remain invio late; the writ of habeas corpus was not to be suspended; free exercise of religion was guaranteed, and the importation of
slaves after October, 1798, was forbidden. In compliance with the direction of the constitutional con
vention, a new great Seal of the State was adopted by the legislature of 1799. The seal consisted of a round disk about two inches in diameter. On one side (the obverse) were three
152
HISTORY OF GEORGIA,
pillars supporting an arch with the word " Constitution"
engraved on it. This represented the three departments of
the government upholding the Constitution of the State.
Engraved on a wreath around one pillar was the word " Wis
dom," meaning that the legislature should be wise in making
the laws; on an
other, the word
"Justice," that the
courts should be
just in their deci
sions; on another,
"Moderation,"
that the executive
should administer
the laws without
severity. Near the
left-hand pillar was
a man with a drawn
sword, representing
the military defence
of the State. The
inscription on this
side was " State of
Georgia, 1799."
GEORGIA STATE SEAL, 1799. (.Obverse.)
On the other side (the reverse) was a
view of the seashore with a ship bearing a flag of the United
States and riding at anchor near a wharf with hogsheads of
tobacco and bales of cotton on board. This represented the
exports of the State. At a little distance was a boat from the
interior, landing hogsheads, boxes, etc. This represented the
trade from the interior. In the background was a man in the
act of ploughing, and a flock of sheep shaded by a flourishing
tree. This represented agriculture and grazing. Around all
was the motto, " Agriculture and Commerce.--1799."
CONSTITUTION OF 1793.
153
This seal was placed in the office of the secretary of state to
be attached to all official papers of the State government, and
is the seal used at the present day.
It is of interest to know that it was the first intention to
engrave the words, " Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation " on
the bases of the three pillars, but the artist found it impossi
ble to make the let
ters large enough
to be read. It was
then changed to the
present design.
To improve the
judiciary system,
the State was di
vided into three su
perior court dis
tricts, viz. : the
Eastern Circuit, the
Middle Circuit, and
the Western Cir
cuit. There were
eight counties in
each circuit. David
B. Mitchell, George
Walton, and Thom-
-as P. Carnes were elected judges of the
GEORGIA STATE SEAL, 1788.
(Reverse.)
superior courts of the three circuits. The three judges wer&
required to alternate in the circuits, so that no two successive
terms of court in a county should be held by the same judge.
The courts were held twice a year in each county, and each
court had a clerk and a sheriff. There was no supreme court
as yet, but the judges of the siiperior courts met once a year at
the seat of government to decide difficult points of law and
constitutional questions.
154
HISTORY OF GEORGIA..
Since this chapter marks the close of the century, let us take a view of the condition of the State. The population had increased to about 163,000, having gained nearly 80,000 in ten years. The population of Savannah, the chief town, was over 5,000. The exports were valued at $1,750,000. These were principally rice,, indigo, corn, cotton, sago, naval stores, leather, deer skins, myrtle, snake root, live stock, and lumber. The chief imports were "West India produce, dry goods, wines, teas, beef, butter, cheese, potatoes, cider.
[James Jackson was born in England, in 1757, and came to .Savannah when he was but fifteen years of age. He began the study of law, but laid aside his studies to engage in the disputes with Great Britain. After the fall of Savannah in 1778, in company with John Milledge he went to South Carolina to join the forces of General Moultrie. As they were marching through the country, barefoot and ragged, they were seized as spies by some American soldiers, and came near being hanged before the mistake was discovered. At the battle of Cowpens, Jackson distinguished himself for bravery, and soon afterwards was made a lieu tenant-colonel. He was present at the siege of Augusta, and added much to the success of the American arms. In 1782, when the British evacuated Savannah, General Wayne appointed Colonel Jackson to re ceive the surrender of the town. When only thirty-one years of age he was elected governor of Georgia, but refused to serve. He held nearly every high office in the gift of his State, and died in 1806 when acting as United States Senator.]
QUESTIONS.
"Who became governor in 1798 ? What about the various constitu tions up to this time? What convention met in. 1798 ? When? Where? Mention some prominent members. Who was president ? Describe the legislative power. The executive power. The judicial power. Men tion some other provisions of the Constitution. When was the great seal adopted ? Describe the obverse side. The reverse. Describe the Superior Court district. What about the judge ? Give a statistical review of the State at this time.
TOPICS.
1. Constitution of 1798. 2. Great Seal of State (1799).
3. Improving the judiciary. 4. Statistical review.
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE UNTVEESITY FOUNDED.--WESTEBN TERRITORY CEDEI>.
" We must say that Georgia merits peculiar honor in being among the first States to make provision for a State University, and in passing most wholesome laws for securing . to her sons the blessings of a liberal education on her own soil."--Stevens History of
JAMES JACKSON had been elected to the United States Sen ate to succeed James Gunn, and resigned his position as gov ernor. By the provisions oi the Constitution, David Emanuel, who was president of the senate, became governor in March, 1801, and held that office until the legislature could meet. When the legislature met in November following, Josiah Tatnall was elected governor. The father of Governor Tatnall, being a royalist, had been among those banished by the State in 1782, and his property had been confiscated. After the legislature had elected his son governor, their good will was shown by an act which recalled the banished father and re stored him to full rights as a citizen. When the act was car ried to the governor's office he signed it as follows: "With lively expression of gratitude I affix my signature to this act."
We have already seen in another chapter that the legislature had set apart a large tract of land as an endowment for a uni versity. In 1785 an act was passed " for the more full and complete establishment of a public seat of learning in this State.'' This act provided for a Board of Visitors and for a Board of Trustees. These two bodies united composed " The Senatus Academicus of the University of Georgia," whose object was " to consult and advise, not only upon the affairs of the university, but also to remedy the defects and advance
156
HISTORY OF GEOR&IA.
the interests of literature through the State in general." In 1786 the trustees were authorized to lay out the town of Greenesborough on lands belonging to the university, and sell lots therein, and with the money thus raised to promote the interests of "learning and science." The money secured from the sale of these town lots in after years was used to pay in part for the buildings of the university at Athens.
The legislature had broad and liberal ideas of what consti tuted a university. They intended it to embrace all the schools and academies in the State, and an institution of learn ing of the highest order located at the capital. The Senatus Academicus had power to visit and examine all the schools in Georgia supported by public money, and appoint all the teachers. The legislature intended that every county should have free schools and an academy, and that all should be united under the supervision and direction of the Senatus Academicus, and be a part of the university.
Fourteen years later, the legislature repealed the act locating the seat of the university at the State capital, and gave the Senatus Academicus the power to select any suitable place, provided it should be in one of the seven counties of Jackson, Franklin, Hancock, Greene, Oglethorpe, "Wilkes, or Warren.
In 1800 the board elected Josiah Meigs president, and in 1801 selected a tract of land in Jackson County as the site of the college. This tract contained six hundred and thirty-three acres, and was bought by John Milledge, who presented it to the trustees. Upon this land college buildings were erected, and a town laid out and named Athens. Town lots were sold to raise money for the university.
The college was opened in 1802, and in 1805 was named Franklin College. This was intended as a central college for the State and a part of the university plan, and is still in operation as the literary department of the university. Presi dent Meigs began the work of the university before the build ings were completed and while there were only two houses in
158
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Athens. Recitations were often heard and lectures delivered under the shade of the trees, and for years President Meigs had almost the entire instruction of the college, aided only by a tutor or by some of the students. There was no library or apparatus, and the president alone taught as many as sixty young men.
In the spring of 1804 the first commencement was held in the open air under a large oak tree. There were ten gradu ates. President Meigs, in a letter to John Milledge in 1805, wrote: '' Your institution has taken a strong root and will flourish; and I feel some degree of pride in reflecting that a century hence, when this nascent village shall embosom a thousand of the Georgia youths, it will now and then be said that you gave this land and I was on the forlorn hope."
An agreement was made in the year 1802, between the State of Georgia and the United States, by which Georgia ceded to the general government all that portion of her territory lying west of the present boundary line. It was an immense tract of valuable land, embracing almost the entire extent of the present States of Alabama and Mississippi. The ceded lands amounted to about eighty millions of acres.
The conditions of this grant were as follows: 1. Out of the proceeds of the sale of these lands, the United States shall give to Georgia $1,250,000. 2. All persons who are settled within this territory shall be confirmed in their titles by the United States government. 3. The ceded lands shall be a public fund to be distributed by the United States in the usual way of disposing of public lands. 4. The United States at their own expense shall extinguish, for the use of Georgia, as soon as the same can be peaceably done on reasonable terms, the Indian titles to the county of Tallassee, to the lands occupied by the Creeks, and to those between the forks of the Oconee and Ocmulgee rivers, for which several objects the President of the United States shall
WESTERN TERRITORY CEDED.
159
order a treaty to be held at once with the Indians. In like manner the United States shall extinguish the Indian titles. to all the other lands within the State of Georgia.
5. The territory thus ceded shall form a State as soon as it shall contain sixty thousand inhabitants, and as such be ad mitted into the Union.
In the same year the United States ceded to Georgia that part of the twelve-mile strip which lay north of the State. This made the thirty-fifth parallel the northern boundary.
These articles were agreed to by the legislature-of Georgia June 16, 1802. This made the present western and northern boundaries of the State of Georgia, which have remained un changed ever since. Soon after this all the money which had been paid into the treasury of Georgia by the Yazoo com panies was turned over to the United States, and the dispute with these companies, so far as Georgia was concerned, was ended.
By these articles of agreement, it was directed that a treaty 'be held at once with the Creek Indians for the purpose of ex tinguishing their claim to the lands of Georgia, and making limits for their homes and hunting grounds. In June, 1802, three commissioners, for the United States, met .the Creeks at Fort Wilkinson, on the Oconee River, just below the site of the present city of Milledgeville. Forty chiefs and warriors were present, who were the head men of the Creek nation. The Indians signed a treaty ceding to the United States a large body of land west of the Oconee River, and also a strip of land extending from the Altamaha to the St. Mary's River. .
[The exact boundaries of the two cessions of land referred to in this chapter, and of all other cessions, can be seen by reference to the map showing the cession of lands by the Indians.]
[David Bmanuel had come to Georgia in 1770, and settled in Burke County. He had taken arms in defence of the State, and during the war of the Revolution had been active and brave. On one occasion he
160
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
and two of his friends were captured by a party of British, and carried to McBean Creek, in Burke County, to be shot. A large fire being kin dled, Emanuel and his two friends were stripped of their clothes, placed near the fire, and three soldiers were ordered to shoot them. At the discharge of the guns the two friends fell dead, but Emanuel, being unhurt, leaped over the fire and made good his escape.]
[Josiah Tatnall was born near Savannah. At an early age he was put on board a man-of-war, bound for India, to prevent his return to Georgia. He managed to find his way back to America, and landed near Savannah, when he was only eighteen years old. He travelled on foot up the river, and joined the army of General Wayne. The war was near an end, how ever, and he was not called into active service. Afterwards, he occupied many military positipns, and was actively engaged against the Indians. He died in the West Indies in 1804, but his body was brought back to Savannah at his dying request, and placed in the burial ground at TSonaventure, near Savannah.]
QUESTIONS.
How did Emanuel become governor in 1801 ? Who was elected in No vember following ? What graceful act was passed by the legislature ? What was the Senatus Academieus of the university ? How was money to be raised for the buildings ? What about the views of the legislature ? What was done fourteen years after ? When was the present site chosen ? What of the gift of John Milledge ? Who was the first president of the university ? Describe the beginning ; the first commencement ; the letter of Meigs in 1805. What agreement was made in 1802 ? What were the conditions ? What treaty was held in 1802 ?
TOPICS.
Founding the university: 1. Original university plan. 2. Choosing a site. 3. The first years.
Cession of 1802 : 1. Territory granted. 2. Conditions of grant. 3. Treaty with Indians.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
LAND LOTTERY AND HEAD EIGHTS.
" Men and the soil constitute the strength and wealth of nations; and the faster you plant the men the sooner you can draw on both."--GEORGE M. TBOUP.
THE legislature of JL802 elected
John Milledge, the revolutionary
patriot and the generous friend of
education, to be governor of Geor
gia. In 1804 he was reflected for
another term.
The land obtained by the treaty
with the Creeks at Fort Wilkinson
was divided into the counties of
Wayne, Wilkinson, and Baldwin.
These were surveyed at the public
JOHN MILLEDGE.
expense and divided into lots of
various sizes.
These lots were distributed among the people by a plan
called the land lottery. The system of the lottery was as fol
lows: tickets, numbered to correspond with the numbers of
the lots, were put in boxes along with many blank tickets.
The persons entitled to draw_ were : "all free white males
twenty-one years of age or older; every married man, with
children, under age; widows with children, and all families
of orphan minors.'' Lists of these persons were made out in
each county, and sent to the governor, who caused the draw
ing to be held under the care of five managers. Many per
sons drew blanks. Others were fortunate, and plots and grants
of their lots were given to them signed by the governor and
having the great Seal of the State attached.
162
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Twelve mouths after receiving his grant each person had to pay into the treasury the sum of fourjipllars for every hun dred acres of land in his lot. These lots varied in size, some being two hundred and two and one-half acres, others four hundred acres. Those who failed to pay the required sum lost their titles to the land.
The act which provided for this distribution of the public lands is known as the Land Lottery Act of_1803. Under this act.and. in the manner above described :all lands west of the Oconee Eiver were distributed as they were acquired from the Indians. All the lands that lie east of the Oconee were dis tributed by an older and different plan, known as the Headright System. The Oconee River is the dividing line between the Head-right titles and the Land Lottery titles. The object of both systems was to induce the people to move into the new counties and cultivate the lands.
The old Head-right warrants differed in many features from the Lottery. By the Head-right System "each master or head of a family'' was allowed in his own head right to select and survey a body of unoccupied land to. suit himself. Then after paying the expense Of the survey and a small price for all land over two hundred acres, he secured a title called a Head-right Land Warrant. This warrant of survey was his title to the land described in it, provided that no one had already settled on the same tract. But the plan was not a good one. Only the rich lands were surveyed. Poor sections were neglected. Warrants for the same tract of land were sometimes issued to two different persons, which caused strife and confusion. This plan was abandoned for the better' scheme of the Land Lottery.
Now that the western lands had been ceded to the United States and the general government had agreed to extinguish the Indian title to all lands in the limits of Georgia, it was decided to remove the capital from Louisville to the centre of the State. Therefore, at the same session of the legislature, 1803,
LAND LOTTERY AND HEAD RIGHTS.
163
a resolution was passed selecting a suitable spot at.-the head of navigation of the Oconee River, as a site for the new capital, which was named Milledgeville, in honor of John Milledge, then governor of the State.
Another Indian treaty for a cession of land was made with the United States in 1805. Henry Dearborn, Secretary of War, met six chiefs at "Washington city, and bargained with them for the purchase of the remaining lands, between the Ocmulgee and Oconee rivers, as far as the present northwest boundary line of Morgan and Jasper counties. The treaty also provided that the United States might build forts, facto ries, and trading-houses among the Indians. 'A horse-path was to be kept open through the Creek country, and travellers were to be allowed to pass through in safety. In considera tion of all this the United States gave the Indians a large sum of money.
In March, 1806, Jackson died in Washington city, lamented by all the people of Georgia. He was buried four miles from Washington city, but afterwards his body was placed in the burying-ground of Congress. On his tomb are these words:
" To the memory of General Jaines Jackson, of Georgia, who deserved and enjoyed the confidence of a grateful country--a soldier of the Revolution."
Honorable and noble in all his actions, he was devoted to Georgia. A little while before his death he said: "If after death my heart can be opened, there will be found written on it the word ' Georgia.' "
Governor Milledge was elected United States Senator by the legislature at an extra session in June, 1806, and in September following tendered his resignation as governor. In this way, Jared Irwin, President of the Senate, again became governor, and when the legislature met in November he was elected to that office for a full term.
On March 4th of the next year, Abraham Baldwin, who had
164 . HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
been elected to succeed Josiah Tattnall in the United States Senate in 1799, died in Washington city, and George Jones was appointed to fill the vacancy. When the legislature met, William H. Crawford, from Oglethorpe County, a leading lawyer and a member of the Lower House of Congress, was elected to succeed him.
[The ancestors of John Milledge came to Georgia with Oglethorpe. He was born in Savannah in 1757, and received the best education that the colony could afford. He was one of the brave men who took Governor Wright prisoner in his own house. When Savannah was captured by the British, he with his friend, James Jackson, retreated into South Caro lina on foot. They were mistaken for spies by a party of Americans and came near being hanged. He was present at the attempt to retake Savannah from the British. He was also active in South Carolina and in the attacks upon Augusta, and always showed much bravery. He resisted with all his influence the Tazoo fraud, and was prominent among those who brought about the Rescinding Act. He died in 1818 at his home on the Sand Hills, near Augusta.]
[Abraham Baldwin was born in Connecticut in 1754. He was graduated at Yale College, and after the Revolutionary War moved to Savannah. He began the practice of the law. He was a member of the Legislature, a delegate to the Continental Congress, and a member of the United States Constitutional Convention. He was a member of Congress for ten years, and afterwards a United States Senator for seven years. He was president pro tempore of the .Senate from 1801 to the time of his death, March, 1807.]
QUESTIONS.
Who was elected governor in 1803 ? What new counties were formed ? Describe the land lottery. What river is the dividing line between landlottery and head-right titles ? Describe the head-right system. What site was selected for a new capital ? For whom was it named ? What lands were gained by the treaty of 1805 ? Tell about the death of Jack son. Who succeeded him as senator ? Who became governor in 1806 ? When did Abraham Baldwin die ? Who succeeded him ?
1. Laud lottery. 2. Head rights.
TOPICS.
3. Treaty of 1805. 4. Death of Jackson and Baldwin.
CHAPTER XXIX.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
"Instead of decaying cities and a vacillating trade she will witness the proud ana animating spectacle of maritime towns restored and flourishing, new ones rising up--her trade steadily increasing--her lands augmented in value and improved in cultivation-- the face of the country beautified and adorned, and all this witflin the compass of her own resources, provided the ordinary economy be employed to husband, cherish, and
improve them."--GEORGE M. TKOUP.
THE location of the boundary line
between North Carolina and Georgia
was a. source of trouble for several
years. In 1806 a surveyor was sent by
the legislature to locate the thirty-
fifth degree of north latitude and to
run a line between the two States.
North Carolina sent a surveyor for the
same purpose, but these surveyors
DAVID B. MITCHELL.
could not agree in their observations, and nothing was done. In 1807 an
other effort was made by two expert surveyors and the sur
veyor-general, who were provided with the best instruments.
North Carolina would not take part in this survey. The
boundary was unsettled until several years later, when the
United States appointed commissioners under whose direction
the line was run.
The legislature held its session in the new capitol building
at Milledgeville for the first time in 1807. The contract for
the building was made two years before, and the work was now
nearly done. The house was built of brick, on a high hill in
the centre of a large park. It was a large building, and at that
166
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
time was thought very elegant. It had ample rooms for the legislature, and offices for all the departments of government. Here the great men of the State assembled, and in legislatures and conventions shaped the policy of Georgia for over half a century.
Milledgeville was still a small town when the legislature first met there. Not a hundred lots had been sold, and only a few
OLD CAPITOL AT MILLEDGEVILLE.
of these paid for. The town grew and prospered. A few years later a grand mansion was built by the people, in which the governors lived during their terms ol office. Many wealthy citizens made Milledgeville their home, and as the capital city of Georgia it soon became famous as a centre of refinement and culture.
David B. Mitchell was elected by the legislature in Novem ber, 1809, to succeed Jared Irwin as governor. At the same session Charles Tait, of Elbert'County, was elected United
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
167
States Senator in place of John Milledge, who had resigned. Governor Mitchell's message to the legislature was full of sug gestions for improving the public roads and clearing the rivers. In those days people did not travel by steamboats and railroad trains. The usual mode of going from place to place was by stage-coaches which held about ten or fifteen persons, and were drawn by horses, travelling twenty or thirty miles a day. It took nearly two months to go from Georgia to New York. It was important to have good roads for these coaches. The farmers hauled their produce to market sometimes hundreds of miles, or floated it down the rivers on rafts. An act was passed to clear the Savannah River and to forbid placing any obstruction in its stream. Shortly afterwards measures were taken to open Broad, Oconee, and Ogeechee rivers so that these streams might be navigable for small boats and rafts.~
The idea of running boats by steam had occurred to Will iam Longstreet, of Augusta, Ga., as early as 1788. It was several years, however, before he could get money to build his boat and to provide an engine. Longstreet's boat, like other great inventions, was made sport of; indeed it must have been a queer-looking craft. His idea was to have the boat propelled by a series of poles so arranged on a shaft that as the shaft turned on its axis the poles would strike the bottom of the" river, and push the boat along. This was certainly very clumsy; but a boat of this kind was made and put on the Savannah River in 1806, and moved by steam power.
Eobert Pulton's boat, the Clermont, made its trial trip on the Hudson River in August of 1807. He made use of pad dle-wheels to strike the water instead of poles to strike the river bottom. Paddle-wheels were a great improvement, and Robert Pulton is called the inventor of the steamboat. To him belongs the idea of paddle-wheels, while to William Longstreet belongs the honor of having first made a boat run by steam power.
In 1810 the "Agricultural Society of Georgia" was incor-
168
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
porated by the legislature. The object of this society was to collect information about farming and to suggest better methods to the farmers of the State.
Few factories of any kind then existed. The people had turned their attention mainly to farming, to the lumber trade, and to, raising cattle. In the year 1810 a factory was built by the Wilkes Manufacturing Company, with a capital of $10,000. About the same time another was built on Little River, in Morgan County; but neither prospered and both were abandoned.
The first bank in Georgia was chartered in 1810. It was the " Bank of Augusta." The Planter's Bank was chartered a few days later. Mount Zion Academy and Powellton Acad emy were started in 1811, and were famous schools in their day. Other academies and schools appeared in all the settle ments. In 1812 many academies all over the State were char tered, and each had some aid from the legislature.
The population of the State by the census of 1810, white and colored, had reached about 250,000. The exports amounted to $2,500,000, having increased nearly a million dollars in ten years. Savannah was still the largest city, with a population of about 5,000. It was the main harbor, although much shipping was done by Brunswick, Darien, and St. Mary's. Augusta was still a small town with a good trade.
By the apportionment based on this census Georgia was entitled to six representatives in Congress.
[David B. Mitchell was born in Scotland in 1766. His uncle died in Georgia, leaving him some property, and he came to Savannah in 1783 to take possession of it. He studied law, and was the clerk of a com mittee appointed to revise the code of criminal laws of the State. In 1795 he was elected Solicitor-General of Georgia. He was a member of the Legislature which passed the Yazoo Act, and voted against it. In 1805 he was elected Major-General of the First Division of Georgia Militia. After serving twice as governor, he was appointed State Agent to the Creek Indians. He died in Baldwin County.]
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.
169
[An interesting event at this time was the invention of a perfect alpha bet of over eighty letters for the Cherokee language by Sequoyah, a halfbreed Georgia Indian. His paper was birch-bark, his ink was the juice of berries and weeds. By his zeal he inspired his people with a love for written words. Sequoyah never learned to read or write in English, but
he saw one of his tribe reading the language of the white people, and he resolved to make a written language for his own people. He sat by his tent and wrote on birch-bark, and taught his little daughter the charac ters. When she learned to read she was tested by the tribe, and her suc cess produced great excitement. The missionaries adopted his characters and made a Bible to be read in Cherokee. Soon a newspaper was started, and the type was cast in the Sequoyah characters. All the Cherokees soon learned to read. The big trees in California are named for this Indian genius, who lived on Georgia soil and gave a written and printed language to his people.]
QUESTIONS.
What dispute arose about the boundary line ? How was it settled ? Where did the Legislature meet in 1807 ? Describe the new capitol building. What was the condition of the town of Milledgeville ? For whom was the county named? Who succeeded Jared Irwin as governor? What suggestions did his message contain ? What was done in response to the suggestions ? What about travelling in those days ? Who first thought of a boat propelled by steam ? Describe Longstreet's boat. What society was incorporated by the Legislature in 1810 ? What was its object ? What can you say about factories ? What factories were built in 1810 ? What banks were chartered in 1810 ? What academies were started in 1811 ? What about the population at this time ?
TOPICS.
1. Boundary lines. 2. Change of capital. 3. Internal improvements.
4 Longstreet's steamboat. 5. Progress in manufacturing, etc.
6. Statistics.
CHAPTER XXX.
THE WAR OF 1812.--INDIAN TROUBLES.
"The citizens of Georgia will ever be found in readiness to assert the rights and sup port the dignity of the country, whenever called upon by the general government."--' Resolutions of Georgia patriots.
FOE a number of years all Europe had been involved in war. As early as 1806 Napoleon Bonaparte had declared all the ports of the continent of Europe closed against England. England retaliated the next year by orders which forbade any vessel entering the ports of France or her allies. By these edicts American vessels trading with either of these powers were liable to be captured by the other. The English warships searched American vessels and seized American sailors whom they claimed as British subjects and forced to serve in the British navy. In this state of affairs the United States closed their ports and forbade any vessel leaving them.
This was known as the "Embargo of 1807" and was a great hardship to Georgia, whose main source of wealth was the cotton which was shipped to Europe. Nevertheless the legislature sent an address to the President, expressing its ap proval of the act, and declaring that if the war should come the people of Georgia " will, in proportion to their number and resources, give zealous aid to the government of their choice.''
England tried to force a cotton trade with Georgia and South Carolina and sent war vessels to open the port of Savan nah. In January, 1809, one of the vessels, the war brig Sandwich, anchored off Tybee Island, at the mouth of the Savannah River. Two of the British officers came up to the
THE WAR OF isis.
171
city to purchase cotton. The people refused to sell and ordered the officers away. They went back to their vessels and put out to sea, but before doing so fired several shots at a pilot boat lying in the harbor. They threatened to return and destroy the town. This act made the people indignant, and resolutions were passed and sent to the President of the United States, stating "that all hopes of a peaceful termina tion of the difficulty had been lost, and the duty of the United States was to maintain their sovereign rights against the despots of Europe." The people of Georgia were in favor of war, and their senators and representatives in Congress were leaders'in advocating a resort to arms.
InjJune, 1812, the United States declared war against Eng land. Governor Mitchell, in ]SJ"ovember following, sent a mes sage to the legislature, advising them to prepare for the defence of Georgia's long stretch of exposed coast and frontier. " To do this the citizens must have arms and be taught the use of them, as well as the duties of the camp." The legislature appropriated $30,000 to be used in arming the soldiers, build ing forts, and fitting out vessels to protect the coast. The guns which were in the old arsenal at Louisville were sent to Milledgeville and divided among the military companies. A supply of swords and pistols was given to the cavalry. Gov ernor Mitchell called for ten thousand soldiers to be placed along the coast. He bought five hundred stand of arms for the militia troops in the exposed counties next to Florida.
The island of Amelia on the Florida coast became the home of smugglers who, under Spanish protection, tried to evade the laws of the United States, and lawless characters from East Florida crossed into Georgia and were burning houses, stealing goods, and carrying off live stock. At the same time a revolution against the Spanish government had been started in East Florida.
Georgia complained to the United States and asked for help. The President ordered United States troops to join the
172
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Georgia troops under the command of Governor Mitchell, and put a stop to these outrages. He was instructed to persuade the revolutionists of East Florida to annex that province to the United States.
When he reached St. Mary's he wrote to the governor of East Florida that the Indians must return the stolen property, the smugglers must leave Amelia Island, and all the outrages must stop. The Spanish governor refused to agree to this and attempted to drive off the American troops. A battle was fought,, but the Americans held their ground. Mean while the revolution in East Florida had failed, and nothing resulted from the attempt to annex that province.
As soon as war was declared, Tecumseh, the famous Shawnee chief, visited the southern Indians. He urged them to take advantage of the conditions and by united efforts to drive the whites back to the coast. His eloquence aroused the war riors and alarmed the people.
Governor Mitchell built block-house forts in the frontier counties, where the people were in a high state of excitement. These forts were built ten miles apart. Each fort was one hundred feet square, containing two block-houses, and was enclosed by a stockade eight feet high. Three forts were erected in Twiggs County, three in Telfair, and four in Pulaski.
The dreaded'attack came very soon. August 30, 1813, a body of Creek Indians, seven hundred and twenty-five in num ber, surprised Fort Mims on the Alabama Eiver at 12 o'clock in the day. Before the soldiers had time to close the fort and man their guns, the Indians were upon them, and massacred three hundred men, women, and childen in the most savage manner.
This was a signal for a general uprising of the hostile Creeks and Seminoles. The Semmoles attacked the settle ments along the Florida frontier. The Georgia troops imme diately went after these robbers, and pursued them into the
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.
173
swamps. For seven, days the Georgians remained in the heart of the Seminole country, surrounded by savage foes, sleeping on the ground, and enduring hunger and great hardship. The Indians were found and were punished for their misdeeds. The legislature of Georgia passed a resolution of thanks to these soldiers for their bravery.
To punish the hostile Creeks of Alabama, the general gov ernment ordered out the militia of Georgia and Tennessee. Three thousand six hundred Georgia troops collected at Fort Hawkins, on the Ocrnulgee River, the site of the present city of Macon. This fort had been built by the United States in 1806, and named for Colonel Benjamin Hawkins. It was the strongest in Georgia, and now became the headquarters of the troops. General John Floyd was placed in command.
[General John Floyd was born in South Carolina in 1769. In 1791 or 1792 his father moved to Georgia, near the mouth of Satilla River in Camden County. He applied himself to mechanics and boat-building and soon became a wealthy man. He represented Camden County in the legislature, received a commission as major-general on the State militia. He was also a member of Congress. He was a gallant soldier, and a patriotic citizen. He died in 1824.]
QUESTIONS.
What trouble had arisen between the United States and England ? .What was the embargo of 1807 ? How did this affect Georgia ? Describe the outrage at Savannah. When was war declared ? What did Governor Mitchell advise ? What preparations were made for the war ? Describe the expedition against Florida. What was Governor Mitchell instructed to do ? With what result ? What about the block-house forts ? The massacre at Fort Mims. Describe the expedition against the Seminoles. What preparations were made to punish the Creeks ? Where were the troops assembled ? Who was in command ?
1. The cause of the war. 2. Patriotism of Georgia. 3. Outrage at Savannah.
TOPICS.
4. Preparations for war. 5. Expedition against Florida. 6. Punishing the Indians.
FOKT UAWKLNB,
CHAPTER XXXI.
THE END OF THE WAR OB 1812.
" I hope no such disruption will ever come, but if it should I have no wish that Georgia should survive the general wreck."--PETER EARLY.
ITS 1813, the second term of
David B. Mitchell having ex
pired, Peter Early was elected
governor. Governor Early was
strong in will, prompt in action,
and began vigorous measures for
carrying on the war. An officer
of the United States asked him for
a loan of $80,000, and pledged the
faith of the general government
for its payment. The request was
GOVBRNOR PETER EAKLY.
granted and a warrant drawn upon the treasury of the State for that
amount. Some one suggested to Governor Early that the
Union might dissolve during the war and the money be lost.
To this he gave the noble reply which heads this chapter.
The legislature appropriated 120,000 for General Floyd, with
which he bought guns, powder, and rations for the soldiers at
Port Hawking, and made ready to march against the Creeks.
He built a line of block-house forts from the Ocmulgee to the
Alabama Eiver, to protect the northern part of the State. On
the west bank of the Chattahoochee River he built Eort
Mitchell and put a strong garrison in it. He then marched
rapidly by night to Autossee, one of the largest towns of the
Creek nation, near Tallassee, on the left bank of the Talla-
176
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
poosa Kiver, in the heart of the Creek country. The cele
brated Creek chief, William Mclntosh, a friend of the whites,
and four hundred warriors were with him. The Cowetas and
a number of other Creek tribes living in Western Georgia had
refused to join in the war against the whites and remained
their firm friends and allies.
;
Just before day-break, November 29, 1813, an assault was
made at the same time upon both Autossee and Tallassee. By
nine o'clock the battle was won, two hundred warriors and the
kings of both towns were killed, and the houses were in flames.
The pipe of the king of Tallassee, which had been smoked
at a treaty forty years before, was captured and sent to the
governor, who hung it in his office in Milledgeville. During
the battle General Ployd was shot in the knee. He did not
stop to have his wound dressed, but remained in command of
his troops the entire time. After the battle General Floyd
returned to Fort Mitchell, having marched one hundred and
twenty miles in seven days with only five days' provisions.
He again advanced, January, 1814, from Port Mitchell
against the Creeks. He had heard that the upper Creeks had
collected in large numbers at Hotle Crawle, a town of some
importance. He sent a force of fifteen hundred men to attack
this place, and they dispersed the Indians after a battle, known
as the battle of Challibbee. A few days after the battle the
term of service of many of the troops expired, and they re
turned to their homes. General Ployd was ordered to march
with a brigade to Savannah to protect that place. Here he
remained in command until the end of the war.
General Andrew Jackson still carried on the war against the
Indians. His crowning victory was at Horse Shoe Bend on
the Tallapoosa Eiver. Here the hostile Creeks were com
pletely crushed, and were obliged to sue for peace. A treaty
was made at Port Jackson, August 9, 1814. Nearly all
the land between the Chattahoochee and Altamaha rivers,
owned by the Creeks, was ceded to the general government,
THE END OP THE WAR OF isis.
177
besides large tracts west of the Ohattahoochee. Out of this territory twenty counties in southern Georgia have since been formed.
One of these counties was named in honor of Colonel Daniel Appling, who was born in Columbia County. At Sandy Creek, New York,, he performed a great feat of bravery, and the leg islature of Georgia presented him with a handsome sword suitable to an officer of his rank. But he died before the sword reached him. In honor of his bravery the sword was hung in the office of the governor.
After the treaty with the Indians, General Jackson marched to Mobile. Here he learned that the British ships had en tered the harbor of Pensacola, had landed an army and were arousing the Indians. Governor Early learned that British ships were also at Appalachicola and were inciting the Indians and runaway negroes to overrun Georgia. The command of the frontier was given to General David Blackshear, General Floyd being unable to take command on account of his wounds.
In October the general government called on Georgia for 2,500 militia, to join General Jackson at Mobile. These troops were ordered to meet at Fort Hawkins and were placed under command of Major-Gen. John Mclntosh and Brig.Gen. David Blackshear. In November news was received that'' the Seminoles had arisen along the Mint River, and General Blackshear was sent with a body of troops to subdue them. General Mclntosh started for Mobile with the remainder of the militia, instructing General Blackshear to join him there.
When Blackshear reached the Flint River he found that the Seminoles had already been subdued, and learned that the British ships had sailed toward New Orleans, and that Jack son had marched, overland to that place. In January, 1815, a large British fleet appeared off the lower coast of Georgia. General Blackshear was ordered to retrace his steps-and join General Floyd at Savannah. The road he built on that
178
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
march was called " Blackshear's Road," and as such is known to the present day. General Floyd sent him word that the British were two thousand strong on land, had pillaged the town of St. Mary's, and had withdrawn to Cumberland Island.
January 26, 1815, news was received of the brilliant victory of General Jackson over the British at New Orleans. The news was carried by Indian runners from Mobile to Fort Hawkins. General Blackshear received the news on February 4, and sent a courier to General Floyd at Savannah, with a letter stating " nineteen guns were fired at Fort Hawkins on Monday last in celebration of the victory.''
In February news reached Georgia that a treaty of peace had been signed at Ghent in Belgium, on Christmas Eve, between the United States and England. This put an end to the threatened invasion of Georgia. The terms of peace did not suit all the States. Georgia was much opposed to the treaty. Eesolutions were passed, asking the President of the United States to continue the war rather than consent to the treaty. The treaty, however, was ratified, and peace was declared between the two nations.
During the war William H. Crawford had been appointed minister to France, and resigned his position as United States Senator. "William B. Bulloch, of Savannah, was appointed to fill the position until the legislature met in 1813, when Dr. "W. W. Bibb was elected.
[Peter Early was born in Virginia in 1773, and when a young man came to Georgia to practise law in Wilkes County. In 1802 he was elected to Congress, and was a leading member of that body. In 1807 he was appointed judge of the Superior Court in the Ocmulgee circuit. He died August, 1817.]
[General Blackshear was born in North Carolina in 1764. He came to Georgia in 1790, and settled in Laurens County near the Oconee River. He was often engaged in battles with the Indians and was a brave soldier. In 1815 a vote of thanks was given General Blaekshear for his services. He died at his home in Laurens County at the ripe age of seventy-three.]
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.
179
[Major-General John Mclntosh was a nephew of Lachlan Mclntosh. He was born in Georgia in 1755. At the close of the war he settled on St. John's River, where he was arrested by the Spaniards, who charged him with designs against them. After imprisonment for some time in Morro Castle, Havana, he returned to Georgia. He died in 1826.]
[" One among the most remarkable feats ever recorded in the annals of war took place on the St. Mary's River in the year 1815. Twenty-three barges, piled with British soldiers, ascended St. Mary's River for the purpose of burning Major Clarke's mills as a retaliation for breaking his parole. The St. Mary's is a very crooked river, from sixty to one hun dred yards wide. The enemy intended to land at a place called Camp Pinckney, and march to Clarke's Mills, on Spanish Creek, three miles distant. Whilst the barges were ascending they were attacked by a party of twenty-eight men under the command of Captain William Cone. As soon as they were attacked they fired their cannon, but the palmetto on both sides of the river served as a screen for Cane's men, so that the shot from the enemy proved harmless. In this manner the barges were harassed for several miles. Cone's men took advantage of every turn of the river to fire upon them, and every shot brought down a man. Finding themselves exposed to so deadly a fire, the barges retraced their course toward St. Mary's. Upon their arrival at the latter place they reported one hundred and eighty men killed and as many wounded."]
QUESTIONS.
Who became governor in 1813 ? How did Early show his patriotism ? What did General Floyd do ? What forts did he build ? Where did he march ? Who went with him ? Tell about the battles of Autossee and Tallassee. Describe the battle of Challibbee. Where were the Creeks crushed and by whom ? What about the treaty at Fort Jackson ? For whom and why was Appling County named ? Who was placed in com mand of the frontier ? What was he told to do ? What other troops were raised in Georgia and for what purpose ? Describe Blackshear's movements. Tell about the news of the victory at New Orleans. What about the treaty of peace ?
TOPICS.
1. Early's patriotism. 2. Floyd's victories over
Creeks. 3. Treaty at Fort Jackson.
4. Movements of Mclntosh. the 5. Movements of Blackshear,
6. End of the war.
CHAPTEE XXXII.
PROGRESS OF THE STATE.
" fo every situation in which I have been placed, my highest object and only aim have been to promote the interests and prosperity of our beloved country."--WILLIAM RABITN.
DAVID B. MITCHELL; was elected
goTernor a third time in 1815. He at
once began the work of repairing the
losses of war. The legislature appro
priated money to aid schools, to build
libraries, hospitals, and poor-houses.
An act was passed requiring the owners
oi old and infirm slaves to support
them in comfort. As early as 1803 an
BEV. MOSES WADDBLL.
appropriation was made to build a peni tentiary in Milledgeville. The build
ings were now ready, and the legislature passed the Peniten
tiary Act.
The laws prescribing punishment for crimes were revised in
1816 to suit the penitentiary system. One of the sections for
bade any traders to bring negro slaves to the State to sell,
under penalty of a fine of one thousand dollars and five years
in the penitentiary. But this did not prohibit residents of
the State from importing slaves for their own use. Other
southern States had similar laws.
The same legislature elected George M. Troup to succeed
Bibb as United States Senator. Troup had served with dis
tinction in the lower house of Congress, and during the war had
been chairman of the committee on military affairs. Bibb was
appointed governor of the Territory of Alabama, and when
of TEE STATE.
181
that territory was admitted as a State he was chosen its first governor.
Benjamin Hawkins, the friend of the Indians, died in 1816. He was very old, but had faithfully done the duties of his office. He had a large farm and a beautiful home in the Indian country, where he was glad to entertain his friends. Under his care the southern Indians had improved very much in civ ilization. Many of them had houses and farms and assumed tee aress and habits of the white people. There were some schools and churches among them. Benjamin Hawkins was buried at the old agency on the Flint Eiver, now in Orawford County, among the Indian friends he had loved so well.
Governor Mitchell was appointed by President Monroe to succeed Colonel Hawkins as southern agent for Indian affairs. He resigned his office as governor November 4, 1817. Under the Constitution he was succeeded by William Eabun, the president of the Senate, who was soon after duly elected governor.
In 1817 a war with the Seminoles broke out. The In dians had stolen several hundred cattle in Camden County. A party appeared near Clarke's Mills on the St. Mary's River, brutally murdered a woman and two children, burnt their dwelling and fled. In addition to this, the Seminole Indians had harbored several murderers and refused to give them up. Major-General Gaines, under the orders of General Andrew Jackson, marched United States troops fro the Elint River and sent a friendly message to the Indian chief on the opposite' side. This message was not heeded. Accordingly a body of troops was sent across the river. The Indians fired upon them and the fire was returned. The Indians then fled, leaving four of their warriors slain.
In November, General Gaines ordered Colonel Arbuckle, with three hundred Georgia militia, to pursue the Indians. The Indians placed themselves in a swamp and fired upon the Georgians as they passed by, but no one was hurt. Another
182
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
ambush of one thousand savages was formed near the Appalachicola. A passing boat was attacked and nearly every man. was slain or taken prisoner. On one occasion the Indians penetrated as far as Fort Scott, and murdered several persons. It was expected that they would try to reduce Fort Gaines and
FORT GAINES (1816).
Fort Scott. But General Andrew Jackson, with a body of one thousand troops, arrived early in 1818 at Fort Scott, drove back the Indians, and took prompt measures to reduce St. Mark's at Pensacola, which post soon surrendered.
In 1817 the Cherokee Indians ceded to the United States all the lands they owned in Georgia east of the Chattahoochee River. These lands were in the northeastern' part of the
PROGRESS OF THE STATE.
183
State and were organized into the counties of Hall and Habersham. In 1818 the Creeks ceded a large body of land between the Appalachee and the Chattahoochee rivers, out of which Gwinnett and Walton counties were made. At the same time they ceded a tract of land lying south of the Ocmulgee River. The next year the Oherokees ceded to
THE "SAVANNAH."
the United States ihe land lying between the Chattahoochee and the Chestatee rivers in the extreme northeastern part of Georgia. Out of this territory Kabun County was formed. . In 1818 Governor Rabun appointed commissioners for Geor gia to meet other commissioners from Tennessee to run the boundary line between these two States. The surveyors met at a place on Nickajack Creek near the north Georgia line, and after several weeks of work ran the line to the satisfaction of all parties. During the same year Wilson Lumpkin, of Georgia, ran the southern boundary line between Georgia and Florida.
The university had languished until the enrolment had gone down to seven students. In 1819 the trustees elected Moses Waddell, president. He was a famous teacher and had
184
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
numbered among his pupils William H. Crawford, John 0.
Calhoun, and other great men of the country. By his energy
and high character as educator the enrolment of the university
soon went to over one hundred stu
dents. The prosperity of that insti
tution dates from his adminis
tration.
The first steamship to cross the
Atlantic Ocean was built by William-
Scarborough, a wealthy merchant
and planter of Savannah. It used
pitch-pine for fuel, and had an iron
wheel on each side, which could
close tip like a fan and could be un
MATTHEW TALBOT.
shipped at will. Instead of wheel-'
houses, heavy canvas was used to cover the wheels. The vessel
was built at Elizabethtown, 1ST. J., and was named "Savan
nah.'1 ' The trial trip was from Charleston to Savannah, and
on board was President Monroe, who was there visiting the
South, and who, during his stay in Savannah, was the guest, of
William Scarborough. The vessel sailed from. Savannah in
1819 and visited Liverpool, Copen
hagen, Norway, and went as. far as
St. Petersburg. It was the wonder
of Europe. Even the royalty came
on board to examine it. The smoke
from the engine stack made the
people first think the vessel was on
fire, and more than one offer of aid
was made to extinguish the flames.
Early in 1819 Spain ceded East
and West Florida to the United States for five million dollars. The
i'BKKMAN WALKER.
consent of Spain to the cession was secured by John Porsyth,
of Georgia, who had been appointed minister to Spain by
PROGRESS OF THE STATE.
185
President Monroe. Forsyth was United States Senator from Georgia at that time, having succeeded George M. Troup, who had resigned in 1818. Upon the resignation of Forsyth, Freeman Walker, of Augusta, was elected. The same legisla ture elected John Elliott senator to succeed Charles Tait.
Governor Rabun died October, 1819, while in discharge of his duties as governor. Matthew Talbot, of Wilkes County, the president of the Senate, at once became governor, and served until the legislature could meet.
By the census of 1820 the population of Georgia was three hundred and forty thousand, and the State gained one repre sentative in Congress. Savannah now had eight thousand in habitants and her trade was rapidly growing.
[Benjamin Hawkins was born in North Carolina in 1754. He was educated at Princeton College, and became so versed in the French lan guage that General Washington employed him as an interpreter during his intercourse with the French officers. He was with Washington at the battle of Monmouth, and upon several other occasions. He was a mem ber of Congress and United States Senator from North Carolina until he was appointed Agent of Indian Affairs in the South.]
[William Kabnn was born in North Carolina in 1771. He came to Georgia in 1785 with his father, and after living in Wilkes County for a year, moved to Hancock County. His education was limited, but he read much, and was very popular with his fellow-citizens. For many years he represented Hancock County in the legislature, and was president of the Senate, when he was called by the resignation of Governor Mitchell to the chair of governor. He died while governor, October 24, 1819.]
[Matthew Talbot by birth was a Virginian. He settled in Wilkes County in 1785, and. afterwards moved to Oglethorpe. His honesty and firmness made him one amongst the most popular men in Georgia. Whilst a citizen of Wilkes he was often elected a member of the legis lature. When he moved to Oglethorpe he was appointed a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1798. In 1808 he was elected to the Senate, and was president of that body from 1818 to 1823. He died in Wilkes County, September 17, 1827, aged sixty years, leaving behind him the character of an honest and patriotic citizen.]
186
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
[William Wyatfc Bibb was born in Virginia in 1780. He studied medi cine, and, moving to Georgia, settled first in Elbert and then in Wilkes County. At the age of twenty-five he was elected to Congress and came within a few votes of being elected Speaker of the House of Representa tives. He was in the Senate from 1813 to 1816. He was appointed gov ernor of the Territory of Alabama in 1816, and when that Territory was admitted as a State was elected its first governor. He was killed at the age of forty years by a fall from his horse. Bibb County, in Georgia, is named in his honor.]
QUESTIONS.
Who was elected governor in 1815 ? Mention some acts of the legis lature passed at this time. What are the laws for crimes ? Who suc ceeded Bibb as senator ? What can you say of Troup ? What of Bibb ? What about the death of Hawkins ? Who succeeded him ? What war broke out in 1817 ? What did Gaines do ? How was the war ended ? What did the Cherokees cede in 1817 ? The Creeks in 1818 ? The Cherokees in 1819 ? What boundary line was run in 1818 ? What can you say of the university ? Describe the steamship Savannah. What about the cession of. Florida in 1819 ? Mention the new senators at this time. What of the death of Eabun ? Who succeeded him f Give the statistics of 1820.
TOPICS.
1. Legislation in 1816. 2. Troup and Bibb. 3. Death of Hawkins. 4. Seminole war.
5. Cessions of territory. 6. The university. 7. Steamship Savannah. 8. Death of Babun.
CHAPTEE XXXIII.
HOW THEY LIVED IN" EARLY TIMES.
" Where is a land on which a deeper blue Divinely bends than that I proudly view, Where broader rivers sweep to join the main, All brightly winding through their rich domain,-- Where prouder mountains look o'er softer vales, Or greener forests wave to fresher gales ? "--ROBERT P. HALL.
EIGHTY years ago there were no large cities in Georgia,. Most
of the people lived on farms, or in small towns. The wealth-
ier people lived on large
plantations, Their
houses, usually white,
were spacious and ele
gant, with green win
dow-blinds, and in. the
front, wide porticoes
with handsome col
umns. They were gen
erally surrounded by
groves of oak and other
trees, and were so situ
ated as to overlook the
plantations.
Not only in Georgia,
but all over the South,
the residences of the
planters were abodes of
culture and luxury.
The sons and daughters
MRS. BOVEKNOR EARLY.
188
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
were educated in the best schools of the country, and music, painting, art, and literature made the home life refined. The men wore ruffled shirts of the finest linen, and coats of rich velvet. Their wives and daughters dressed in imported silks and satins. The accompanying picture, reproduced from a portrait of the wife of Governor Early, shows the evening dress of ladies of the period.
The family of the planter lived in profusion and plenty. They were attended by a number of servants, and drove to church or to town in the family carriage. Their hospitality was unbounded. Several neighboring families would often gather at one house and spend a week or more in a social party. And hospitality was shown not only to friends, but strangers. 'No traveller in distress was ever refused a meal or a night's lodging, and the respectable traveller, poor or rich, was always welcome as a guest as long as he pleased to stay.
But all the people of Georgia were not rich planters. A great many of our "best men were plain people. Their houses were simple buildings, situated generally near the high roads or on the banks of rivers. These people did all their own work. Their clothes were made of cloth manufactured by themselves. The women carded the cotton or -wool with handcarders into small rolls. These rolls they spun on spinningwheels into thread, which they dyed whatever colors they desired, and they wove the thread into cloth on home-made looms. Such looms and spinning-wheels are yet to be found in many country houses of Georgia, especially in the northern districts. Here the good old custom of household industry in the production of home-spun is still kept up by the wives and daughters of thriving and respectable farmers.
The houses of the frontier settlers usually had but one room, the floor of which was made of puncheons, that is, split logs with the faces smoothed by an ax or hatchet. There were no lamps, and candles were not often used. Blazing pine knots in the fire-place generally served for both light and
How THEY LIVED IN EARLY TIMES. 189
heat. The boys of the family., after working all day in the fields, would at night lie down in front of the pine-knot fires and learn to read and write. Many of these boys became in after years distinguished men in the history of the State.
The cooking in early times was done in large, open fire places. In the fire-place was a crane for holding kettles or
SPINNING AND WEAVING.
pots over the fire. Corn bread was baked in the hot ashes-- hence called " ash cakes "--and potatoes were often cooked in the same way. Bread of other kinds was baked in ovens, which were also nsed for baking meat. Turkeys were roasted on a spit hung before the fire.
The negroes belonging to the plantations lived in small houses, generally built in a row, and called the "negro quar ters," or "the quarters." Being well treated, they were free from care, and were, therefore, happy, and devoted to their masters. After the day's labor they had their simple sports,
190
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
such as dancing, playing the banjo, and 'possum hunting. They were fond of singing, even at their work. And at nighty around the fire in " the quarters," or at their meeting houses,, they would sing their melodies in rich, musical voices. The white children considered it a great privilege to play around " the quarters " and listen to the stories of "Brer Rabbit" and " Brer Fox " related by the old negroes.
There were no railroads in those times, and travelling long distances was generally done by means of coaches called stage coaches. The drivers had horns made of tin, which they sounded as they came near a town or village, or occasionally as they went along the highway, to give notice of their ap proach. The mails were carried by these stages.
At convenient stations along the roads there were hotels, which in those days were called, inns, where the horses were changed and the travellers could get their meals or rest for the night. Nowadays we can go from one end of Georgia to the other in a day, or can take a sleeping-car in Atlanta after supper and be in Savannah to breakfast; but in those times the journey would make nearly a week of uncomfortable riding.
The absence of railroads compelled the people to bring all goods and merchandise into the State in wagons, and to carry their crops in the same way to Savannah, Augusta, or Charles ton, which were the great markets in those days. Many had to drive more than a hundred miles to reach one of these towns, and they used great canvas-covered wagons, in which they carried provisions, coffee-pots, and skillets for cooking, and blankets to wrap themselves up in at night. Neighbors who had to make such a journey would start at the same time and travel together, so that long wagon trains were constantly passing the public roads. When night came the wagons stopped by the side of the road near a spring or a 'small stream, and a camp fire was built. Supper was cooked, and the travellers lay down in the large wagons and slept till
GEORGIA CRACKERS.
191
morning. The driver of each wagon carried a whip, which he often popped and cracked as he drove along. With the handle in both hands, he would pop his large whip from side to side until it sounded like the rapid firing of a pistol. From this practice the name "Georgia Cracker" is said to have origi nated, the cracker being a man from the country, who, in driving to market, cracked his whip as he went along.
[Other explanations of the origin of " Georgia Crackers " are as follows : From the Century Dictionary--''One of an inferior class of white hill dwellers in some of the Southern United States, especially in Georgia and Florida. The name is said to have been applied because cracked corn is their chief article of diet : it is as old in Georgia and Florida as the time of the Revolution."
Richard Malcolm Johnston says, that among the followers of Gen. Francis Marion in his guerrilla warfare, during the war of the Revolution, were some Georgians, who were especially expert in the use of the rifle, the "crack" of which got to be much dreaded by the British, who gave these riflemen the name of Georgia Crackers. After the war the name changed from a military to a social significance.
A theory of Charles H. Smith (Bill Arp) is that the hardy and indus trious Scotchmen who settled in Georgia, and who came in conflict with, the rough and uncultured settlers from other sections, called them "crackers," which is a Scotch term, and means "boasters," "idlers," who talk much and work little. Cracked and crack-brained may have the same origin.]
QUESTIONS.
Describe the homes of the planters in the early times. How did the men dress ? The women ? What about the hospitality ? Describe the homes of the plain people. How were clothes made ? Tell about the houses of the frontier settlers. "What about cooking ? Where did the negroes live ? What were some of their sports ? What about travelling ? How did people get to market ? What is the origin of " Georgia Cracker " ?
TOPICS.
1. Home life of the planters. 2. Home-made cloth. 3. Cooking.
4. The frontier settlers. 5. Negroes and their sports. 6. Going to market.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
EAELY CUSTOMS AND HABITS.
" Georgia, sir, is my home, as it was that of him from whom I derived my being--as it is, and will be, the home of my children. f Humanly speaking, it is the boundary of my hopes and of my wishers; and whether for weal or woe, I am content to share the lot ol her people."--JOHN M. BERBIEN.
IN the northern part of the State, and beyond the bor ders, a great deal of tobacco was raised. The tobacco, when cured, was pressed into huge and securely-bound hogsheads. Around the heads of these hogsheads were pinned wooden fel loes, which made a wheel at each end, and in the centre of each head a large pin was inserted to serve as an axle. A hick ory pole was split at one end to form shafts, which were fastened to the axle. Mules or oxen were hitched to the pole, and as they moved they drew the hogsheads along. Many of these teams would go together for company, and the drivers were called "tobacco rollers." A road known as the " tobacco road " begins in the upper portion of the State and winds in and out until it reaches the Savannah Eiver below the shoals, in Richmond County. A peculiarity of this road is that it is nowhere crossed by water, this having been neces-f sary to save the tobacco from injury by wetting. When the river was reached, the hogsheads were placed on flatboats and floated to Savannah.
There were but few newspapers in those times, and the people learned about political matters at large public meetings. These meetings were addressed by the leading men of the day, who generally spoke from a platform built -under the shade of a tree. Sometimes several thousand, citizens from a half dozen counties would gather at some central place to hear political
EARLY CUSTOMS AND HABITS.
193
speeches. In this way the people were instructed on public affairs, and powers of oratory and capacity for statesmanship were developed, that made Georgia and other Southern States famous in the history of the country.
It was the custom at these political meetings to cook and eat a whole pig or kid or calf, the carcass of the animal being roasted on poles stretched over a fire made in a hole dug in the ground. This was called a "barbecue," and the Georgia barbecue became famous throughout the country.
ON THE TOBACCO ROAD.
Another great occasion of public gatherings was "muster, day,'' when citizens liable to military service met to be drilled in the manual of arms and in marching and counter-marching. The Federal Government had but a small standing army at that time, and depended upon the States to furnish soldiers in case of war. These State troops were called militia. The men were organized into companies, battalions, regiments, and brigades, and there 'were captains, majors, colonels, brigadiergenerals and major-generals. These officers wore bright uni forms and were persons of influence and importance. Governor
13
194
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Mitchell was a major-general; BO also were David Meriwether, Hugh Haralson, John Clark, John Floyd, and other men prominent in the history of the State. On muster days the people came out in large numbers to view the parade.
Among the social customs of early times in Georgia was
CORN SHUCKING.
" house raising." When a settler wanted to build a log cabin in the woods, he cut down enough logs for the purpose and invited the neighbors to come and help him raise them to their proper places and set them up in the frame of the house. The neighbors cheerfully did this, for they were always ready to lend a helping hand to one another.
Another custom was known as "log rolling." When a piece of forest ground was to be cleared, the trees were belted
EARLY CUSTOMS AND HABITS.
195
to make them die. In this state they were blown down by the winter winds, and the first work in the spring was' to cut them into logs of convenient size for rolling. The farmer invited the aid of his neighbors, and they helped him roll the logs into piles for burning. Upon these occasions feats of strength and activity were a part of the programme. The youth who could pull his man down at the end of the hand, stick, throw him in a wrestle, or outstrip him in a foot race, was regarded as the best man in the settlement. He was greeted with a cheer by the old ladies, a slap on the shoulder by the men, and with the shy yet encouraging glances of the girls. He had his choice of partners in the dance, and rode home with the prettiest girl, generally on the same horse. While the men were log rolling the women of the neighborhood joined in " quilting." After sewing all morning, they had a good coun try dinner together, and spent the afternoon in conversation.
After the harvest of corn was gathered in the fall of the year, some farmer would invite the neighbors to a " corn shucking," that is, taking the shucks off the ears of corn. Generally the corn was put in two piles, and sides were chosen by the young men present. At a given signal each side would begin to vigorously husk the ears of corn in the pile. The side that finished first won the prize.
All these gatherings ended in what was called a "frolic," that is, games of some kind, or dancing in which young and old joined. The music was rendered by some old negro fiddler. Sometimes the dances were held in the morning, and if at night, rarely later than nine or ten o'clock. Such social meetings promoted the spirit of friendship, encouraged manly virtues, and contributed to the happy home life that character ized the early settlements of the State.
One of the chief amusements of the wealthier class was fox hunting. Some of the rich planters kept packs of hounds, and they and their neighbors would often meet at daylight on horseback. After the fox had been scented the hounds would
196 " HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
start on his track in full, cry, the hunters riding after in hot haste. Over ditches and fences, across fields and roads, through woods and meadows, the horses and dogs would go for many a mile until the fox was caught. Frequently women went on those chases, and they were as fearless riders as the men. The rider who was "in at the death'' was entitled to the trophy, which was the long bushy tail of the fox.
[Some features of the early times in Georgia can be gathered from " Georgia Scenes," by Judge A. B. Longstreet ; "Dukesborough Tales," by Richard M. Johnston ; "Major Jones' Courtship,"by W. M. Thomp son ; "Memories of Fifty Years," by William Sparks ; " The Georgians," by George R. Gilmer.]
QUESTIONS.
Describe the tobacco road. Tell about the political meetings. What was the barbecue ? What was done on muster day ? What was the house raising ? What was log rolling ? Describe the sports upon that occasion. What else was done on log-rolling day ? Describe a corn shucking. How did these social gatherings end ? Tell about the fox hunting.
1. Tobacco road. 2. Political meetings. S. Muster day. 4. House raising.
TOPICS.
5. Log rolling. 6. Corn shucking. 7. Dancing. 8. Fox hunting.
CHAPTER XXXV.
CKAWFOBD, TBOtIP, AST) CLARE.
" Of all the old States, Georgia is the only one whose political organization is incom plete : her civil policy is deranged : her military force cannot be reduced to systematic order and subordination : the extent of her natural resources cannot be counted : the great work of internal improvement is suspendedj and all because Georgia is not in pos session of her racant territory."--GEOKGE ]M. TROZJP.
GOVEBNOK
UP to this time and for several years later there was but one polit ical party in Georgia, and that was the Democratic-Republican party of which Thomas Jefferson was the founder. The party in Georgia had, however, divided into two local factions on a purely personal issue. One of these was led by William H. Crawford, who was secretary of the
The leader of the other party was General John Clark. They were prominent men and had great influence in the political affairs of the State.
William Ii. Crawford was a lawyer and statesman of high ability and national reputation. He was one' of the greatest men Georgia ever had in its history. While in the Senate he enjoyed the confidence and friendship of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe. He was elected president of that body after the death of George Clinton of New York.
When Crawford, as American Minister to Prance, was pre sented to Napoleon, the latter was so struck by his firm step, lofty bearing, tall, manly figure, and the radiance of his clear
198
HISTORY OF GEOR&IA.
blue eyes, that he involuntarily bowed twice. This was a rare if not unprecedented occurrence. Napoleon afterwards con fessed that Crawford was the only man he ever saw, before whom he felt inclined to bow.
When Orawford was a member of the legislature in 1806, Clark preferred charges against Judge Charles Tait. Crawford voted to acquit Judge Tait of the charges, and this is said to have provoked the enmity of Clark. A duel was fought between them in which Crawford was wounded in the wrist. They remained bitter enemies for life, and the per sonal feelings between them made a party issue in Georgia. Governor Eabun had belonged to the Crawford party and had defeated Clark for governor in'1817. George M. Troup was an ardent admirer and supporter of Crawford, and he was made leader of the party on Crawford's retirement from political life through ill health. This party then became known as the Troup party, and the followers of General Clark were called the Clark party. The members of the latter were also called Clarkites, while the supporters of the other leader got the name of Troupers, and these two names continued in popular use for many years.
The death of Rabun in 1819 brought on a hot contest between Troup and Clark as to which should be elected to the office of governor. When the legislature met in Novem ber the balloting began in great excitement, as no one knew) the exact strength of either party. Clark was elected by a majority of thirteen votes.
While Clark was governor, trouble began with the Federal Government regarding the removal of the Indians. The United States recognized the Indian tribes as owners of the lands on which they lived, and so the lands were never taken from them by force, but were always bought. When the Indians sold land their title was said to be "extinguished." It will be remembered that in 1802 the United States agreed to extinguish for the use of Georgia the Indian titles to all
ORAWFORD, TROUP, AND CLARK.
199
lands lying within the limits of the State, " as soon as this could be done peaceably and on reasonable terms." Eighteen
years had passed and the Indians still had some of the best lands in Georgia. The delay made the people impatient be cause they \vere anxious that the State should get possession
200
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
of all its territory. Up to this time the Creeks had ceded
nearly ten millions of acres, but still held about the same num
ber. The Cherokees had ceded nearly one million acres, but
still held nearly six millions. These unceded lands lay west
of the Ocmulgee Eiver and north of the Chattahoochee.
The legislature, in December, 1819, sent a memorial and pro
test to the general government urging that the Indians be
removed to lands west of the Mississippi Kiver. The United
States made a treaty with the Creeksjat JIndian Springs in
Januarj,_1821,......By-this treaty a tract of land~\?as" ceded "or
sold by the Indians, and it was agreed
that the United States might apply
two hundjred_and fifty thousand dol
lars of the purchase money to com-"~
pensating citizens of Georgia for cattle
and other property taken from them
by the Indians.
The territory gained included the
remaining land between the Flint
and Ocmulgee Eivers as far north as
the Chattahoochee. It was divided
NICHOLAS WARE.
by the legislature of 1821 into the
counties of Dooly, Fayette, Henry,
Houstoun, and Monroe. Governor Clark advised the legis
lature to distribute this land by the lottery system, which was
more likely to do "equal justice to the poor and rich and to
insure a speedy population of the country.''
During the time that Clark was governor there was no truce
between his friends and the Troup party. The contest be
tween them in the next campaign engaged the attention of
the entire State. There was universal excitement over it.
Everybody asked everyone he met: "Are you for Troup or
Clark ? " When the legislature assembled in 1821, the absorb
ing question was, Who should be elected governor ? The
members were nearly evenly divided, but Clark was reflected
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.
201
amid great excitement by a majority of two. The vote was,-- Tronp 72, Clark 74. This second defeat of Troup was a bitter disappointment to his friends, but they kept up the fight.
The year 1820 is memorable as the period of two great ca lamities in Savannah. In the early part of the year the city was nearly destroyed by a fire which consumed over four hun dred buildings. The loss was estimated at four million dollars. In the fall of the year a malignant yellow fever broke out, and almost depopulated the city.
Nicholas Ware, a prominent lawyer of Augusta, was elected United States Senator in 1821, to succeed Freeman Walker.
[John Clark was the son of General Elijah Clark of Revolutionary fame. He came to Georgia with his father when still a young boy. He went to school for a short while only: He preferred to join his father in his warfare against the tories. Though but a boy he did good soldier duty at Kettle Creek and in the siege of Augusta. He rose rapidly in popular favor and was made brigadier and afterwards major-general. His ani mosity to Crawford was personal as well as political. .He became involved in a quarrel with him and sent a challenge to fight a duel. ' On the day of meeting, Crawford was excited and allowed his disengaged' arm to hang exposed to fire. The ball from dark's pistol struck 'his wrist. Tfiey became avowed enemies, and for many years the politics of the State were agitated by these rival factions.]
QUESTIONS.
What was the only political party in Georgia up to this time? How had the party divided, and who were the leaders? "What was the char acter of Crawford ? What caused the enmity of Clark ? What names,' did the parties take ? Who was elected governor in 1819 ? What trouble began while Clark was governor? What treaty was made in 1821? What counties were formed out of the territory gained? What was the result of the political contest in 1821 ? Describe two calamities which occurred that year.
TOPICS.
1. William H. Crawford.
3. Treaty at Indian Springs.
2. Troup party and Clark party. " 4. Clark reflected governor.
CHAPTEE XXXVI.
ADMINISTRATION OF TROUP.
" Fellow citizens, let us cease our strife. Let our divisions be at an end. The march of Science is so steady, the progress of its illumination is so irresistible in this great and growing country, that the generations to come may look back upon our foibles with pity. Let us discard our selfishness ; therefore, let our motto be ' God and our country.' "-- GEOBSE M. TEOUP.
IN 1823 Troup was again in the field for governor. John Olark had served two terms and was no longer a candi date, but Matthew Talbot, one of the leaders of the Olark party, was nomi nated to oppose Troup. The contest was warm, party lines were closely drawn, and party spirit was very in tense. When the legislature met in November, 1823, their first duty was to OOTBENOK GEORGE M. TBOUP. c,hoose t,h, e governor. Tmlhe resu1ljt was the election of Troup by a majority of four votes--Troup 85, Talbot 81. Troup was the last governor of Georgia elected by_the legis lature, and, as we shall see farther on,.was the first governor electe^by_ihe_pe-0.ple. He was a man of ordinary height, with light complexion, blue eyes, and curly, sandy hair. His car riage was erect, his step slow and measured. He had the air of a soldier. He was very brave, and where principle was involved Avas a stranger to compromise. He once had a dis pute with a neighbor about a piece of land that adjoined his farm, and lie wrote to the overseer : "If I have not right on my side, I will surrender, but not compromise." In the mat-
INDIANS REFUSE TO SELL.
203
ter of dress he was indifferent, and showed an odd taste by wearing a blue coat with nietal buttons, a buff vest, and a fur cap.
A large tract of valuable land west of the Flint Eiver was still held by the Creek Indians. To obtain this the United States tried to make another treaty with the Creeks in 1823, but they had already ceded so much of their land that Big Warrior, the head of the nation, and the Alabama Creeks became alarmed, thinking that the design of the whites was to get possession of all their territory. A great council of the Creek nation had been held in Alabama the .previous year, at which they determined to hold no more treaties with the whites for the purpose of selling lands. They said, " "We shall not sell to them even one foot of ground."
The negotiations with the Creeks had aroused the fears of the Oherokees. Their leading chiefs, including Elijah Hicks and Major Ridge, went to Washington city and addressed a letter to the President of the United States, saying that the Cherokee nation had come to the unalterable conclusion not to cede any more of their lands. They claimed that they had their own printed constitution and laws, and said they were an independent and separate State and wanted protection from the government.
The United States G 'vernment then sent commissioners to Calhountown, who invited the Cherokees to come and listen to their proposal. Thev brought a large quantity of provi sions, which they offered to give to the Indians. The Chero kees, however, refused to come. Some few did at last attend, but in obedience to the orders of the council of their nation, they would not touch food offered by the commissioners nor come inside their tents, though it was cold and raining.
The commissioners visited Hicks, the principal chief, and begged him to make a treaty with them. He heard them through and asked: " Will you give us two dollars an acre for our land ? " The commissioners said they would not, and he
204
HISTORY OF GEORGIA..
replied: "Very well; we know its value and can keep it. As for the claims your people have against us, we can pay them without selling our land." The claims referred to were for property of citizens of Georgia which had been carried off by the Indians. Hicks spoke the voice of his nation, and it was plain that the Indians did not intend to sell any more land.
In 1824, President Monroe sent a message to Congress in which he said: " The Indian titles are not affected in the slight est circumstance by the compact [of 1802] with Georgia, and there is no obligation on the United States to remove the Indians by force." This message provoked a letter from Governor Troup to the secretary of war, protesting against the way in which the Georgia claims were treated. In his letter the governor asked : " Is it discovered at last that Georgia has no claim either upon the United States or upon the Indians under the compact of 1802 ? Is all that a dream, a vision, a phan tasm, with which the deluded people of Georgia have been plaguing themselves for twenty years ? "
After much discussion Congress appointed a committee to look into the matter, and the committee reported that the United States were bound by their obligations to Georgia to take at once the necessary steps to remove the Indians beyond the limits of the State. When the Cherokees heard of this they declared that they had resolved never to yield any more of .'their lands. The situation was becoming serious. " L^Ali act was passed in 1824 which changed the Constitution so as to have the governor elected directly by the people. The act prescribed that the election should be held in the several counties on a certain day, and the returns sent, in sealed envelope, to the general assembly, to be opened in a joint ses sion of both branches.. The candidate having the majority of the whole number of votes should be declared elected. If no candidate should have such majority, then from the two having the highest number of votes, the general assembly itself should elect a governor.
ADMINISTRATION OF TROUP.
205
The first election of governor by the people took place in October, 1835. Troup was again a candidate. He stood upon the platform of his Indian policy. The rallying cry of his .party became "Troup and the Treaty." His opponent was his old enemy, General Clark. All the old party strife that had slumbered for several years broke out anew. Every argu ment was used to affect the election; bitter hatreds sprang up even in families and among friends. All other questions were forgotten in the issue of this contest. The past records of both candidates and even of their fathers were brought into the campaign. The day of election came in October. There were sixty counties, and in each was a scene of wild conten tion. The election returns were sent to Milledgeville and counted by the legislature which met in November. Troup was reelected by a majority of 682. It was found, however, that a majority of the members of the legislature were of the Clark party, and so Clark would have been elected governor had the old system remained. . An interesting event of this time was the visit to Georgia of the famous Lafayette, who iu his old age desired to again behold the scenes of his many triumphs during the war of the Revolution. Acting under a joint resolution of both branches of the legislature, Governor Troup welcomed him on his ar rival in Savannah, March 19, 1825. As the great friend of America stepped ashore from the vessel in which he had sailed, he was cordially greeted as the guest of the State. He remained a few days in Savannah, feasted, and treated with the highest respect. From Savannah he went to Augusta, aud thence to Milledgeville, where he was entertained at the Executive 'mansion.
[Governor George M. Troup was one of the most remarkable men Geor gia ever produced. He was born at Mclntosh Bluff on the Tombigbf Hirer, in what was then the territory of Georgia (now Alabama), in Sep tember, 1780. He was educated at Long Island, and upon graduating studied law in Savannah. In 1800, before he was twenty-one years of
206 ' HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
age, he was' invited to represent Chatham County in the legislature. This he declined on account of his minority. One year later he was elected a representative of that county, and lie soon attained a high posi tion in the legislature. In 1806 he was sent to Congress, and remained a member until 1815. He supported the administrations of Jefferson and Madison, and was a confidential friend of both. In 1816 he was elected United States Senator, and held the office two years. He served a sec ond term in the Senate from 1829 to 1831, and was nominated for Presi dent of the United States by the States Rights Convention of Alabama. He died at his home in Laurens County in April, 1856.]
[Among the other noted men of the period was Judge John M. Dooly. He was born about the year 1772 in Lincoln County. In 1802 he was appointed Solicitor General of the "Western Circuit, of which he became judge in 1816. In 1822 he was elected judge of the Northern Circuit. He was an able and fearless judge, but his reputation was acquired mainly by the brilliant wit which made him famous. He was a supporter of the Clark party and made much sport of Troup, whose mouth, he said, was formed by nature to pronounce the word " Yazoo." He once had a quarrel with Judge Tait, who had a wooden leg. A challenge ensued, but he refused to fight unless Tait would agree that he should place one of his (Dooly's) legs in a bee gum, to make their bodies equal. Tait refused, and threatened to publish him in the newspapers as a coward, to which Dooly replied that he " would rather fill a dozen news papers than one coffin." He died May, 1827.]
QUESTIONS.
Who was elected governor in 1823 ? What did the Federal Govern ment try to do with respect to the Indians in 1823 ? What did the Indians say ? How did the Cherokees act towards the United States commissioners ? What did Hicks say ? What did President Monroe say on the subject to Congress in 1824 ? What did Governor Troup say about this ? What did Congress then do ? What act was passed in. 1824 ? When did the first election for governor by the people take place ? Describe the election. Describe the visit of Lafayette.
TOPICS.
1. Troup elected governor. 2. Troubles with the Indians. 3. Commissioners at Calhountown.
4. President Monroe's message. 5. Governor elected by the people. 6. The visit of Lafayette.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
TREATY OF 1825.
"If she has forborne from motives of humanity she may deserve praise, but ought not to suffer loss."--GBOKGE M. TKOTJP.
IN the summer of 1824, for the first
and only time, a Georgia statesman
was before the people as a candidate
for the high office of President of the
United States. William H. Crawford,
as secretary of the treasury under
Monroe, had acquired great influence
in Georgia and great prestige in all the
States. He was looked upon generally
as Monroe's probable successor. In
WILLIAM H. CBAWFOBD.
1822 he was nominated by a caucus of Democratic-Republican members of
Congress as the candidate of the party for President. Up to
that time there had never been any national conventions for
nominating candidates, the nominations being made by a
caucus of the members of the party in Congress. Three other
candidates entered the field, Henry Clay, Andrew Jackson,
and John Qnincy Adams. They were all of the same party as
Mr. Crawford, but their friends had refused to go into the
caucus. Before the election Crawford was stricken with pa
ralysis, which unfortunate circumstance was probably the cause
of his defeat. None of the candidates got a majority of the
electoral votes, and so the House of Representatives was re
quired to elect a President. Adams was elected, and was
208
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
inaugurated in March, 1825. Crawford, on account of his health, retired from public life.
Because of the unfriendly attitude of the Indians, negotia tions with them for two years were of no avail. A council of all the Creeks, held -at Broken Arrow, in Alabama, in December, 1824, refused to listen to any proposition from the government. President Monroe decided, however, to make another effort, and he summoned a meeting of the Creekchiefs at Indian Springs in February, 1825. The hostile Alabama Creeks did not attend. The Georgia Creeks, called Lower Creeks, led by William Mclntosh, did attend, and they resolved to ignore the others and to negotiate with the general government for a cession of land. They proposed to cede only the lands belonging to the Lower Creeks in Georgia, and they held, therefore, that the absence of the Alabama Creeks was no hindrance to negotiation. After a friendly talk, a treaty was concluded and signed by nearly all the chiefs present.
By this treaty the Creeks ceded to the United States "all the lands within the boundaries of the present State of Georgia as defined by the compact of 1802." For the cession they were to obtain lands of "like quality, acre for acre, westward of the Mississippi,'' and the time of their removal was not to "extend beyond the first.of September of the next year." This'treaty was signed by the United States commissioners, by "William Mclntosh, and the chiefs of the Lower Creeks.
When the terms of the treaty became known to the hostile Creeks, great excitement arose among them. They declared that, as a law had been made in the council against further cession of land, the treaty at Indian Springs was void. Mc lntosh and his party were threatened with death, and many of the nation rose in arms against the signers of the treaty.
As soon as it was ratified by the Senate of the United States, Governor Troup, believing that there would be no serious trouble, issued a proclamation announcing the treaty at
MURDER OF MCINTOSH.
209
Indian Springs, and soon afterward he sent a letter to Mclntosh as the head chief of the Cowetaus, asking permission to survey the ceded territory. Mclntosh summoned his chiefs, and through them permission was given to have the lands sur veyed. They then, with a large number of friendly Indians, began to make preparations to depart for lands west of the Mississippi.
But the unfriendly Indians were determined on the death of the brave Mclntosh. A general council of the Creeks con demned him to death, and a party consisting of one hundred and seventy men undertook to carry out the sentence. They proceeded in the most cautious manner to the residence of Mclntosh upon the banks of the Ohattahoochee Eiver in what is now Carroll County. Arriving on the spot, they concealed themselves until the hour of three in the morning of May 1, 1825. Procuring a quantity of pitch pine, they tied it in bundles, placed it upon the backs of three stout warriors, and then quietly approaching the dwelling, entered an out-house in the yard. Here they found an old peddler with Chilly Mc lntosh, the son of the general. . The latter sprang to his feet, leaped through the window, and made his escape to the woods. Shots were fired after him, but with no effect. The principal body of Indians then surrounded the main dwelling in the dark, and guarded every way of escape. The pine was now kindled, and torches were applied to various parts of the house. The lurid light showed to the brave Mclntosh by whom he was attacked and the impossibility of escape. He was the only occupant of the burning house except an Indian friend, who was shot as he tried to fly from the place. Retreating to the second story, Mclntosh used four guns which he had in the house, and kept his enemies at bay. But the flames drove him down, and coming into an exposed position, he was instantly shot. He fell, pierced with bullets, and was then dragged by the Indians down the steps and out into the yard. Lying on the ground, he raised himself on one elbow and defied
(7
01 6EKEBAL WILLIAM MolKTOSU.
PRESIDENT ADAMS INTERFERES. an
his enemies. At that moment one of them plunged a knife up to the hilt into his heart, and, heaving a deep sigh, the noble general expired., The party then plundered the burning house, killed the stock, and laid the premises in ruins. Thus terribly did the brave Mclntosh pay penalty for his treaty with the government.
The alarm and excitement among the whites and Indians over this bloody deed were very great. Governor Troup issued orders to the Georgia militia to be in readiness to march at a moment's notice into the Creek country. He advised the friendly Indians to remain quiet until he could take measures for their protection. The Indians in great numbers abandoned their homes and flocked to the white settlements for safety.
The session of the legislature called in 1825 ordered the ceded territory to be surveyed. When President Adams was informed of this he directed the governor to stop the surveys on account of the hostile attitude of some of the chiefs. Gov ernor Troup refused, saying: " Georgia owns the soil, and has the right to survey it." The President threatened to arrest the surveyors, but Governor Troup ordered them to go on with the work. The President then proposed to refer the treaty to Congress for reconsideration, and the survey was stopped.
In 1824 Senator Nicholas Ware died, and Thomas W. Cobb was elected to succeed him. In 1825 John M. Berrien was elected senator to succeed John Elliott.
[William H. Crawford was born in Amherst County, Virginia, Febru ary 24, 1772. In 1779 his father moved to South Carolina, and in 1783 he removed to Columbia County. Crawford was a boy during the Revo lution, and he was raised in the midst of the hard experiences of those trying times. After the death of his father he began teaching school to support his mother. He was both a student and an assistant of Dr. Moses Waddell. He next moved to Augusta and taught in the Rich mond Academy. In 1799 he moved to Lexington and began the practice of law, and his talent soon raised him to the head of his profession in the State. He died in 1834 at the age of sixty-two years.]
312
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
[General Mclntosh, chief of the Oreek nation, was born at Cusseta. His father was Captain William Mclntosh, a British officer, and uncle of Governor George M. Troup, so that Troup and Mclntosh were first cousins. His mother was a Creek woman. Of his early life little is known. He was intelligent and brave, tall, well made, and of graceful manners. General Floyd and General Jackson spoke highly of his bravery. He distinguished himself in the battle of the Horseshoe. He also acted bravely in the Florida campaign. He was the most reasonable and intelligent of the Creek chiefs with whom the State had to .deal ab this time. His violent death was a grief to the good people of the State, both whites and Indians.]
[Thomas W. Cobb was born in Columbia County, Georgia, in 1784, and began to practise law at Greensboro. He served in the lower house of Congress from December, 1817, until he was elected United States Senator. He resigned in 1828, and was elected judge of the Superior Court. He died at Greensboro in 1830.]
[Nicholas Ware was born in Bichmond County, and resided at Augusta. He was prominent as a lawyer, and was elected United States Senator on the death of Freeman Walker, and reeleeted in 1821. He died in New York city, 1824. Ware County was named from him.]
QUESTIONS.
"What Georgian statesman was candidate for the presidency of the United States ? By whom was he opposed ? What happened to Crawford before the election ? What was the result ? What Indian treaty was held in 1825 ? What was ceded ? By whom was the treaty signed ? What was the effect on the hostile Creeks ? What did Governor Troup do ? Describe the death of Mclntosh. What did the legislature of 1825 order ? Tell about the controversy between Troup and the Presi dent of the United States. What new Senators were elected about this time ? .
TOPICS.
1. Crawford for President. 2. Treaty of 1825. 3. Death of Mclntosh.
4. Alarm among Indians. 5. Controversy between Troup and
Adams.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
GEOEGIA DEFIES THE FEDERAL GOYEEMfESTT.
- " You will distinctly understand, therefore, that I feel it to be my duty to resist to tne utmost every military attack which the government of the United States shall think proper to make on the territory, the people or the sovereignty of Georgia."--TKOUP, Letter to the President of the United States.
THE Federal government, wishing to pacify the Indians, made a treaty with thirteen Creek chiefs at Washington city in January, 1826. This treaty ceded to the United States all the Creek lands east of the Chattahoochee. A large tract, amounting to about three hundred thousand acres northwest of the Chattahoochee, which had been ceded at Indian Springs by the former treaty, was reconveyed to the Creeks, so that they would still continue to hold and occupy a large area of valuable 'lands in Georgia.
The Georgia delegation in Congress protested against the new treaty. They claimed that the treaty at Indian Springs was valid, and that the United States had no right to make another. Notwithstanding this protest, the treaty was ratified by the Senate. Governor Troup wrote a letter to the Georgia representatives declaring that the United States were "unau thorized in their action," and that he did not recognize their "power in the premises.'1 ' In his subsequent dealings with the Creeks the governor paid no respect to this treaty, but acted as if it had never been made.
It had been agreed that the Creeks should keep possession of the ceded lands until January 1, 1827. Governor Troup, not recognizing the treaty, and wishing to divide the territory into districts, ordered surveyors to survey the ceded tract. But
214
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
the Indians resisted the survey,, took away the compasses of the surveyors, and ordered them off the lands. The Creeks then appealed to the Federal government. The secretary of war wrote to Governor Troup that the President of the United States felt himself "constrained by the plighted faith of the nation to state to you that he considers an entry on the ceded lands as a violation of the treaty." He desired Georgia to desist from further survey until authorized. The governor replied, refusing to desist.
After repeated complaints from the Indians, the secretary of war informed Governor Troup that the surveyors must keep off the Indian lands, and that if he refused to stop them, military force would be employed.
This threat was promptly met by Governor Troup in the following words: " Prom the first decisive act of hostility, you will be considered and treated as a public enemy, and with the less repugnance, because you, to whom we might constitution ally have appealed for our defence against invasion, are your selves the invaders, and what is more, the unblushing allies of savages whose cause you have adopted." Major-generals commanding the sixth and seventh divisions of Georgia militia were ordered to hold their commands in readiness to repel any invasion of the territory of the State.
Thus Georgia defied the threat of the United States. The crisis was reached, but happily strife was avoided. As soon as it was seen that military force would he resisted by the people of Georgia, wiser counsels prevailed at Washington. Congress recommended immediate measures to acquire from the Indians all the lands held by them within the limits of Georgia.
The consent of the Creek chiefs being obtained, a meeting was called at the Creek agency, where (November 15, 1827) the chiefs and head men ceded to the United States all the remaining lands they owned within the chartered limits of Georgia. In consideration of this they were paid about twentyeight thousand dollars. Thus ended the difficulty with the
NEW COUNTIES:
215
Creek Indians in Georgia, and shortly afterwards the tribes
who had occupied lands in this State moved to-their new home
west of the Mississippi River. Throughout the whole-contro
versy Governor Troup had pursued
a firm and consistent course which
won general praise. He had in
sisted upon the rights of his State
and secured them.
The lottery system was adopted
to distribute the lands gained by
the treaties, and the new counties
of Muscogee, Troup, Coweta, Lee,
and Carroll were organized.
John Forsyth, of Augusta, was the candidate of the Troup party
JOHN FORSYTE.
in the election for governor in 1827. Troup, having served
two terms, wished to retire from public life, and would
not allow the use of his name.
The Olark party proposed Dun-
can G. Campbell, of Wilkes
County, who was brother-in-law
of Clark, and prominent in con
nection with the Indian treaties.
He declined to be a candidate,
and Matthew Talbot was put
forward, but he died before
the election. Forsyth was then
elected.
Before the election for Presi
JOHN McPHERSON BEKRIEN.
dent of the United States in 1828, the Democratic-Republican
party had divided into two sections. One of these, keeping
the old name, supported Andrew Jackson, of Tennessee, for
President. The other, led by Henry Clay and Daniel Web
ster, took the name of National Republican, and supported
216
-
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
John Quincy Adams for reelection. Adams was not popular in Georgia on account of his policy in regard to the removal of the Indians, and so the electoral vote of the State was cast for Jackson, who was elected. Jackson appointed John McPherson Berrien, of Savannah, attorney-general of the United States.
>, [J.ohn McPherson Berrien was born in New Jersey 1781. He was graduated at Princeton, and was admitted to the bar of Georgia when eighteen. He was solicitor of the eastern district of Georgia in 1809, and judge of the same district from 1810 to 1821. He was in the United States Senate from 1825 to 1829, and again from 1840 to 1852. In 1829 he presented to the Senate a "Protest" against the tariff from the legislature of Georgia, aud he supported it in a speech so eloquent thab he was called the American Cicero. He was attorney-general of the United States from 1829 to 1831. In 1844 he was a delegate in the con vention that nominated Henry Clay for President. He died in 1856.J.
[John Forsyth was born in Virginia, and came to Georgia with his father at four years of age. He was graduated at Princeton College in 1799. He studied law in Augusta, and began to practice in 1802. In 1818 he became a senator of the United States, and was sent as minister to the court of Spain to negotiate the treaty by which the United States acquired the territory of Florida. He died in Washington city in 1841.]
QUESTIONS.
What treaty was made in 1826 ? What lands were ceded by the In dians, and what lands were given back to them? What did Governor Troup think of this last treaty? .What troubles now arose? What- did Governor Troup do ?. What did the Indians do ? What did the secretary of war write to Governor Troup ? What was his answer ? How was the dispute settled ? What counties were formed out of the new lands ? What of the contest for governor in 1827 ? What of the presidential election in 1838 ? What party division took place at this time ?
1. Treaty of 1826. 2. Troubles that arose. 3. Troup's defiance.
TOPICS.
4. Treaty of 1837. 5. New counties formed, 6. Forsyth elected governor.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
ADMINISTRATION OP GOVERNOR GILMER.
"Blessed with peace, health and abundance--with immense resonrcea in possession and greater in expectancy--what is there we can rationally desire to effect that we may not hope to accomplish ? "--JOHN J^ORSYTH.
IN October, 1829, the usual election
for governor took place. There being
no nominating conventions in those
days, candidates were selected by a
caucus of the leaders of each party.
The leaders of the Troup party, who
had controlled the State for several
years, divided in this election, one
section nominating George E. Gilmer,
GEOKGE E. G1LMEE.
of Oglethorpe County, and the other nominating Joel Crawford, of Early
County. Clark had gone to live in Florida, having been
appointed keeper of the public forests of that territory by
President Jackson in 1829. The Clark party supported Gil
mer, who won by a large majority.
After the inauguration of Gilmer, the legislature elected
John Forsyth to fill the vacancy in the United States Senate,
caused by the promotion of Berrien to the cabinet of Presi
dent Jackson. Forsyth became an ardent supporter of Jack
son, and leader of the administration party. He was one of
the most eloquent men the State ever produced, and the best
offhand debater of his time. The same legislature elected
George M. Troup to the United States Senate. The previous
318
HISTORY OF GEOR&IA.
year Thomas "W. Cobb resigned his seat in the Senate, and
Oliver H. Prince, of Macou, succeeded him.
Meanwhile the Indians were giving trouble in North
Georgia. The Creeks had all left the State, but the Chero-
kees still occupied lands beyond the Ohattahoochee and Ches-
tatee, in the northern part of the State, which even to this
.day is often spoken of as " Cherokee Georgia." It is said
that the tract once belonged to the Creek Indians, and that
the rivers and mountains all have Creek names. About fifteen
or twenty years before this time the Creeks challenged the
Cherokees to a game of Indian ball, and bet all these lands on
the result. The Creeks lost the game
and the lands.
Many crimes were committed by
the Indians on. these lands, and the
offenders could not be punished, be
ing outside the jurisdiction of the
authorities of Georgia. To remedy
this the legislature of 1829 passed an
act extending the laws of the State
over the Cherokee country, on the
ground that it was part of Georgia,
OLIVBB H. PBOTCE.
and should be made subject to its laws. Power was given to the courts
of the counties lying next to the Cherokees to try all persons,
whether Indians or white, charged with committing crimes in
that territory.
The Cherokees objected, to this. They contended that they
were an independent nation. They had their own laws, and
they claimed the right, under treaties with the United States,
to deal with their own criminals. They also employed law
yers to defend their claim. One of their attorneys, "William
Wirt, wrote to Governor Gilmer, proposing to submit the
matter to the Supreme Court of the' United States. Gilmer
refused, saying that the proposition was " disrespectful to the
THE GOLD FEVER.
219
Government of the State/' and that "the powers conferred by the Constitution on the Supreme Court forbid its adjudg ing in such a case.''
An occasion soon arose for enforcing the new law. George Tassels, a Cherokee, having killed another Indian within that part of the Cherokee territory subject to the courts of Hall County, was arrested by the sheriff of that county. He was tried in the Superior Court of the county and sentenced to be banged. But his lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States, and Governor Gilmer was summoned by Chief Justice Marshall of the Supreme Court to appear and answer for the State of Georgia.
The governor sent to the legislature, which was in session at the time (1830), a message stating the facts, and saying that "orders received from the Supreme Court for the pur pose of interfering with the decisions of the courts of this State, in the exercise of their constitutional jurisdiction, will be resisted with whatever force the laws have placed at my command." The legislature upheld the governor, and em powered him to order the authorities of Hall County to carry out the sentence on Tassels, who was accordingly hanged.
Meanwhile the case had been brought up for hearing before the Supreme Court. But the court refused to interfere. This ended the opposition of the Indians, and the laws of the State were enforced in " Cherokee Georgia."
Another reason for extending the laws over Cherokee Georgia was that it had become necessary to protect the inter ests of, the State in gold mines that had been discovered in that section. Gold was found first in Habersham County in 1828. A gold fever broke out and spread among the people. Many whites crossed the Chattahoochee and Chestatee rivers and began mining. This was against the law forbidding tres pass on the Indian lands. The Indians themselves also began digging for the precious metal. As was to be expected, qnarrels and strife arose among the white miners, and between
220
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
them and the Indians. They would gather around the camp fires at night and gamble, drink, and fight.
Governor Gilmer, after the passing of the law extending the jurisdiction of the State over the Indian lands, issued a proc lamation, notifying the fact, but notwithstanding this, the trouble became so great that in 1830 he called the legislature together to consider the matter. Stringent laws were then made forbidding trespass on the Indian lands. The miners, however, defied the officers of the law, and the gold digging continued. So it was found necessary to resort to force, and Major Wager, an officer of the United States army, marched into the Cherokee country with a company of soldiers from Charleston and Augusta, and destroyed the camps, provisions, and tools of the gold diggers. They arrested many of the diggers themselves, escorted them to the nearest ferry, and had them sent across the Ohattahoochee -Eiver. They also pre vented the Indians from mining for gold.
]?or a number of years gold mining in the northern portion of Georgia was profitable, until the more valuable mines in California were discovered. A United States branch mint for the coining of gold was established in Dahlonega. This place, now in Lumpkin County, was once a/little Indian village named Tauloneca, which means yellow/money. Gold used to be often found in the court-house square, particiilarly after a shower of rain; and the little boys would frequently pick up pieces of gold weighing a pennyweight.
In spite of the law forbidding white people to settle on the Cherokee lands without permission, a number of persons, among them several missionaries, had taken up their abode in the tribe, and refused to leave. These missionaries were opposed to the removal of the Cherokees west of-the Missis sippi, and they held a meeting in the Indian country and passed resolutions calling on the people of the United States to aid the Cherokees in resisting the laws of Georgia.
The legislature then made a law that all white persons found
MISSIONARIES ARRESTED.
221
in the Cherokee land after a certain time, without permission and without having taken an oath of allegiance to the State of Georgia, should be punished by imprisonment and hard labor for not less than four years. This did not deter the mission aries, who still remained on the forbidden territory. Twelve of them were, therefore, arrested, tried in the Hall County Supreme Court in September, 1831, and convicted of illegally
OU> MINT AT DAHLONEGA.
residing on the Indian lands. They were all sentenced to the penitentiary, but, on arriving at the door of the prison, they were offered pardon if they would promise to obey the laws of the State. Ten of them consented to do this and were liber ated. The other two--Samuel A. Worcester and Elizur But ler--refused to accept the terms, and so they were put in the penitentiary, where they were detained until they apologized to the governor and promised to obey the laws.
The population of the State, as shown by the census of
222
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
1830, was over half a million. Of these a little less than half were slaves. Under the new census Georgia was entitled to nine representatives in Congress.
Nearly a quarter of a million bales of cotton were shipped annually from Savannah. The annual exports amounted to (four millions of dollars; the imports to four hundred thou sand. Thus the State sold ten times as much as it bought.
In 1830 the legislature chartered the Medical College of Georgia, situated at Augusta. It is now part of the State University.
[George E. Gilmer was born in 1790 in Wilkes (now Oglethorpe) County. He was educated at the academy of Dr. Moses Waddell. During the war of 1812 he did good service in defending the frontier of Georgia against the attacks of the Indians. After the war he began to practice law, and was sent to the legislature. In 1820 and 1824 he was elected to Congress. He was twice governor of Georgia, and during his last term in 1837 and 1838 the Indians were finally removed from the State.]
[Oliver H. Prince was born in Connecticut in 1782. He moved to Washington, Wilkes County, when he was fourteen years of age. Later he was appointed by the legislature to lay off the county of Bibb and the city of Macon. In 1822 he made Bibb County his home. He was presi dent of the first railroad convention in Georgia, and became deeply interested in the railway system. He was lost at sea in 1837.]
QUESTIONS.
Who was elected governor in 1839 ? What trouble arose with the Cherokee Indians ? What did the legislature do ? Tell about the case of Tassels. Describe the gold fever of 1828. What laws were passed by the legislature ? Where was a mint established ? Tell about the mis sionaries. What was the population of Georgia in 1830 ?
TOPICS.
1. Division of the party. 2. Trouble with Cherokees. 3. Gilmer elected governor.
4. Tassels case. 5. The gold fever. 6. The missionaries.
CHAPTER XL.
ADMINISTRATION OF GOVEBHSTOE LUMPKIN.
" He who would destroy the State sovereignty by consolidation, or the federal system by nullification, is a traitor to liberty and deserves the universal execration of mankind." --WILSON LUMPKTN.
AT the election for governor in the fall of 1831, Governor Gilmer was the candidate of the Troup party. Wilson Lumpkin of Athens was the candidate of the Clark party, and was elected.
When the legislature met, Gov ernor Lumpkin advised that the Indian lands of North Georgia be surveyed immediately. The legis GOVERNOR WILSON LUMPKIN. lature ordered the survey to be made, and the counties of Cherokee, Cobb, Floyd, Gilmer, Murray, Paulding, and L'nion were laid out,,although the Indians were still in possession of the land. The great question before the country at this time was the tariff. In 1828 and in 1832 Congress passed tariff acts which imposed heavy taxes on certain articles imported from foreign countries, making them dearer than goods of the same kind manufactured in America. This enabled the American manufacturers to raise their prices, foreign competition being either cut off or greatly restricted by the tax or tariff. It was called a protective tariff, because it was intended to protect home manufacturers.
224
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
The Southern States were much opposed to the tariff. It conferred no benefit on them, for the manufacturers were all in the North, and, on account of the tax, the Southern people were obliged to pay higher prices for manufactured articles.
To oppose the tariff, meetings were held everywhere through out the South. The people declared they would dress in their own homespun rather than buy Northern goods, and raise their own hogs and horses rather than buy from the West. In the Congress of 1828 many representatives from Georgia and South Carolina appeared dressed in homespun, which was woven on looms of their own States. The legislature of Georgia, in December, 1831, passed a resolution declaring the tariff " inexpedient, oppressive, unequal, and destructive to the great leading interests of the South."
The tariff was the issue in the presidential election in 1832, which resulted in the reelection of Andrew Jackson, the Democratic-Eepublican candidate. He was opposed by Henry Clay of Kentucky, the candidate of the anti-administration party, calling itself in this election the National Republican party. Georgia cast its vote for Jackson, both the Clark and Troup parties supporting him, as he was opposed to the tariff.
John M. Berrien, who had resigned from the cabinet of President Jackson, was strongly opposed to the tariff measures. A number of prominent men, happening to be in Athens at the commencement of Franklin College in 1832, met and passed a resolution recommending the holding of an anti-tariff Convention in Milledgeville in November of the same year.
In response to this call, the people of sixty-one counties of Georgia sent one hundred and thirty-four delegates to the con vention, which met November 12, 1832. George E. Gilmer was made chairman. John M. Berrien was leader of the party opposed to the tariff. Senator John Forsyth, of Augusta, leader of the Jackson party in the United States Senate, and a delegate to the convention from Eichmond County, resolved
ANTI-TARIFF CONVENTION.
225
to defeat the object of the gathering. On the second day he raised a side issue by proposing the .appointment of a commit tee " to examine the authority of the persons assembled as delegates to represent the people of their respective counties." He held that they had no such authority. This originated a discussion between Berrien and Forsyth, and the great powers of both were exhibited in a debate lasting three days. The resolution was rejected, and Forsyth, with fifty other delegates., withdrew from the meeting, leaving but a minority of the counties represented. The remaining members adopted a report of a committee in which the tariff acts were declared to be unconstitutional and void, and in which it was proposed to submit the resolutions of the convention to the judgment of the people at the polls.
But the State legislature of G-eorgia, although opposed to the tariff acts, strongly disapproved of the proceedings of the anti-tariff convention. It advised the people "not to give their votes on the resolutions of the convention as therein pro posed," and it condemned the doctrine of nullification as " neither a peaceful nor a constitutional- remedy, but, on the contrary, as tending to civil commotion and disunion."
The doctrine of nullification was that any act of Congress, if unconstitutional, might be declared by any State to be null and void within its boundaries. This doctrine was asserted by South Carolina, and a convention of the people of that State declared the tariff acts null and void within their bor ders and threatened to withdraw from the Union. President Jackson issued a proclamation against nullification, and Con gress passed, an act known as the Force Bill, giving him power to send troops to South Carolina to force the people to pay the duties. The situation was very serious. Congress, how ever, passed Mr. Clay's famous Compromise Bill, which re duced the tariff so that it was satisfactory to the South, and South Carolina rescinded the nullification ordinance.
The tariff question had not divided the Democratic-Kepub-
15
226
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
lican party of Georgia. Nullification as a remedy had found
only a few supporters, but Jackson's proclamation and the
passage of the Force Bill created a political revolution in the
State. President Adams had threatened to send soldiers to
Georgia, and Governor Troup had boldly defied him. Now
the same threat was made against a sister State, and the old
Troup leaders refused any longer to support President Jackson
or his party. Berrien, Gilmer, William H. Crawford, Dawson,
Clayton, and. a number of other Troup leaders, called a con
vention which met at Milledgeville, November 13, 1833, and
organized the " STATE-RIGHTS PARTY OF GEORGIA." Its
platform was the first ever issued by
a party in Georgia.
As the Troup wing of the Demo
cratic-Republican party had taken a
new name, the supporters of the
President, including the Clark party
and Senator Forsyth., an original
Troup man, remained as the Demo
cratic-Republican or Democratic party
of Georgia. Later on they called
JOHN P. KING,
themselves the : Union party. Thus the Troup and. Clark parties took
new names, and the old terms " Troupers " and " Clarkites "
began to disappear.
Before the organization of the State-Rights party (1833)
Wilson Lumpkin was reflected governor, defeating Joel Craw-
ford, the last candidate of the Troup party.
In 1833 George M. Troup permanently withdrew from pub
lic life, resigning his seat in the United States Senate and
retiring to his home in Laurens County. He was succeeded
in the Senate by John P. King, of Augusta.
In 1834 John Forsyth, the able champion of the adminis
tration party, was appointed secretary of state by Presi
dent Jackson, an office which he held for seven years.
GEORGIA'S CENTENNIAL. 227
He .was succeeded in the United States Senate by Alfred 0 uthbert.
The centennial of the first settlement of Georgia was cele brated on February 13, 1833, by meetings, speeches, and military parades in many parts of the State.
[Wilson Lumpkin was born in Virginia in 1783. When he was one year old his father moved to Georgia, and settled in what is now Oglethorpe County. After a common school education, Wilson, at fourteen years of age, began to copy and write letters and papers in the office of his father, who was clerk of the Superior Court of Oglethorpe County. He employed his leisure time in reading law, and when twenty-one years of age he was elected to the State legislature. Later, he was elected to Congress and to the Senate of the United States. He died in 1870.]
[John Pendleton King was born in Kentucky, 1799. In 1815 he came to Georgia, and began to practise law in 1819. He resided in Augusta, where he acquired a large estate. He was president of the Georgia Rail road for many years, and under his management the road was completed. He died in Augusta in 1888.]
QUESTIONS.
Who was elected governor in 1831 ? What did the legislature do in regard to the Indian lands ? "What question now attracted the attention of the country ? What was the effect of the tariff ? Who were opposed to it ? Who was elected President of the United States in 1832 ? Tell about the Anti-tariff Convention. Who led the party opposed to the tariff ? What did the convention do ? What did the State legislature do with regard to the proceedings of the convention ? Tell about the doctrine of nullification and the Force Bill. What party changes fol lowed ? Who was elected governor in 1833 ?
TOPICS.
1. Lumpkin elected governor. 2. The tariff.
3. Nullification doctrine. 4. Party changes.
.CHAPTER XLI.
REMOVAL OF THE CHEEOKEES.--CREEK WAR.
" I believe it to be our highest political duty to retain the organization of the govern ment in the form which our forefathers gave it; limiting the United States to legisla tion upon general subjects specified in the Constitution, and preserving unimpaired the rights of the States and the people."--GEOKGE E. GILMER.
WILLIAM SCHLEY, candidate
of the Union party, was elected
governor in 1835, defeating
Charles Dougherty, the candi
date of the State-Eights party.
The Cherokees had been giv
ing trouble ever since the survey
of their lands began. In 1834
a band of them broke open and
robbed a smoke-house belong
ing to a white man who lived on
GOYEBNOB WILLIAM SCHLEY.
the border. Eli Hicks, a friend
ly Indian chief, who favored
the removal of the Indians to lands west of the Mississippi
Eiver, went with only two followers in pursuit of the robbers.
When he found their camp, he walked in among them and
began to upbraid them for their conduct. One of them fired
at him, and he died two days afterwards. Several other chiefs
who were willing to move west were also shot by Indians.
The white families along the border were, therefore, in great
terror, and troops were stationed there to preserve the peace.
The United States government soon saw the necessity of
taking some active steps to remove those troublesome people.
REMOVAL OF THE CHEROKEES.
229
In December, 1835, a treaty was made with them at New Echota, a place in Gordon County, not far from the town of Calhoun. The principal articles of this treaty were as fol lows: The Oherokee nation gave up their claim to all lands east of the Mississippi Kiver for the sum of five million dol lars and a tract of seven million acres west, of the Mississippi Eiver. This land was never to be included in any other States. The United States agreed to protect the Cherokees from civil strife and foreign enemies, to convey them to their new homes, and maintain them for one year after their arrival.,,
Before this treaty was carried out, the tribes of Creeks who lived in Alabama determined to join the Seminoles in the war which was going on in Florida. Numbers of them com mitted terrible murders along the Ohattahoochee Eiver in 1836. The appearance of these painted savages caused great alarm in the border settlements, and the white people forsook their homes and fled to Columbus, Milledgeville, and Augusta. The Indians pursued the refugees and killed many of them.
Governor Schley took the field in person against the Indians, making his headquarters at Columbus. Volunteer companies of soldiers were formed in all parts of the State. Efforts were made to capture all the Indians who tried to join the Seminoles. General "Winfield Scott came to Columbus, organized the troops, and started for the Creek nation. After several skirmishes, many of the Creeks surrendered to General Scott and asked for peace.
It was designed to remove the remainder as soon as they could be forced to surrender. But many defied the authority of the State, and continued the war. In the night of May 15, 1836, a party of them, about three hundred in number, made an attack upon Eoanoke, a small village on the Chattahoochee Eiver, in Stewart County. The citizens were taken by sur prise, many of them having retired to rest. The first warning was the firing of the guns and the yells of the savages. The men of the village rushed to arms and tried to oppose the
230
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Indians, but they were forced to retreat, the number of the enemy was so large. jSTine whites and three blacks were killed, and the rest escaped. The Indians burned the town to ashes. The same party of Indians attacked and burned the boat Georgian while lying at anchor near Eoanoke. Not a soul escaped except the engineer. They also attacked the boat Hyperion while ascending the river. Several of the crew ',vere killed, and the remainder fled, leaving the vessel to the Indians.
These Indians were soon after attacked by a party of white men under Captain Q-armany and Major Jernigan. The battle was one of the most serious of the war. Captain Garmany killed three Indians with his own hands, but he himself was wounded in the thigh by another. The Indian drew a knife and rushed upon the brave captain, who had fallen to the ground. Drawing his pistol, the captain waited until his as sailant was close at hand, and firing, he killed the savage just in time to prevent the knife from piercing his breast. The savages, who greatly outnumbered the whites, forced them to retreat, after many of the latter had been slain. Then the Indians marched down the banks of the Chattahoochee, burned several houses, and plundered the country on their way.
They then tried to join the Seminoles in Florida. They marched into Baker County, murdered several families, and afterwards, to the number of three hundred, hid themselves on an island in the centre of a swamp. The militia of that county waited for reinforcements. When they came, the whole body, numbering five hundred, was put under command of Colonel A. A. Beall, who determined to drive the enemy from the swamp, where they had lain more than a week. Two hundred men were placed on the outskirts to prevent an escape. The remainder entered the swamp, wading waist-deep through the water and mud, and reached the Indian camp. Here a battle was fought which lasted more than half an hour, and the Indians were driven from the island, leaving behind
OUTRAGES.
23 1
many dead warriors, together with their horses and plunder. Only fourteen of the Georgia troops were wounded, and but one killed. This defeat prevented the junction of the Creeks with the Seminoles in Florida.
A fight took place July, 1836, at Echowanotchaway swamp between Major Jernigan's command and the Indians, in which the latter were again defeated. Another party of Indians, on their way to Florida, were attacked in Thomas County by Captain Sharpe, 'and twenty-two of them were killed and the rest put to flight. These defeats compelled the principal chiefs to abandon the war and sue for peace. Many of them came to the , forts and surrendered. \T InTS37 Governor Schley was nomi nated by the Union party for reelection as governor, but he was defeated by George E. Gilmer, the candidate and leader of the State-Eights party. Gilmer was governor at the time the Indians were finally removed from the
By the treaty (of December, 1835)
JAMBS MOOEE WAYNE.
the State of Georgia was to take possession of the Cherokee
lands on the 24th of May, 1838. Some days before this date
the military were called out, and General Scott put in com
mand. The Indians were gathered together, and in Septem
ber fourteen thousand started for the lands assigned them on
the west of the Mississippi.
While some of the events just related were engaging atten
tion in Georgia, there was another presidential election--
that of 3836--Martin Van Buren of New York being the suc
cessful candidate. The State-Eights party carried Georgia,
and its vote was cast for Hugh L. White, of Tennessee.
In 1837' John P. King resigned his seat as United States
Senator, and was succeeded by ex-Governor Wilson Lumpkin.
232
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
An important appointment made by Andrew Jackson be fore the close of his term as President was that of Judge James M. Wayne, of Savannah, as associate justice of the United States Supreme Court. This was in January, 1835. Judge Wayne held the office until his death in 1867-
[James Moore Wayne was born in Savannah in 1790. He graduated at Princeton, was admitted to the bar in 1810, and began to practise law in Savannah. Hs was in Congress in 1827-1835, and was an ardent sup porter of President Andrew Jackson. He died in Washington city in 1867.]
[William Schley was born in Maryland in 1786. He was educated in the schools of Louisville and Augusta, Ga. He began practising law in 1812. In 1825 he was elected judge of the Superior Court of the Middle District, which office he held until 1828. In 1830 he was sent to the legislature, and in 1832 to Congress. His first message to the legislature strongly advocated the building of the Western and Atlantic Railroad. To this work he devoted all the time he could spare, and had the honor of signing the act authorizing the road to be built. After his term ex pired he retired to his home in Richmond County, where he died at a ripe old age.]
QUESTIONS.
Who was elected governor in 1835 ? Tell about Eli Hicks--what he did and what happened to him. What action did the United States government take? What were the chief articles of the treaty ? What action did Governor Schley take against the Indians ? Tell about the attack oti Roanoke and on the two ships. What officers soon after attacked the Indians ? What was the result ? What did the Indians do in Baker County ? Describe the attack on the Indian camp in the swamp. Where and by whom were the Indians next defeated ? Who was elected governor of Georgia in 1887 ? Tell about the departure of the Indians.
TOPICS.
1. Schley elected governor. 2. Eli Hicks. 3. Treaty with Cherokees.
4. Captain Germany's exploit. 5. The battle at the swamp. 6. Final departure of Indians.
CHAPTER XLII.
HIGHER EDUCATION.
" A disregard of moral instruction will have an inevitable tendency to promote luxury and vice, and ultimately endanger, if it does not entirely overthrow, onr present happy government."--DAVID B. MITCHELL.
WE have told in another chapter about the rise and prog
ress of the State University. There were also many high
schools throughout the State, and primary schools in every
village. In January, 1833, the Bap
tists opened a school known as Mercer
Institute at a place where the little vil
lage of Penfield, in Oglethorpe County,
now stands. The beginnings of this
school were very modest, for the build
ings consisted of only two double cabins
with a garret to each, and these served
for dwelling, dining-rooms, and study
KEY, JESSK MEKCEK.
for both teachers and pupils. The school started with only thirty-nine
students. The next year there were eighty, and another teacher
was engaged. During the second and third years more build
ings and better rooms were added. In 1838 the name was
changed to Mercer University. The school had been named
Mercer after Rev. Jesse Mercer, the leading Baptist minister
of the State, and one of the ardent supporters of the institution.
In 1838, also, a town was laid out around the university, and it
was named Penfield, after Joseph Penfield, of Savannah, who
had given twenty-five hundred dollars to aid the school in the
beginning. Mercer University continued to improve and grow
HI&HER EDUCATION.
235
in number of students and popularity. In 1871 the school was moved to Macon, and it remains as one of the noblest
institutions of our State. .
In 1838 the Presbyterians established a college at Midway in Baldwin County. It was to be named Oglethorpe Univer sity. In 1842 the number of students was one hundred and twenty-five. The studies were suspended toward the close of the Civil War from lack of funds. After the war several
OSLETHORPE TJNIVEKSITT.
efforts were made to revive the institution, but they were not very successful, and in 1872 the university was closed.
In December, 1836, the legislature granted a charter to Emory College, founded by the Methodists, and named after Bishop Emory. The college was located, and in December, 1837, Rev. Ignatius A. Pew was chosen president. The town of Oxford soon grew up around the institution. The Rev. Mr. .Few was succeeded by Rev. A. B. Longstreet, who was president for ten years. He was followed by Rev. George I?. Pierce, who was afterwards made bishop. The first class
HIGHER EDUCATION.
337
graduated in 1841. Prom that time until the present, except four years, during and just alter the war, the school has con tinued in operation, graduating nearly a thousand young men, some of whom became famous in the history of the country
Attention was also given to the question of higher education
WESLEYAN COLLEGE.
of girls. As far back as 1825 Duncan G. Campbell proposed a bill in the legislature for the education of yonng women, and though the bill was not passed, he is regarded as^the founder of the scheme of a female college In 1835 the people of Macon began to think of building a school for girls. A meet ing of the citizens was held in 1835, and a sum of money was raised, and a site chosen on a high hill overlooking the city.
238
HISTORY OF GEOR&IA.
The money and site were given to the Methodist Conference,
and a school was built, which was named the Georgia Female
College. It was opened in January,
1839. George F. Pierce being presi
dent. The first class graduated in
1840. and since that time nearly fif
teen hundred young women have
received diplomas at the institution.
In 1843 the name was changed to
Wesleyan Female College. It is the
first college in the world chartered
to confer degrees upon women.
GECKOS P. PIEKOE.
One of the notable men of the period was Eev. James Osgood An
drew, of Oxford, the first Methodist bishop from Georgia.
He was elected bishop by the General Conference of the Meth
odist Church in Philadelphia in 1832.
At that time there was only one
Methodist Church organization for
all the United States, bat now there
are two organizations--the Northern
Methodist Church and the Southern.
The division came about in this way.
The General Conference which met
in New York in 1844 regarded it as
a grave matter that Bishop Andrew
was the owner of a few slaves, and it passed a resolution deposing him
BISHOP ANDKEW.
from his office unless he would sever his connection with
what they called the "great evil." This gave offence to
the Methodist Church in slave-holding States, and in 1845 they
formed a separate organization called the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South.
[Jesse Mercer was born in North Carolina in 1769. He became a Bap tist preacher before he was twenty years of age. So eager was he for knowl-
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.
239
edge that he went to school two years after he married. In 1798 he was a member of the convention for revising the Constitution. He was once urged to permit his name to be presented as candidate for governor, but he declined. He died in 1841, and was buried at Penfleld, near the first site of Mereer University.]
[Ignatius Alphonso Few, LL.D., was born in Warren County, Geor gia, on the llth of April, 1790. He practised law till the beginning of the War of 1812, when he entered the army and rose to the rank of colonel At the close of the war lie went to Augusta. It is said that he was inclined to infidelity or agnosticism. At his home, however, preachers of all denominations always met a cordial welcome. By his association with them his faith in Christianity became fixed, and he -joined the Methodist Church and entered the ministry. He died in Athens, Ga., in 1845.]
[James Osgood Andrew was born near Washington, Wilkes County, 1794. His father was probably the first itinerant minister, and his mother one of the first converts in the Methodist Church in Georgia. Bishop Andrew had but meagre opportunities of attending school, so he was to a great degree self-educated. He entered the ministry when he was nineteen years of age. He died in 1871.]
QUESTIONS.
Who founded Mercer Institute ? After whom was it named ? What did it become later ? Tell about the town of Penfield. Who founded the Oglethorpe University ? Was it successful ? Who founded Emory Col lege ? Who was its first president ? Who first introduced a bill for the higher education of females ? How and when was the Georgia Female College founded ? What is it now called ? What distinction belongs to it as to conferring degrees on women ? Tell about the division of the Methodist Church organization.
1. Mercer University. 2. Emory College.
TOPICS.
3. Wesleyan Female College. 4. Methodist Church organization.
CHAPTER XLIII.
OUR FIKST BAILED ADS.
" Such a State, the cherished abode of a free, enlightened, and enterprising people, is called to the consideration of the high duties which, in the providence of God, are de volved upon her."--J. M. BEBRIEN.
1
THE first passenger railroad train in the United States was run in 1830 between Washington city and Baltimore. Every body then began to think of railroads. The public mind, however, was not fully made up as to which mode of travel ling was best, whether by railroad, by turnpikes, or by canals. The press of Augusta and Macon advised the people to be careful about trying steam cars and railroads. They advocated good highways, but they were not certain that railroads were safe or useful. At a convention at Eatonton to discuss the subject of transportation, it was decided not to recommend any particular plan until the matter had been more fully in vestigated. However, as time went by, every one began to see the advantage of steam cars over stage coaches, and public opinion in Georgia soon strongly favored a railroad system for the State. The general idea was to connect Savannah and Macon. by a railroad; to connect Augusta with the towns of Athens, Madison, and Eatonton; and to build a line from the junction of these to the Tennessee Eiver.
The 'Georgia Eailroad received its charter in 1833, and the road was begun from Augusta, with the plan of extension to some point in the interior of -the State. At first the road was to run to Union Point, with branches to Athens, Madison, and Eatonton. In 1837 a portion of the road- was finished, and cars began to run and carry passengers and freight. By the end of 1839 seventy-seven miles had been constructed, and
OUR FIRST RAILROADS.
241
the road was in operation to Greensboro. By 1840 eightyeight miles were finished, and the next year the road was extended to Madison, and the Athens branch was completed.
Meanwhile the construction of other roads was in progress. In 1834 a survey had been made between Savannah and Macon, and in 1836 the charter of the Central road was granted. By this time the people had fully realized the great importance and benefit of the railroad system, and when news was re ceived in Macon' that the charter had been granted, the city was illuminated, bonfires were lighted, the church bells were rung, cannon were fired, and public speeches were made. The build ing of the road from Savannah, was at once begun, and, as it
EARLY AMERICAN RAILROAD TKAIN.
advanced, the stage routes to Macon were made shorter. At last, in 1843, the first passenger car arrived at the temporary depot, two and a half miles from Macon. The road was one hundred and ninety miles long, and, at the time it was com pleted, it was the longest railroad in the world built and owned by one company. The master spirit of the undertak ing was William W. Gordon of Savannah, the first president.
Another road was in process of building at this time. It was from Macon to Forsyth, and was first called the Monroe Eailroad. It was chartered in 1833, and work was commenced in 1835. The track was completed from Macon to Forsyth in December, 1838, and the first passenger train run over the road, carrying a large number of citizens of Macon. When the train arrived at Forsyth it was greeted with cheers, speeches were made, and.the visitors entertained at a banquet.
It had at first been intended to carry the road only to For
242
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
syth, but in 1836 the charter was amended so that the road might be extended to some point on the Ohattahoochee River, to be subsequently decided upon. The road was afterwards called the Macon and "Western Railroad, and it has since be come a part of the Central Railroad system.
While these roads were being built from Savannah., Augusta, and Macon, work was begun on the road with which they were to connect, and which would extend through the Cherokee country to the Tennessee River. This road was chartered in 1836, and was built at the expense of the State. For this reason it is often called the " State Road," though its proper name is the Western and Atlantic Railroad. An elevated location, -seven miles east of the Chattahoochee River, was selected as the point where the new road should begin and the two roads from the south should end. In 1845 the Georgia Railroad was completed to this point, which the engineers first called Terminus. The State authorities named it Marthasville, for a daughter of Governor Lumpkin. This name was subsequently changed by the State Legislature to Atlanta, and the city which grew up there became the centre of the rail road system of the State.
In 1840 there were six hundred and thirty-six miles .of railroad graded in Georgia, which was more than was in any other State, or country of the world, at that time.
QUESTIONS.
What was the first passenger railway train in America ? Tell about the convention at Eatonton. What road was first chartered ? Tell about the Central road. What other road was being constructed at the same time ? Where is the State road ? Why is it so called ? What was made the centre of the State system ?
TOPICS.
1. Railroads. . 2. General system in Georgia.
3. State road. 4. Atlanta.
CHAPTER XLIV.
ADMINISTRATION OF McDOKALD.
" The public faith must be maintained ; and to pause to discuss the question of pre* erence between taxation and dishonor, would be to cast a reflection upon the character of the people whose servants we are."--CHAKLES J. McDoNALD.
AT the close of the year 1839 Georgia was in undisturbed possession of all its territory. The Indians had left, and the northern and south western parts of the State were open to settlers, who could now plant their farms and build their homes and live in peace. The administration of Charles J. McDonald as governor be gan with this period. He was elected GOVERNOR 0. J. MoDONALD. in 1839 as the candidate of the Union party. His opponent was Charles Dougherty, the candidate of the State-Rights party. When McDonald was urged, during the campaign, to help to secure his own election by making certain promises and "trades," he replied, " I have never bargained for any office, and if I do not get this office without conditions, I shall never reach it." He meant that he would make no promise to give an office or other reward to any person for supporting him, but that, if elected, he would do his duty according to the laws. The first subject which demanded the attention of the new governor was the condition of money -affairs in the State. There was a general complaint of "hard times"; money was scarce; credit had been abused; speculation had been wild
344
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
and unsuccessful; and the people were burdened with debt. Cotton dropped to four or five cents a pound, while articles that the planters had to buy rose in price.
To add to the distress, the Georgia banks all stopped specie payments--that is, they would not pay out gold or silver, but only paper money. The legislature of 1839 passed a law forbidding banks in suspension to bring suits on notes, bonds, or other evidences of debt held by them, and a bill was passed in 1840 requiring the banks to resume specie payments or give up their charters.
The presidential election of 1840 came on in the midst of the financial gloom which hung over the counti'y. Martin Van Buren was nominated by the Democratic party for reelection. The National Republican party, of which Henry Olay and Daniel Webster were the leaders, was now known as the Whig party, and it nominated William Henry Harrison of Ohio as its candidate. In Georgia the Democratic party, made up chiefly of the old Clark party, supported Van Buren, under the leadership of Forsyth, McDonald, and Lumpkin. The State-Rights party of Georgia, which, under Berrien, Grilmer, and Dawson, had carried the State, four years before, for Hugh L. White for President, against Andrew Jackson, supported Harrison and became known as the Whig party, although some of its leaders, as Governor Gilmer, never admitted being Whigs.
Harrison was popular as a soldier of distinguished record. While not engaged in public affairs, he lived upon his farm, in his log cabin, cultivated his orchard, and made hard cider-- hence the campaign was known as the " hard cider campaign."
In August, 1840, a great Harrison convention met in Macon. It was the largest public meeting which up to that time had ever been in the State. There were not then many miles of railroad leading to Macon, and people came long distances on horseback and in carriages and wagons. Some made log cabins, mounted them on wheels, and drove fifty to eighty
ADMINISTRATION OF MCDONALD.
245
miles, living in them while on the way. The number that
crowded into the town was estimated at fifteen thousand, and
many speeches were made and resolutions passed endorsing
Harrison for President. At the elec
tion Harrison carried the State by
eight thousand majority. He also
obtained a majority of the other
States, and was elected, but he died
one month after his inauguration.
He was succeeded by John Tyler of
Virginia, who had been elected Vice-
President.
In 1841 Governor McDonald was
reeleeted, defeating William 0. Dawson, the Whig candidate. Dawson
WILLIAM C. DAWSON.
was an able man, and a member of Congress at that time.
The governor, in his message to the legislature, intimated that
he had borrowed over two and a quarter millions of dollars for
the State, and he urged them to
pass a bill levying a tax to pay
this debt as well as to meet cur
rent expenses. The legislature
refused, and were about to adjourn
without making any provision for
the financial needs of the State.
Governor McDonald then ordered
the State treasurer not to pay any
salaries, but to retain the money
BISHOP ELLIOTT.
in the treasury to defray the ex penses of the government and to
protect the Florida frontier of the State against the Indians,
who at this time had begun making raids into the southern
counties. The legislators themselves could, therefore, get no
pay, and they were very indignant. They denounced the
governor as a tyrant, and characterized his order to the treas-
246
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
urer as a high-handed measure. The governor's friends ad vised him to withdraw the order, but he refused. So the legislature was obliged to pass the bill recommended by him, and thus money was obtained for the wants of the State.
In 1841 Georgia was made a diocese of the Protestant Epis copal Church, and the Eev. Stephen Elliott was elected first bishop. He was a man of great ability, and under his fostering care his church prospered.
The census of the State at the end of 1840 showed a popu lation of six hundred and ninety-one thousand three huDdred and ninety-two, of whom two hundred and eighty thousand nine hundred and forty-four were slaves. Savannah had a population of twelve thousand, Augusta eight thousand, Macon three thousand five hundred, Columbus four thousand.
[Charles J. McDonald was a native of South Carolina. His parents came to Georgia in his infancy and settled in Hancock County. He graduated at Columbia College, South Carolina. In 1818 he began the practice of law. In 1822 he was elected solicitor-general of the first circuit, and judge of the same circuit in 1825.]
[William C. Dawson was born in Greene County in 1798. He grad uated at Franklin College in 1816. He began the practice of law in Greensboro. He was a member of Congress from 1836 to 1842. In 1847 he was elected United States Senator for Georgia for a term of six years, commencing 1849. Because of his elegant manners he was called "the first gentleman of Georgia." He died in 1856.]
QUESTIONS.
Who was elected governor in 1839 ? What first demanded his atten tion ? Tell about the banks and the action of the legislature. Who was elected governor in 1842 ? What did the new governor advise the legislature to do ? What did he do when the legislature refused ? What followed ?
TOPICS.
t. McDonald elected governor.
3. McDonald's reelection.
2. The banks and specie payments. 4. Census of 1840.
CHAPTER XLV.
ADMI-NTSTEATIOJT OF GOVERNOR CRAWFORD. --SUPREME COURT ORGANIZED.----ANAESTHESIA.
" The first thing to be regarded in a republic is the virtue of the people ; the second, their intelligence. Both are essential to the maintenance of our free institutions j the first inspires them with a disposition to do right, the second arms them with power to resist wrong."--CHAKLES J. MoD
THE first convention of the Whig
party met at Milledgeville on June 19,
1843. John M. Ber/ien, leader of the
Whigs in Georgia, was made president.
He had been elected to the United
States Senate in 1840, to succeed Wil
son Lumpkin. The convention nomi
nated George W. Orawfordas their can
didate for governor. They also sent ten
GEOROE V. CRAWTORD.
delegates to the Whig convention which was to meet in Baltimore in May, 1844,
with directions to vote for Henry
Clay for President of the United
States and John M. Berrien for
Vice- President. The Democrats
nominated Mark A. Cooper for gov
ernor, but at the election he was de
feated by Crawford. The legislature
of the same year elected Walter T.
Colquitt to succeed Alfred Cuthbert
in the United States Senate.
Governor Crawford's administra
tion devoted its attention mainly to WALTEK T.
248
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
the financial affairs of the State. His message to the legis
lature of 1844 showed that the condition of the banks was
improving, and that the taxes raised were sufficient to pay
the debts of the State as well as the expenses of the govern
ment. The committee appointed by the legislature to investi
gate the affairs of the treasury and the public debt reported
that the gov-
ernor was rapid
ly reducing the
Jf^^\
^e^* an(^ Pavmg
the interest on
\
the unpaid bonds.
One of the
most important
measures of this
-4*1 A: period was the es-
EUGEMIUS A. MISBIT.
HIRAM WAENBK.
FIEST SUPREME COURT OF GBOKGIA.
tablishment of a supreme court. In 1841 Governor Charles J. McDonald had recommended it, saying: " The decisions of the circuit judge are final and irreversible except at his will. His power in cases involving the life, property, and liberty of the citizen is absolute and appalling, and but that we have been so long accustomed to its exercise by a single individual, it would not be tolerated for a day." -1 In..1845 the legislature completed the organization of the new court, electing Joseph Henry Lumpkin chief justice, and Hiram Warner and Eugenius A. Nisbit associate justices. This court has power to confirm or reverse the decisions of the circuit judges.
ANESTHESIA.
249
Before 1842, whenever it was necessary to perform a surgi cal operation, it could not be done without great pain to the patient. Consequently there were comparatively few surgi cal operations prior to that year. Now there are hundreds daily, with most beneficial results, and without any suffering to the patient. This is due to a Georgia man--Dr. Crawford Ware Long, who practised medicine the greater part of his life in Athens, Ga.
Dr. Long was born in the town of Danielsville, Ga., in 1817. He graduated in medicine at the Uni versity of Pennsylvania in 1839. After one year's study in New York city, he settled in Jefferson, ' ' ' Ga., eighteen miles from Athens. While at college in Pennsylvania he had learned of the exhilarat ing effects caused by smelling the vapor of sulphuric ether. In Jefferson the young men of the village would frequently gather in the back room of a store adjoining the doctor's office to "smell ether." When partly under its influence, these young men would begin wrestling, boxing, turning somersaults, fighting, and making laughable speeches. During these frolics severe bruises, cuts, and sprains were often received by the inhalers, Dr. Long himself among the number. Soon the doctor noticed that the injuries seemed to give not the least pain until the persons had recovered from the influence of the ether. From this he inferred that with the aid of ether a surgical operation might be performed without pain, and so the great discovery was made. Dr. Long soon put his discovery to a practical test. One of his young friends, Mr. James M. Venable, had two small tumors on his neck. Know ing that in his own case ether had deadened the pain of inju ries received in the "frolics," the young man consented that
350
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Dr. Long should remove the tumors if he would allow him to smell ether. This was done, and on March 30, 1842, the first operation ever made with ether was performed, with the result that one of the tumors was removed without pain. On June 6, 1842, the other was removed in the same painless manner. On July 3, 1842, Dr. Long amputated the toe of a negro boy, and on September 9, 1843, he removed a tumor from the head of Mary Vincent, without pain to the patients.
The State of Georgia esteemed this discovery so valuable, and the discoverer so worthy of honor, that it had a portrait of Dr. Long painted and hung in the Capitol at Atlanta.
[George W. Crawford was born in Columbia County, Georgia, in December, 1798. He graduated at Princeton in 1820, and studied law under Richard Henry Wilde. In 1822 he began to practise as a lawyer in Augusta. In 1827 he was elected attorney-general, and held that office until 1831. In 1843 he was elected to Congress, of which he was a member until elected governor.]
[Joseph Henry Lumpkin was born in Oglethorpe County in December, 1799. At an early age he entered the University of Georgia, but left it to finish his education at Princeton. He was graduated there with high honor. He devoted his time mostly to the law, and from an early age showed great ability. His health being impaired, he went to Europe for relaxation. During his absence he was choseh chief justice of the Supreme Court. No abler judge ever sat on the bench. He died in 1867.]
QUESTIONS.
What convention met at Milledgeville in 1848? Who was elected gov ernor in 1843 ? What court was established in 1845 ? Who were its first judges ? What discovery in surgical science was made in 1842 ? Who was the discoverer ? Tell how he came to know about the effects of sul phuric ether. What was the first operation to test the new method ?
TOPICS.
1. The Milledgeville convention. 3. The first Supreme Court.
2. Crawford elected governor.
4. Dr. Long's discovery.
CHAPTEE XLVI.
GEORGIA IN THE MEXICAN WAE.
"Where Liberty dwells there is our country."--Flag Emblem.
WHILE Texas was still part of Mexico, it was settled by people from the United States, and when Santa Anna, the Mexican president, refused to grant them a State constitu tion, they revolted, and set up a government of their own. Volunteer companies were organized in the United States to aid Texas in its revolt. A company of soldiers went from Georgia under command of Colonel William Ward of Macon, and joined the regiment of Colonel Fannin of North Caro lina, which was stationed at Fort G-oliad in Texas.
When Colonel Ward was about to leave Georgia, a lady of Knoxville, Crawford County, presented to his company a flag of plain white silk, bearing a lone blue star of five points. On one side of the flag was the inscription " Liberty or Death "; on the other side was a motto in Latin, the translation of which is printed at the head of this chapter. The flag was used by Colonel W^ard, and his men called it "The Flag of the Lone Star." It is said that it was afterwards adopted as the flag of the republic of Texas.
Ward and his command were sent to assist Colonel King in rescuing women and children at a mission church thirty miles from Fort Goliad. At the mission they were attacked by a large force of Mexicans, which they defeated, the Mexicans losing two hundred men, while Ward had only three wounded. Ward then, set out for Victoria.
Meanwhile another large body of Mexicans attacked Fannin at Fort Goliad, and he was ordered by General Houston to
252
-HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
retreat to Victoria. Believing the Mexicans too cowardly to attack him, he set out for Victoria. On the march he was intercepted and surrounded by the Mexican army. He re pelled the attack, but on the second day the Mexicans brought up their artillery, and Fannin, seeing resistance hopeless, sur rendered upon the written condition that he and his men should be sent to the United States. They were first taken back to Fort G-oliad.
When "Ward reached Victoria he found himself surrounded by Mexicans, and he also surrendered, and was brought to Fort Goliad, where Fannin's men were confined. Next morning they were inarched out of the fort, expecting to be sent to New Orleans, but every man was shot down in cold blood, Ward and Fannin among the rest. Such was the fate of the Georgia battalion.
When General Houston defeated Santa Anna and the Mexicans in April, 1836, a treaty of peace was made by which Texas became free and independent. The president of the republic of Texas from 1838 to 1841 was Mirabeau Lamar, a Georgian. In 1837 the new republic asked for admission into the Union of the United States, and for several years the "annexation of Texas" was a national question. James K. Polk was elected President of the United States by the Democrats in 1844 on the platform of favoring its admis sion. Henry Clay, the Whig candidate, opposed annexation, and Georgia, at the time a Whig State, was carried by the Democrats for Polk. But on March 1, 1845, three days before Folk's inauguration, Texas was admitted by resolution of Congress. Troops were at once sent to protect its frontier from the Mexicans, and soon afterwards Mexico declared war against the United States.
George W. Crawford was reflected governor in 1845, after a warm campaign, defeating M. H. McAllister.
In May, 1846, the War Department called on Georgia for a regiment of infantry to serve in Mexico. A prompt response
GEORGIA IN THE MEXICAN WAS.
253
was given. In June ten companies from various parts of the
State met at Columbus and formed a regiment. Henry E.
Jackson of Savannah was chosen colonel. This regiment
went at once to Mexico, where it stayed for twelve months.
But it had no encounter with the
enemy, and the only service it ren
dered was by details of soldiers, for
guarding money trains and provision,
wagons. The regiment was sent to
camp at a very unhealthy place, so
that many of the men died.
Other companies were formed
throughout the State, while' many
brave recruits went alone to join the
regular United States army, and did COMMODORE JOSIAH TATTNALL.
valiant service. Numbers lost their
lives in the bloody battles of the war, among whom was Colo
nel James Mclntosh, a hero of the War of 1812. He had
gone into the army of the United States, had fought in the
principal battles of the war,
and was wounded at Palo Alto.
After other brilliant victories
his command reached the very
walls of the City of Mexico,
where he fell at the head of his
troops. Commodore Josiah
Tattnall of Georgia played an
important part in all the naval
operations. He commanded a
fleet known as the " Mosquito
Division."
GENEKAL DAVID E. TWIGGS.
Among other Georgians who
distinguished themselves in
Mexico were General W. H. T. Walker, Lieutenant William
M, Gardiner, and General David E. Twiggs. The legislature
254
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
of Georgia .presented to each of these officers, and also to Com modore Tattnall, an elegant sword in recognition of the bravery with which they had upheld the honor of the State.
The Mexican War was brought to an end by a succession of brilliant victories by the United States generals. General Scott captured the City of Mexico September, 1847, and General Taylor defeated Santa Anna, gaining possession of all the northern province of Mexico. A treaty of peace was con cluded February 2, 1848, by which the United States acquired the territory including California, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, and Texas, Mexico receiving fifteen million dollars from the United States.
General Zachary Taylor of Louisiana, who was called "OH Rough and Ready " by his soldiers, had been a hero in the Mexican War. He was nominated by the Whigs for President of the United States in 1848 and was elected. Georgia's vote was cast in his favor. He appointed George W. Crawford sec retary of war. Walter T. Colquitt resigned his seat in the United States Senate in 1848, and Hersehel V. Johnson suc ceeded him.
[In 1845 the legislature provided for the establishment of a school for deaf and dumb. In time handsome buildings were erected at Cave Springs, in Floyd County, where the school is located.]
[Commodore Josiah Tattnall, son of Governor Josiah Tattnall, was born near Savannah in 1795. He served in the War of 1812 with dis tinction. When war was declared with Mexico he was appointed to the command of a fleet to defend the landing of General Winfield Scott's army. He resigned the service of the United States and joined the Con federate States navy, and was assigned to the command of the naval defence of the Georgia and Carolina coasts. He died in Savannah, 1871.]
[David E. Twiggs was born in Richmond County in 1790. He served throughout the War of 1812, holding various offices. He was in the Mexican War under General Taylor at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. He was made brigadier-general, brevetted major-general for gallantry at
OBOO1. I'Oll XUt IJiSAJf, CAVE Si'lUNGS, O4
256
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Monterey, and Congress presented to him a sword. In 1848 he became military governor of Vera Cruz. He was appointed brigadier-general in the service of the Confederacy, but resigned in 1861. He died in September, 1862.]
[Mirabeau B. Lamar was born in Louisville, Ga., 1798. He was a farmer and merchant until 1828, when he founded a State-Bights jour nal known as the Columbus Independent. In 1835 he went to Texas and joined the .Revolutionary party. He became a major-general of the republic and secretary of war. In 1836 he was vice-president, and from 1838 to 1841 was president of the republic. He served during the Mexi can War with distinction. He died, 1859, in Texas.]
[Henry R. Jackson, nephew of Governor James Jackson, was born in Athens, Ga., 1820, and graduated at Tale College in 1839. He began to practise law in 1840, was United States district attorney in 1843, and a colonel of a Georgia regiment in the Mexican War. He was minister to Austria in 1854, and after his return to Savannah was appointed associate counsel in the prosecution of the persons engaged in importing slaves on the "Wanderer." He was appointed majorgeneral to command the Georgia forces during the war between the States (1861-1865), and the Confederate Government commissioned him brigadier-general. During Cleveland's administration he was minister to Mexico. He died Maj 23, 1898.]
QUESTIONS.
Who commanded the Georgia troops that went to aid the revolt of Texas ? Describe the fight at the mission church. Tell about the mas sacre of Fannin's men. What Georgian was president ol the republic of Texas ? Who was elected governor in 1845 ? What call was made on Georgia by the War Department in 1846 ? How did Georgia respond ? Who commanded the regiment ? What other help did Georgia give in the Mexican War ? Tell about the service of Colonel Mclntosh. What Georgian gave important service in the navy ? How did the war end? What Georgian was made secretary of war in 1848 ?
TOPICS.
1. Texas revolt. 2. Massacre of Fannin's men.
3. Mexican War. 4. Crawford secretary ol war.
CHAPTER XLVII.
CONTEST OVEK SLAVERY IS" THE TEHEITORIES.
* The slaveholder can no longer look to the Constitution as the charter of his rights.'* -GOVERNOR Towns in I860.
GEORGE "W". TOWNS, of the city of
Macon, was elected governor in 1847.
He was the Democratic candidate.
The nominee of the Whig party was
General Duncan L. Clinch, who had
served with distinction in the United
States army in 1812, and had defeated
the Seminoles in Florida in 1835.
Governor Towns was reflected in
1849, defeating E. T. Hill, a Whig.
8OVBBNOB GEORGE W. TOWNS.
As a result of the Mexican Wai
the United States
acquired New Mexico and Cali
fornia, which extended the Fed
eral domain to the Pacific Ocean.
The discovery of gold in Cali
fornia in 1848 led to the rapid
increase of its population, and in
1849 the people of the Territory
applied for its admission to the
Union as a State, with a clause in
its constitution prohibiting slavery.
To this the representatives of the Southern States objected, claiming
GENERAL DUNCAN L. CLINCH.
that this constitution was illegal, and proposing to apply to that
Territory the principles of the Missouri Compromise, because half
17
258
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
of the Territory lay south of the parallel 36 30'. In 1820 Con gress had.passed the Missouri Compromise, by which slavery was permitted in all territory south, of that line. They, moreover, demanded the passing of a fugitive-slave law to give them the protection guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. Congress refused to pass such a law. The Southern leaders in Congress then notified the Southern States that their civil rights were threatened, and they advised that a convention of the people be called in each State to consider the situation. Accordingly, the Georgia legislature, at once, called a conven tion of the people of Georgia, to meet at Milledgeville in De cember, 1850, and other Southern States took the same course.
A long and bitter controversy in Congress followed, which ended by the passing, in separate bills, of the measures of the famous Omnibus Bill, introduced by Henry Clay, of Ken tucky. This bill provided that California should be admitted without slavery; that New Mexico and Utah should be organ ized as Territories and left to settle the question of slavery for themselves, and that a law should be passed for the arrest and return of escaped slaves. Both, sides accepted the bills, and they were passed, and peace was restored for the time.
These compromise bills, known as the compromise meas ures of 1850, received the approval of the Georgia Congress men, leading "Whigs and Democrats supporting them as the best that could be done, the desire of all being to save the Union at every sacrifice except the right guaranteed by the Constitution of protection to their property. It was a Georgia statesman, Howell Cobb, who, as Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress, presided over its stormy sessions in 1849 and 1850, with a fairness and firm ness that won the praise of both sides.
The convention of the people, which had been called before the passage of the compromise measures, assembled at Milledgeville, December 10, 1850. As the people generally accepted the compromise measures, the majority of the dele-
THE GEORGIA PLATFORM.
259
gates favored the Union party. A committee was appointed
to draw up a report for the convention. This famous report
was written by Charles J. Jenkins, and was known as the
Georgia Platform. It declared Georgia attached to the
Union ; it regretted the agitation on the slavery question,
and insisted on the right of the States to settle the matter
for themselves; it avowed the willingness of the State of
Geprgia to abide by the compromise measures of Henry Clay;
it declared the State of Georgia ought to and will resist any
action of Congress that would disturb the safety and violate
the rights and honor of the slave-holding States. The
meaning of all this was that Georgia would stay in the Union
as long as it could with honor and safety to itself, for the
people loved the Union and did not want it broken.
November 10, 1850, the Eoman
Catholic Church made the State of
Georgia a separate diocese and
called it the Diocese of Savannah.
The first bishop was the Eight Eev-
erend Francis X. Gartland, D.D.
He died of yellow fever while car
ing for the sick during the epi
demic of 1854 in Savannah.
According to the census of 1850,
the population of the State was
nine hundred and six thousand one hundred and eighty-five, of
BISHOP GABTLAKD.
which three hundred and eighty-four thousand six hundred
and thirteen were slaves.
The annual production of cotton was four hundred and
ninety-nine thousand bales, of wheat one million bushels, of
oats four million bushels, and of corn thirty million bushels.
The total crops were valued at forty-seven .-million dollars.
Exports had increased to nine million dollars, and imports to
seven hundred thousand dollars. These statistics, compared .
260
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
with those of 1840, show a great growth in the material wealth of the State.
[George W. Towns was born in Wilkes County in 1801. His parents were from Virginia. A fall from his horse produced a hemorrhage from the lungs, the recurrence of which at times threatened his life. He moved to Alabama, and began to practise law in that State in 1824, but returned to Georgia in 1826, and represented Talbot County in the legislature for several years. In 1834 and 1836 he was elected member of Congress. In 1839 he resumed the practice of law and continued it until 1846, when he was again elected to Congress. He died in Macon in 1854.]
[Duncan L. Clinch was born in North Carolina in April, 1788. He served throughout the war of 1812. In 1835, having attained the rank of brigadier-general, he was placed in command of the United States forces then operating against the Semiiiole Indians in Florida. He closed this war by a decisive victory over the Indians under their great chief Osceola at the battle of Withlacoochee. Soon afterwards he retired from the army and devoted himself to his large planting interests in Camden County, Georgia. He died in Macon, Ga., November 27,1849.]
QUESTIONS.
Who was elected governor in 1847 and again in 1849 ? What did the United States acquire by the Mexican War ? What did California apply for ? Who objected, and why ? What did the Georgia legislature do ? What was the Omnibus Bill ? Did the Georgia Congressmen ap prove of it ? What was done at the Milledgeville convention ? What was the population in 1850 ? ,
1. George W. Towns. 2. Disputes over California.
TOPICS.
S. The Omnibus Bill. 4. The Georgia Platform.
CHAPTER XLVIIL
POLITICAL DISTURBANCES.
"Our greatest danger is that the Union will survive the Constitution."--ROBEBI TOOMBS.
AT the election for governor in
1851 the Union party, which in
cluded the Whigs and the Union
Democrats, nominated Howell Cobb,
a Union Democrat, who was elected.
He was then in the prime of
his intellectual power. His elec
tion showed how strong was the
devotion of the State to the
wnntti HOW^I, COBB. Union, his opponent being the can
didate of the Southern Eights
Democrats, ex-Governor Charles J. McDonald.
At the presidential election in 1852, many voters in Georgia
gave a complimentary vote in favor
of the venerable ex-Governor George
M. Troup, but the vote of the State
was cast for Pierce, who was elected.
The Whig candidate, General Scott,
failed to endorse the fugitive-slave
law, and many Georgia Whigs re
fused to vote for him. This election
broke the Whig power in the State,
and the party never carried it again.
John M. Berrien, desiring to retire
from public life, resigned his seat in
EGBERT TOOMBS,
363
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
the United States Senate in 1853. The governor appointed
Robert M. Charlton for the unexpired term, and in 1853
Eobert Toombs, one of the most brilliant men in the State,
who had been a leading Whig, was elected to the office. He
became very prominent by his oratory in the Senate in
defence of the constitutional rights of the Southern people.
At this time, however, he did not advocate secession.
In 1853 Herschel V. Johnson, candidate of the Democratic
party, was elected governor, and he
was reelected in 1855.
It was soon found that the com
promise measures had not settled the
contests between the North and the
South. The Northern and the West
ern States passed laws called personal
liberty laws which nullified the fugi
tive-slave law of Congress and the
/'
GOVEBNOlt H. V. JOHNSON.
provision of the Constitution. The D-remocrat/ s cont, endTed-, t11hat, t, hi e N-.-r-ort.h,
had violated the Missouri Compromise, and in 1854 Congress
passed the famous Kansas-Nebraska Bill, introduced by
Stephen A. Douglas, of Illinois. This bill gave the settlers of
Kansas, which lies north of 36 30', the right to decide
whether they should have slavery or not. Immediately each
party began to send settlers into the Territory in order to have
a majority in. favor of its views when a State Constitution
should be voted on. Settlers sent out for such a purpose could
not be expected to. live together in peace, and soon a regular
war was waged between them.
These struggles caused great excitement, and in 1856 the
Republican party nominated General John C. Fremont for
President. This party in 1831, taking the name of the Liberty
party, had. started an agitation for the abolition of slavery.
They nominated a candidate for President in 1840, and he
received seven thousand votes. Four'years later the same can-
TROUBLES.
263
didate received sixty-two thousand votes. In 1848 the Liberty
party took the name of the Free Soil party, and nominated
ex-President Van Buren as their candidate. They did not
favor abolition, but merely opposed any further extension of
slavery. With the support of Northern Whigs their candidate
received three hundred thousand votes. At the election of
1852 their vote was not so great, those Whigs who had before
supported them being now satisfied by the compromise measures
of 1850.
But the Kansas-Nebraska Bill revived bitter feeling among
the anti-slavery men in the North, and in 1856 many Whigs
supported the candidate of the Free Soil party, which now
became known as the Republican party. Other Whigs joined
the American, or "Know Nothing," party, whose leading
principle was opposition to foreigners being made citizens until
after a long term of residence. In Georgia, in 1855, most of
the Whigs went into this party, including- Benjamin H, Hill.
The candidate of the Democratic party at the presidential
election of 1856 was James Bu-
chanan of Pennsylvania, who was
elected. In the campaign the exten
sion of slavery in the Territories was
the only question discussed. Presi
dent Buchanan appointed Howell
Cobb his secretary of the treasury.
In 1855 the legislature elected
Alfred Iverson, a Southern Eights
Democrat, to succeed William C.
Dawson in the United States Senate.
ALFRED IVERSON.
[Howell Cobb was born in Jefferson County, Georgia, in 1815. At nineteen he was graduated at the University of Georgia. In 1886 he was admitted to the bar and at once gave evidence of a high order of talents and attainments. In 1837 he was elected solicitor-general of the western circuit. In 1843 he was elected to Congress, and became one of the leading men in that body. In 1850 he was elected Speaker of the
264
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
House of Representatives. After his term of governor expired he reBntered Congress, and became secretary of the treasury under Presi dent Buehanan. He resigned at the beginning of the war, and threw all his energies into the movement for secession. He became a majorgeneral in the service of the Confederate States. He died in New York, October, 1868.]
[Herschel V. Johnson was born in Burke .County in 1812. He gradu ated at the university in 1834, studied law and practised in Augusta until 1839. In 1840 he entered politics as a Democrat, and moved to Milledgeville to live. He became a United States Senator in 1848. In 1849 he was elected judge of the Ocmulgee district, which office he held until chosen governor. In 1860 he was nominated for Vice-President on the ticket with Stephen A. Douglas. He opposed the secession of Georgia, but when the fact was accomplished threw in his lot with his State and was chosen to the Confederate Senate. After the war he was made a Senator of the United States from Georgia, but was not allowed to take his seat. He died in Jefferson County in 1880.]
[Alfred Iverson was born in Burke County, Georgia, in 1798. He graduated at Princeton College in 1820 ; studied law and commenced practice at Columbus. He was a judge of the State Supreme Court. He . was elected a representative in Congress, and served as United States Senator from 1855 to 1861. He died at Macon, 1874.]
QUESTIONS.
Who was elected governor in 1851 ? Who was elected governor in 1853 and 1855 ? Tell about the Kansas-Nebraska Bill and the Free Soil (party. What Georgian was appointed to office by President Buehanan ?
TOPICS.
1. Cobb elected governor. 2. Johnson elected governor.
3. Kansas-Nebraska Bill. 4. Free Soil party.
CHAPTER XLIX.
WAK THREATENING.
"The Union under the Constitution knows no section, but does know all the States."-- . HUL.
THE convention of the Demo
cratic party in Georgia in 1857 for
nominating a candidate for gov
ernor balloted for three days with
out agreeing. At the end of the
third day a committee was ap
pointed to select a candidate. This
committee decided not to recom
mend any of the names that had
been before the convention, but
chose a new man--Joseph E. Brown
SOVBKNOK JOSEPH B. BBOWN.
--and he was nominated. The people of Georgia did not know
much of him at that time. "When Toombs, who was travel
ling in Texas with a party of friends, heard of the action of
the convention, he asked, "Who is Joe Brown?" But
everybody was soon to find out, for he was destined to manage
the affairs of Georgia throughout the stormiest period of its
history. The American, or Know Nothing, party nominated
Benjamin H. Hill, but Brown was elected.
At the election in 1859 Governor Brown was reflected.
Only a few days afterwards John Brown entered Virginia,
and tried to arm the slaves. This aroused intense feeling in
Georgia and all over the South. All local issues were now
forgotten, and the only question discussed among the Southern
266
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
people was how to end forever the troubles over the protection of their property.
Amid intense excitement the National Democratic Conven tion met at Charleston in April, I860, to nominate candidates for President and Vice-President, and adopt a platform for the party. The Supreme Court of the United States had decided (in the Dred Scott case) that under the Constitution slaves were property, that they could be taken, into any of the Territories under the control of the government^ and that it was the duty of Congress to protect the owners in their property in all the Territories. A bitter fight arose in the convention over a resolution declaring it to be the duty of Congress to protect property in the Territories, and the majority, made up of Northern delegates, voted down this resolution. When the majority of their own party voted against giving their property the protection to which the Supreme Court had decided they were entitled,-the delegates from six Southern States with drew. The Q-eorgia delegation retired to consult. They were unanimous in believing the resolution to be right, but were divided as to the policy of insisting upon it. Twenty-six of the delegates, headed by Judge Benning, withdrew." Ten remained, and the majority of the convention, without making any nomination, adjourned to meet in Baltimore in June. The seceding delegates called a convention to meet in Eichmond at the same time.
After the Georgia delegates returned home, a second State convention of the Democrats was called, at which' a large majority sustained those delegates who had with drawn from the Charleston convention. A minority, led by Herschel Y. Johnson, organized another convention and elected contesting delegates to Baltimore. In six other South ern States minorities did the same thing. When the conven tion reassembled in Baltimore, the majority decided to seat the contesting delegates. Then the other delegates from the South and a majority of those from six Northern States withdrew.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL UNION PARTY. 26?
The Baltimore convention nominated Stephen A. Douglas for President, and adopted a plank which declared that the settlers or "squatters" in a Territory should determine whether slavery should be permitted. Herschel V. Johnson, of Georgia, was afterward placed on the ticket for Vice-President.
The delegates who withdrew organized a separate conven tion, also in the city of Baltimore, adopted the resolution which had been voted down at Charleston, and nominated John C. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, for President, and Joseph Lane, of Oregon, for Vice-President. This was rati fied by the Richmond convention.
The Republican party nominated Abraham Lincoln, of Illi nois, for President, and Hannibal Hamlin, of Maine, for VicePresident. Their platform opposed the extension of slavery in the Territories. It did not advocate the abolition of slavery in the States, and it even denounced John Brown's raid.
The Whigs of Georgia, under Ben Hill, organized a Con stitutional Union party and adopted a platform sustaining the Dred Scott decision and favoring "constitutional union." The leaders of the party in the United States held a national convention and adopted the name of the Georgia party, but did not adopt its platform. Without making any platform, they nominated Bell, of Tennessee, for President, and Everett, of Massachusetts, for Vice-President.
The difference between the parties was mainly on the ques tion of the extension of slavery in the Territories. No party advocated the direct abolition of slavery in the States.
The result was that Lincoln and Hamlin were elected by a majority of electoral votes, although they failed to get a majority of the popular vote. There was no election by the people in Georgia. As the united vote for Bell and Douglas was greater than the vote cast for Breckenridge, the election was thrown into the legislature, which elected the Breckenridge-Lane electors, and the vote of Georgia was cast for those candidates. The State-Rights leaders claimed that the
268
HISTORY OF GEOR&IA.
result of this election showed that a sectional majority of States in the United States had voted against the protection to property which the Constitution guaranteed, because a majority of those States had Toted against the platform which contained this resolution. They held that, in view of this fact, the only thing left for the Southern States was to with draw from the Union.
South Carolina passed an "ordinance of secession" on De cember 20, I860, withdrawing from the Union, declaring-that the Northern States had violated the Constitution, and that the principles of the Republican party would destroy the rights of the States.
This act of South Carolina caused great excitement all over the South. The event was celebrated in Georgia by large gatherings, speeches, and torch-light processions. In Atlanta guns were fired at sunrise and from noon to sunset. There were many, however, who looked upon the act of South Caro lina with grave fears and with sad hearts.
When the legislature of Georgia met in 1860, Governor Brown intimated that seventy thousand dollars had been spent for arms, and advised an appropriation of one million dollars to defend the State against invasion. The legislature created the office of adjutant-general. Ten thousand troops were called for, and one thousand rifles and carbines ordered to be purchased.
The census of 1860 showed that the population was one million and fifty-seven thousand two hundred and eighty-six, of which nearly half were slaves. The real estate and personal property were valued at over six hundred millions, while nearly two million dollars were invested in manufactures.
[Joseph E. Brown was born in South Carolina. In his youth he worked hard on his father's farm, attending country schools some part of each year. When he was nineteen the family moved to Georgia, and settled in Union County, at a place called Gaddistown. Young Brown used to drive two oxen to Dahlonega, selling wood, vegetables, and other things
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
869
to aid in supporting the family. He went to South Carolina to school, and his father gave him a suit of home-made clothes, and the two oxen to pay for his board. He borrowed the money to pay for his tuition. When he returned to Georgia he was twenty-two. He taught school until he paid back the money he had borrowed. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and rose to be a judge. He was only thirty-six years of age when he was nominated for governor. It is said that at the time he was nominated he was in his field "binding wheat. He died in Atlanta, November 80, 1894, in the seventy-third year of his age.]
[Robert Toombs was born in Wilkes County in 1810. He studied at the University of Georgia, and was graduated at Union College in 1828. He attended law lectures at the University of Virginia, and before he was twenty-one years of age was admitted by special act of the legisla ture to practise law. He settled in his native county and won reputation for brilliancy and eloquence that few lawyers ever enjoyed. He was a captain in the Creek War of 1836, under General Winfield Scott. In 1843-1843 he took an active part in politics as the leader of the StateEights "Whigs. He was sent to Congress as a Whig, and his speeches placed him at once among the most prominent and powerful debaters in that body. After serving eight years in the lower house, he took his seat in the Senate in 1853, and contributed much to the discussions that led finally to the secession of the Southern States. He was secretary of state in the Confederate cabinet, and brigadier-general of infantry in the Confederate army. After the war he spent some time in Europe, and on his return he resumed the practice of law. He died December 15, 1885.]
QUESTIONS.
V^lifj was elected governor in 1857 ? Tell about the National Demo cratic convention of 1860. What did the seceders do ? What did South Carolina do after the presidential election of 1860 ? How was the intelligence of the action of South Carolina received in Georgia ? What did the governor intimate to the legislature of 1860, and what did he advise ?
TOPICS.
1. B'own elected governor.
3. Secession of South Carolina.
2. National conventions of 1860. 4. Governor Brown's message.
CHAPTEE L.
GEOBGIA SECEDES.
"We have appealed time and time again for these constitutional rights. You have refused them. We appeal again. Restore us those rights as we had them, as your court adjudges them to he, just as our people have said they are; redress these flagrant wrongs, seen of all men, and it will restore fraternity, and peace, and unity to all .of us. Eefuse them, and what 1 We shall then ask- you, ' Let us depart in peace.' "--ROBERT TOOMBS.
THE leading men of Georgia agreed that if Mr. Lincoln were elected on the platform which denied them protection for their property in. the Territories, the people of Georgia should decide what the State would do. Accordingly, as soon as the result was known, the legislature called a State con vention of delegates to be elected by the people and instructed to act for them.
The canvass for the election of delegates was very exciting. In nearly every county meetings were held, and, in a majority of these, reso lutions passed in favor of secession. But many able men were opposed to this course. Among them were Herschel V. Johnson, Alexander H. Stephens, and Benjamin H. Hill. Ho well Cobb was in favor of secession, and he gave up his office of secretary of the treasury in the cabinet of Presi dent Buchanan. Thomas B. E. Cobb,
ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS. who, until now, had kept out of politics, but who, as a citizen of pub
lic spirit, was loved and respected by everybody, spoke to the people with eloquence in favor of separation. Ex-Governor
SEIZURE OF FORT PULASKI.
271
Wilson Lumpkin, in his old age, wrote a letter urging secession.
Eobert Toombs continued his fiery speeches in the Senate of
the United States, and younger politicians entered heartily
into the struggle.
At a great gathering in Atlanta, while Francis S. Bartow
was addressing the people, a telegram was handed to him
informing him that Fort Moultrie in Charleston harbor had
been burned by Federal troops, that the garrison had gone
over to Fort Suinter, and that Charleston had ordered out two
regiments of soldiers. Bartow read the despatch to the crowd,
who became almost wild with excite
ment. Then he exclaimed : " You
hear the thunder of cannon and the
clash of sabres from South Carolina.
Is this gallant, noble' State to be left
alone ?'' Loud cries of '' No! Never!
Never! " came from every part of the
vast assemblage.
Governor Brown now determined to
seize Fort Pulaski, at the mouth of the
Savannah Eiver, before the Federal authorities had time to strengthen it.
BENJAMIN H. HILL.
Proceeding to Savannah, he ordered the First Regiment of
Georgia Volunteers, under Colonel A. R. Lawton, to seize
the fort, which was to be held until the convention of the
State should decide whether Georgia would remain in the
Union or separate from it. The seizure was made on the morn
ing of January 3, 1861. The fort was rapidly put in -order so
as to protect the river in case of invasion. This was done while
Georgia was still in the Union.
Meanwhile Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama also with
drew from the Union. The eyes of the country were then
turned toward Georgia. If Georgia seceded, there was no
longer any hope of winning back those States. The conven
tion met January 16, 1861. The president was George W.
272 .
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Crawford, who had been governor in 1843. Among the dele gates were the ablest men in the State. Some were for seces sion and some were against it. A resolution was introduced by Eugenius A. Nesbit in favor of secession. This brought the issue before, the convention, and the battle of giant minds began. The speeches 'were eloquent. Judge E. A. Nisbit, T. R. R. Cobb, Robert Toombs, and Francis Bartow advocated' secession. Herschel V. Johnson, Alexander Stephens, and Benjamin Hill opposed it, and urged cooperation by the fifteen Southern States in securing constitutional guarantees for the protection of their property in the Union. Cobb replied, "We can make better terms out of the Union than in it." After three days a final test vote was taken, and stood one hundred and sixty-four for secession to one hundred andthirty-three for cooperation. At two o'clock on January 19, 1861, an ordinance of secession, written by Judge Nesbit, was adopted by a vote of two hundred and eight to eighty-nine.
After the vote was taken the president of the convention arose and, by virtue of his authority, declared that the State of Georgia was now a free and independent republic. The announcement was greeted by a dignified applause from the members of the convention, but when the people outside heard the result they rent the air with cheers. Cannon were fired, bells rung, and bonfires lighted.
The members of the convention met some days afterwards and signed their names to the ordinance in presence of the governor. Then the great seal of the State was attached, and Georgia- formally declared herself a free and independent republic. The flag of the Union was taken down from the capitol building and the State flag of Georgia raised in its place. The news was telegraphed over the State. Meetings were held and fiery speeches made. The towns and cities were illuminated, bonfires were kindled, and torch-light pro cessions paraded the streets. Companies of soldiers were rap idly formed everywhere. The farmer left his field, the mer-
THE ARSENAL -AT AUGUSTA.
273
chant his store, the lawyer his office, to talk about the crisis and prepare for war if the United States government should send ail army to conquer them and to force them back into the "Union. Now that the State had seceded, there was no longer.any division of sentiment. Those who had opposed secession, such men as Stephens and Hill, felt that their loyalty was to their State, and, as true patriots, followed its fortunes for better or for worse.
Governor Brown next decided to seize the Federal arsenal at Augusta, over which the United States flag still floated. The garrison was at the time commanded by Captain Arnold Elzey, who had eighty soldiers. Governor Brown went to Augusta and sent an order to that officer to surrender his post to the State authorities. Captain Elzey refused, and he tele graphed to headquarters in Washington city for instructions. Secretary Holt replied that he must hold his post until forced by " violence or starvation" to surrender.' Eight hundred troops had assembled in Augusta for the purpose of seizing the arsenal. Captain Elzey asked for an interview with Gov ernor Brown, who, with his staff, rode to the arsenal, and terms of surrender were agreed upon. The United States flag was lowered and saluted with thirty-three guns, and the Georgia flag, which consisted of a white field, with a single red star in the centre, was raised over the arsenal. Captain Elzey surrendered because'resistance was useless.
As soon as the news of the secession of Georgia reached "Washington city, all the State's representatives in Congress withdrew, except Joshua Hill, who resigned.
[Benjamin Harvey Hill was born in Jasper County in 1822. He began to practise law in La Grange. In 1851 he was elected to the legislature, and was at once recognized as a leader of the "Whig party. In 1856 he was nominated elector on the American, or Know Nothing, ticket, and by his speeches in support of Millard Fihnore won a reputation as an orator of great power. In 1860 he was on the Bell and Everett electoral ticket. He was a member of the secession convention of Georgia in 1861, and made a speech against secession. He was a member of the Confederate
374
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Senate during the entire war and was imprisoned in Port Lafayette after the surrender. In 1873 he was elected to Congress, and in 1877 to the United States Senate. He died August 16, 1882.]
[Alexander Hamilton Stephens was born in Georgia on February 11, 1812. He went to the schools near his home at Crawfordville, and studied so hard that in a few years he was ready for college. He was too poor to pay for his tuition, and borrowed the money to carry him through the university. He began to study law, and soon became noted for his great ability. In.person he was of small size, and was often called "little Aleck." He was one of the great men of G-eorgia; brave, brilliant, and a devoted lover of the rights of the Southern States. Like many other true Georgians, he was not in favor of leaving the Union at the time, but when the State decided to withdraw he gave the Confed eracy hearty support. He died in 1883, while governor of the State.]
[Following are opinions of some leading statesmen on the right of Southern States to secede :
" If the Northern States refuse wilfully and deliberately to carry into effect that part of the Constitution which respects the restoration of fugi tive slaves, and Congress provide no remedy, the South would no longer be bound to observe the compact. A bargain cannot be broken on one side and still bind the other side."--Daniel Webster.
"If the Cotton States shall decide that they can do better out of the Union, we insist on letting them go in peace. The right to secede may be a revolutionary one, but it exists nevertheless."--Horace Greeley.
" If a State should withdraw and resume her powers, I know of no remedy to prevent it."--Chief Justice Chase.]
QUESTIONS.
Why did the legislature call a State convention in 1860 ? Name some public men of Georgia who were against secession. Tell what happened at a great meeting in Atlanta. Tell about the convention of 1861. Who wrote the secession ordinance ? How was the news of the result received by the people ? Tell about the seizure of the arsenal at Augusta. What did Georgia's representatives in Congress do when they heard of the secession ordinance ?
TOPICS.
1. Secession feeling in Georgia. 2. Seizure of Port Pulaski. 3. Convention of 1861.
4. Seizure of Augusta arsenal. 5. Withdrawal from Congress of
Georgia's representatives.
EPOCH VI.
Georgia in the Confederate States.
CHAPTEE LI.
THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR.
" I am afraid of nothing on earth, or above the earth, or under the earth, except to do wrong. The path of duty I shall ever endeavor to travel, fearing no evil and dreading no consequences."--ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS.
A CONVENTION of the seced ing States was held in Mont gomery, Ala., in February, 1861. Howell Cobb was made president of the convention. It was resolved to form a con federacy, to be called the CON FEDERATE STATES or AMERICA. A constitution was adopted, modelled upon that of the United States, and submitted to the States for ratification. Jefferso.n Davis of Mississippi was chosen President, and Alex ander H. Stephens of Georgia Vice-president. Eobert Toombs was made secretary of state in the first cabinet. It was hoped that this new government which the people had organized might exist in peace. The Confederate
276
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
government appointed three commissioners, called peace com missioners, of whom Martin' J. Orawford of Georgia was one. These commissioners went to Washington city, but the Presi dent refused to see or receive them except as private citizens.
The convention of Georgia met again in Savannah, March, 1861, and at the meeting the Constitution of the Confederate States was adopted, and a new State Constitution framed to, accord with it. Georgia thus for a second time gave up its right to be an independent republic, and entered into com pact with sister States for the purpose of government and; protection. Military measures were adopted to strengthen the State and prepare it to meet any attack that might be made upon it by the United States. The governor organized two regiments so as to be ready for any call for soldiers, and for the defence of the coast he ordered a number of cannon of long range and large calibre, and procured several gunboats. He also took possession of the United States mint at Dahlonega with twenty thousand dollars in gold coin. Volunteer com panies were formed in nearly every county, and the men were drilled with their old shotguns and rifles.
Acting under a settled principle of international law, the seceded States had by this time taken and garrisoned all the forts and arsenals within their limits except Port Sumter in South Carolina and Fort Pickens in Florida. Men were needed to guard against attack from these forts, and President Davis asked Governor Brown for a regiment of soldiers to go to Fort Pickens in Florida. So ardent was the feeling that over two hunded and fifty companies offered their services.
Exciting events now followed in rapid succession. In April, 1861, Fort Sumter,- at Charleston, S. C., was sur rendered to the Southern army after a heavy bombardment. Two days afterwards President Lincoln called for seventy-five thousand volunteers. Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Arkansas refused to furnish troops to coerce the seceding States, and now left the Union and joined the Confederate
DEATH OF GENERAL BARTOW.
27?
States. This made eleven in all. Norfolk, Va., was thought to be in danger, and President Davis telegraphed to Governor Brown for troops. The governor sent a message to the volunteer companies in Macon, Griffin, and Columbus, asking if they would like to go, and in twenty-four hours a, battalion started for Korfolk. It is said they were the first to arrive.
In May the Confederate capital was moved from Mont gomery to Richmond, Va., and volunteers were called to defend Virginia against invasion. Every demand that came to Georgia for soldiers was promptly and eagerly responded to. A Savannah company wrote a letter pleading to be sent to Virginia, "where there is a prospect of a fight." The first battle of Manassas was fought July 21, 1861, in which the Federal army under McDowell was defeated. General Fran cis S. Bartow of Savannah commanded a brigade of Georgia regiments in this battle. When about to set out for Virginia with his troops, he said, " / go to illustrate Georgia," and he did. At Manassas the colors of the Georgia contingent being in danger of falling from the grasp of the wounded bearer, Bartow seized them, and, leading a gallant charge, fell in the thickest of the fight.
Preparations for war were going on all over the South, but nowhere with more activity than in Georgia. Troops were organized into companies, drilled, and held in readiness. Fort Pulaski was equipped at an expense of eighty thousand dollars, and three war steamers were bought. Two brigades of State troops were organized under Brigadier-Generals George P. Harrison, Sr., and F. W. Capers. By "running the blockade" the State had secured thirteen thousand Enfield rifles and five hundred sabres, but these were not enough. Governor Brown urged the people to send their rifles and shotguns for temp.orary use by the State troops. In addition to the State troops, the Confederate government placed A. E. Lawton, who had been appointed brigadier-general, in com mand of Confederate troops, and Commodore Josiah Tatt-
278
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
nail in command of the naval forces for the defence of Georgia.
Eobert Toombs left the cabinet of Mr. Davis and joined the army as a brigadier-general. Howell Cobb, Henry E. Jackson, W. H. T. Walker, Hugh W. Mercer,, James Longstreet, Ambrose E. Wright, Lafayette McLaws, D. E. Jones, and Wil liam Montgomery G-ardner were also appointed brigadiergenerals. David E. Twiggs and W. J. Hardee, both Georgians, had been commissioned major-generals, but General Twiggs was forced by ill health to resign. General Henry E. Jackson won a brilliant victory in West Virginia in October.
In the midst of these exciting events the time came around in the fall of 1861 for an election for governor. The friends of Governor Brown urged him to run for the third term, and he agreed to do so. .His opponent .was Judge. Eugenius A. Nisbit. Brown was reelected. His message to the legisla ture of 1861 showed that Georgia had sent nearly fifty regi ments into the field, and had supplied the equipments for thirty of them. An appropriation of five million dollars was made to equip State troops and defend the coast. Benjamin H. Hill and Eobert Toombs were elected as Confederate State Senators. Toombs preferred to stay in the army, and Governor Brown appointed Dr. John W. Lewis to fill the vacancy.
Up to this time the great seal of the State was that which had been adopted in 1799. The secession convention of 1861 directed that there should be a new one, and the legislature of 1861 appointed a committee to make the change. The new seal was a slight modification of the seal of 1799. In the sunburst under the arch was " 1861," and underneath was " 1776."
Toward the close of the year the Federal warships had nearly blockaded the coasts of Georgia. Trading vessels could not bring in supplies of food and clothing, and the people were cut off from the use of Northern and European goods. Everybody therefore had to look to home enterprise. Old cards and looms were got out, and cotton was made into cloth
280
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
for family use and for the army. Coffee and tea became rare. Since there was no market now for cotton, the farmers began to raise grain and meat for their own use and for feeding the troops. Salt becoming scarce, the stock on hand was soon exhausted. The salt fields of Virginia were used, then seawater was evaporated, and finally the people had to dig up the floors of their old smoke-houses, where salt meat had been kept, and boil the dirt to get what salt it contained. This salt famine continued during the four years of the war.
[General William Joseph Hardee was born in Camden Co. in 1815. He was graduated at the United States Military Academy in 1838, and after wards at St. Maur, France. While there he was attached to the cavalry department of the French army. He served with General Taylor in the war with Mexico. Afterwards he was commander of cadets at West Point, and wrote " Hardee's Tactics, or the United States Bide and Light Infantry Tactics." He died in 1873.]
[Alexander E. Lawton was born in Beaufort, S. C., in 1818. He was graduated at the United States Military Academy in 1839. After serving in the army a short while, he studied law, and began to practise law in Savannah. In 1861 he became brigadier-general in the Confed erate army. He was wounded at Antietam, and after his recovery served as quartermaster-general. In 1885 he was appointed United States min ister to Russia, and afterwards to Austria. He died July 2, 1896.]
QUESTIONS.
Tell about the convention in Montgomery in 1861 ? What meeting took place in Savannah in March, 1861? What did the convention do ? How many Georgia companies offered their services for the war ? What Georgia general commanded a brigade at the first battle of Manassas ? Tell about his heroic action in defence of the colors. Name other Georgians who held military command at this time. Who was elected governor in 1861 ? What did the governor's message to the legislature show with regard to military affairs ? Describe the results to Georgia of the blockade of the coast.
1. Georgia convention. 2. Georgia's war action.
TOPICS.
3. EeSleotion of Brown. 4. Blockade of the coast.
CHAPTER LIT.
PROGRESS OF THE WAR.
" Savannah shall never he surrendered, but defended street hy street and house by house, until, if taken, the victors1 spoils shall he alone a heap of ashes."--Resolution of
EARLY in 1862 active operations were begun 'by the Federal fleet along our seacoast. Henry E. Jackson resigned from the Confederate army and was appointed major-general to com mand the State troops on the coast. Hugh W. Mercer was in command of the regular Confederate troops at Savan nah, while General Lawton was still in command of the department.
In February a number of Federal war-vessels appeared on the coast, forced their way up the Savannah Eiver, and erected batteries on Tybee Island., in order to attack Fort Pulaski. On the 10th of April the Federal commander sent word to Colonel Charles Olmstead, the officer in command of the fort, to surrender. He replied: " I am here to defend the fort, not to surrender it." The batteries then began to fire. On the second day the flag was cut down by a cannon-ball and fell inside the fort. Two of the soldiers quickly caught it, and, leaping upon the parapet, in face of a deadly fire, carried the flag to another angle of the fort, and tied it securely to a staff fixed in a gun carriage. The fire of the batteries made an opening in the walls of the fort in two days, and the garrison was forced to surrender.
A bold attempt was made in April, 1862, by a party of Fed eral spies to carry off an engine and several cars on the State road. Twenty-two of these men boarded the train at a place
282
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
called Big Shanty, where a stop had been made for breakfast, and, detaching the engine and some of the cars, started for Chattanooga. Their plan was to steal the engine, tear up the track, burn bridges, and do as much damage as possible. The conductor, Captain W. A. Puller, and the engineer, who had left the train for breakfast, saw the capture and went in pur suit on a hand-car. Soon an engine was obtained, and, after a long chase, the fugitives were overtaken, at Eingold, their steam being exhausted. When they saw that they were about to be captured, they abandoned the engine and fled into the woods. But all were caught, and eight, who were volunteers, were tried and hanged as spies, the others being held as pris oners of war.
An act known as the Conscript Law was passed by the Con federate Congress in April, 1862. It required all able-bodied men between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five to enter the army. Governor Brown opposed the Conscript Law, holding that it was not constitutional or necessary, and he and Presi dent Davis had a long correspondence on the subject. As soon as the governor was notified of the passing of the act, he turned the State troops over to the Confederate army. Those regiments were rapidly transferred to the armies of Lee and Bragg, and they served in all the great battles in Virginia and the West. General A. E. Lawton returned to Virginia, and was placed in command of one of the Georgia brigades.
The legislature of 1862 had many grave problems before it. Nearly three-fourths of the able-bodied male population cf Georgia were fighting in other States for the Confederate cause, and were in need of food and clothing. The seacoast of the State was threatened by the enemy, and distress and want were everywhere among the people. To encourage the raising of grain and meat, a law was made forbidding the rais ing of cotton beyond three acres to each field hand. The dis tillation of corn into whiskey was forbidden. The governor was requested to buy salt for sale to the people at cost price.
284
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
It was ordered that clothing should be bought for the troops, and the families of dead and disabled soldiers were provided for. Altogether six million dollars were appropriated. Herschel V. Johnson was elected to the Confederate Senate.
Many Georgia brigades were present in Virginia and bore their part in the great battles of the year 1862. They were commanded by Generals G. T. Andersou (known as " Tige " Anderson), George Doles, Paul J. Semmes, W. D. Smith, Ambrose E. Wright, Edward L. Thomas, A. H. Colquitt, Howell Cobb, T. E. E. Cobb, A. E. Lawton, Eobert Toombs, and Alfred I'verson, Jr. McLaws and David E. Jones were major-generals and Longstreet a lieutenant-general in Lee's army. Hardee was a lieutenant-general in the West.
At Fredericksburg, Cobb's brigade strongly posted on the hillside, bore the brunt of the battle, winning undying fame. Six times in succession the Federal troops, massed on their front, gallantly charged up the hill, only to be mowed down and driven back by the deadly fire. The repulse was com plete, but at the end of the fourth charge General T. E. E. Cobb, the heroic commander of the Georgians, fell mortally wounded. His death cast a gloom over the whole army.
On ISTew Year's day, 1863, President Lincoln issued the " Emancipation Proclamation," but the negroes did not leave their former masters. They were content to remain on the farms, to protect the women and children, and to take care of their old masters' homes.
Fort McAllister, at the mouth of the Ogeechee Eiver, was attacked in March, 1863, by a fleet of seven Federal gunboats. It was a'simple earthwork with sand parapets, but it was defended by brave men. The bombardment was kept up for eight hours, and the guns of the fort replied so well that the fleet was driven away, crippled and defeated. In recognition of this gallant fight, the garrison was authorized by special order to inscribe on the flag of the fort the date, " March 3, 1863."
8TREIGHFS RAID.
285
Colonel Streight, -with a band of eighteen hundred Federal
cavalry, made a raid into Georgia in April, 1863. G-eaeral
Forrest pursued
Mm with only six
hundred Confed
erate troops,- and
overtook him near
the city of Rome,
where a battle took
place. Forrest succ1 eeded by-a strat
POKT MOALL1STEK.
agem in deceiving the Federals as to his real strength. While
the fight was in progress he sent an officer under a flag of
truce to demand an immediate surrender. Streight wanted
time to consider, but Forrest would not wait, and he made a
show of despatching orders to unseen batteries and soldiers
to prepare for battle. " Within ten minutes," said he, "the
signal gun shall be fired and the truce will end." This so
alarmed the Federal officer that he surrendered at once, though
he had three times as many men as Forrest.
June 23d the Confederate ram Atlanta Avas captured by two
monitors in Warsaw Sound.
FIGHT BETWEEN KAM "ATLANTA 11 AND MONITOR.
In July, 1863, the governor called for eight thousand State troops as a home guard, and eighteen thousand were ready in answer to the call. This body was organized, under Major-
286
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
General Howell Cobb, for home protection. As there were no guns for some of the soldiers, Governor Brown proposed to supply each man with a staff eight or ten feet long, haying a sharp steel head like a lance. They were called Joe Broivn's pikes. They were intended for hand-t'o-hand fighting, but the soldiers found them of little use.
The year 1863 had been disastrous to the Southern armies both in the "West and in Virginia. In Virginia, John B. Gor don, Henry L. Benning, William T. Wofford, and Goode Bryan had been promoted to command Georgia brigades, and Georgia regiments followed Lee through all the battles of that year. At Gettysburg, Brigadier-General Paul J. Semmes was mortally wounded. In the West, where Generals W. H. T. Walker and Alfred Gumming commanded Georgia brigades,Vicksburg and Port Hudson, had fallen, the Mississippi River had been opened, and the Confederacy cut in two. The Federal force? were then concentrated at Chattanooga. The battle of Chicka mauga was our only important victory of the year. In that battle John K. Jackson, M. A. Stovall, C. C. Wilson, and Henry L. Benning commanded brigades of Georgia troops. Joseph Wheeler and W. H. T. Walker were there as major-gen erals commanding divisions. General James Deshler, a gallant Georgian, and Colonel Peyton H. Colquitt, were killed.
QUESTIONS.
What operations were begun in 1862 1 What of the attack on Fort Pulaski? Describe the attempt to steal an engine. What of the Conscript Law ? What problems did the legislature of 1862 have to face ? What was the war fund ? What of Frederieksburg ? What was the Emanci pation Proclamation ? What about Fort McAllister ? Tell about Forrest's capture of the Federal cavalry. What of State troops ? What was the general result of the year 1863 ?
1. Fort Pulaski. 2. Stealing an engine. 3. Conscript Law.
TOPICS.
4. War measures. 5. Fort McAllister. 6. Streight's raid.
'GtORGIAGENERALslNVlRGINIA CtpifiisJofltoBy
THE CONFEDERATtSTA TE5
CHAPTER LIII.
FEOM CHATTANOOGA TO ATLANTA.
" I have staked life, liberty, and property, and the liberties of my posterity, upon the .esult. My destiny is linked with my country."--JOSEPH E. BEOWN.
IN March, 1864, General Ulysses S. Grant was put in com mand of all the Federal forces, and at once planned two campaigns: one under himself against Richmond, Va., and the other under General W. T. Sherman against Atlanta. Opposed to Grant in Virginia was a Confederate' army under General Robert E. Lee. Another Confederate army, under General Joseph E. Johnston, was at Dalton, Ga., to defend our State against invasion. Grant, seated on a log by the road side in Virginia, wrote a despatch to Sherman that he was going to Richmond, and ordered Sherman to start for Atlanta.
The Federal army crossed into Georgia on May 4, 1864, with nearly one hundred thousand men and .over two hundred and fifty cannon. General Johnston had brought his army up to its best condition, but he had hardly fifty thousand men.
Sherman with a part of his army, exceeding in numbers all of Johnston's force, made an attack on him at Dalton, and, at the same time, sent a large body of troops to Resaca, eighteen miles south, to destroy the railroad and cut the Confederates off from their supplies of food. Johnston could not spare enough men to meet the force, and was compelled to retreat to Resaca. Here Sherman attacked him again, but lost five thou sand men in the battles which continued two days, May 14th and 15th. Finding that he could not crush Johnston, he again sent troops round to the south toward Calhoun, and forced Johnston to retreat to Cassville, leaving to the Federals
:N. JAMES DESHLER.
BRIG.GEN.MASTOVALL.
GEORGIAGENERALS IN WESTERNARMY CONFCDCRA reSrA TCS /862-6S.
wgf.
BRIG.GEN.C.C.WiLSON.
290
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
the city of Rome, which was attacked and captured by a divi
sion of their army commanded by General Thomas. Sherman
again tried to cut off Johnston's supplies by a force sent
towards Dallas, but the Confederates met them at New Hope
Church, and for a week there was fighting every day.
Sherman was forced to return to the railroad, and early in
June the two armies were again face to face, the Federals at
Acworth, the Confederates at Marietta. Johnston occupied a
strong position among the mountains, and Sherman tried to
break the line through by assault. The fighting here con
tinued for twenty-three
days, from June 9th to
July 3d, in which John
ston drove back the
Federal forces every
time they were hurled
against him. The Con
federate general, Leon-
Polk, was killed
on the summit of Pine
Mountain while looking
AJS IMPROMPTU FORTIFICATION.
over the lines. During part of the time the
Confederate line extended across Kenesaw Mountain, from
which the battle fought there took its name. Satisfied that he
could not win a victory by fighting, Sherman returned to his old
plan and sent General James B. McPherson to flank Johnston
by crossing the Chattahoochee Eiver east of Marietta. But John
ston was not to be caught. Drawing his forces out of danger, he
crossed the river ahead of his enemy, leaving nothing behind.
By this time he had been fighting for seventy-four days, and had
lost nearly ten thousand men, while Sherman had lost twenty-
five thousand, a force equal to half of Johnston's army. John
ston had lost ground, but the army was in good spirits and ready
at any time to advance or fight whenever Johnston said so.
292
HISTORY OF GEOBGIA.
On July 17, 1864, General Johnston was relieved of the command by order of President Davis, and General Hood was placed in charge. It is said that when Sherman heard of the change he remarked: '' Before this the fighting has been as Johnston pleased, but hereafter it shall be as I please." Johnston'was a cautious and prudent commander. His army being only half that of Sherman, his policy was to avoid battle, but to keep always in front of his enemy, so as, if pos sible, to prevent his advance. He retreated only when the want of men compelled him to do so in order to avoid being flanked, surrounded, and cut off from supplies for his army.
Atlanta was the next important point of attack and resist ance. Preparations for the defence of the city had been made as rapidly as possible. Over ten thousand State troops had been placed in the trenches, cannon had been bought, and supplies made ready. Major-General Gustavus J. Smith com manded the State militia, and General Toombs, who had resigned his command in Virginia, was on his staff. The four brigades of State militia- were commanded by Brigadier-Gen erals R. W. Carswell, P. J. Phillips, C. D. Anderson, and H. E. McCay. Besides these, there were many Georgia regi ments in the Confederate army through the entire campaign. M. A. Stovall, Hugh "W. Mercer, Alfred Iverson, Jr., John K. Jackson, Alfred Gumming, 0. 0. Wilson, Eobert H. Ander son, Henry E. Jackson, and B. M. Thomas, all Georgians, were there as brigadier-generals. Major-General W. H. T. Walker commanded a division, and Lieutenant-General Wheeler commanded the cavalry corps.
General Hood's plan was to assume the offensive and try to force Sherman back, and on July 20, 1864, two days after he had taken command, the battles around Atlanta commenced. Hood attacked Sherman, and a bloody fight followed, July 20th, lasting five hours, in which the Confederates lost heavily. Hood again attacked Sherman July 22d, and the battle raged till night. Both sides fought fiercely, but Sherman stood his
BATTLES AROUND ATLANTA.
293
ground. General McPherson, of the Federal army, was killed while riding near the skirmish line of the Confederates. They called him to surrender, but he raised his hand as if to salute, wheeled his horse, and galloped off. A volley of musketry brought him down. Major-General W. H. T. Walker, a gallant Georgian, was killed in the same battle. He was leading an attack upon the Federals up a steep ascent, when he was shot in the thigh and fell. He was caught by a brother officer, who, in leaning over to support him, received a ball in his head. General Mercer, commanding Walker's division, was wounded.
During the struggle around Atlanta, a force of Federal cav alry was surrounded by the Confederate general Iverson, and one thousand of them were captured, including the Federal general Stoneman. They had been sent to tear up the rail roads leading to Macon, Stoneman had attacked Macon, but was driven back by the militia under Governor Brown and General Howell Cobb. Hood sent Wheeler's cavalry around Sherman's army'to the rear, to burn bridges and destroy rail roads, so as to cut off the enemy's communication with their sources of supply.
From the earthworks outside Atlanta the Federal guns con stantly threw shot and shell into all parts of the city. The bursting of the bombs, the striking of the cannon-balls, the tearing up of the houses-and streets filled the people with terror. They fled to cellars and railroad cuts for safety. Sherman began to move His army around to the south side of Atlanta. Hood followed him, and a week afterwards assaulted him as fiercely as ever at Ezra Church, near Atlanta, but met with a repulse. On August 31st General Sherman sent a large body of men to cut the Macon Railroad at Jonesboro. The Confederates at that place, under Hardee, could not drive them back. The Georgia Railroad and the West Point Railroad were both held by Sherman, and there was nothing now left for Hood but to march out of Atlanta, which he did, after setting fire to the military stores so that the Federals might not
294
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
get possession of them. When Hood left Atlanta he started towards Tennessee, thinking to force Sherman to leave Georgia to protect his base of supplies. But Sherman sent General Thomas to follow Hood, while he himself began to prepare his army for a further advance into Georgia.
After leaving Atlanta, Hood sent a division to capture Allatoona, which was strongly fortified. Sherman signalled Gen eral Corse at Allatoona to hold the fort as reinforcements were coming. The Confederates made a gallant assault, but withdrew when reinforcements arrived. Sherman's message suggested the popular religious song, " Hold the fort."
When Sherman entered Atlanta he ordered all the inhabitants to leave at once. He had their baggage sent to the railroad, and over sixteen hundred people were forced to abandon theii homes. Before his departure he set fire to the city, and only four hundred houses out of five thousand were left. He said that Georgia should " feel the weight of war."
QUESTIONS.
What campaigns were planned for 1864 ? With what force did the Federal army cross into Georgia ? What was the number of Johnston's army? What about the stand at Marietta? Who was killed on Pine Mountain ? Up to this time how many men had been lost on each side "i Who took Johnston's place in July, 1864 ? What did Sherman say when he heard it ? What had been Johnston's policy ? What about the defence of Atlanta ? What was General Hood's plan ? Tell of the death of McPherson and Walker. What Federal force and general were captured ? What about the surrender of Atlanta ? How did Sher man treat the inhabitants and the city ?
1. Sherman's plan. 2. Johnston's retreat.
TOPICS.
3. Plood placed in command 4. Battles around Atlanta.
CHAPTBE LIV.
THE MARCH TO THE SEA.
" We are not only fighting hostile armies, but a hostile people, and must make old and young, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war."--GENEKAL WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHEBMAN.
WITH sixty thousand men Shermaii started on November 15, 1864, from Atlanta on his famous march to the sea. His army spread out so as to cover a front of forty miles, and as they marched they lived on the country and destroyed prop erty of every kind. Villages, farm-houses, gin-houses, cotton crops were burned ; horses were taken away ; cows, hogs, and sheep were killed for the use of the soldiers or left dead in the fields. Thieves who followed the army, or belonged to its lowest elements, robbed houses not only of provisions, but of silverware and other valuables of all sorts that could be carried away. A track of desolation three hundred miles long was made across the face of Georgia, and in the wake of the army women and children were in many cases glad to eat the corn left by the soldiers' horses. In his report Sherman said : "I estimate the damage done to the State of Georgia at one hundred million dollars.'"
At Milledgeville the legislature was in session, but had adjourned for dinner when the news came that Sherman was approaching. The legislators did not return to the Capitol, and everybody made haste to leave the city. Outgoing trains were loaded with passengers, carriages and wagons were hired or bought at fabulous prices, and every other means of escape was resorted to.
Governor Brown gave orders to have the records and State
296
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
papers and property removed. But men to do the work could not be found until the governor called out convicts from the penitentiary and offered them pardon if they would enlist in the service. This they agreed to do, and by their aid the State property was moved to the trains and shipped to places of safety. Finally Governor Brown, his family and the officers, left the city just as the Federal cavalry entered it.
Leaving Milledgeville, Sherman marched through the State and reached the coast in December. He captured Fort McAllister December 13th, and then invested Savannah. General William Hardee, with only ten thousand troops, could not resist Sherman's army of sixty thousand, so he quietly left the city during the night of December 20th, crossing the river on pontoon bridges, and Sherman entered Savannah December 21, 1864. He seized a large quantity of military stores and thousands of bales of cotton, and was disappointed to find that General Hardee and his men had escaped capture and had carried off forty-nine pieces of artillery. He sent a telegram to President Lincoln, saying: "I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah, with one hun dred and fifty heavy guns and plenty of ammunition, also about twenty-five thousand bales of cotton."
About the same time Hood's army in Tennessee was badly defeated, broken into fragments, and driven back to Georgia. These were fatal blows to the cause of the Confederate States, and from this time the struggle was hopeless. Sherman stayed in Savannah a month, then marched into South Caro lina, where he was again opposed by General Joseph E. Johnston, who had been placed in command of the fragments of Hood's army. But Johnston's efforts were powerless to stay the fate of the Southern arms.
While Sherman was carrying out this programme so suc cessfully in Georgia, General Grant had failed in Virginia. He had attacked Lee in the Wilderness, and after four days' fighting had given it up and attempted to turn his flank, but
298
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
when he reached Spottsylvania Court House, twenty-four hours later, Lee's army was there waiting for him. The fighting that occurred here was the most desperate of the war, and the Georgia soldiers bore their part and won the admiration of the whole army. Grant moved southeast to North Anna Biver and Cold Harbor. At both places Lee's army again confronted him and repelled his attacks. Briga dier-general George Doles lost his life in this campaign. Grant then crossed to the south side of the James Eiver aa(i laid siege to Petersburg. In the spring of 1865 the move ments against Petersburg and Sichmond were pressed and the lines gradually closed in. Georgia brigades were in every battle. In 1864 and 1865 E. P. Alexander, Clement A. Evans, Phil. Cook, V. J. B. Girardey, L. J. Gartrell, G. M. Sorrel, Dudley M. DuBose, and James P. Simms were commissioned brigadier-generals. P. M. B. Young and Ambrose E. Wright were major-generals, John B. Gordon commanded a corps, and General Evans commanded Gordon's division. General Girardey was killed before his commission was made out.
Early in April Lee's lines were broken, Eichmond was abandoned, and a few days later the remnant of his army sur rendered to General Grant at Appomattox Court House. Johnston surrendered to Sherman April 26th at Bentonville, N". C., and the great war was over.
Meanwhile, on the 14th of April, while the North was re joicing over the successful termination of the war, President Lincoln was assassinated in Washington city. The people of Georgia were horrified at this act, for, notwithstanding the bitterness of the war, they recognized Mr. Lincoln's high character and true patriotism. Vice-President Andrew John son, of Tennessee, thus became President of the United States.
The beautiful custom of^ placing flowers on the graves of soldiers was suggested by Mrs. Mary Williams, of Columbus, Ga. Her husband, who had been in the war, was buried in the cemetery of that place, and she and her little daughter would
DEOORATING SOLDIERS' GRAVSS.
299
often come and lay flowers on his grave. One day the child asked her mother to allow her to put flowers on other soldiers'1 graves. Mrs. Williams then thought how good it would be if once a year the ladies throughout the South would devote a day to decorating with flowers the graves of the Confederate dead.. She wrote a letter to the Columbus Times, in which she said:
" We cannot raise monumental shafts and inscribe thereon their many deeds of heroism, but we can keep alive the memory of the debt we owe them by dedicating at least one day in each year to embellishing their humble graves with flowers."
The suggestion met with favor, and was generally adopted throughout the South. In Georgia the 26th day of April is observed as Memorial Day.
Georgia had sent to the field about one hundred and twenty thousand soldiers, many of whom were boys sixteen or seven teen years of age and men from fifty to sixty. General . Grant said that the Confederacy had " robbed the cradle and the grave" to fill its armies. By the war the State lost three-fourths of its wealth, including all slaves, which were valued at nearly three hundred millions of dollars. The lands fell to one-half their value. One-fourth of all the railroad tracks had been destroyed, and a path of ruin and desolation forty miles wide had been cut through the State from Chatta nooga to Savannah. The State debt had grown to over twenty million dollars. There were thousands of poor people-- widows and orphans, broken down soldiers and their families --in the State, besides large numbers who could find no work, and were daily asking for bread. Medicine and all kinds of food and clothing were very scarce. The Confederate paper money was worth but little, forty-nine Confederate dollars being of no more value than one gold dollar. A hat cost three hundred dollars in Confederate money, a horse several thousands, a barrel of flour sold for four hundred dollars,
300
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
and a pair of boots for eight hundred dollars,, while the pay of a soldier was only eleven dollars a month, hardly enough to buy a loaf of bread.
[Fort MeAllister stood about sixteen miles below Savannah, on the Ogeechee River. When Sherrnan appeared before the fort in December, 1884, it was garrisoned by only one hundred and fifty men, under Major George W. Anderson. The attacking force consisted of seventeen regi ments, which, on the morning of December 13th, was ordered to capture the fort. This was done after a hot fight. The assaulting column num bered over three thousand men, and in the engagement lost one hundred and thirty-four men and officers, while the defenders lost only fortyeight. The greatest compliment that could be paid the brave garrison was made by the Federal general, who said in his report : "We fought the garrison through the fort to the bomb proofs, from which they still fought, and only succumbed as each man was individually over powered."]
QUESTIONS.
What was the strength of Sherman's army when he set out from Atlanta, November, 1864 ? Describe the march to the sea. What effect had the news of Sherman's approach on the people of Milledgeville ? How were the State papers and other property secured ? What fort did Sherman capture before reaching Savannah ? How many soldiers did General Hardee have ? What did Harclee do ? What did Sherman seize? What telegram did he send to President Lincoln? What became of Hood's army in Tennessee ? Tell of the surrender of Lee and Johnston. What unfortunate event occurred in April, 1865 ? Tellhow Memorial Day originated. How many soldiers did Georgia send ' to the field during the war ? What was the condition of things in the State at the end of the war ? What about the Confederate money ?
TOPICS.
The March to the Sea.
&id of the Struggle.
1. Devastation.
4. In Tennessee.
2. Sherman at Milledgeville.
5. In Virginia.
3. Capture of Savannah.
6. In the Carolinas.
Memorial Day--Condition of Georgia.
CHAPTEK LV.
THE FEDERAL ARMY ASSUMES CONTROL OF GEORGIA.
" Liberty in its last analysis is but the sweat of the poor and the blood of the brave."
--EOBEKT TOOMBS.
AFTER President Davis left Richmond he started south
with a number of friends. In May, 1865., the party reached
Washington, Ga., the home of Robert Toombs. Here some
members of the Confederate cabinet assembled, with A. R.
Lawton, then quartermaster-general;
I. M. St. John, commissary-general;
Major Moses, and
others, in a last
conference, and
then broke up for
ever. Thus the
Confederate gov
ernment dissolved
in the town of
Washington upon
the soil of Georgia.
BRIG.GEN. w.R.DOGGS.
President Dayis
retreated into the interior of Georgia,
N. I.M.Sr. JOHN. 1865.
travelling in a
wagon about thirty miles a day. For five days he proceeded
without interruption until the morning of the 10th of May,
when a band of Federal cavalry who had started in pursuit
overtook him in Irwin County, Georgia. He was then arrested
and conveyed to Fortress Monroe, and held in prison with
out trial for nearly two years.
302
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
While President Davis and his cabinet were in Washing ton, Ga., a train of wagons arrived, carrying a large amount of gold and silver belonging to the Confederate government. This was known as the "Specie Train," and was guarded with great care by an armed force. Eolls of the troops were made out, and twenty-six dollars and twenty-five cents each were paid to as many as could be reached. Forty thousand dollars were set aside to pay for rations for other soldiers re turning from the war. The orders about this specie and its distribution were the last orders of the Confederate government.
Soon after the members of the cabinet had left Washing ton, and while Eobert Toombs was still at h'is home, a man on horseback galloped up to his residence, threw a bag over the fence, and rode off rapidly. The bag was found to con tain five thousand dollars in gold coin, but there was no letter or message with it, and no one could tell who left it. General Toombs ordered it to be paid out for the benefit of the Confederate soldiers who were returning from the war.
A day or two afterwards a body of Federal soldiers called at General Toombs's house and rang the bell. The general was in his private office, and looking through the window, he saw the soldiers as they approached. Knowing their pur pose was to arrest him, he hastened out by the back door, saddled a horse and rode off quickly. Mrs. Toombs answered the knocking at the door. The soldiers said they wanted the general. Mrs. Toombs invited them in, and detained them for nearly half an hoiir on various pretexts. When they became suspicious she showed them over the house, and assisted them in looking for the general, but by this time he was beyond their reach. After wandering all over Georgia and through Alabama to New Orleans, he went to England, where he remained for several years.
Governor Brown at once issued a call for the legislature to meet. General Wilson, commander of the Federal troops at
UNDER FEDERAL LAWS.
303
Macon, notified him to surrender the State militia,, who had been under arms. This Governor Brown did, and received his parole. He returned to Milledgeville, but the next night the mansion was surrounded by Federal soldiers, who had come to arrest him. "I have my parole," said Governor Brown. "But I have instructions to take that away from you," re plied the officer in command. The governor was carried to Washington city and put in prison. Here he complained to the President of his arrest while holding a parole, and at the end of a week he was set at liberty. Alexander Stephens was arrested at his home in Crawfordville and carried a prisoner to a fort at Boston, where he was kept for five months, when he was released on parole. Ho well Oobb and B. H. Hill were also arrested and imprisoned. .
Governor Brown returned to Georgia, but the State was under control of the Federal army. A period of military rule had begun, and a Federal officer was in charge of every city. The legislature did not meet because General Wil son, the Federal commander, had issued an order, saying: " Neither the legislature nor any other political body will be permitted to assemble under the rebel State authorities." Governor Brown then resigned his office. He had been reelected in 1859 and in 1861, and again in 1863, so that he had the honor of four terms as governor. He now, however, resigned the office, and he issued an address to the people, advising them to make the best of the situation, to agree to the abolition of slavery, to support the administration at Wash ington, and to aid in the reconstruction of the State, so that it might be restored to the Union as soon as possible.
The Federal generals in control of the State did many acts of kindness to the people. Rations were issued to returning soldiers and to those who were without means of support. Supplies and horses surrendered by the Confederate authorities were distributed among the needy, and a number of horses and mules belonging to the "United States govern-
304
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
ment, that had given out during Sherman's campaign and
had been left in north Georgia, were permitted to remain in
the hands of the people of that section who had suffered so
severely. During the entire spring and summer of 1864 this
section of the State had been occupied by Federal or Con
federate armies, so that no crops had been raised. General
Wofford was especially active in securing relief for the people.
The great State of Georgia continued without a governor
and under the sole control of the Federal army for about
two months. In June, 1865, Andrew Johnson, President of
the United States, appointed James
Johnson, of Columbus, provisional
governor of the State of Georgia.
The new governor went to Milledge
ville and entered upon his duties July
22, 1865. He issued a proclamation
calling fora State convention of dele
gates elected by the people to meet at
Milledgeville in October. Every man
who had fought on the Confederate JAMES JOHNSON, pKOYisioNAL sj^e was required to take an oath
GOYEBNOB.
,known as th, e "A, mnest, y Of\ at,1h,)) m
which he swore allegiance to the government of the United
States. Those who took this amnesty oath and all who had
not taken any part in the war were permitted to vote. The
men who had held office before the war and had afterward
served in the Confederate army were not permitted to take
any part in the election, but the great body of white citizens
voted. This excluded many leaders of Georgia..
The convention which assembled at Milledgeville was a
very able and conservative body, and four important things
were done: (1) The ordinance of secession adopted by the
convention of 1861 was repealed; (2) slavery was abolished
in Georgia; (3) a new State constitution was adopted; (4)
the debt incurred by the State of Georgia in prosecuting the
QUESTIONS AND TOPIOS.
305
war was repudiated ; that is, the convention declared that it should not be paid. The convention was very unwilling to repudiate the war debt, and Governor Johnson telegraphed this fact to the President of the United States. The Presi dent replied that unless the war debt was repudiated, Georgia would not be readmitted to the Union. There was no alter native left the convention but to do as the President wished.
The convention ordered an election for governor, State officers, members of the legislature, and representatives to the lower house of Congress, to be held in November, 1865. Charles J. Jenkins, of Eichmond County, was elected with out opposition, but Governor Johnson continued for the pres ent to act as provisional governor.
[James Johnson was born in North Carolina in 1811. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and began to practise in Columbus, Ga. He was a representative in Congress from 1851 to 1853 and was appointed provisional governor in 1865. He was collector of customs at Savannah in 1866-69 and judge of the Superior Court of Georgia in 1870.]
QUESTIONS.
Describe the last meeting of the Confederate cabinet. Where and when was JefEerson Davis arrested ? What were the last orders of the Confederate government ? Relate the story of Robert Toombs and the bag of gold coin. Tell how General Toombs escaped. Tell how Governor Brown was arrested. How long was he held prisoner ? What did Gov ernor Brown find on his return to Georgia ? What did he do ? What order did General Wilson, the Federal commander, issue ? How long did Georgia remain without a governor ? What was the " Amnesty Oath " ? What did the Milledgeville convention do ? Who was elected governor in November, 1865 ?
TOPICS.
1. The cabinet disbands. 2. Davis arrested. 3. Robert Toombs escapes.
4. Governor Brown arrested. 5. Johnson provisional governor. 6. Milledgeville Convention.
20
EPOCH VII. Reconstruction.
CHAPTER LVI.
GEORGIA EXCLUDED FEOM THE UNION.
'A tempest of unsurpassed fury has swept over the land. The elements do not sub side into their normal quiet instantaneously with the lull of the wind, the sleep of the lightning, and the hush of the thunder."--GOVERNOR JENKINS.
THE legislature met at Milledge-
ville on the 4tli of December, 1865,
and ratified the Thirteenth Amend
ment to the Constitution of . the
United States. The convention had
already abolished slavery in Georgia.
The amendment prohibited slavery
in the United States. Charles J.
Jenkins was inaugurated governor
on the 14th of December, President
J. JENKINS.
Johnson having telegraphed his
consent. Early in January, Alexan
der H. Stephens and Herschel V. Johnson were elected United
States senators. Congress, however, refused to permit these
senators, and the representatives who had been elected in No
vember, to take their seats. This act showed a difference of
opinion between the President and Congress.
President Johnson believed that a State could not secede
and that Georgia had in fact never been out of the Union, the
ordinance of secession, in his opinion, having been absolutely
null and void. He believed that those persons who had re-
PECULIAR POSITION OF THE STATS. 307
sisted the authority of the general government had forfeited all their rights as citizens, but that those who had not resisted, and those who had been pardoned by him for resisting, to gether made up a State--a body politic--which was in the Union with all the rights and privileges of any other State.
The Republican leaders in Congress, however, had changed their views as to the Southern States. These leaders now claimed that Georgia was admitted to be out of the Union when the Confederates were recognized as belligerents, and that now Georgia was territory conquered by the army of the United States and subject to the control of Congress just as any other territory. They denied that the President had any power to reorganize the State governments, and took steps to carry out a plan o* their own for "reconstructing" these " territories " into States.
This difference of opinion led to a struggle between the President and Congress. During the long contest, Georgia occupied a peculiar position, being recognized by the President as a State, under the control of its governor and its own offi cers, but by Congress as a territory under the control of the army. The State officers continued to occupy their posi tions; the legislature met, the courts were held, and the laws of the State were enforced. But the United States army occupied Georgia, being kept there by Congress in charge of the '' territory.''
With the army a large number of Northern men also came to Georgia. Some came to make their homes here and to take a part in building up the State. A great number, however, were mere adventurers, who had no real interest in the State, and whose only object was to secure offices. These adventurers were appropriately called "carpet-baggers." Many of them came as agents of the Preedmen's Bureau, which had been created by Congress to look after the interests of the freedmen. One was located in every important town and they soon acquired great influence with the freedmen. Prejudiced
308
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
against the Southern people, ignorant of the relations between the former masters and slaves, unable to appreciate the con ditions which then existed, these agents, even with the best intentions, could only do harm.
Congress proposed the Fourteenth Amendment to the Con stitution of the United States, and demanded that the South ern States must ratify it before Congress would recognize them as in the Union. The Georgia legislature met in November and refused to ratify, upon the ground that if Georgia was not a ' State, bnt a territory, she had no right to vote; while if Georgia was a State, the amendment was not legally proposed by a Con gress from which her representatives were excluded, and Congress had no right to dictate to a State how it should act on any amendment.
By this action the issue was made and a crisis was at hand. Governor Brown went to Washington in the early part of the next year to see what could be done. Upon his return he wrote a letter advising the people of Georgia to accept the Fourteenth Amendment, for the reason that they would in the end be forced to do so. But the people were not in a mood to follow this advice, and Governor Brown became at once the most unpopular man in the State.
Governor Jenkins also went to Washington and tried to test in the Supreme Court the powers of Congress to make citizens of the freedmen, but the,case was dismissed by the Court. ,Then he wrote a letter to the people of Georgia advising "a (firm but temperate refusal of acquiescence " in the demands of Congress. Benjamin H. Hill threw all his influence and eloquence against the measures.
In March, 1867, Congress passed an act called the Eeconstruction Act, under which Georgia, Alabama, and Florida were made the third military district, and Major-General Pope of the Federal army was put in command. In July another reconstruction act was passed in accordance with which a reg istration of voters took place under the direction in each county
ELECTION UNDER RECONSTRUCTION ACTS. 309
of a military officer. There were nearly as many negroes put on the register as white men, the total number registered being 192,235, of which 95,973 were colored persons. General Pope then ordered an election for delegates to a constitutional convention. Many whites refused to vote in this election, and the negroes voted for the first time. Many of the delegates chosen were men of no character and little ability. Of the 166'delegates elected, 33 were negroes.
[Charles J. Jenkins was born in Beaufort District, S. C., in 1805. When he was eleven years old his parents moved to Georgia and settled in Jefferson County. He studied at the State University, and in 1830 lie entered the legislature. He was attorney-general of the State in 1831. He was elected again to the legislature and became speaker of the House of Representatives. He was in the Georgia Convention of 1850 and was the author of the famous " Georgia platform." He declined the office of secretary of the interior under Millard Fillmore. In 1860 he was ap pointed to the Supreme Bench of Georgia. He was president of the Con stitutional Convention of 1877. He died in Summerville, near Augusta, in 1883.]
QUESTIONS.
What did the legislature at Milledgeville do ? Who was inaugurated governor ? What action did Congress take in relation to the senators and representatives of Georgia ? Tell about the difference between President Johnson and Congress on this matter. What was the peculiar position of Georgia during the struggle ? Tell about the "carpet-bag gers." What acts did Congress pass in 1867 ? Tell about the registra tion of voters. What did some of the whites do at the election ?
TOPICS.
1. Jenkins inaugurated.
3. Congress and Georgia,
2. The President and Congress. 4. The Reconstruction Act.
CHAPTER LVII.
UNDER MILITARY GOVERNORS.
"What does lie do--this hero in gray with a heart of gold? Does he sit down in sullenness and despair? Not for a day. Surely God, who had stripped him of his prosperity, inspired him in his adversity. As ruin was never before so overwhelming, never was restoration swifter."--HENEY GBADY.
THE convention met at Atlanta on December 9th and re mained in session till the following March. A constitution was framed and adopted, and it was provided that it should be submitted to the vote of the people at an election in April, at which governor, State legislature, and congressmen should be chosen. The question of the location of the State capital was also to be submitted to the people. Atlanta offered an executive mansion and a suitable building for the legisla ture for ten years, and a lot on which to build a new State house. Milledgeville offered a site and a sum of money equal to the value of the old buildings.
During the session of the convention General Pope was relieved of his command of the district and General Meade appointed his successor.
This convention, requiring funds to pay its expenses, made a demand upon the State treasurer for forty thousand dollars for that purpose. The treasurer refused to give the money, on the ground that the law prohibited payments out of the State treasury except by order of the governor, with the sanction of the comptroller. General Meade, being appealed to by the convention, wrote to Governor Jenkins calling upon him to issue a warrant on. the treasury for the money required, but the governor also refused. Meade then removed Governor Jenkins
BULLOCK'S ADMINISTRATION. 311
and wrote an order in which General Thomas H. Eager, of the
United States army, was "detailed for duty" as governor of
Georgia, and Captain Charles I1 . Rockwell as treasurer.
Governor Jenkins went to Washington and appealed to the
Supreme Court against the action of
Meade, but without success. When
leaving Georgia he took with him
the great seal of the State, and four
hundred thousand dollars of State
money. He deposited the money in
a bank in New York to the credit of
Georgia, and he carried the seal
to Halifax, ISFova Scotia, where he
went with his family to reside. The election ordered by the con
B. B. BULLOCK.
vention took place in April, 1868, and the new constitution
was ratified by a large majority. Eufus B. Bullock, the Re
publican candidate, was elected governor, with, a majority of
more than seven thousand over John B. Gordon, the Demo
crat. The majority voted in favor of Atlanta for State capital.
Twenty-eight negroes were
elected to the legislature.
In June, 3868, Congress
passed anactadmitting Georgia
to the Union on certain condi
tions, one being that the State
legislature should ratify the
Fourteenth Amendment to the
Constitution of the United
States. The legislature met
in July and complied with the
JOSHUA HILL.
conditions, after which Gov ernor Bullock was inaugurated
and the government transferred from the military to the civil
authorities of the State
312 .
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
This legislature elected Joshua Hill and H. V. M. Miller United States senators, but they were not permitted to take their seats. The lower house, however, at once seated the Georgia congressmen, and the vote of Georgia was counted by
Congress for Seymour and Blair, Democratic candidates for Presi dent and Vice-President.
In September, 1868, the State legislature expelled its negro mem bers, on the ground that, by the laws in existence at the adoption of the recently formed constitu tion, colored personswereexcluded from office, and that the constitution provided for the continuance of ^686 }awg_ Regarding this pro ceeding as a violation of the reconstruction acts, Congress, on as sembling on March 4, 1869, refused to allow the representatives from Georgia to take their seats in that body. Soon after, the Supreme Court decided that negroes'had a right to hold office. Congress then passed an act requiring Governor Bul lock to convene the State legislature, with the expelled negroes as members, and requiring further that the legislature should ratify the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States before Georgia could be entitled to representa tion in Congress. To carry the act into operation, MajorGeneral Terry was appointed military commander of Georgia. The State legislature met on January 10, 1870, and at tempted, amid much excitement and tumult, to organize. There were many adjournments ; but, at length, both houses organized with the negro members reseated. The Fifteenth Amendment was then ratified, and senators were elected in place of Hill and Miller, but the United States Senate refused to recognize this election, and seated Hill and Miller. The manner in which the Georgia legislature had been organ-
CONGRESSMEN FINALLY SEATED. 313
ized attracted the attention of Congress. The. judiciary com mittee was directed to inquire into the organization, and their report pronounced it an "improper; illegal and arbitrary proceeding." A bill was passed providing for a new and fair election. Congress soon after passed an act admitting Georgia to the Union. It was signed by President Grant in July, but it was January nest year before the senators and represen tatives of Georgia were admitted to their seats in Congress. This completed the work of reconstruction of the South, Georgia being the last of the States to be readmitted.
Meanwhile, the fight against Governor Bullock in the State was bitter and relentless. The Democratic State Convention in August passed strong resolutions pledging the party to a con stitutional government and to a united effort for overthrowing the corrupt State administration. These resolutions were drawn by Judge Linton Stephens of Sparta, one of the ablest men of the State and a brother of A. H. Stephens.
In December, 1870, the Western and Atlantic Railroad was leased under an act of the legislature, for twenty years, and Governor Brown, one of the lessees, was elected president. He resigned as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and Governor Bullock appointed 0. A. Lochrane as his suc cessor.
[Rufus Brown Bullock was born in New York in 1834. He came to Augusta in 1860 to organize the business of the Adams Express Company, in the South Atlantic States. His headquarters were at Augusta. Here he formed the Southern Express Company and became one of its mana gers. He was concerned in the organization of the first national bank in Georgia and was also president of the Macon and Augusta railroad. In 1867 he was chosen a delegate to the convention called to frame a coa-
314
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
stitution under the then existing reconstruction laws. After Ms return to the State he made his home in Atlanta, and became president of the Atlanta Cotton Mills.]
[H. V. M. Miller was born in South Carolina in 1814. He studied medicine and settled in Cassville, Ga. His eloquence won for him the title of the Demosthenes of the Mountains. He was professor in several medical colleges and a surgeon during the civil war. He was an active member of the Constitutional Convention after the war and United States senator from 1870 to 1871. He died in Atlanta in 1897.]
[Joshua Hill was born in South Carolina in 1812. He became a lawyei and practised at Madison, Ga. He was in Congress from 1857 to 1861, when he resigned his seat, at the request of the Georgia convention, as he was opposed to secession. He took no part in the war, but was candidate for governor in 1868, when he was defeated by Governor Brown. He served as senator until 1873. He died in Madison in 1891.]
[Linton Stephens, a younger brother of Alexander H. Stephens, was born at Crawfordsville, Georgia, July, 1823. He graduated at the University of Georgia, 1843; studied law at the University of Virginia and at Harvard, and was admitted to the bar of Georgia. He repre^ seated the counties of Taliaferro and Hancock in the State legislature; became Judge of the Supreme Court of Georgia, 1858; was a Union dele gate to the Secession Convention of 1861, and afterward a member of the legislature. He commanded Stephens's Battalion of Georgia Cavalry. He died at Sparta, 1872.
QUESTIONS.
What did the Convention at Atlanta do? Tell about the action of Gov. Jenkins and Gen. Meade in regard to the expenses of the Convention. What did Gov. Jenkins do when he was removed? Who was elected Governor in 1868 ? What did the State legislature of 1868 do ? What did Congress then do? What was the decision of the United States Su preme Court? What did Congress then do? What did the State legis lature do? What of the Western and Atlantic Railroad in 1870 ?
TOPICS.
1. Atlanta Convention. 2. Gov. Bullock elected. 3. Legislature expels negroes.
4. State legislature of 1870. 5. Congress admits Georgia. 6. Gov. Bullock censured.
EPOCH VIII.
Georgia once more in the Union.
OHAPTEE LVIIL
THE RETURN OF PEACE..
" There was a South of Slavery and Secession--that South is dead. There is a South of Union and Freedom--that South, thank Godl is living, breathing, growing every day." --BEX.TAMIN H. HILL.
ON the 23d of October, 1871,
Governor Bullock wrote his resigna
tion and left the State. The matter
was kept a profound secret for a
week. At the end of this time, Ben
jamin Conley, President of the Sen
ate, took the oath of office as gov
ernor and assumed the duties. Two
days later the legislature met, and
Governor Conley was no longer a
member of the senate, his term hav ing expired. He was permitted to
GOVERNOR JAMBS M. SMITH.
serve until his successor was elected and qualified, and the
legislature ordered an election to be held for governor on the
3d of December. James M. Smith was nominated by the
Democrats and was elected without opposition. In January,
1872, he was inaugurated governor.
Ex-Governor Jenkins now returned, and delivered up to
Governor Smith the great seal of the State. In restoring it,
he said: "I derive great satisfaction from the reflection that
316
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
it has never been desecrated by the grasp of a military
usurper's hand." The legislature soon after passed a resolu
tion authorizing the governor to have
made and presented to Mr. Jenkins
a fac-simile of the seal, with the in
scription, " Presented to Charles J.
Jenkins, by the State of Georgia,"
and also this motto, In arduisfidelis,
"which means faithful in difficulties.
Chief Justice Lochrane resigned
his position on the Supreme Bench
and Governor Smith appointed Judge
Hiram Warner as his successor.
GOYEENOE BENJAMIN CONLEY.
A committee appointed by the
legislature to investigate the. matter
reported that bonds to the extent of several million dollars
issued during the Bullock administration were fraudulent.
The legislature therefore declared the bonds null and void
from the date, of their issue, and they
have never been paid by the State.
Charges were preferred against Gov
ernor Bullock and a warrant was issued
for his arrest. An officer was sent to
ISTew York, where lie was supposed to
be, but he could not be found. A few
years later he submitted to arrest, was
tried, and was acquitted on failure of
proof to convict him.
- The Constitution of 1868 directed
the legislature to provide for the es
GUSTAVUS J. OEK.
tablishment of common schools, free
to all children of the State, and with this object an act was
passed in 1870. Governor Bullock appointed General J. E.
Lewis State school commissioner. A new school law was passed
in 1872, and one half the rental of the Western and Atlantic
THE COLLEGE AT DAHLONEGA.
317
Kailroad was added to the public school fund. Professor Gustavus J. Orr was appointed State commissioner of schools by Governor Smith.
In 1872 Governor Smith was reflected governor for a term of four years, and the vote of the State was cast for Horace
, COLLEGE, PAH1ONE<SA,
318
HISTORY OF
Greeley for President of the United States. General Grant was, however, elected. He appointed A. T. Akerman, of Bartow County, attorney-general in his Cabinet. ..^--Ihe North Georgia Agricultural College, at Dahlonega, in "Lumpkin County, was opened in January, 1873, as one of the branch colleges of the University, the United States Govern ment having given the old mint and ten acres of laud for the purpose. In 1878 the mint was destroyed by fire, and a new college building was erected. The first diploma for the degree of A.B., received by a woman from a State institution, was granted by this college in 1S78.
In 1862 Congress passed an act donating certain public lands to the States and Territories for the promotion of agri culture and the mechanic arts. The share allotted to Georgia was accepted by the State legislature in 1866, and the interest of the fund arising from the sale of the lands, amounting to about $17,000 a year, was assigned to the trustees of the Uni versity to carry out the purposes of the act.
The legislature of 1871 had elected Thomas M. Norwood United States senator to succeed Dr. Miller. In 1873 the legislature elected John B. Gordon United States senator to succeed Joshua Hill.
The convict lease system, begun under the Bullock adminis tration, received the attention of the legislature of 1874, which authorized the governor to hire out the penitentiary 'convicts on lease for terms of not more than five years. In 1876 the legislature extended the limit to twenty years. The law required that the convicts should work only ten hours a day, and should have sufficient food, clothing, and sleeping accommodation, and medical attendance.
During the term of office of Governor Smith, there was a great improvement in the financial and industrial condition of the people. The public credit was restored, the bonds of the State rose to par value, and the State was relieved of a fraudulent debt. However, an unpleasant incident occurred.
IMPROVED CONDITION OF THE STATE. 319
The State treasurer paid, with interest, certain bonds which had already been paid by Henry Clews of New York, but had not been cancelled. No one charged him with dishonesty, but he was promptly removed by Governor Smith.
[James M. Smith was born in Twiggs County in 1823. He was edu cated in Monroe County, became a lawyer, and served in the Confederate army as colonel of the 13th Georgia Regiment. He was in the legisla ture of 1871-72 as speaker of the House of Representatives. He was governor from 1872 to 1876. He was a member of the first State Rail-' toad Commission appointed by the governor under the act of 1879.]
[Gustavus J. Orr, LL.D., was born in South Carolina, August 9, 1819. He grew up on a farm, with meagre school privileges, till he was about twenty years of age. He spent a year and a half at the University, and then graduated at Emory College. He was offered a place in the Faculty at Emory, which he accepted, thus beginning a long life of edu cational work. He died December 11,1887.]
[John B. Gordon was born in Upson County, Georgia, February 6, 1882. He graduated at the State University and was admitted to the bar. In the Confederate army he rose from captain to lieutenantgeneral. He served in the United States Senate from 1873 to 1880. He was governor of Georgia for four years, and was again United States senator for six years. He died January 9, 1904.]
QUESTIONS.
What happened in October, 1871 ? Who was elected governor by t'as people in December ? Tell about ex-Governor Jenkins and the return ing of the seal. What can you say of the fraudulent bonds, and what was done regarding them ? What can you say of the public school fund in 1872 ? Tell about the North Georgia Agricultural College. Who was elected senator in 1873 ? What power was given the governor regarding the lease of convicts ?
TOPICS.
1. Bullock resigns. 2. Smith elected governor. 3. Great seal returned.
4. Bullock bonds repudiated. 5. School fund of 1873. 6. Convict lease.
CHAPTEK LIX.
THE CONSTITUTION OF 1877.
H&I "Our work is before us, gentlemen, and a grand achievement is within our grasp.f I,-' phhaat work is the restoration of a vast heritage which a sad fortune has sorely wasted and) : /.damaged."--ALFRED H. COLQUITT.
GEN. ALEBED H. COLQUITT was
nominated for governor by the
Democratic Convention held at At
lanta in August, 1876. The Bepub-
licans nominated Jonathan Norcross,
of Atlanta, as their candidate. The
election which followed in October
resulted in the election of Colquitt,
by a majority of nearly eighty thou
GOVEBNOR ALFBED H. COLQUITT. sand votes--the largest ever known
(From a photograph in 18S8.)
in the State. At the election for
President of the United States, on
November 7th, the vote of Georgia was cast, by a majority of
79,642, for the Democratic candidates, Tilden and Hendricks.
The legislature, which met on January 10, 1877, elected Ben
jamin H. Hill, United States senator for a term of six years,
to succeed Thomas M. Norwood.
The people had never been satisfied with the constitution
made for them by the Eepublican party, and the legisla
ture called a convention to revise it. This convention met
in Atlanta on the llth of July, 1877. Several important
changes in the constitution were made. The term of office
of governor was reduced from four to two years. The system
of appointments of judges and solicitors of the Superior Court
THE WORK OF THE CONVENTION.
321
Ibbtyiewntahnseiarlegsoionvlsevtreendaodrthawotfasthanechnasuenasgls.eiodnTstohoefelretehcgetiuollnaetgiboisynlattohufereflreesghigioshulatldtuarnbede passenger rates on the railroads was put under control of the
SHOKTKR COLLEGE, BOMB, GA.
twcGhoaeansntvepertrnaholtehiyoAibnshi,staeedmdan.b"dlylo,RccaokonbemdedrmttthheTeenotodpinmoagoybrmssuewopnfoatsntohthfetehthetlreeeaacdfsoriunanrusgytdistuapunlitedirnoittntho,bfroostnwahdiindss
away the key." It should be submitted
was also resolved to the people at an
that the constitution election in December,
322
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
and that the question of the.removal of the State capital from Atlanta to Milledgeville should be submitted to a separate vote.
At the election held December 5th, the new constitution was ratified by a large majority. This constitution, which is still in force, is given in full in the Appendix.
The question of' the location of the capital excited great interest in the State, and speakers, some in favor of Atlanta and others of Milledgeville, discussed the question before the people in every county. Atlanta wtirj. by a majority of forty thousand votes. Thus the seat of State government, moved from Savannah to Louisville, and thence to Milledgeville, was finally fixed in Atlanta.
A female college at Eome was opened in 1873, but in 1877 Colonel Alfred Shorter, of Eome, took charge of the property, removed the old buildings, and erected, at his own expense, three large and elegant structures on the top of a hill. The name of the institution was changed to Shorter College in honor of its benefactor.
A series of exciting investigations occupied the attention of the legislature in 1878. Charges having been made of irregu larities in several public departments, committees were ap pointed to examine into the affairs of the offices of secretary of state, comptroller-general, State school commissioner, public printer, and of the penitentiary. After inquiry, the committees reported favorably on all, except the offices of comp troller-general and the State treasurer, where abuses were discovered. Articles of impeachment* were therefore pre sented in the House of Representatives against the comptroller and the treasurer. The comptroller was charged with re ceiving and using money illegally, making false returns, and altering the records of his office. The case was tried by the
* For the laws regulating impeachment, see Constitution of Georgia, Art. 3, Sec. VI., Par. III. For the Trial of Persons impeached, see Con stitution of Georgia, Art. 3, Sec. V., Par. III., IV., V.
THE RAILROAD COMMISSION.
323
Senate, presided over by Chief Justice Warner, and the comp troller was convicted. He was removed from office, and de clared disqualified to hold office in Georgia during his life. Articles were also presented against the treasurer, but upon trial he was acquitted by the Senate.
AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANIC ARTS COLLEGE BUILDING, THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA. (NOW USED BY THE CITY FOR A GRADED SCHOOL.)
General John B. Gordon was elected United States senator by the legislature of 1878.
In virtue of the power conferred by the Constitutional Con-, vention of 1877, to regulate the freight and passenger tariff of the railroads of the State, the legislature of 1879 passed an act, creating the offices of Commissioners of Kailroads, Under
324
HISTORY OF GEORGIA,
this act Governor Colquitt appointed ex-Governor James M. Smith, Campbell Wallace, and Samuel Barnett. as commis sioners. Their work has been highly beneficial to the people and has increased the prosperity of the railroads.
In September, 1879, additional branch colleges of Agricul tural and Mechanic Arts'were opened, at Thomasville for South Georgia and at Cuthbert for West Georgia. In 1880 a branch college for Middle Georgia was opened at Milledgeville, in the old State Capitol. A picture of this historic building has already been given.
In May, 1880, John B. Gordon resigned his seat in the United States Senate and Governor Colquitt appointed Joseph E. Brown to succeed him. The governor was severely criti cised for this appointment, and his action formed an issue in the next electoral campaign.
[Alfred H. Colquitt was born in Walton County, Georgia, in 1824, was
graduated at Princeton in 1844, studied law, and was admitted to the
bar in 1845. He served during the Mexican War as a staff officer, with
rank of major. In 1852 he was elected to Congress as a Democrat, and
in 1860 was a presidential elector on the Breckenridge ticket. He was
a member of the secession convention, entered the Confederate army,
and reached the rank of major-general. He served six years as governor,
and afterwards was elected a senator of the United Sates, serving until
his death, March, 1894.]
.
.
QUESTIONS.
Who was chosen governor in 1876. ? What convention met in July, 1877 ? What changes were made in the constitution of the State? What city became the capital of Georgia ? What can you say of the Shorter College ? What investigation employed the legislature of 1878 ? What officers oi the State were charged with fraud and'with what result? What did the constitution of 1877 require of the legislature regarding railroads ? Who were appointed commissioners by Governor Colquitt ?
TOPICS.
1. Constitution revised. 2. Atlanta made the capital.
3. Comptroller-general impeached. 4. Railroad commission.
OHAPTEE LX.
THE PBOGEBSS OF THE STATE.
" War wasted lands Laden with ashes, gray and.desolate-- Tonched by the charm of some regenerate fate-- Flush into golden harvests prodigal.11 --PAUL H. HAYNE.
THE Democratic State Convention which met in Atlanta, in August, 1880, was one of the most remarkable ever held in Georgia. More than five hundred delegates were present. There were five prominent candidates for governor, but the Colquitt men were in the majority, and they organized the convention. They could have nominated their candidate, but they adopted a rule known as the " Two-thirds Rule," which requires that the candidates nominated must receive twothirds of the votes cast. This was always the rule before the war, but Governor Smith had been nominated under the ma jority rule. A bitter fight now commenced in the convention, and for six days ballots were taken. It made intense excite ment, but the minoritjr were practically unshaken. Finally on the sixth day, after thirty-six ballots, the majority of the convention, by resolution, recommended Governor Colquitt as candidate and adjourned without making a nomination. The minority held a meeting shortly afterward and nominated Thomas M. Norwood, of Savannah. Both sides were deter mined to appeal to the people.
In the contest that followed, the ablest men of the State were engaged, while Colquitt and Norwood had several joint discussions. Every act of Colquitt's was discussed, and par ticularly his appointment of Brown as United States Senator.
326
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
When October came Colquitt won by a large majority and
the legislature elected at the same time was in favor of Brown
for Senator.
The bitter feeling against Governor Brown was due to his
position on reconstruction, and was intensified by the fact that
he had prosecuted the .Columbus prisoners in 1868. In that
year a Bepublican named Ashburn was killed in Columbus,
and a number of citizens were arrested. Bail was refused
them, they were cruelly treated,
and were about to be tried be
fore a military court, when
General Meade retained Gov
ernor Brown as an attorney to
prosecute them.. A few months
later the cases were transferred
to the State courts, the prison
ers were released on bail, and
finally acquitted. Governor
Brown made no explanation at
the time, but now he brought
THOMAS H. HOBWOOD.
witnesses to prove that he had accepted a retainer on condition
that the cases should be transferred to the State courts, and in
this way had saved the prisoners.'
In November, the legislature met and Governor Brown
was elected United States Senator for the remainder of Gen
eral Gordon's term. Governor Colquitt's message showed
that his administration had been a success. All the indus
tries of the people Avere in satisfactory condition, and many
new enterprises were springing up. The State's credit was
good and the public debt was being reduced every year.
The tax on railroad property had been collected, and sev
eral hundred thousand dollars were added to the State
revenue.
The census of 1880 showed the population of the State to
COTTON EXPOSITION, 1881.
327
be one million, five hundred and fifty-two thousand, being an
increase iu ten years of over three hundred and fifty thousand.
Under this census, Georgia
had ten representatives in
the lower house of Con
gress--a gain of one.
The year 1881 is mem
orable in the history of
Georgia for the Interna
tional Cotton Exposition,
in Atlanta, which was
opened October 5th, with
imposing ceremonies, by
Governor Colquitt. The
industries of all the States
POPB BAKEOW.
were represented. The buildings covered twenty
acres, and two thousand exhibitors applied for space. People
came from all sections to wit
ness the exhibition.
After the Exposition closed,
a number of the leading citi
zens of Atlanta formed a stock
company and purchased the
grounds and buildings. The
largest of these buildings was
fitted up as a cotton fac
tory, called the Exposition
Mills.
Benjamin Harvey Hill, Georgia's distinguished son
JAMES JACKSON.
and senior senator, died in August, 1882. The legislature
elected Pope Barrow, of Athens, to fill the remainder of his
term in the United States Senate, and Alfred H. Colquitt
to succeed him for the full term, six years, from March 4th,
328
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
1883. James Jackson was elected Chief Justice to succeed
Hiram Warner.
In October, 1882, Alexander H. Stephens was elected
governor. He was inaugurated
in November. His election was a
mark of popular esteem and ap
preciation of his great public ser
vices through a long life.
He was now past seventy years
of age, and apparently still pos
sessed a clear mind and great
energy. But in a few months he
was stricken with an illness from
which he never recovered. He
JAMES S. BOYNTON.
died on March 4, 1883. On the death of Stephens,
James S. Boynton, president of the Senate, became gov
ernor to fill the office until an election could be held. The
election took place soon after, and resulted in the choice
of Henry D. McDaniel as governor for the unexpired term.
[The candidates before the memorable convention of 1880 were : Col. Rufus E. Lester of Savannah, Thos. Hardeman of Macon, Gen. L. J. Gartrell of Atlanta, Hiram Warner of Meriwether County, and A. H. Colquitt. The vote on the first ballot was as-follows : Colquitt 208f, Lester 58^, Hardeman 54|, Gartrell 17^, Warner 11. Colquitt lacked 25 votes of having the two-thirds majority required by the rule. On the last ballot Colquitt's vote was 220, 14 less than two-thirds.]
[Thomas M. Norwood was born in Talbot County in 1830 ; attended school at Culloden, Monroe County, and graduated at Emory College, Oxford, 1850. He,was admitted to the bar in 1852 and afterward moved to Savannah, where he has lived ever since. He was a member of the legis lature in 1861 ; in 1871 he was elected United States Senator and served until March 3, 1877. He is well known as a writer.]
[James S. "Boynton was born in Henry County, in 1833. He grew up on a farm, getting such education as he could from the country schools
BIOGRAPHIES AND QUESTIONS.
329
of the time. In 1853 he was admitted to the bar. He practised law in Jasper and Butts Counties. He entered the Confederate service and was colonel of the 30th Georgia Infantry. After the war he resumed the practice of the law in Griffin. In 1880 and 1883, he was elected to the Senate of the State, and made president of that body. After serving as governor he was a judge of the Superior Court.]
[Pope Barrow, a grandson of a Virginia soldier of the Revolution, was born in Georgia. He entered the Confederate Army as second lieuten ant of artillery and served through the war, rising to the rank of cap tain ; represented Clarke County in the State legislature and in the' Constitutional Convention of 1877 ; and was United States Senator from Georgia. Later his home was in Savannah, where he was a leading member of the bar. He died in 1904]
[James Jackson was born in Jefferson County in 1819. He graduated at the University in 1837, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1840. He was elected judge of the Superior Court in 1846, and remained on the bench until 1859, when he resigned to go to Congress. After the war he practised law in Macon until 1875, when he was appointed judge of the Supreme Court. In 1880 he became chief justice, which office he held until his death in 1887.]
QUESTIONS.
What can you say of the Democratic State Convention of 1880 ? How many candidates were before the Convention? How many ballots were taken ? What was finally done by the majority? Whom did the minority nominate? What of the contest which followed? What was the result of the election? What did the Governor's message of 1880 show? Tell what you can of the Cotton Exposition in 1881. Who was elected gov ernor to succeed Colquitt? What sad event happened soon after? Who became governor after the death of Stephens? Who was elected governor by the people to fill the unexpired term?
TOPICS.
1. Campaign of 1880. 2. Cotton Exposition of 1881. 3. Senatorial changes.
4. Stephens elected governor. 5. Boynton governor. 6. McDaniel governor.
CHAPTEE LXI.
ADMINISTRATION OF McDANIEL.
" Let us resolve, eacli in his appropriate sphere, to contribute all in our power to promote the happiness and prosperity of all the people of the State, by insuring to them the im partial execution of just law."-- Gov. H. D. McDANIEL.
D. MCDANIEL was inau gurated governor on the 10th of May, 1883, in the presence of the legislature, which then adjourned. The legislature convened again in July. Among the important acts passed during its session was one appropriating a million dollars for a State Capitol, in Atlanta. The build ing which has since been erected is a GOVEBNOB H. D. McDANIEL. magnificent and beautiful structure. It is situated on one of the squares of the city. The material is limestone, with Georgia granite for the foundation and base, and marble for the interior. The construction of the building was placed in the hands of a commission consisting of Governor McDaniel, Captain Evaii P. Howell, General Phil Cook, General E. P. Alexander, W. W. Thomas, and A. L. Miller. It was completed and occupied in 1889. A few dollars of the appropriation were still unexpended, and it is said to be the only State capitol ever built, the cost of which did not exceed the appropriation. The legislature of 1884 reelected Joseph E. Brown United States Senator for a full term of six years. The legislature of 1885 passed an act authorizing the establishment of a School of Technology, as a branch of the
332
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
State University. The sum of $65,000 was appropriated for erecting and equipping the buildings for the new depart ment. This school, which is located in Atlanta, contains a foundry and machine shops for instruction in all kinds of metal and wood working. There are also courses in draw ing, science, mathematics, and other branches necessary to make a young man an intelligent and skilful mechanic.
The most important measure passed by the legislature of 1885, was a general local option law. This law provided that upon application by petition signed by one-tenth of the voters in any county, the Court of Ordinary should order an election to be held to determine whether or not intoxicating liquors should be sold in the county. Before the passing of this general local option law, applications for holding such elections used to be made to the legislature, and many courts and districts had voted in favor of prohibition.
[Henry D. McDaniel :was born in Monroe, Walton County, in 1837. He graduated at Mercer University, studied law and practised in Mon roe. He was the youngest member of the Secession Convention in 1861. He was in the Confederate army, and commanded a brigade at Gettys burg. After the war he was elected to the legislature and became chair man of the Finance Committee. He was author of a law for the taxation of railroads, that has been adopted in other States. After his term of of fice, he resumed the practice of law in Monroe.]
QUESTIONS.
Who was inaugurated Governor in 1883 ? What act was passed by the legislature in July? Tell about the construction of (he State capitol. Tell about the School of Technology. What important measure was passed by the legislature of 1885? What did the law provide?
1. McDaniel inaugurated. 2. The New Capitol.
TOPICS.
3. The School of Technology. 4. Local Option Law.
CHAPTER LXII.
ADMINISTRATION OF GORDON.
"From political confusion, angry controversies, and bloody conflicts have come a national life more robust, a national peace more real and a national union more enduring." --GEN. JOHN B. GORDON.
ON October 6, 1886, General
John B. Gordon was elected gov
ernor. His service in the war
and in the Senate, his high char
acter, and his genial manner had
endeared him to the people.
At the election of 1886, the
people ratified an amendment to
the State Constitution, giving the
legislature power to levy a tax for
supplying soldiers who had lost a
GENERAL JOHN E. GORDON. (From a photograph, 1884.)
limb or limbs in the military ser vice of the Confederate States
with artificial limbs, and to
make provision for Confeder
ate soldiers who had been
disabled in the war.
In August, 1887, an inter
state convention of farmers
was held in Atlanta. Repre
sentatives from all the South
ern States were present. The
causes of the agricultural de
pression were discussed, and
remedies proposed,
334
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
A resolution was passed recommending that " the National Department of Agriculture be advanced to the dignity of a cab inet position." This has since been done, and a Minister of
Agricultureisnow one of the mem bers of the Presi dent's cabinet.
At the ses
sion of the
legislature in
October,
1887, Logan
E. Bleckley
was elected
Chief Justice
of the Su-
^^ffl^fcr--
preme UOUrc, NOKMAL AND INDDSTIUAL COLLEGE FOK GIBLS, MILLEDGEVILLE
to succeed
Judge James Jackson, who died in the previous January.
At the election in October, 1888, Governor Gordon was re-
elected without opposition.
In 1889 the legislature passed an act providing for the
establishment of a Normal and Industrial College for Girls.
The institution is located at Milledgeville. Its course of in
struction includes stenography, bookkeeping, telegraphing,
dressmaking, cooking, music, and art. One of the college
buildings is the Mansion, which for many years was the resi
dence of the governors of the State.
ANNUAL EXPOSITIONS.
335
Annual expositions were
commenced in 1887 in Atlanta
and Augusta. President Cleve
land and his .wife visited the
Atlanta Exposition in 1887.
. The death of the young
journalist and orator, Henry
"W. Grady, which occurred in
1889 in Atlanta, caused pro
found grief throughout the
country. Memorial meetings
HENRY W. GKADY.
were held in many places. A statue has been erected to his
memory in Atlanta, and the Grady Hospital in that city is
named in his honor.
[Henry W. Gfrady was born in Athens, 1851. He was graduated at the State University of Virginia. Upon his return to Georgia he took up the profession of journalism. He was an able writer and an eloquent public speaker. Some of his speeches attracted national attention, no tably that on the " The New South "delivered in New York; that on "The South, Her Problems," delivered at Dallas, Texas; and the speeches at Plymouth Eock and Boston. He died on December 21, 1889.]
[Logan E. Bleckley was born in Eabun County, in 1827. He was ad mitted to the bar at 19 years of age, and in 1851 he began to practise law in Atlanta. In 1853 he was elected judge of the Coweta Circuit, and served for four years. In 1875 he was appointed to the Supreme Court. 'He died in March, 1907.]
QUESTIONS.
Who was elected governor in 1886 ? What amendment to the Consti tution was ratified at the same election? What convention was held in Atlanta in 1887? Who was elected chief justice in 1887? What college was created by the legislature in 1889? What of Henry W. Grady?
TOPICS.
1. Gordon elected governor. 2. The injured soldiers.
3. Farmers' Convention. 4. Normal and Industrial. College.
OHAPTEE LXIII.
ADMINISTEATIOX OF GOVEBNOB NOETHEK.
"In the liglit of the blessed present, gather strength and courage for the possibilities of the future. Loving all that is good, despising nothing but evil, in the fullest sympathy for the misfortunes of each other, and in united purpose for the good of the State, let us strike together as with one arm for home, for humanity, and for the right. "--WILLIAM J. NOKTHEN.
WILLIAM J. NORTHED, Presi
dent of the State Agricultural
Society, was candidate for the
Democratic nomination for gov
ernor. The Farmers' Alliance en
dorsed him, and he was nominated
and elected without opposition,
a very unusual thing in our State.
The Farmers' Alliance was a
society to advance the interests of
GOVERNOR WILLIAM J. NO11THEN. farmers, and one of its purposes
""""
was to secure better laws. As
Georgia is a great agricultural
State, the Alliance soon had
a large- membership in every
county, and exercised great in
fluence in political affairs.
The twenty-year lease of the
Western and Atlantic Eailroad
expired in 1890, and the disposi
tion of this property excited great
interest for some time. The
legislature finally- decided to lease the property again, and in
CHARLES P. CKISP.
June of that year the bid of the Nashville, Chattanooga and
OF 1890.
337
St. Louis Eailway was accepted. The State still owns the
road, and the Eailway Company pays a rental of $35,000 a
month for twenty-nine years.
The legislature in November elected General Gordon the
third time to the United States Senate to succeed Governor
__
_______ Brown, who declined
I
,,.;..'.--'*
e a reflection.
By the census of
1890 the population
of the State was one
million eight hun-
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, ATHENS.
dred and thirty-seven thousand three hundred and fifty-three, an increase of nearly three hundred thousand in ten years. Under the new apportionment Georgia gained another mem ber in Congress.
When the new Congress assembled in 1891, Judge Charles P. Crisp, of Americus, was elected Speaker of the House of Eepresentatives. He had for some years been recognized as a leader in that body, and as its presiding officer he won the approval of the whole country.
A State jSTormal School for the training of teachers was provided for by the legislature in 1891, and located at Athens, in the building known as Bock College, and occu pied formerly as an experiment station for students of agri-
338
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
culture at the University. The Normal School is under the control of a special commission, and is a branch of the State University. For the first three years it was open only during the summer, but in 1895 arrangements were made for a full session, and the doors were opened on the 17th of April of that year. For several years S. D. Brad-well was president of the Normal School, but after his resignation E. C. Branson was put at the head of the school. It has grown steadily year by year until five or six hundred students annually crowd its rolls, and go out into the schools of the State thoroughly prepared to teach. This institution and the splendid one at Milledgeville are doing much to enlarge the school system of the State, and bring the profession of the teacher up to its proper dignity.
The same legislature in 1891 made the first Monday in September, Labor Day, a legal holiday in the State.
In May, 1891, many of the leaders of the Farmers' Alliance of the United States formed a new party which they named the People's Party, though it is sometimes called the Popu list or Third Party. Many members of the Alliance in Georgia joined this party, and Thomas E. Watson, of Thom son, an able lawyer and member of Congress, became its leader in the State. At the election for governor in 1892 the People's Party nominated W. L. Peek as a candidate, but Governor Uorthen, the Democratic nominee, was reflected.
At the same time the people ratified an amendment to the State Constitution which provides for a session of the legisla ture every year instead of every two years. Each session is lim ited to fifty days, and begins on the fourth Wednesday in June.
The most exciting contest in the State in 1892 was in the Tenth Congressional District, between J. C. C. Black, Democrat, and Thomas E. Watson, leader of the People's Party. It attracted the attention of the whole country. Black was declared elected. Watson contested the election before Congress, but Black retained his seat.
SENATORIAL APPOINTMENTS.
339
In recent years the electoral rote of Georgia has always
been given for the Democratic candidate for President of
the United States, and in 1892 this vote was given to Grover
Cleveland. He selected Hoke
Smith, of Atlanta, one of the
leading lawyers of the State,
as a member of his Cabinet.
Senator Colquitt died in
March, 1894, and Governor
'Northen appointed as his suc
cessor Judge Crisp, who felt
it his duty to decline because
he was then Speaker of the
House of Representatives of
Congress, and leading mem
bers of that body urged that
he could not be spared. The
governor then appointed Pat rick Walsh, -of Augusta, well
PATBICK WA1SH.
known as editor and proprietor of the Augusta Chronicle.
[William J. Northen was born in Jones County, Georgia, July 8, 1835. He was graduated at JMercer University in 1853. He began teaching school in 1854. After the war he returned to Hancock County and taught school until 1874, when, because of ill health, he went to fanning. He was in the State Democratic Convention of 1867, repre sentative from Hancock County in the General Assembly of 1877, 1878, 1879, and in the notable gubernatorial convention of 1880. He was representative again in 1881, and Senator in 1884-85.]
[Charles Frederick Crisp was born in Sheffield, England, on January 29, 1845. His parents were Americans temporarily sojourning in Eng land, and they returned to this country in 1846. At the close of the war he began the study of law and was admitted to the bar. In 1872 he was appointed solicitor-general of the southwestern district, and served until 1877, when he was appointed Judge of the Superior Court. He resigned this office to become a candidate for Congress from
340
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
the Third Georgia district. He was Speaker of the Fifty-second and Fifty-third Congress. He died in Atlanta in 1896.]
[Hoke Smith was born in North Carolina September 1, 1855. He located in Atlanta, where he read law and was admitted to the bar. From the first he was successful, and soon rose to front rank as a lawyer. He bought the Atlanta Journal, but continued his profession. During the campaign of 1892 he was recognized as the leader of the Cleveland party in the State. He was appointed secretary of the interior in Cleveland's Cabinet, and served vith distinction until July, 1896, when he resigned because he intended to vote for the nominee of the Chicago Democratic Convention although he did not approve the platform.]
[Thomas E. Watson was born in Columbia County, Georgia, Septem ber 5, 1856, and entered Mercer University in 1872. Leaving college July, 1874, he became a school teacher in Screven County. He was ad mitted to the bar in Augusta in 1875, and located at Thomson in Novem ber, 1876. He was a member 'of the Georgia legislature in 1882, and was elected to Congress in 1890. In 1896 he was the nominee of the People's Party for Vice-President. In 1904 and in 1908 he was the
nominee of that party for President.]
QUESTIONS.
What of Governor Northen's election? What was the object of the Farmers'Alliance? What about the Western and Atlantic Railroad in 1890? Who was elected to the United States Senate to succeed Governor Brown? What was the population of Georgia in 1890? What prominent Georgian was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1891? What school was established by the legislature in 1891? What new political party was formed in 1891? Who was its leader in Georgia? What amendment to the State Constitution was ratified in 1892? Whati Georgian was made a member of President Cleveland's Cabinet? What senator died in 1894, and who was appointed to succeed him?
TOPICS.
1. Northen governor.
4. State Normal School.
2. Farmers' Alliance.
5. People's party.
3. Western and Atlantic Railroad. 6. National elections.
CHAPTER LXIV.
ADMINISTSATION OF GOTEBNOK ATKINSOif.
s 'He who serves the people wisely, courageously and unselfishly, will receive his re. ward in the merited esteem of his countrymen, who will love him for the enemies wmcn he may have made in his devotion to duty."--W. Y. ATKINSON.
IH 1894 two candidates ap
peared for the Democratic
nomination for governor--
"VV. Y. Atkinson, Speaker of
the House of Kepresentatives,
and General Clement A.
Evans. After a series of joint
debates and a few months'
vigorous campaign,, it became
evident that a majority of
tlie delegates were for Atkin-
son. General Evans withdrew
in the interest of party har
GOVERNOR W. T. ATKINSON.
mony, and Atkinson was
nominated.
The Eepublicans put no State ticket in the field. The
nominee of the People's Party was Judge James K. Hines.
The total vote cast at the election in October was the largest
in'the history of the State, being nearly 218,000. Atkinson
was elected and inaugurated.
When the legislature met Mr. Walsh was elected United
States senator for the unexpired term of Senator Colquitt,
and Augustus 0. Bacon, of Macon, was elected to succeed
him for the full term. The legislature also elected Judge
Thomas J. Simmons, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
342
HISTORY OF OEOR&IA.
to succeed Judge Bleckley,
who had resigned.
A noted contest for election
of Member of Congress oc
curred in the Tenth Congres
sional District between James
C. C. Black, of Augusta, the
Democratic candidate, and
Thomas E. "Watson, of Thom
son, the Populist candidate.
The majority of votes was
counted for Black, hut each
party admitting that there had
AUGUSTUS O. BACON.
been fraudonitsside,heagreed
that there should be another
election. The legislature of 1894 made an election law that
insured fairness, and in the second election, which was held
early in 1895, Black was chosen by a majority of 1,602.
--In 1895 the International and Cotton States Exposition
was held in Atlanta, and all the industries and resources
of the South were fully represented. This fair ranks
among the greatest that have
been held in the country.
There were exhibits from all
over the Union, and from
South American and foreign
countries. The number of
visitors was very great. The
Exposition opened Septem
ber 18, and closed December
31.
In 1896 Governor Atkinson
was reflected, his opponent
being Seaborn Wright, candi
date of the People's party.
THE WAR WITH SPAIN.
343
The legislature of 1896 elected Alexander S. Clay, of
Marietta, United States senator for six years, from March 4,
1897, to succeed John B. G-ordon.
For many years Spanish rule in the island of Cuba had
been attended with much suffering to the people, and in 1894
they rose in armed revolt
against it. Spain acted with
great cruelty in trying to
suppress this revolt. The
sympathy of Americans . was
strongly on the side of the
Cubans, and in 1897 our Gov
ernment made a demand upon
Spain that peace be promptly
established in the island. This
caused much bitter feeling
among the Spaniards, and the
safety of American citizens in
Cuba became endangered. To protect our interests, the
ALEXANDEB STEPHENS CLAY.
United States battleship Maine was sent to the harbor of
Havana, but on February 15, 1898, it was wrecked by an ex
plosion, and most of the crew were killed. The excitement
caused by this event led to a resolution of Congress declaring
that Cuba should be freed from Spanish rule, and author
izing the President to use the army and the navy of the
United States for that purpose. The President called for
125,000 volunteers to enforce the resolution, and the nation
responded, with enthusiasm.
Georgia supplied her quota of troops with patriotic prompt
ness. The demand on the State was for more than three
thousand soldiers, and the call was at once responded to.
Three regiments were organized--the First Georgia under
Colonel A. E. Lawton, of Savannah, the Second Georgia un
der Colonel Oscar J. Brown, of the regular army, and the
344
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Third Georgia under Colonel John S. Candler, of Atlanta.
The Third was afterwards placed under the command of Col
onel Eobert L. Berner, of Forsyth, and was sent to Cuba,
where it served for several months in camp around the city
of Havana.
Among the major-generals . appointed by President Mc-
Kinley, was Joseph Wheeler, a Georgian by birth. He served
with distinction in the
campaign against San
tiago, one of the chief
towns of Cuba. Among
the brigadier-generals
appointed was G-eneral
W. "W. Gordon, of Sa
vannah, who was in
command of his brigade
while en camped in Flor
ida. After the war he
was appointed on the
commission to arrange
for the evacuation of
the island of Porto Eico
GENERAL W. W. GOKDON.
by the Spaniards. An other native of Georgia,
Thomas M. Brumby, served on the Olympia as flag-lieutenant
under Admiral Dewey in the Philippine Islands. When
Manila surrendered he was sent to raise the American flag-
over the city.
A number of camps were established in Georgia during the
war. At Griffin there was a camp for the instruction of State
troops ; and at Chickamauga Park, Macon, Augusta, Athens,
and Columbus, were camps for the soldiers of the regular
and volunteer armies. Augusta was the headquarters of
the Second Army Corps, and it was also one of the camps at
which volunteer soldiers were mustered out after the war.
PRISON MANAGEMENT.
345
The war did not last long. A Spanish fleet was destroyed in the Philippine Islands by Admiral Dewey, and another Spanish fleet was destroyed in Santiago Bay by Bear Admirals Sampson and Schley. Soon afterwards Spain asked for peace, and an agreement between the Spanish and United States Governments was signed in August., 1898. This was the end of the war with Spain.
An act of the legislature, passed in 1897, greatly changed the system of management of prisons. It provided that male and female convicts should be kept apart; that children un der fifteen years of age should be kept separate from other criminals ; that white and colored convicts should not be put to work together, and that men not disabled might be hired out. A Prison Commission was also created to carry out the provisions of the act. The commissioners appointed were, Joseph S. Turner (chairman), Clement A. Evans, and Thomas Eason.
The Commission has established a State Farm near Milledgeville, on which the convicts are employed. A correct ional department is provided for boys, where they are trained so as to fit them to earn their living by honest industry when they are discharged from prison.
The Commission is also a Board of Pardons required to in vestigate applications for clemency to convicts, and to make a recommendation on each case to the governor, who alone has the pardoning power.
[Augustus 0. Bacon was born in Bryan County in 1839. In 1860 he graduated at the law school of the University and began practising law in Atlanta. In May, 1861, he joined the army. After the war he went to Macon and resumed the practice of the law. In 1870 he was elected to the legislature, and in 1873 was chosen speaker, which office he held for a number of years. He was the most prominent candidate for gov ernor jn 1886, and his nomination was conceded until a few months be fore the election, when General Gordon entered the race and was nomi nated. He was elected senator in 1894.]
346
BISTORT OF GEORGIA.
[Thos. J. Simmons was born in Crawford County in 1837. His early education was received at the common schools of the neighborhood and completed at La Grange. lie began the practice of the law in 1857 at Knoxville. He served in the Confederate Army, reaching the rank of lieutenant-colonel. After the war he moved to Macon. He was a mem ber of the legislature for several years, serving two terms as president of the Senate. In 1887 he was elected to the Supreme Court to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Hall.]
[W. Y. Atkinson was born in Meriwether County in 1854. He was a graduate of the State University and began to practise law in Newnan. He was elected to the legislature from Coweta County, and was speaker of that body during the session of 1893-93. He was chairman of the State Executive Democratic Committee in 1892. He died August 8,1899.]
[Alexander S. Clay was born in Cobb County in 1853. He received his education at Hiwassee College, and began to practise law in Marietta in 1887. In 1884 he represented Cobb County in the legislature. In 1888 he was elected speaker of the House of Representatives. In 1890 he was chosen to the State Senate, and was elected president of that body. In 1894 he was chosen chairman of the State Democratic Committee.]
[General W. W. Gordon was born in Savannah, October, 1834 He graduated at Tale College in 1854 and entered business in the city of his birth. He served as captain in the Confederate service during the war, after which he returned to business life in Savannah. He was a member of the legislature in 1884, 1886, and 1888.]
QUESTIONS.
"What two Democratic candidates appeared for nomination for gov ernor in 1894 ? Who was nominated ? Who was elected ? Tell about the contest for Congress in the Tenth District. Tell of the Exposition in Atlanta in 1895. Who was elected governor in 1896 ? Who senator?' What can you say of Spanish rule in Cuba ? Tell of the wrecking of the Maine. What did Congress do ? What regiments were organized in Georgia ? Name the Georgians appointed to military command by the President. Tell of the camps established in Georgia. What of the changes in the prison system ?
TOPICS.
1. Atkinson elected governor.
3. Atlanta Exposition.
2. Contest in the Tenth District.
4. War with Spain,
5. Prison Commission.
CHAPTER LXV.
ADMINTSTKATIOJJ" OF GOYEIWOR CAKDLEK.
" A venal vote is the destruction of a republic. Such a government must rest upon til* virtue and intelligence of the voter. Without both virtue and intelligence in the voter it must fall."--A. D. CANDLEB.
WHILE the exciting events of
the war were taking place, the
time for another State election
came round. The Democratic
convention met at Atlanta June
29, 1898, and nominated Alien
D. Candler for governor. The
platform of the party declared
that the war with Spain was
"just and righteous." It advo
cated the construction of the
Nicaraguan Canal by the United
GOVERNOR A. D. CANDLEK.
States, and declared in favor of the free coinage of silver at a ratio
of 16 to 1. The Populists nominated J. R. Hogan, of Lincoln
County, for governor.
The Democrats carried the election by large majorities.
Candler was elected, and all the eleven congressmen elected
were Democrats. An amendment to the Constitution of the
State that the judges and solicitors of the Superior Courts
should be elected by the people, was also carried.
In December, 1898, a jubilee was held in Atlanta, as a
celebration of our victory in the war with Spain. President
McKinley was present, and addressed the legislature. He
also spoke in other places in Georgia, and paid tributes to the
348
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
valor of the Confederate soldiers of the Civil "War. He vis
ited the various encampments o.f the troops, and was received
with enthusiasm by all the people. .
Rev. Atticus Q-. Haygood, a distinguished Georgian and
bishop of the Methodist Church, died in 1896, and at the
next general Conference, in
1898, Dr. Warren A. Candler1
was elected bishop. He was tlw
third President of Emory Col
lege upon whom this honor
was conferred. Hon. Walter
:. B. Hill, of Macon, was elected
:;;; President of the State Uni
versity in July, 1899, in place
of Dr. William E. Boggs, who
resigned.
In 1899 a reception was
given to Lieutenant Brumby,
WALTER B. HILL.
in recognition of his service in the Philippine Islands under
Admiral Dewey. On October 26th the General Assembly
passed a complimentary resolution, and Governor Candler
presented to the lieutenant a sword in the name of tile State.
In October, 1900, an Amendment to the Constitution was
adopted, which enabled the State to help a larger number of
the widows of Confederate soldiers. The Legislature passed
an act which gives a pension of sixty dollars a year to any
widow of a Confederate soldier, who enlisted from Georgia,
and served six months, provided the widow now lives in the
State and cannot support herself. The Legislature had
already given pensions to the widows of soldiers who died
in the Confederate service. The widows of Union soldiers
get pensions from the United States, but the widows of
Confederate soldiers have no assistance except that given
them by their own State.
NOTES AND QUESTIONS.
349
Under Governor Oandler the new prison system established in 1897 was put in successful operation; new buildings were erected at the University, the capacity of the asylum for the insane and of the schools for the deaf, dumb and blind was greatly enlarged, and the school fund for the support of the common schools and colleges was increased.
Governor Oandler urged the importance of having some one compile the historical records of Georgia, including the colonial, revolutionary and Confederate records. This has been done in many other States. After Governor Oandler's term as Governor had expired, the recommenda tion was taken up by the Legislature, the office of " Com piler of State Eecords" was created, and he was chosen to fill it.
[Alien Daniel Candler was born in Lumpkin County, November, 1834. He graduated from Mercer .University, 1859, and taught school and studied law till the fall of 1861, when he enlisted in the Thirty-fourth Georgia Infantry, Confederate Army, in which he was elected first lieu tenant. Subsequently he became captain and colonel. He was a mem ber of the Georgia House of Representatives from 1872 to 1877, inclusive-; of the Georgia Senate from 1878 to 1880, and of the United States House of Representatives from' 1883 to 1891. He was Secretary oi State of Georgia from 1894 to 1898.]
[Walter B. Hill was born in Talbotton in 1851. In 1870 he graduated at the University of Georgia, and next year at the University Law School. He began the practice of law, and at the age of twenty-two was appointed to assist in the work of compiling the Code of Georgia. In 1886 he was President of the Georgia Bar Association. He died in 1905.]
QUESTIONS.
Who was elected governor in 1898 ? Tell about President McKinley's
visit to Georgia. Tell of the chancellorship of the university. What
changes took place in other educational institutions ? Tell about the
reception to Lieutenant Brumby. Give some other events of Gov.
Candler's administration.
TOPICS.
1. Candler elected governor.
3. Changes in the colleges.
2. Jubilee at Atlanta.
4. Events of his administration.
CHAPTEE LXVI.
ADMIU'ISTEATION' OF GOVEEN'OE TEEBELL.
"In the disposition of the patronage and appointments vested in the Governor I shall endeavor to select the best man, without fear, favor or affection. I have no promises to fulfil and no old scores to settle. We are one family now, and all shall be treated alike."--JOSEPH M. TEBKELL.
Jj<f 1902 there were three candidates for the Democratic nomination for Governor. These were Joseph. M. Terrell, J. H. Estill and Du Pont G-uerry. The contest was spirited for several months. At the primary election to decide who
should be the candidate of the party, Joseph M. Terrell was nominated, and at the regular election he was chosen governor by a large majority. He was inaugurated in the presence of the legislature
The legislature reflected
Senator A. S. Clay for another
term of six years.
JOSEI-a M. TEKRELL.
At the general election in -1902TM CX olM oneIlIJToIhn STM. Csv andler
was elected an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of
Georgia. After Governor Terrell was inaugurated two
vacancies occurred in that Court and he appointed Joseph
B. Lamar and Henry G. Turner to fill them.
A new penal system was adopted by the act of 1897,
which was reenacted, with some changes, in 1903. This
legislation was an important reform of the old system prior to
THE STATE CONVICT SYSTEM.
351
1897, under which convicts had been leased for a term of twenty-five years. Under the new system, providing for a State Farm (p. 345), the labor of the felony convicts not sent to the farm was disposed of by the State under contract to do certain kinds of work not competing with free skilled labor.
In 1903 the legislature passed an act providing that the same text-books should be used by all the public schools in the State. Under this law books were adopted by the State School Book Commission in December, 1903, to be used for Bve years. Cities, counties and towns which levy a special tax and support their own schools for eight months each year, are not required to use the adopted books, but are left
independent and free to use any books they lease.
In 1905 eight new coun
ties were created, viz: Grady,
Tift, Turner, Crisp, Jeff
Davis, Toombs, Jenkins and
Stephens. In 1906 one more
was added and named Ben
Hill. This brings the num
ber of counties up to one
hundred and forty-six.
Walter B. Hill, the be
loved chancellor of the Uni
versity, died in December,
1905. The trustees at their
regular meeting in June,
1906. elected David C. Bar
row his successor. Of late
years, "under the inspiration
of able leaders and with
Divm Oi BABBOW.
the assistance of generous
friends, the University has grown rapidly. New buildings
have been erected, the campus has been enlarged, and the
enrollment of students has largely increased.
352
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Great progress has been made in education during the past few years. The public-school system was begun in 1871, under General J. B,. Lewis, as State school commissioner. In January, 1872, General Lewis was succeeded by Gustavus J. Orr, who was called the father of common schools in Georgia. Dr. Orr retained the place until his death in 1887, and was succeeded by Judge James S. Hook. Governor Northen appointed S. D. Bradwell to the office, who, in turn, was succeeded by G. K. Glenn under Governor Atkinson's administration. At the popular election in 1902, W. B. Merrifct was elected to this office. Merritt resigned in 1907 and was succeeded by Jere M. Pound, who was appointed to the position by Gov. Hoke Smith. During all these years the system has grown steadily. At first there was only a three months' term of school every year, but now a much longer term is the rule throughout the State, and in the cities, where the State fund is supplemented by a local fund, the schools are open nine months. The school fund from all sources amounts to about three million dollars per annum. There are about ten thousand teachers who instruct a half million children. ., The legislature of 1906 established in each Congressional district a "School of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts." The districts provided the lauds and buildings, the State agreeing to maintain the schools thereafter. The course of study covers the branches of an English education. Tuition is free. All the work on the college farms and grounds is done by the students, but one half of the net profits of the farms is paid to the students for their labor. In 1907 there was lively bidding among the various counties of the several dis tricts for the location of these schools. By the end of the year they were all located.
[Joseph Meriwether Terrell was born June 6, 1861, in Greenville, Meriwether County, Georgia. He was reared on a farm, and accustomed
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.
353
to farm life until twenty years of age. He then studied law, and began to practise in his home county. In 1884 he went to the legislature. In 1890 he became State Senator. In 1892 he was elected attorney general, which office he resigned when he entered the race for governor.]
[David Crenshaw Barrow was born in Oglethorpe County, Ga., October 18, 1852. He graduated at the University of Georgia in 1874, and in the same year was elected adjunct professor in Mathematics and Engineer ing. He has been with the University since that date in various offices. He has been prominent in educational circles all his life, and enjoys the high regard and affection of the profession at home and abroad.]
QUESTIONS.
"Who was elected governor in 1902? What can you say of the uni form school-book law? What appointments were made to the Supreme Court? What can you say of the regulations about the hire of convicts? What progress has been made in education in the State?
TOPICS.
1. Election of governor. 2. Changes in penal system.
3. Uniform school-book law. 4. Progress in education.
CHAPTER LXVIL
OP GOVESKTOR HOKE SMITH.
" I would have the boys and girls of Georgia furnished an opportunity to make useful .men and women. Nearly every white child of the tenant farmer and nearly every white child of the poorest day laborer carries in his veins the Wood of a revolutionary hero.
He has the foundation ou which to build a manhood unsurpassed in capacity and useful ness. We must not permit this germ of greatness to be smothered by lack of oppor tunity. "--HOKE SMITH.
IK 1906 Hoke Smith was elected governor of Georgia.
There were four other candidates in the field for the
nomination, but Governor
Smith won a sweeping vic
tory. He was inaugurated
June 29, 1907.
The legislature of 1907 had
for its consideration many re
forms which had been advo
cated by the governor in his
campaign, as well as urged
by the people and press of the
State. The first measure of
importance was a prohibition
bill making illegal the manu
GOVERNOR HOKE SMITH.
facture and sale of intoxicat ing liquors within the State.
Governor Smith, while a local optionist, had stated in his
campaign that he would sign such a bill, and it was approved
August 1, 1907, and went into effect Jan. 1, 1908. Thus
Georgia became a prohibition state.
A bill was also passed enlarging the powers of the railroad
commission and increasing the membership from three to
THE STATE CONVICT SYSTEM.
355
five. The newly organized commission ratified the action of the old commission reducing railroad passenger fares, and successfully defended that action before the courts. Much was done also in requiring railroads to improve their prop erty, and protect their passengers from accident. Among other acts of the new commission was one to prohibit the giving of free passes.
An improved election law was passed by the legislature whereby the ignorant and purchasable element, particularly of the negro population, was disqualified from voting.
Other reform measures were taken up by the legislature of 1908. Among them may be mentioned a primary election law providing that no primary should be held except within sixty days of the general election; a law to prevent corpo rations from contributing directly or indirectly to campaign funds; a law for the publication of campaign expenses; a law for providing for the protection and purifying of regis tration lists, so that none but legally registered citizens shall vote.
The most important question that came before the session of 1908 was the disposition of the State convicts. For many years after the war the convicts of Georgia were leased to private companies, but several years ago the law was changed so that the State employed all the guards, wardens, and other officials and simply sold the labor of the convicts. This sys tem, while an improvement over the direct leasing plan, de veloped defects that caused a widespread demand for the abolishment of the lease system.
No action in the convict question was taken at the regular session of the legislature. The governor called an extra ses sion that sat for four weeks in the summer considering many measures that looked to the abolishing of the lease system and the disposition of the convicts afterward.
On September 19, 1908, the house of representatives and senate agreed on a bill, providing for the abolishing of all
356
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
convict leases, and for the working of convicts on the roads, and on the State Farm. Those who cannot be so employed are to be disposed of in such manner as the prison commission may direct, with the consent and approval of the governor.
The extra session passed other important measures. One of them was for a tax of $200 a year oil all dealers in imita tion beers and other drinks bearing a small percentage of alcohol, but not prohibited by the prohibition laws. This tax is to be used in inaugurating the new system of handling the convicts. A bill known as the parole bill, designed to encourage convicts to reform, was also passed, as well as a bill providing for juvenile courts to dispose of young offenders.
Governor Smith urged the legislature to take measures for extending the Western and Atlantic Road to the ocean. The matter finally took the shape of a resolution for the appoint ment of a commission to investigate the proposition. A res olution was also passed providing for an investigation of the matter with a view to working convicts on the grading of the road.
In the summer of 1908 the city of Augusta was invaded by a most damaging flood of water from the Savannah Eiver. For two days the town was inundated, the water standing from three to ten feet deep over half the city. The damage was estimated at nearly a million dollars. Relief committees took charge of the distressed people and generous assistance was sent from many sources. The brave city at once began to repair its damages and take measures for a permanent protection from the floods.
At the close of Governor Smith's term of office he was op posed for the nomination by Jos. M. Brown of Marietta. After a vigorous campaign Brown was nominated at the primary held in June, 1908, and at the general election in October was chosen the next governor of Georgia.
After serving two years, Governor Brown was opposed for reelection by Ex-Governor Hoke Smith. The issues of the cam-
SUMMARY.
357
paign were mainly those of the preceding election, but the result was different. Governor Brown was defeated in the primary, and in the general election in October, 1910, Hoke Smith was again chosen governor of Georgia. He was duly inaugurated at the opening of the legislature in June, 1911.
Here our history comes to a close for the present. "We have reviewed the glorious past of our State; we have traced its development and followed its progress to prosperity through many difficulties and dangers. The little seed planted at Yamacraw has grown to be a great tree. The small settlement has swelled into an Empire State. With pa triotic pride we contemplate its present glory, and antici pate still greater achieve ments, tending to the in creased welfare and happiness of our people in the time to come.
[Jos. M. Brown, the son of
Joseph E. Brown, the war gover
nor of Georgia, was born in Can
ton, Cherokee County, December
28, 1851. He received his educa
tion in Milledgeville and Atlanta,
being graduated at the Oglethorpe
HON. JOS. M. BKOWN.
University in 1872. He was ad
mitted to the bar in 1873, but, abandoning the practice of law, he went
into railroad business. He was appointed railroad commissioner of
Georgia by Governor Terrell in 1904 Prom this office he was removed
by Governor Hoke Smith in 1907. Shortly afterward be entered the
race against Governor Smith;for the nomination as the Democratic
candidate for governor,]"'
TEST QUESTIONS.
What white men were the first to explore the coast of Georgia ? What was the first map of the coast ? Describe De Soto's march through Georgia. . What nation had the first title to Georgia ? On what was the English claim based ? Who made the first efforts to colonize Georgia?
Describe the original territory granted in 1732. For whom was the colony intended ? For whom named ? Tell what you can of Oglethorpe. What were his reasons for founding Georgia? When and where was the first settlement ? What can you say of TomochicM ? Name the first places settled in Georgia. Of what nations were the first settlers ?
What caused the Spanish war ? What place did Oglethorpe attack, and with what result ? What was the result of the Spanish invasion of Georgia ? Who was George Whitefield, and what did he do ? Name the first two counties. When was slavery allowed ? What was the Bosomworth claim ? What can you say of the Midway Settlement ?
Who were the trustees of the colony, and how long did they hold office ? Name the three governors of the colony. Name the three governors of the Royal Province. When and where did the first legislature meet ? When and how was the territory extended to the St. Mary's River ?
How was the Stamp Act received in Georgia ? Who were the Liberty Boys ? How did Liberty County get its name ? Tell about the arrest of Governor Wright. Who signed the Declaration of Independence on behalf of Georgia ? What was the date of the first Constitution of Georgia ? Name the first eight counties. Who was the first governor of the State of Georgia ? Tell about the fall of Savannah. What place was nsed for the capital after the fall of Savannah ? What other place ? What two famous soldiers were killed in the attack upon Savannah ? What French general aided the Americans ? Did the attack succeed ? Tell something about Nancy Hart. When did the British leave Georgia ?
What was the original endowment of the University ? What are the two oldest academies in Georgia ? When and how did Georgia enter the Union? Who signed the Constitution on behalf of Georgia? Who were the first two United States senators? Tell about the invention of the cot ton gin. Tell about the Yazoo Fraud. When was the University opened?
What was the cession of 1802 ? What is meant by Land Lottery and
358
SEARCH QUESTIONS.
359
Head Rights ? What place became the capital in 1807 ? Describe Longstreet's steamboat and the steamship Savannah. How did the name Georgia Cracker originate ? Describe tobacco rolling.
What Georgia statesman was a candidate for President in 1825 ? Who were the two statesmen whose names were given to political parties in Georgia ? Who was che first governor elected by the people ? Describe the murder of Mclntosh. Where "was gold discovered in north Georgia ? When were the last of the Indians removed from Georgia ? Name.some Georgians famous in the Mexican War.
When was Mercer University founded ? Emory College ? Wesleyan Female College ? What was the first railroad in Georgia ? When was the Supreme Court organized, and who were the judges ? Tell of the discovery of the use of ether in surgical operations. What was the Geor gia Platform ? What was the first military act of the Civil War in Georgia '?
What Georgia general was killed at Manassas ? At Fredericksburg ? Describe the battles from Chattanooga to Atlanta. What happened at At lanta ? Describe the March to the Sea. What was the origin of Me morial Day ? What is meant by Reconstruction ? When was Georgia readmitted to the Union ? When was the present Constitution adopted ?
SEARCH QUESTIONS.
Who was called the first gentleman of Georgia ? Who was " the Morning Star of Liberty " ? To whom was a medal marked in arduis fidelis given ? What governors died in office ? What famous general was a pupil of Oglethorpe ? Where did Oglethorpe live in Georgia ? What governor of Georgia was " drawn and quartered " by the British ? What Georgia statesman attracted the special notice of Napoleon ? Who was the author of the scheme for educating girls ? Who was called the American Cicero ? What great preacher went to school after his marriage ? Who said, " Come and take it," and to what did he refer ? What two governors of Georgia, when young men, came near being hanged as spies ? Who was called the Demosthenes of the Mountains ? How much damage was done on the March to the Sea ? How many men did Georgia send to the Civil War ? What suggested the song " Hold the Fort" ?
360
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Who said, " I am here to defend the fort, not surrender it "? Who said, " I go to illustrate Georgia " ? What statesman was binding wheat when nominated for governor ? Name each place that has been capital of Georgia. Who said, " I will surrender, but not compromise " ? What Creek chief was first cousin of a Georgia governor ? What Georgia judge was a great wit ? Who was called the father of common schools in Georgia ? Who were the first miners in North Georgia ? How old was Oglethorpe when he carne to Georgia ? How many families and how many persons were in the first smp'ioad of colonists ? What was the second settlement in Georgia ? When did 600 Georgians put to flight an army of 5,000 men ? Who was Mary Musgrove ? How old was Oglethorpe when he died ? What was the name of the first commercial house in Georgia ? For what governor did the legislature purchase provisions ? For how long did the legislature meet in Augusta ? What is Blackshear's road ? When did twenty-eight men kill 180 and wound as many more y When was the first election of governor by the people ? Who wrote the Georgia Platform ? Who wrote the Ordinance of Secession ?
GEORGIA
CALE OF MILE
Longitude 84
West
from
83
APPENDIX.
TOPOGBAPHY.
POSITION.--Georgia lies between 30 21' 39" and 35 north latitude, and 80 51' 43" and 84 45' 21" longitude west from Greenwich ; or 3 48' 41" and 7 42' 19" west from Washington city. Its greatest length from north to south is 320 miles, and its greatest width from east to west, 254 miles.
BOUNDARY.--The State is bounded on the north by Tennessee and North Carolina, on the east by the Savannah River and the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Florida, and on the west by Alabama and Florida.
AREA.--The land area of Georgia is 58,980 square miles, or 37,747,200 acres. The water .surface is 495 square miles, giving a total area of 59,475 square miles. It was the largest of the "thirteen original" States. It now ranks eighteenth in size in the United States. Its geo graphical centre is about twenty miles below Macon,
SURFACE.--The surface is mountainous in the northern part, low and level in the middle and southern parts, and low and swampy along the coast and the Florida border. Northeast Georgia has the greatest eleva tion above the sea, the average being 1,500 feet. There are peaks that rise as high as 5,000 feet. These belong to the Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountains. Sitting Bull, the middle summit of Nantahala, in Towns County, is 5,046 feet above sea level, and Mona, the east summit of Nantahala, is 5,039 feet above sea level. In this section are the beauti ful Palls of Toccoa and Tallulah and the famous Valley of Nacoochee. Northwest Georgia is not so mountainous as northeast. Its average elevation is 750 feet above the sea. Middle Georgia, extending- from the Savannah to the Chattahoochee River, has an average elevation of 750 feet. The lands are generally level. Southwest Georgia is of a greatly rolling surface, free from rocks, and is covered with vast tracts of long-leaf pine, commonly called " Georgia pine." Southeast Georgia has a low, level surface, averaging. 175 feet above sea-level. In the southeast corner is Okefinokee swamp. It has a circumference of 180
> ii
RIVERS AND HARBORS.
miles. It is filled with pools and small islands, and is the home of snakes and alligators.
RIVERS.--The watershed which extends from the northeast corner of the State down to Atlanta, divides the rivers, sending some to the Gulf of Mexico and others to the Atlantic Ocean. There are upwards of fifty streams large enough to "be classed as rivers. It is estimated that the water-power of the State would be sufficient for the manufacture of all
the cotton goods in the world, or to grind all the grain produced in the United States. Following is a list of the chief navigable rivers:
NAME.
Savannah Ogeechee Oeonee Ocmulgee Flint Altamaha Chattahooehee
NAVIGABLE TO
Augusta Louisville Milledgeville Macon Albany Entire length Columbus
COAST.--The coast is very irregularly indented. It has a shore-line on the Atlantic Ocean of 480 miles, running a southwest direction for 128 miles.
HARBORS.--The principal seacoast harbors are Savannah, Darien, Brunswick, and St. Mary's. The bar of Savannah has nineteen feet of water; that of Sapelo, at the entrance of the Altamaha, fourteen feet; Brunswick, seventeen feet; St. Mary's, fourteen feet. An extensive shipping trade is carried on at Brunswick and Savannah.
ISLANDS.--The coast is skirted by a number of islands which are low; flat, and sandy. Cumberland Island, thirty miles long, is covered with magnificent oak forests, and lined with palms, palmettos, and shrubbery. The other principal islands are Ossabaw, St. Catherine's, Sapelo, St. Simon's, and Jekyl.
SOUNDS.--The principal sounds are St. Andrew's, St. Simon's, Alta maha, Doboy, Sapelo, St. Catherine, and Ossabaw.
CLIMATE.--The mountains, hills, plains, and lowlands of Georgia give to the State nearly every.variety of climate. The summer's heat and the winter's cold are tempered by breezes from the Gulf of Mexico and the
OF GEORGIA.
itt
Atlantic Ocean. The average summer temperature in the northern part of the State is 72; the winter temperature, 32. In the southern sections the summer temperature is 80; the winter, 52. The average annual temperature of the State is 60.
So mild and equable is the climate that Georgia is a favorite resort for invalids from Northern States, who in the winter time come in large
numbers to Savannah, Augusta, Thomasville, and other places.
RAINFALL.--The average rainfall is about forty-eight inches per year. The prevailing winds come from the southeast and southwest and dis tribute the rains, thus preventing severe drought.
SOIL.--In the northern part of the State the soil is composed of dis integrated limestones and shales of the silurian and carboniferous for mations, decomposed granites, gneiss, and schist. In the central portion of the State the red clays and gray soils are composed of dis integrated feldspar, with potash. The red hills of Georgia have become famous. In southern Georgia the soil is of limestone, marl, rich allu vium, and sandy tracts. In southeast Georgia the soil is loam or sand, with a red or yellow clay subsoil. These soils are all productive, and yield large crops.
PRODUCTS.
AGRICULTURAL PEODUCTS.--There is nothing grown in any State of the Union, with the exception, perhaps, of Florida, that cannot be raised in Georgia. Cotton is the great agricultural product of the State. Be fore the Civil War one-sixth of the total cotton crop of the United States was grown in Georgia. For four seasons closing with that of 1907-1908 the Georgia farmers planted an annual average of 4,337,472 acres, with an annual production of 1,830,320 bales of cotton with an average annual value of $100,078,228. For the season of 1907-8 there were planted 4,774,000 acres, with a product of 1,901,576 bales and a value of $116,790,680. The corn crop of the State averages 50,000,000 bushels, worth $36,000,000. Three States, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina, produce 86,000 bales of sea island cotton, of which Georgia produces 41,000 annually.
Other agricultural products of the State are corn, oats, wheat, rice, rye, wool, flax, hemp, jute, silk, sugar-cane, tobacco, tea, indigo, peas, beans, and all kinds of garden vegetables. In the southern portion of the State vegetables can be raised in winter.
iv
WOODS AND MINERALS.
FRUITS.--Fruits of all kinds known in the temperate zone grow In Georgia. The apple, peach, pear, grape, fig, pomegranate, cherry, plum, raspberry, strawberry, and olive are produced in large quantities. Georgia is the greatest peach state of the Union, having in 1908 about 13,000,000 trees in bearing. Oranges, bananas, lemons, and pecans grow on the coast. Watermelons and cantaloupes, famous for kind and quality, are raised in the midland districts.
The value of all the farm products of Georgia for 1907 was over $200,000,000.
WOOD.--About two hundred and thirty varieties of wood grow in Georgia. There are extensive pine forests on the coast and in the southern districts, and the live oaks in the vicinity of Brunswick supply the most valuable ship timber found in the United States. This indus try is worth over $2,000,000 annually. Georgia pine is much esteemed and largely used for doors, mantels, staircases, and other house furnish ings. It has a beautiful color of rich red or yellow. There is an inex haustible supply of the finest kind of this wood in the forests of middle and lower Georgia. In the swamp there are immense quantities of cypress, used for shingles ; palmetto, used for wharf piles, and other fine woods. Its timber is valued at $5,000,000. Besides these; the woods and forests of Georgia produce in large abundance walnut, poplar, oak of all kinds, chestnut, hickory, cedar, sweet gum, ash, elm, maple, beech, magnolia, cottonwood, and sycamore.
The capital invested in the lumber business is over $12,000,000.
PASTURAGE.--The variety of grasses native to Georgia is very large, offering the best facilities for sheep and cattle raising. Blue grass, Bermuda grass, the celebrated wire grass, and other varieties, and many kinds of peas, and young cane, afford a rich pasturage for cattle. In Georgia stock-raising and dairy-farming are rapidly becoming industries of importance. The value of live stock in the State is over $70,000,000.
MINERALS.--The gold-producing region of the State is chiefly in the counties of Lumpkin, Habersham, Forsyth, and Hall. Before gold was discovered in California the "placers" in northern Georgia were worked with much profit, the metal being found in the streams and mixed up with the quartz rocks of the hills. In 1853 the Dahlonega mint coined gold bullion of nearly half a million dollars' value. At present the gold-mining produces about $80,000 annually. In the northwest corner of the State, along the ridges between the Alabama and Tennessee borders, there are immense beds of coal. Iron ore is also found in this district. The annual output of coal and iron amounts to
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
v
many thousand tons. Stone Mountain, in DeKalb County, twenty miles from Atlanta, is the largest mass of rock in the world. It has quarries of granite that makes the best paving for streets, as well as excellent building stone. Copper, silver, and lead ores are found in the Cohutta Mountains. In the Blue Ridge is a vein of marble. Other minerals of North Georgia are manganese, kaolin, asbestos, mica, and soapstone, besides the diamond, ruby, amethyst, and opal, which have been found in the mountains. The total capital invested in mining in the State is about $20,000,000. The annual output of all the minerals of Georgia is about $8,000,000.
INDUSTKIES.
MANUFACTURES.--The capital invested in manufactures in Georgia is $135,000,000, of which the amount invested in the 138 cotton mills is more than $70,000,000 and in the manufacture of cotton seed products and in ginneries is above $13,000,000. The factories consume more than a half million bales of cotton, and employ about 30,000 hands. All the manufacturing industries of the State employ over 100,000 hands, with an annual output of over $150,000,000.
COMMERCE.--The favorable location, extensive railroad system, and the numerous navigable streams of Georgia, give it great advantages for commerce. Situated between the North and Southwest and between the West and Atlantic harbors, traffic between those sections passes through the State. Atlanta and Savannah are the principal commercial centres. The chief articles of export are cotton, lumber, rice, fruits, and grain. The value of the foreign commerce of the State is estimated at $80,000,000 a year. Six hundred vessels of over 2,000 tons burden are employed in the foreign and coast trade.
. RAILBOADS.--There are in Georgia over 7,000 miles of railroad, the value of which is $124,000,000. Every part of the State is intersected by lines of railroad, and thus opened to commerce. Atlanta, Columbus, Macon, Savannah, and Augusta are the chief railroad centres.
The taxable property of Georgia is over $705,000,000. Its real valua tion is $1,400,000,000.
CIVIL GOVEKNMENT.
CONSTITUTION.--The present constitution was adopted in 1877. Among its most important provisions are the following:
RIGHTS OF CITIZENS.--No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, 01 property, but by due process of law ; the writ of habeas corpus shall not
VI
DEPARTMENTS OF GOVERNMENT.
we suspended ; no person shall be prohibited from holding any public office on account of his religion; slavery is prohibited; there shall be no imprisonment for debt; people shall have the right to keep and bear arms ; all lotteries are prohibited ; lobbying is a crime.
ELECTORAL LAWS.--All elections shall be by ballot. With, the excep tion of penitentiary convicts and insane persons, every male citizen of the United States, twenty-one years of age, resident of the State one year, and of the county six months, and having paid all taxes required of him, is entitled to vote at all elections. Persons holding public money unaccounted for, or convicted of duelling, shall not be eligible to office.
THE LEGISLATURE.--The general assembly consists of two houses: the senate and the house of representatives. The senate has forty-four members, and the house one hundred and eighty-four; the members of both are elected every two years. The sessions of the assembly are annual, " beginning on the fourth Wednesday in June, and continuing for fifty days. The senate is presided over by a president, and the house of representatives by a speaker, each elected from and by the members of each house respectively.
The legislature has the power of making laws. Every bill, before it becomes a law, must be read three times, on three separate days, in each house, and then receive a majority of the votes of the members present, and be approved by the governor. The governor may veto, or disap prove of a bilL In this case it may still become law by having a twothirds majority in both houses. The salary ol members of the assembly Is $4 per day, and they are allowed ten cents a mile for travelling ex penses to and from each session.
EXECUTIVE POWER.--The officers of the executive department are the governor, secretary of State, comptroller-general, and treasurer. The governor is elected every two years, and he has a salary of $5,000 per annum. He must be not under thirty years of age, must be a citizen of the United States for fifteen years, and of the State for six years. In case of the death of the governor, the president of the senate occupies the office until the next election. The governor is the commander-in-chief of the army and militia of the State. He has the power of granting pardons, except for treason and in cases of impeachment, and has the power of vetoing bills passed by the general assembly.
JUDICIARY,--The judicial powers are vested in one supreme court, twenty-three superior courts, courts of ordinary, and courts in each county. The supreme court consists of a chief justice and five associate justices, elected by the people for a term of six years. It sits only
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
vii
at the capital, and on appeal corrects errors of the inferior courts. For each of the twenty-three judicial circuits there is a superior court judge elected by the people for a term of four years. These must sit at least twice a year -in each county. In some of the larger cities there is a city court, which ranks with the superior court within the corpora tion limits. The court of ordinary in each county has charge of the probation of wills and the management of estates, and usually has juris diction over roads, bridges, public buildings, etc., but in some counties these are in the hands of the county commissioners. There are one justice of the peace and one notary public in each militia district.
TAXES may be levied by the general assembly for support of the State government; for educational purposes ; and to pay interest and princi
pal of the public debt. Georgia has two senators and eleven representatives in the Congress oi
the United States. The senators are elected by the people for a term of six years. The representatives are chosen every two years by the people,
one from each congressional district. The State is divided into eleven congressional districts, forty-four
senatorial districts, 146 counties, and about 1,400 militia districts. In case of war each militia district would be expected to furnish a certain
number of men for service. The convicts of the State were formerly held at labor in a penitentiary
at Milledgeville. They are by recent legislation subject to the demand of counties for work upon the public roads. Formerly they were leased to private parties, but that system has been abolished (see the account
on pages 355, 356).
POPULATION.--The population of Georgia, according to the census of 1900, was 2,216,331, of whom about forty-seven per cent, were colored.
The following table shows the increase since 1790 :
1790
1800
1810
1820
1830
1840
82,548 162,101 258,433 340,433 576,833 691,393
1850
1860
1870
1880
1890
1900
906,185 1,057,286 1,184,109 1,542,180 1,837,353 3,216,331
CESSIONS OF LA1TO BY THE INDIANS.
The land which George II. granted to the Trustees was occupied by the Indians, and it was necessary for Oglethorpe to secure a grant from them also before settlements were made. As more land was needed it was bought from the Indians by the king as long as Georgia was a province of England. After the Eevolution, the United States recognized the Indian titles just as England had done, and though Georgia nominally owned all the land within her boundaries, the Indians were in possession, and the people of Georgia could not settle on any land until it had been ceded by these Indians.
The boundaries of the land which the Trustees bought from the Indians were not definitely fixed until the Conference of Augusta in 1763. Ten years later, 1773, the king acquired an additional tract lying along the Savannah Eiver north of Augusta. The western boundary of this tract and the boundary line established in 1763 mark the west ern limit of the land in possession of the State at the end of the Eevolution. V The treaty of 1783 was made between Georgia and the Creek and Cherokee Indians. By this treaty the State acquired the land marked with this date. The State of Georgia .also made a treaty at Galphinton in 1785 by which certain other lands were acquired, but , ; under the Articles of CSfflSerationiSeTJnited States had the sole right to make treaties V with other nations, and the Indians were nations. For this reason Georgia's treaty was declared void. The boundary line fixed between the Creeks and the Cherokees and Georgia inT783 was confirmed by a treaty with the United States at Hopewell in 1785, but the Indians refused to confirm the treaty of Galphinton. Thus for a time Georgia lost the use of a large tract of land, and there was great dissatisfaction in the State.
In 1790 the United States Government made a treaty in New York City, with the Creek Indians, by which the cession of 1783 was confirmed, and an additional tract of land lying between the Oeonee and the Ogeechee rivers was secured for the State of Georgia.
The United States Government, by subsequent treaties, secured from the Indians pos session of all their remaining lands in Georgia, and delivered these lanfls to the State. The United States paid the Indians for these lands, in consideration of Georgia's cession of her western territory in 1802. The only tract of land for which the United States did not pay was the cession of 1814, at Fort Jackson. This large body of land was ceded by , , the Creeks to the United States as a warjndemnity, in compensation for expenses of the war and losses incurred during its progress.
The date of each successive treaty between the United States and the Indians, together with the boundary lines of the tract ceded, are given on the accompany- map. Each of these cessions is mentioned in the text of the History in the chapter giving other events of the year in which the treaty was made.
The price paid to the Creeks in 1826 for the cession of all their remaining lands in the State of Georgia was as follows : $217,600 was paid in cash, and all improvements on their Georgia lands were to be appraised and paid for. A perpetual annuity of $20,000 was to be paid to the nation, and lands were to be bought for them in the Indian Terri tory. The expenses of their removal to those lands were to be defrayed by the Govern ment ; " subsistence " was furnished them for twelve months ; an agent and interpreter, a blacksmith and a wheelwright, were provided for them by the United States.
The price paid the Cherokees in 1835 for all their lands east of the Mississippi Eiver, including lands in Tennessee and Alabama, was $5,000,000, with an additional sum of $300,000 as an allowance for " spoliations " by citizens of the United States on Cherokee property. Seven million acres of land which had already been given them in Indian Territory in 1828 were confirmed to them free of cost; 800,000 acres were added, and
OF LAND 37 THE INDIANS.
they were further given " a perpetual outlet west, and free and unmolested use of ail the country west of the western boundary of the said seven million acres, as far west as the sovereignty of the United States and their right of soil shall extend.'1
The United States also agreed to pay the expense of their removal west, and to fnrMAP SHOWING
^.CESSIONS OF "LANDS BY THE INDIANS
nish them rations for one year. All improvements on the lands which they ceded were to be valued by commissioners and paid for. The outlet referred to above has ever since been known as " Cherokee Outlet," and is now a part of Oklahoma, having been bought_ from the Cherokees by the United States for $5,000,000.
LIST OF COUNTIES
Showing their Names, for whom named, the County Seat, when laid out, and Population.
Name.
for Wham.
County Seat.
Laid out.
1818
1825
Milledgeville.. 1Qf\Q
1858
Bartow ....... Gen. Francis Bartow... . Cartersville... . 1861
Ben Hill...... Benj. H. Hill.. ......... Fitzgerald .... 1&07
1856
Bibb. ......... Dr. W.W. Bibb........
1 S90
1858
17QQ
Bullock.......
17Qfi
Burke........
1777
Butts ........
1825
1854
Earl of Camden. .......
1777
1828
1826
1853
R. M. Charlton. ....... Trader's Hill. . 18^4.
1777
IS*)!
1838
1833
Clarke. .......
1801
Clay..........
1854
Clayton. ...... A. S. Clayton..........
1858
Clinch........
1850
Cobb. ........
1833
Coffee........
1854
Walter T. Colquitt. ....
1856
Appling.. ..... 17QO
1826
'1822
Charles P. Crisp.......
1905
Bade ......... Maj. Francis Bade. ....
1837
1857
1823
De Kalb......
1822
Wm. E. Dodge. ........
1870
Dooly. ........
1821
1853
1870
Early......... Gov. Peter Early. ...... Blakely. ...... 1818
Echols. ....... Robert M. Echols. .....
1858
1777
Elbert. ....... Gov. Sam. Elbert. ..... Elberton. ..... 1790
Popula tion.
-\ O O1 Q
1 Q7Q
18,354
-L-Lj^il^t
25,388 11,863
Kfl &.Aa
oq QQO
6,702 26,464
Li 1 jili UO 1 Q flO/l
11,334 7,690
10,874
O A QCE?
4,722 7Q fiQrt
5,586
1 Q AQ 1 R PR~t 90 97Q
8 Q/JA 10,453 8,424
O<2 QQ7 91 Qt^Q 1O 7RQ 1 9 Q9S QQ on/1
8 O"t A
1 K A OO
4,139
A GQfc 9Q (\AK
27,881
on -| 97
20,554 16,035
8 QKO
IS 1 99
3,309 9,971 24.125
LIST OF COUNTIES-- Continued.
Name.
For Wham.
County Seat.
Laid Popula out. tion.
Gov. David Emanuel . . . Swaiusboro . . . 1812
Col. J. W. Pannin..... Morganton. . . . 1854
Fayette.......
Fayetteville. . . 1821
Floyd. ........ Gen. Floyd............
1832
Forsyth. ...... Gov. John Forsyth .....
1832
Franklin. .....
Carnesville. . . . 1786
Fulton. .......
1853
Gov. Geo. R. Gilmer. . . . Ellijay ....... 1832
Gen. Thos. Glasoock. . . .
1857
Brunswick . . . 1777
Wm. W. Gordon.......
1850
Hsnrv 'W Gri*ftcl"v
1905
Greensboro. . . . 1786
Gov. Button Gwinnett. . Lawrenceville . 1818
Habersham . . .
Clarkesville . : . 1818
Hall..........
S-ainesville. . . . 1818
1793
25,140 12,574 10,966 36,736 11,940 17,894 177,733 9,237 4,669 15,720 15,861 18,457 18,512 28,824 10,134 25,730 19,189
1856 13,514
Hart.........
1827 17,886 Hartwell. ..... 1853 16,216
Stephen Heard ......... Patrick Henry. ........
1830 11,189 1821 19,927
3-ov. John Houstoun. . . . Perry. ........ 1821 23,609
[r win ville
1818 10,461
Jefferson
179U 30,169
Vlonticello .... 1812 16,552
Jeff. Davis. ...
rlazelhurst. . . . 1905 6,050
1796 21,379
Jov. Chas. J. Jenkins. . Millen........ 1905 11,520
Jov. H. V. Johnson. . . . Wrightsville . . 1858- 12,897
1807 13,103
Dublin ....... 1807 35,501
jeesburs1
1826 11,679
Jinesville. . . . 1777 12,924
Lincolnton. . . . 1796 8,714
1825 24,436
Jov. Wilson Lumpkin . . Dahlonega .... 1838 5,444
McDuffie. .....
1871 10,325
1793 6,442
Jglethorpe. . . . 1837 15,016
Danielsville . . . 1811 16,851
Jen. Francis Marion... Buena Vista. . . 1827 9,147
Meriwether. . . . Gen. David Meriwether.
1827 25,180
M'ller ........
1856
MJton ........
Alpharetta. . . . 1857
Mitehell ...... Jov. David B. Mitehell. Camilla. ...... 1857
1821
Montgomery . . Jen. Rich. Montgomery. Vft. Vernon . . . 1793
Jen. Dan'1 Morgan ...'..
1807
Murray. ...... Thos. W. Murray. ..... Sorinar Place . . 1832
7,986 7,239 22,114 20,450 19,638 19,717 9,763
LIST OP COUNTIES-- Continued.
Name.
For Whom.
County Seat.
Laid out.
1826
18:21
1875
Oglethorpe. . . . Gen. Jas. E. Oglethorpe. Lexington .... 1793
1832
1853
1857
Pike..........
1822
Polk.......... Jas. K. Polk........... Cedartown . . 1851
1808
1807
1858
1819
Outhbert. ..... 1828
1777
"Eookdale Church"....
1870
Schley. .......
Ellaville. ..... 1857
1793
Spaulding. .... Eon. Thos. Spaulding. . Griffin .. .... 1851
1905
1830
1831
Talbot........ Gov. Matthew Talbot. . .
1827
1825
Tattnal. ......
1801
Taylor. .......
Butler. ....... 1852
Telfair........ Gov. Edward Telfair. . . McRae. ....... 1807
Terrell. ....... Dr. "Win. Terrell. .....
1856
1825
Tift .......... Nelson Tift. ........... Tifton. ....... 1905
i2Q5
1856
Gov. Geo. M. Troup....
1826
1905
Twiggs. .......
1809
1832
1824
Walker.......
1833
Walton. ...... GOT. Geo. Walton .....
1818
1824
1793
"Washington.. . George Washington.... Sandersville. . . 1784
Gen. Anthony Wayne . . . Jesup. ........ 1805
\V~ebster
1856
"White ........
1857
Whitfleld..,..- Rev Geo Whitefield Dalton ........ 1851
1857
Willrpc
1777
1803
Worth........ Gen. Wm. J. Worth.... Isabella. ...... 1853
Popula tion.
o/> f)f)rt
18 44Q
11,104 18,680 14,124 9,041
10 74Q -t a AQK.
20,203
99 P.3^ 1 Q Q7/
4,594 5,562 18,841
pro QQi*
Q Q-1 (*
5 91 Q
on 909
19,741 9 79Q
1 ^ 4^17
9Q O.Q9
11,696 8,766
f Q tz.cn
W QOQ 13,288
99 HOQ
29,071 11,487 11,206
3,932 26,228 10,075 10,736
6,918 12,757 18,692 25,393 22,957 11,860 28,174 13,069
6,151 5,110 15,934 13,486 23,441 10,078 19,147
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
PREAMBLE.
To perpetuate the principles of free government, insure justice to all, preserve peace, promote the interest and happiness of the citizen, and transmit to posterity the enjoy ment of liberty, we, the people of Georgia, relying upon the protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution:
ARTICLE I.
BILL OF EIGHTS.
SECTION I.
BIGHTS OF THE CITIZEN.
1. ORIGIN AND FOUNDATION OF GOVERNMENT.--All government of right, originates with the jMs^pie, is founded upon their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the whole.' Public officers are the trustees and servants of the people, and at all times amenable to them.
2. PROTECTION THE DUTY or GOVEBNMENT.--jgrotection to person and property is the paramount duty of government, and shall be impartial and complete.
3. LIFE, LIBERTY, AND PROPERTY.--No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, except by due process of law.
4. BIGHT TO THE COURTS.--No person shall be deprived of the right to prosecute or defend his own cause in any of the courts of this State, in person, by attorney, or both.
5. BENEFIT OF COUNSEL, ACCUSATION, LIST OF WITNESSES, COMPULSORY PROCESS AND TRIAL.--Every person charged with an offence against the laws of this State shall have the privilege and benefit of counsel ; shall be furnished, on demand, with a copy of the accusation, and a list of the witnesses on whose testimony the charge against him is founded ; shall have compulsory process to obtain the testimony of his own witnesses ; shall be confronted with the witnesses testifying against him, and shall have a public and speedy trial by an impartial jury.
6. CRIMINATION OF SELF NOT COMPELLED.--No person shall be compelled to give testimony tending in any manner to criminate himself.
7. BANISHMENT ; WHIPPING.--Neither banishment beyond the limits of the State, nor whipping, as a punishment for crime, shall be allowed.
8. JEOPARDY OF LIFE, ETC., MORE THAN ONCE, FORBIDDEN.--No person shall be put in jeopardy of life, or liberty, more than once for the same offence, save on his, or her, own motion for anew trial after conviction, or incase of mistrial.
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
9. BAIL, FINES, PUNISHMENTS, ARRESTS. -- Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. ; nor shall any per son be abused in being arrested, while under arrest, or in prison,
10. COSTS. -- No person shall be compelled to pay costs, except after conviction on final trial.
11. HABEAS CORPUS.--The writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended. 12. FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE. -- All men have the natural and inalienable right to worship God, each according to the dictates of his own conscience, and no human authority should, in any case, control or interfere with such right of conscience, 13. KELIGIOUS OPINIONS, ETC. -- No inhabitant of this State shall be molested in person or property, or prohibited from holding- any public office or trust, on account of his religious opinions ; but the right of liberty of conscience shall not be so construed as to excuse acts of licentiousness, or justify practices inconsistent with the peace and safety of the State. 14. APPROPRIATIONS TO SECTS FORBIDDEN.-- No money shall ever "be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect, or denomination of re ligionists, or of any sectarian institution. 15. LIBERTY OF SPEECH GUARANTEED.--No law shall ever be passed to curtail, or restrain, the liberty of speech, or of the press ; any person may speak, write, and publish his sentiments, on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty. 16. SEARCHES AND WARRANTS,-- The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated; and no warrant shall issue except upon probable cause, supported by oath, or affirmation, particularly describing the place, or places, to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. 17. SLAVERY. --There shall be within the State of Georgia neither slavery nor involun tary servitude, save as a punishment for crime after legal conviction thereof. 18. STATUS OP THE CITIZEN. --The social status of the citizen shall never be the sub ject of legislation. 19. CIVIL AUTHORITY SUPERIOR TO MILITARY.--The civil authority shall be superior to the military, and no soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, except by the civil magistrate, in such manner as may "be provided by l&w. 20. CONTEMPTS. -- The power of the courts to punish for contempts shall be limited by legislative acts. 21. IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT. --There shall be no imprisonment for debt. 22. ARMS.--The rig-ht of the people to keep and bear arras shall not be infringed, but the General Assembly- shall have power to prescribe the manner in which arms may be borne. 23. LEGISLATIVE, JUDICIAL, AND EXECUTIVE SEPARATE. -- The legislative, judicial, and executive powers shall forever remain separate and distinct, and no person discharg ing the duties of one shall at the same time exercise the functions of either of the others, except as herein provided. 24. EIGHT TO ASSEMBLE AND PETITION. --The people have the right to assemble peaceably for their common good, and to apply to those vested with the powers of government for redress of grievances, by petition or remonstrance. 25. CITIZENS, PROTECTION OF. -- All citizens of the United States resident in this State, are hereby declared citizens of this State ; and it shall be the duty of the General Assembly to enact such laws as will protect them in the full .enjoyment of the rights, privileges, and immunities due to such citizenship.-
APPENDIX.
SECTION II.
CERTAIN OFFBNSES DEFINED.
1. LIBEL ; JURY IN CRIMINAL TRIALS.--In all prosecutions or indictments for libel, the truth may be given in evidence ; and the jury in all criminal cases shall be the judges of the law and the facts. The power of the judges to grant new trials in case of convic tion is preserved.
2. TREASON.--Treason against the State of Georgia shall consist in levying war against her, adhering to her enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be , convicted of treason, except on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or confession in open court.
3. CONVICTION.--No conviction shall work corruption of Mood, of forfeiture of estate. 4. LOTTERIES.--All lotteries, and the sale of lottery tickets, are hereby prohibited ; and this prohibition shall be enforced by penal laws. 5. LOBBYING.--Lobbying is declared to be a crime, and the General Assembly shall enforce this provision by suitable penalties. 6. FRAUD ; PBOPEETT CONCEALMENT.--The General Assembly shall have the power to provide for the punishment of fraud; and shall provide, by law, for reaching property of the debtor concealed from the creditor.
SECTION III.
PROTECTION TO PEKSON AND PKOPERTY.
1. PRIVATE WATS ; JUST COMPENSATION.--In cases of necessity, private ways may be granted upon just compensation being first paid by the applicant. Private property shall not be taken, or damaged, for public purposes, without just and adequate compen sation being first paid.
2. ATTAINDER ; EX POST FACTO AND RETROACTIVE LAWS, ETC.--No bill of attain der, ex post facto law, retroactive law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, or making irrevocable grants of special privileges or immunities, shall be passed.
3. REVOCATION OF GRANTS.--No grant of special privileges or immunities shall be revoked, except in such, manner as to work no injustice to the corporators or creditors of the incorporation.
SECTION IV.
SPECIAL LEGISLATION FOKBIDDEN.
1. GENERAL LAWS, AND How VARIED.--Laws of a general nature shall have uni form operation throughout the State, and no special law shall be enacted in any case for which provision has been made by an esisting general law. No general law affecting private rights shall be varied in any particular case, by special legislation, except with the free consent, in writing, of all persons to be affected thereby ; and no person under legal disability to contract is capable of such consent.
2. WHAT ACTS VOID.--Legislative acts in violation of this Constitution, or the Constitution of the United States, are void, and the judiciary shall so declare them.
xvi
HISTORY &F~ GEORGIA.
SECTION v.
GOVERNMENTAL BIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE.
1. STATE EIGHTS.--The people of this State have the inherent, sole, and exclusive right of regulating their internal government, and the police thereof, and of altering and abolishing their Constitution whenever it may be necessary to their safety and happiness.^
2. ENUMERATION OF RIGHTS NOT DENT OTHERS.--The enumeration of rights herein contained as a part of this Constitution, shall not be construed to deny to the people any inherent rights which they may have hitherto enjoyed.
AETICLB II.
ELECTIVE EBANCHISE..
SECTION I.
QUALIFICATION OF VOTERS.
1. BALLOT.--In all elections by the people the electors shall vote by ballot. 2. ELEOTOBS, AND OATH OF.--Every male citizen of the United States (except as hereinafter provided), twenty-one years of age, who shall have resided in this State one year next preceding the election, and shall have resided six montns in the county in which he offers to vote, and shall have paid all taxes which may hereafter be required of him, and which he may have had an opportunity of paying agreeably to law, except for the year of the election, shall be deemed an elector: Provided, that no soldier, Bailor, or marine in the military or naval service of the United States, shall acquire the rights of an elector by reason of being stationed on duty in this State; and no person shall vote who, if challenged, shall refuse to take the following oath, or affirmation: " I do swear (or affirm) that I am twenty-one years of age, have resided in this State one year, and in this county six months, next preceding this election. I have paid all taxes which, since the adoption of the present Constitution of this State, have been tscmired of me previous to this year, and which I have had an opportunity to pay, and I have not voted at this election."
, SECTION II.
REGISTRATION.
1. REGISTRATION ; WHO DISFRANCHISED.--The General Assembly may provide, from time to time, for the registration of all electors, but the following classes of persons shall not be permitted to register, vote, or hold any office, or appointment of honor or trust in this State, to-wit: (1) Those who shall have been convicted, in any court of competent jurisdiction, of treason against the State, of embezzlement of public funds, malfeasance in office, bribery, or larceny, or of any crime involving moral turpitude, punishable by the laws of this State with imprisonment in the penitentiary, unless such person shall have been pardoned. (21 Hints and insane persons.
APPENDIX,
xvii
SECTION III. VOTERS' PRIVILEGE.
1. PmnLESE OP ELECTOBS.--Electors shall, in all cases except for treason, felony, larceny and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance on elections, and in going to and returning from the same.
SECTION IV.
DISQUALIFICATION TO HOLD OFFICE.
1. HOLDER OF PUBLIC FUNDS.--No person who is the holder of any public money, contrary to law, shall be eligible to any office in this State until the same is accounted for and paid into the treasury.
2. DUELLING.--No person who, after the adoption of this Constitution, being a resi dent of this State, shall have been convicted of fighting a duel in this State, or convicted of sending or accepting a challenge, or convicted of aiding or abetting such duel, shall hold office in this State, unless he shall have been pardoned; and every such person shall also be subject to such punishment as may be prescribed by law.
SECTION V.
SALE OF LIQUORS, WHEN FORBIDDEN.
1. SALE OP LIQUOBS ON ELECTION DATS.--The General Assembly shall, by law, forbid the sale, distribution, or furnishing of intoxicating drinks within two miles of election precincts on days of election--State, county or municipal--and prescribe punish ment for any violation of the same.
SECTION VI.
RETURN OF ELECTIONS.
1. ELECTION EETUBNS.--Returns of election for all civil officers elected by the people, who are to be commissioned by the Governor, and also for the members of the General .Assembly, shall be made to the Secretary of State, unless otherwise provided by law.
AETICLE III.
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.
SECTION I.
LEGISLATIVE POWER, WHERE VESTED.
1. LESISLATITE POWEB.--The legislative power of the State shall be vested in a General Assembly, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.
xviii
HISTORY Off GEORGIA.
SECTION II.
SENATORIAL DISTRICTS.
1. NUMBER OP SENATORS, ETC.--The Senate shall consist of forty-four members. There shall be forty-four Senatorial districts, as now arranged by counties. Each dis trict shall have one Senator.
2. DISTRICTS CHANGED, How.--The General Assembly may change these districts after each census of the United States : Provided, that neither the number of districts nor the number of senators from each district shall be increased,
SECTION III.
COUNTY REPRESENTATION.
1. NUMBER OP REPRESENTATIVES.--The House of Eepresentatives shall consist of one hundred and seventy-five representatives, apportioned among the several counties as follows, to-wit: To the six counties having the largest population, viz., Chatham, Richmond, Burke, Houston, Bibb, and Pulton, three representatives, each ; to the twenty-six counties having the next largest population, viz., Bartow, Coweta, Decatnr, Floyd, Greene, Gwinnett, Harris, Jefferson, Meriwether, Monroe, Muscogee, Newton, Stewart, Sumter, Thomas, Troup, Washington, Hancock, Carroll, Cobb, Jackson, Dongherty, Oglethorpe, Macon, Talbot, and Wilkes, two representatives, each; and to the remaining one hundred and five counties, one representative each.
2. CHANGED, How.--The above apportionment shall be changed by the General Assembly at its first session after each census taken by the United States Government, so as to give the six counties having the largest population three representatives, each; and to the twenty-six counties having the next largest population two representatives, each; but in no event shall the aggregate number of representatives be increased.
(This section has been amended to add nilienew counties and increase the representa tives to one hundred and eighty-four.)
SECTION IV.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
1. TEEM or MEMBERS.--The members of the General Assembly shall be elected for two years, and shall serve until their successors are elected.
2. ELECTION, WHEN.--The first election for members of the General Assembly, under this Constitution, shall take place 01 the first Wednesday in December, 1877 ; the second election for the same shall be held on the first Wednesday in October, 1880, and subse quent elections biennially on that day, until the day of election is changed by law.
3. MEETING OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.--The first meeting of the General Assem bly, after the ratification of this Constitution, shall be on the fourth Wednesday in October, 1878, and annually thereafter, on the same day, until the day shall be changed by law. No session of the General Assembly shall continue longer thanJjgjyJays: Prouided, that if an impeachment trial is impending at the end of fifty days, the session may be prolonged till the completion of said trial. (Legislature now meets fourth Wednes day in June.)
4. QUORUM.--A majority of each house shall constitute a quorum to transact business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day and compel the presence of its absent members, as each house may provide.
5. OATH OF MEMBERS.--Each senator and representative, before taking his seat, shall
APPENDIX.
sis
take the following oath, or affirmation, to wit 1 : "I will support the Constitution of this State, and of the United States; and on all questions and measures which may come before me, I will so conduct myself as will, in ray judgment, be most conducive to the interests and prosperity of this State."
6. LENGTH OP SESSIONS,--(See par. 3 this section,) 7. ELIGIBILITY ; APPOINTMENTS FORBIDDEN.--No person holding a military commis sion, or other appointment or office, having any emolument or compensation annexed thereto, under this State, or the United States, or either of them, except justices of the peace and officers of the militia, nor any defaulter for public money, or for any legal taxesrequired of him, shall have a seat in either house, nor shall any senator or representative, after hie qualification as such, be elected by the General Assembly, or appointed by the Governor, either with or without the advice and consent of the Senate, to any office or appointment having any emolument annexed thereto, during the time for which he shall have been elected. 8. REMOVAL VACATES.--The seat of a member of either house shall be vacated on his removal from the district or county from which lie was elected.
SECTION V.
THE SENATE.
1. QUALIFICATIONS OF SENATORS.--The Senators shall be citizens of the United States who have attained the age of twenty-five years, and who shall have been citizens of this State for four years, and for one year residents of the district from which elected.
2. PKESIDENT.--The presiding officer of the Senate shall be styled the President of the Senate, and he shall be elected viva wee from the Senators.
3. IMPEACHMENTS.--The Senate shall have the sole power to try impeachments. 4. TRIAL OF IMPEACHMENTS.--When sitting for that purpose, the members shall be on oath or affirmation, and shall be presided 'over by the Chief Justice, or the presiding justice of the Supreme Court. Should the Chief Justice be disqualified, the Senate shall select the judge of the Supreme Court to preside. No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present. 5. JUDGMENTS IN IMPEACHMENTS.--Judgments, in cases of impeachment, shall not extend further than removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit, within this State; but the party convicted shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment and punishment, according to law.
SECTION VI.
THE HOUSE OF EEPBESENTATIVES.
1. QUALIFICATIONS OF REPRESENTATIVES.--The representatives shall be citizens of the United States who have attained the age of twenty-one years, and who shall have been citizens of this State for two years, and for one year residents of the counties from which elected.
3. SPEAKER.--The presiding officer of the House of Representatives shall be styled the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and shall be elected viva voce from the body.
3. POWER TO IMPEACH.--The House of Representatives shall have the sole power to impeach all persons who shall have been, or may be, in office.
xx
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
SECTION VII.
ENACTMENT OF LAWS.
1. ELECTIONS, RETURNS, ETC. ; DISORDERLY CONDUCT.--Each house shall be the .iudge of the election, returns, and qualifications of its members, and shall have power to punish them for disorderly behavior, or misconduct, by censure, fine, imprisonment, or expul sion; but no member shall be expelled, except by a vote of two-thirds of the house to which he belongs.
2. CONTEMPTS, How PUNISHED.--Each house may punish by imprisonment, not ex tending beyond the session, any person, not a member, who shall be guilty of a contempt by any disorderly behavior in its presence, or who shall rescue, or attempt to rescue, any person arrested by order of either house.
3. PRIVILEGE OF MEMBEKS.--The members of both houses shall be free from arrest during their attendance on the General Assembly, and in going thereto or returning there from, except for treason, felony, larceny, or breach of the peace; and no member shall be liable to answer in any other place for anything spoken in debate in either house.
4. JOUBNALS.--Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and publish, it immediately after its adjournment.
5. WHERE KEPT.--The original journal shall be preserved, after publication, in the office of the Secretary of State, but there shall be no other record thereof.
6. TEAS AND NAYS, WHEN TAKEN.--The yeas and nays on any question shall, at the desire of one-fifth of the members present, be entered on the journal.
7. BILLS TO BE READ.--Every bill, before it shall pass, shall be read three times, and on three separate days, in each house, unless in cases of actual invasion or insurrection; but the first and second reading of each local bill, and bank and railroad charters shall consist of the reading of the title only, unless said bill is ordered: to be engrossed.
8. ONE SUBJECT-MATTER EXPRESSED.--No law or ordinance shall pass which refers to more than one subject-matter, or contains matter different from what is expressed in the title thereof.
9. GENERAL APPROPRIATION BILL.--The general appropriation bill shall embrace nothing except appropriations fixed by previous laws, the ordinary expenses of the execu tive, legislative, and judicial departments of the government, payment of the public debt and interest thereon, and the support of the public institutions and educational interests of the State. All other appropriations shall be made by separate bills, each embracing but one subject.
10. BILLS FOB REVENUE.--All bills for raising revenue, or appropriating money, shall originate in the House of Representatives, but the Senate may propose or concur in amend ments, as in other bills.
11. PUBLIC MONEY, How DRAWN.--No money shall be drawn from the treasury ex cept by appropriation made bylaw; and a regular statement and account of the receipt and expenditure of all public money shall be published every three months, and, also, with the laws passed by each session of the General Assembly.
12. BILLS APPROPRIATING MONEY.--No bill or resolution appropriating money shall become a law, unless, upon its passage, the yeas and nays, in each house, are recorded,
13. ACTS SIGNED ; REJECTED BILLS.--All acta shall be signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and no bill, ordinance, or resolution, intended to have the effect of a law, which shall have been rejected by either house, shall be again proposed during the same session, under the same or any other title, without the,consent of two-thirds of the house by which the same was rejected.
14. MAJORITY or MEMBERS TO PASS BILL.--No bill shall become a law unless it shall
APPENDIX.
xxi
receive a majority of the votes of all tlie members elected to each house of the General Assembly, and it shall, in every instance, BO appear on the journal.
15. LOCAL BILLS.--Stricken out by amendment. 16. NOTICE OF INTENTION TO ASK LOCAL LEGISLATION NECESSARY.--No local or special 'bill shall be passed, unless notice of the intention to apply therefor shall have been pub lished in the locality where the matter, or thing to be affected, may be situated, which notice shall be given at least thirty days prior to the introduction of such bill into the General Assembly, and in the manner to be prescribed by law. Tho evidence of such, notice having been published, shall be exhibited in the General Assembly before such act shall be passed. 17. STATUTES AND SECTIONS OF CODE, How AMENDED.--No law, or section of the Code, shall be amended or repealed by mere reference to its title, or to the number of the section of the Code, but the amending or repealing act shall distinctly describe the law to be amended or repealed, as well as the alteration to be made. 18. COKPORATE POWERS, How GRANTED.--The General Assembly shall have no power to grant corporate powers and privileges to private companies ; to make or change election precincts; nor to establish bridges or ferries ; nor to change names of legitimate children; but it shall prescribe by law the manner in which such powers shall be exercised by the courts. AH corporate powers and privileges to banking, insurance, railroad, canal, navigation, express and telegraph companies shall be issued and granted by the secretary of State, in such manner as shall be prescribed by law ; and if in any event the secretary of State should be disqualified to act in any case, then in that event the legislature shall provide by general laws by what person such charters shall be granted. 19. RECOGNIZANCES.--The General Assembly shall have no power to relieve principals or securities upon forfeited recognizances, from the payment thereof, either before or after judgment thereon, unless the principal in the recognizance shall have been appre hended and placed in the custody of the proper officer. 20. STBEET-RAILWAYS.--The General Assembly shall not authorize the construction of any street passenger-railway within the limits of any incorporated town or city, without the consent of the corporate authorities. 21. YEAS AND NATS TO BE ENTERED, WHEN.--Whenever the Constitution requires a vote of two-thirds of either or both houses for the passing of an act or resolution, the yeas and nays on the passage thereof shall be entered on the journal. 22. POWERS or THE LEGISLATURE.--The General Assembly shall have power to make all laws and ordinances consistent with this Constitution, and not repugnant to the Constitution of the United States, which they shall deem necessary arid proper for the welfare of the State. 23. SIGNATURE OF GOVERNOR.--No provision in this Constitution, for a two-thirds vote of both houses of the General Assembly, shall be construed to waive the necessity for the signature of the Governor, as in any other case, except in the case of the twothirds vote required to override the veto, and in case of prolongation of a session of the General Assembly. 24. ADJOURNMENTS.--Neither house shall adjourn for more than three days, or to any other place, without the consent of the other ; and in case of disagreement between the two houses on a question of adjournment, the Governor may adjourn either or both of them.
SECTION VIII.
OFFICERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
1. SECRETARY AND CLERK.--The officers of the two houses, other than the Presi dent and Speaker, shall be a secretary of the Senate, and clerk of the House of Eepre-
xxii
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
sentafives, and such assistants as they may appoint; but the clerical expenses of the Senate shall not exceed sixty dollars per day, for each session, nor those of the House of Bepresentatives seventy dollars per day, for each session. The secretary of the Senate and clerk of the House of [Representatives shall be required to give bond and security for the faithful discharge of their respective duties.
SECTION IX.
PAT OF MEMBERS.
1. COMPENSATION.--The per diem of members of the General Assembly shall not exceed four dollars ; and mileage shall not exceed ten cents for each mile travelled, by the nearest practicable route, in going to, and returning from, the capital; but the Presi dent of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each receive not exceeding seven dollars per day.
SECTION X.
ELECTIONS BY GENEBAL ASSEMBLY.
1. ELECTIONS.--All elections by the General Assembly shall be viva voce, and the vote shall appear on the journal of the House of Eepresentatives. When the Senate and House of Eepresentatives unite for the purpose of elections, they shall meet in the Rep resentative Hall, and the President of the Senate shall, in such cases, preside and declare the result.
SECTION XI.
MARRIED "WOMAN'S PROPERTY.
1. WIPE'S ESTATE.--All property of the wife at the time of her marriage, and all property given to, inherited, or acquired by her, shall remain her separate property, and not be liable for the debts of her husband.
SECTION XII.
INSURANCE COMPANIES.
1. NON-RESIDENT INSURANCE COMPANIES.--All life-insurance companies now doing business in this State, or which may desire to establish agencies and do business in the /State of Georgia, chartered by other States of the "Union, or foreign states, shall show that they have deposited with the comptroller-general of the State in which they are chartered, or of this State, the insurance commissioners, or such other officer as may be authorized to receive it, not less than one hundred thousand dollars, in such securities as may be deemed by such officer equivalent to cash, subject to his order, as a guarantee fund for the security of policy holders.
2. LICENSE BY COMPTROLLER.--When such showing is made to the comptrollergeneral of the State of Georgia by a proper certificate from the State official having charge of the funds so deposited, the comptroller-general of the State of Georgia is authorized to issue, to the company making such showing, a license to do business in the State, upon paying the fees required by law.
3. RESIDENT INSURANCE COMPANIES.--All life-insurance companies chartered by the
APPENDIX.
xxiii
State of Georgia, or which may hereafter be chartered by the State, shall, before doing business, deposit, with the comptroller-general of the State of Georgia, or with some strong corporation, which may be approved by said comptroller-general, one hundred thousand dollars, in such securities as may be deemed by him equivalent to cash, to be subject to his order, as a guarantee fund for the security of the policy holders of the company making such deposit, all interests and dividends arising from such securities to be paid, when due, to the company so depositing. Any such securities as may be needed or desired by the company may be taken from said department at any time by replacing them with other securities equally acceptable to the comptroller-general, whose certificate for the same shall be furnished to the company.
4. GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO ENACT LAWS FOB PEOPLE'S PBOTECTION, ETC.--The General Assembly shall, from time to time, enact laws to compel all fire-insurance com panies doing business in this State, whether chartered by this State or otherwise, to de posit reasonable securities with the treasurer of this State, to secure the people against loss by the operations of said companies.
5. EEPOBTS ET INSUBANCE COMPANIES.--The General Assembly shall compel all in surance companies in this State or doing business therein, under proper penalties, to make semi-annual reports to the Governor, and print the same at their own expense, for the information and protection of the people
ARTICLE IV. \
POWER OP THE GEWEBAL ASSEMBLY OVEK TAXATION.
SECTION I.
TAXATION.
i. TAXATION, A SOVEREIGN EIGHT.--The right of taxation is a sovereign right, in alienable, indestructible, is the life of the State, and rightfully belongs to the people in all republican governments, and .neither the General Assembly, nor any nor all other departments of the government established by this Constitution, shall ever have the authority to irrevocably give, grant, limit, or restrain this right; and all laws, grants, con tracts, and all other acts whatsoever, by said government, or any department thereof, to effect any of these purposes, shall be and are hereby declared to be null and void for every purpose whatsoever ; and said right of taxation shall always be under the complete control of, and revocable by, the State, notwithstanding any gift, grant, or contract what soever by the General Assembly.
SECTION II.
REGULATION OF CORPORATIONS.
1. BAILEOAD TABIITS.--The power and authority of regulating railroad freights and passenger tariffs, preventing unjust discriminations, and requiring reasonable and just rates of freight and passenger tariffs, are hereby conferred upon the General Assembly, whose-duty it shall be to pass laws, from time to time, to regulate freight and passenger tariffs, to prohibit unjust discriminations on the various railroads of this State, and to prohibit said roads from charging other than just and reasonable rates, and enforce the same by adequate penalties.
xxiv
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
2. RIGHT OF EMINENT DOMAIN; POLICE POWER.--The exercise of the right of emi nent domain shall never be abridged, nor so construed as to prevent the General Assembly from taking the property and franchises of incorporated companies, and subjecting them to public use, the same as property of individuals ; and the exercise of the police power of the State shall never be abridged-, nor so construed as to permit corporations to conduct their business in such a manner as to infringe the equal rights of individuals, or the general well-being of the State.
3. CHABTEES REVIVED OB AMENDED BECOME SUBJECT TO THIS CONSTITUTION.-- The General Assembly shall not remit the forfeiture of the charter of any corporation, now existing, nor alter or amend the same, nor pass any other general or special law for the benefit of said corporation except upon the condition that such corporation shall thereafter hold its charter subject to the provisions of this Constitution; and every amendment of any charter of any corporation in this State, or any special law for its benefit, accepted thereby, shall operate as a novation of said charter and shall bring the same under the provisions of this Constitution: Provided, that this section shall not extend to any amendment for the purpose of allowing any existing road to take stock in or aid' in the building of any branch road.
4. BrmN& STOCK, ETC., IN OTHEB COBPOEATIONS ; COMPETITION.--The General Assembly of this State shall have no power to authorize any corporation to buy shares or stock in any other corporation in this State or elsewhere, or to make any contract, or agreement whatever, with any such corporation, which may have the effect, or he intended to have the effect, to defeat or lessen competition in their respective businesses, or to encourage monopoly; and all such contracts and agreements shall be illegal and
void. 5. REBATES.--No railroad company shall give, or pay, any rebate or bmms in the
nature thereof, directly or indirectly, or do any act to mislead or deceive the public as to the real rates charged or received for freights or passage ; and any such payments shall be illegal and void, and these prohibitions shall be enforced by suitable penalties.
6. OBLIGATION OF CONTBACTS PEESEEVED.--No provision of this Article shall be deemed, held or taken to impair the obligation of any contract heretofore made by the
State oi Georgia. 7. GENEBAL ASSEMBLY TO ENFOECE.--The General Assembly shall enforce the
provisions of this Article by.appropriate legislation.
AETICLE V.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
SECTION I.
GOVERNOR.
1. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.--The officers of the Executive Department shall consist of a Governor, secretary of State, comptroller-general and treasurer.
2. GOVEENOE ; TEEM OF OFFICE, SALABY, ETC.--The Executive power shall be vested in a Governor, who shall hold his office during the term of two years, and until his successor shall be chosen and qualified. He shall not be eligible to reflection, after the expiration of a second term, for the period of four years. He shall have a salary of five thousand dollars per annum (until otherwise provided by a law passed by a two-
APPENDIX.
xxv
thirds vote of both branches of the General Assembly), which shall not be increased or diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected ; nor shall he receive, within that time, any other emolument from the United States, or either of them, or from any foreign power. But this reduction of salary shall not apply to the present
term of the present Governor. 3. ELECTION FOR GOVEBNOE.--The first election for Governor, under this Constitu
tion, shall be held on the first Wednesday in October, 1880, and the Governor-elect shall be installed in office at the nest session of the General Assembly. An election shall take place biennially thereafter, on said day, until another date be fixed by the General Assembly. Said election shall be held at the places of holding general elections in the several counties of this State, in the manner prescribed for the election of members of the General Assembly, and the electors shall be the same.
4. RETURNS op ELECTIONS.--The returns for every election of Governor shall be sealed up by the managers, separately from other returns, and directed to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives, and transmitted to the secretary .of State, who shall, without opening said returns, cause the same to be laid before the Senate on the day after the two houses shall have been organized, and they shall be trans mitted by the Senate to the House of Representatives.
5. How PUBLISHED.--The members of each branch of the General Assembly shall convene in the Representative Hall, and the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives shall open and publish the returns in the presence and under the direction of the General Assembly ; and the person having the majority of the whole number of votes shall be declared duly elected Governor of this State, but if no person shall have such majority, then from the two persons having the. highest number of votes, who shall be in life, and shall not decline an election at the time appointed for the General Assembly to elect, the General Assembly shall, immediately, elect a Governor viva voce ; and in all/eases of election of a Governor by the General Assembly a majority of the memberspresent shall be necessary to a choice.
p&TCoNTESTED ELECTIONS.--Contested elections shall be determined by both houses of the General Assembly in such manner as shall be prescribed by law,
SyALiFiCATioNs OF GOVERNOR.--No person shall be eligible to the office of Gover nor who shall not have been a citizen of the United States fifteen years, and a citizen of the State sis years, and who shall not have attained the age of thirty years.
8. DEATH, RESIGNATION, OK DISABILITY or GOVERNOR.--In case of the death, resignation, or disability of the Governor, the President of the Senate shall exercise the executive powers of the government until such disability be removed, or a successor is elected and qualified. And in case of the death, resignation, or disability of the Presi dent of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall exercise the executive powers of the government until the removal of the disability, or the election and qualification of a Governor.
9. USBXPIKED TEKJZS.--The General Assembly shall have power to provide by law, : for filling unexpired terms by special elections.
10. OATH OF OFFICE.--The Governor shall, before he enters on the duties of his office, take the following oath or affirmation : " I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will faithfully execute the office of Governor of the State of Georgia, and will, to the best orr
the . COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.--The Governor shall be ' commander-in-chief of the army
and navy of this State, and of the militia thereof. 12. REPRIEVES AND PARDONS.--He shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons,
to commute penalties, remove disabilities imposed by law, and to remit any part of a sen-
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
tence for offenses against the State, after conviction, except in cases of treason and im peachment, subject to such regulations as may be provided by law relative to the manner ol applying for pardons. Upon conviction for treason he may suspend the execution of the sentence and report the case to the General Assembly at the next meeting thereof, when the General Assembly shall either pardon, commute the sentence, direct its execution, or grant a further reprieve. He shall, at each session of the General Assembly, communi cate to that body each case of reprieve, pardon or commutation granted, stating the name of the convict, the olfense for which he was convicted, the sentence and its date, the date of the reprieve, pardon or commutation, and the reasons for granting the same. He shall take care that the laws are faithfully executed, and shall be a conservator of the peace throughout the State.
13. WRITS or ELECTIONS ; CALLED SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE.--He shall issue writs of election to fill all vacancies that may happen in the Senate or House of Represen tatives, and shall give the General Assembly from time to time, information of the state of the Commonwealth, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he may deem necessary or expedient. He shall have power to convoke the General Assembly on extra ordinary occasions, but no law shall be enacted at called sessions of the General Assembly except such as shall relate to the object stated in his proclamation convening them.
14. PILLING VACANCIES.--When any office shall become vacant, by death, resigna tion, or otherwise, the Governor shall have power to fill such vacancy, unless otherwise provided by law ; and persons so appointed shall continue in office until a successor is commissioned, agreeably to the mode pointed out by this Constitution, or by law in pur suance thereof.
15. APPOINTMENTS REJECTED.--A person once rejected by the Senate shall not be reappointed by the Governor to the same office during the same session, or the recess thereafter.
16. GOVERNOR'S VETO.--The Governor shall have the revision of all bills passed by the General Assembly, before the same shall become laws, but two-thirds of each house may pass a law notwithstanding his dissent; and if any bill should not be returned by the Governor within five days (Sunday excepted) after it has been presented to him, the same shall be a law ; unless the General Assembly, by their adjournment, shall prevent its return. He may approve any appropriation, and disapprove any other appropriation, in the same bill, and the latter shall not be effectual unless passed by two-thirds of eachhouse.
17. GOVERNOR MUST APPROVE.--Every vote, resolution, or order, to which the con currence of both houses may be necessary, except on a question of election, or adjourn ment, shall be presented to the Governor, and before it shall take effect, be approved by him, or, being disapproved, shall be repassed by two-thirds of each house.
18. INFORMATION FROM DEPARTMENT OFFICERS ; TREASURER AND COMPTROLLER.-- He may require information, in writing, from the officers in the Executive Department on any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices. It shall be the duty of the Governor, quarterly, and oftener if he deems it expedient, to examine, under oath, the ' treasurer and comptroller-general of the State on all matters pertaining to their respect ive offices, and to inspect and review their books and accounts. The General Assembly shall have authority to provide by law for the suspension of either of said officers, from the discharge of the duties of his office, and also for the appointment of a suitable person to discharge the duties of the same.
19. SECRETARIES.--The Governor shall have power to appoint his own secretaries not exceeding two in number, and to provide such other clerical force as may be required in his office, but the total cost for secretaries and clerical force in his office sball not exceed six thousand dollars per annum.
APPENDIX.
xxvii
SECTION II.
OTHER EXECUTIVE OFFICERS.
1. SECRETARY OF STATE, COMPTROLLER AND TREASURER, How ELECTED.--The secretary of State, comptroller-general and treasurer snail be elected by persons quali fied to vote for members of the General Assembly, at the same time and in tbe same manner as the Governor. The provisions of the Constitution as to the transmission of the returns of election, counting the votes, declaring the result, deciding when there is no election, and when there is a contested election, applicable to the election of Governor, shall apply to the election of secretary of State, comptroller-general and treasurer; they shall be commissioned by the Governor and hold their offices for tbe same time as the Governor.
2. TREASURER'S SALARY.--The salary of the treasurer shall not exceed two thousand dollars per annum. The clerical expenses of his department shall not exceed sixteen hundred dollars per annum.
3. SALARY OF SECRETARY OF STATE. --The salary of the secretary of State shali not exceed two thousand dollars per annum, and the clerical expenses of his department shall not exceed one thousand dollars per annum.
4. COMPTROLLER-GENERAL'S SALARY,--The salary of the comptroller-general shall not exceed two thousand dollars per annum. The clerical expenses of his department, including the insurance department and wild-land clerk, shall not exceed four thousand dollars per annum ; and without said clerk, it shall not exceed three thousand dollars per annum.
5. PROFIT FROM USB OF PUBLIC MONEY.--The treasurer shall not be allowed, directly or indirectly, to receive any fee, interest, or reward from any person, bank, or corporation for the deposit or use, in any manner, of tbe public funds ; and the General Assembly shall enforce this provision by suitable penalties.
6. QUALIFICATIONS.--No person shall be eligible to the office of secretary of State, comptroller-general, or treasurer, unless he shall have been a citizen of the United States for ten years, and shall have resided in this State for six years next preceding his election, and shall be twenty-five years of age when elected. All of said officers shall give bond and security, under regulations to be prescribed by law, for the faithful discharge of their duties.
7. FEES AND PERQUISITES DENIED.--The secretary of State, the comptroller-general, and the treasurer, shall not be allowed any fee, perquisite, or compensation, other than their salaries, as prescribed by law, except their necessary expenses when absent from the seat of government on business for the State.
SECTION III.
SBA1/ OF STATE.
1. GREAT SEAL.--The Great Seal of the State shall be deposited in the office of the secretary of State, and shall not be affixed to any instrument of writing except by order of the Governor, or General Assembly, and that now in use shall be the great seal of the State until otherwise provided by law.
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
ARTICLE VI. f
JUDICIAKY.
.^
SECTION I.
COURTS.
1. COURTS ENtTMEBATED.--The judicial powers of this State shall be vested in a Supreme Court, a Court of Appeals, superior courts, courts of ordinary, justices of the peace, commissioned notaries public, and such other courts as have been or may he established by law.
SECTION II.
STJPBEME COURT.
1. SUPREME COTTET JUDGES.--The Supreme Court shall consist of a Chief Justice and two Associate Justices. A majority of the court shall constitute a quorum.
2. GOVERNOR TO DESIGNATE JUDGES TO PRESIDE, WHEN.--When one or more of the judges are disqualified from deciding any case, by interest or otherwise, the Governor shall designate a judge, or judges, of the superior court; to preside in said case.
3. BoNDHotonre JUDGE DISQUALIFIED, WHEN.--Ho judge of any court shall preside In any case where the validity of any bond--Federal, State, corporation, or municipal--is involved, who holds in his own right, or as the representative of others, any material interest in the class of bonds upon which the ques ;on to be decided arises.
4. TEEMS OF OFFICE.--The Chief Justices and Associate Justices shall hold their offices for sis years, and until their successors are qualified. A successor to the incumbent whose term will soonest expire, shall be elected by the General Assembly in 1880: a successor to the incumbent whose term of office is nest in duration shall be elected by the General Assembly in 1882; and a successor to the third incumbent shall be elected by the General Assembly in 1884 ; but appointments to fill vacancies shall only be for the unexpired term, or until such vacancies are filled by elections, agreeably to the mode pointed out by the Constitution.
5. JURISDICTION.--The Supreme Court shall have no original jurisdiction, but shall be a court alone for the trial and correction of errors from the superior courts, and from the city courts of Atlanta and Savannah, and such other like courts as may be hereafter established in other cities ; and shall sit at the seat of government, at such times in each year aa shall be prescribed by law, for the trial and determination of writs of error from said superior and city courts.
6. CASES, How DISPOSED OP.--The Supreme Court shall dispose of every case at the first or second term after such writ of error is brought; and in case the plaintiff in error shall not be prepared at the first term to prosecute the 'case--unless prevented by provi dential cause--it shall be stricken from the docket, and the judgment below shall stand affirmed.
7. JUDGMENTS MAT BE WITHHELD.--In any case the court may, in its discretion, withhold its judgment until the next term after the same is argued.
8. The Supreme Court shall hereafter consist of a Chief Justice and five Associate Justices. The court shall have power to hear and determine cases when sitting, either in a body or in two divisions of three judges each, under such regulations as may be pre scribed by the General Assembly. A majority of either division shall constitute a quorum for that division. The Chief Justice and the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court shall hereafter be elected by the people at the same time and in the same manner
APPENDIX.
as the Governor and State House officers are elected, except that the first election under this amendment shall be held on the third Wednesday in December, 1896, at which time one Associate Justice shall be elected for a full term of six years, to fill the vacancy occurring ou January 1st, 1897, by the expiration of the term of one of the present incum bents, and three additional Associate Justices shall be elected for terms expiring respect ively January 1, 1899, January I, 1901, and January 1, 1903. The persons elected as additional Associate Justices shall, among themselves, determine by lot which of the three last -mentioned terms each shall have, and they shall be commissioned accord ingly.
After said first election, all terms (except unexpired terms) shall be for six years each. In case of any vacancy which causes an unexpired term, the same shall be filled by executive appointment, and the person appointed by the Governor shall hold his office until the next regular election, and until his successor for the balance of the unex pired term shall have been elected and qualified. The returns of said special election shall be made to the Secretary of State.
(The Act creating this Section as an Amendment to the Constitution was approved December 16,1895, and was ratified by the people at the general, election in 1896.)
9. (An amendment has been added to the Constitution creating a Court of Appeals.)
SECTION III.
SUPERIOR COURTS.
1. TEBMS, ETC., OF SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES.--There shall be a judge of thesnperior courts for each judicial circuit, whose term of office shall be four years, and until bin successor is qualified. He may act in other circuits when authorized by law.
2. EMOTIONS, WHEN TO BE MADE.--The successors to the present and subsequent incumbents shall be elected by the electors, entitled to vote for members of the General Assembly of the whole State, at the general election held for such members, next preced ing the expiration of their respective terms : Provided, that the successors for all incum bents whose terms expire on or before the first day of January, 1899, shall be elected by the General Assembly at its session for 1898, for the full term of four years.
3. TERMS BEGIN, WHEN.--The terms of the Judges to be elected under the Constitu tion (except to fill vacancies) shall begin on the first day of January after their election. Every vacancy occasioned by death, resignation or other causes, shall be filled by ap pointments of the Governor until the first day of January after the general election held next after the expiration of thirty days from the time such vacancy occurs, at which elec tion a successor for the nnexpired term shall be elected.
SECTION IV.
JURISDICTION OF SUPERIOR. COURTS.
1. EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION.--The superior court shall have exclusive jurisdiction in cases of divorce ; in criminal cases where the offender is subjected to loss of life, or confinement in the penitentiary ; in cases respecting titles to land and equity cases.
2. .EQUITY MAT BE MEKGED IN COMMON LAW COURTS.--The General Assembly may confer upon the courts of common law, all the powers heretofore exercised by courts of equity in this State.
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
3. GENERAL JURISDICTION.- -Said courts shall have jurisdiction in all civil cases, except as hereinafter provided.
4. APPEIXATE JURISDICTION.--They shall have appellate jurisdiction in all such cases as may he provided by law.
5. CERTIORARI, MANDAMUS, ETC.--They shall have power to correct errors in inferior judicatories, by writ of certiorari, which shall only issue on the sanction of the Judge ; and said courts and the judges thereof shall have power to issue writs of mandamus, prohibition, scirefacias, and all other writs that may be necessary for carry ing their powers fully into'effect, and shall have such other powers as are or may be conferred on them by law.
6. APPEAL PROM ONE JURY TO ANOTHER.--The General Assembly may provide for an appeal from one jury, in the superior and city courts, to another, and the said court may grant new trials on legal grounds.
7. JUDGMENT BY THE COURT.--The court shall render judgment without the verdict of a jury, in all civil cases founded on unconditional contracts in writing, where an issuable defense is not filed under oath or affirmation.
8. SESSIONS.--The superior courts shall sit in each county not less than twice in each year, at such times as have been or may be appointed by law:
9. PRESIDING JUDGE DISQUALIFIED.--The General Assembly may provide by law for the appointment of some proper person to preside in cases where the presiding judge is, from any cause, disqualified.
SECTION V.
JUDGES OP SUPBBIOB AND CITY COURTS.
1. JUDGES op SUPERIOR AND CITY COURTS MAY ALTERNATE, WHEN.--In any county within which there is, or hereafter may be, a city court, the judge of said court, and of the superior court, may preside in the courts of each other in cases where the judge of either court is disqualified to preside.
SECTION VI.
COURT OP OKDINAKY.
1. ORDINARY, APPEALS FROM.--The powers of a court of ordinary, and of probate,: shall be vested in an ordinary for each county, from whose decision there may be an, appeal (or, by consent of parties, without a decision) to the superior court, under regu lations prescribed by law.
2. POWERS. --The courts of ordinary shall have such powers in relation to roads, bridges, ferries, public buildings, paupers, county officers, county funds, county taxes, and other county matters, as may be conferred on them by law.
3. TERM OF OFFICE.--The ordinary shall hold his office for the term of four years, and until his successor is elected and qualified.
SECTION VII.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1. JUSTICES, NUMBER AND TERM.--There shall be in each militia district one justice of the peace, whose official term, except when elected to fill an unexpired term, shall be four years.
APPENDIX.
2. JURIOJMCTION.- Justices of the peace shall have jurisdiction in all civil cases, arising ex contractu, and in cases of injuries or damages to personal property, when the principal sum does not exceed one hundred dollars, and shall sit monthly at fixed times and places; but in all cases there may be an appeal to a jury in said court, or an appeal to the superior court, under such regulations as may be prescribed by law.
3. ELECTIONS AND COMMISSIONS.--Justices of the peace shall be elected by the legal voters in their respective districts, and shall be commissioned by the Governor. They shall be removable on conviction for malpractice in office.
SECTION VIII.
NOTARIES PUBLIC.
1. NOTABIES PUBLIC, How APPOINTED, ETC.--Commissioned notaries public, not to exceed one for each militia district, may be appointed by the judges of superior courts in their respective circuits, upon recommendation of the grand juries of the several coun ties. They shall be commissioned by the Governor for the term of four years, and shall be ex officio justices of the peace, and shall be removable on conviction for malpractice in office.
SECTION IX.
UNIFORMITY OF COURTS.
1. UNIFORMITY PROVIDED FOE.--The jurisdiction, powers, proceedings and practice of all courts or officers invested with judicial powers (except city courts), of the same grade or class, so far as regulated by law, and the force and effect of the process, judg ment and decree, by such courts, severally, shall be uniform. This uniformity must be established by the General Assembly.
SECTION X.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL.
1. ATTORNEY-GENERAL; ELECTION.--There shall be an attorney-general of this State, who shall be elected by the people at the same time, for the same term, and in the same manner as the Governor.
2. DUTIES.--It shall be the duty of the attorney-general to act as the legal adviser of the Executive Department, to represent the State in the Supreme Court in all capital felonies; and in all civil and criminal cases in any court when required by the Governor, and to perform such other services as shall be required of him by law,
SECTION XI.
SOLICITOR-GENERAL.
1. SOLICITOR-GENERAL ; TERM.--There shall be a solicitor-general for each judicial circuit, whose official term (except to fill a vacancy) shall be four years. The successors of present and subsequent incumbents shall be elected by the electors of the whole State, qualified to vote for members of the General Assembly, at the general election held next preceding the expiration of their respective terms. Every vacancy occasioned by death, resignation or other cause, shall be filled by appointment of the Governor until the
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
first day of January after the general election held next after the expiration of thirty days from the time such vacancy occurs, at which election a successor for the une"xpired term shall be elected : Provided, that the successors for all incumbents whose terms expire on or before the first day of January, 1899, shall be elected by the General Assembly at its session for 1898, for the full term of four years.
S. DUTIES.--It shall "be the duty of the solicitor-general to represent the State in all cases in the superior courts of his circuit, and in all cases taken up from his circuit to the Supreme Court, and to perform such other services as shall be required of him by law.
SECTION XII.
ELECTIONS OF JUDGES, ETC.
I. JUDGES ELECTED BY GENERAL ASSEMBLY ; VACANCIES.--The Judges of Supreme and superior courts, and solicitors-general, shall be elected by the General Assembly, in joint session, on such day or days as shall be fixed by joint resolution of both houses. At the session of the General Assembly which is held next before the expiration of the terms of the present incumbents, as provided in this Constitution, their successors shall be chosen ; and the same shall apply to the election of those who shall succeed them. Vacancies occasioned by death, resignation or other cause, shall be filled by appointment of the Governor, until the General Assembly shall convene, when an election shall be held to fill the unexpired portion of the vacant terms.
SECTION XIII.
JUDICIAL SALARIES.
1. SALARIES OF JUDGES.--The judges of the Supreme Court shall have, out of the treasury of the State, salaries not to exceed three thousand dollars per annum ; the judges of the superior courts shall have salaries not to exceed two thousand dollars per annum ; the attorney-general shall have a salary not to exceed two thousand dollars per annum ; and the solicitors-general each shall have salaries not to exceed two hundred and fifty dollars per annum ; but the attorney-general shall not have any fee or perquisite in any cases arising after the adoption of this Constitution; but the provisions of this section shall not affect the salaries of those now in office.
3. How SALARIES MAY BE CHANSED.--The General Assembly may at any time, by a two-thirds vote of each branch, prescribe other and different salaries for any, or all, of the above officers, but no such change shall affect the officers then in commission.
SECTION XIV.
QUALIFICATION OF JUDGES, ETC.
1. QUALIFICATIONS.--No person shall be judge of the Supreme or superior courts or attorney-general, unless, at the time of his election, he shall have attained the age of thirty years, and shall have been a citizen of the State three years, and have practiced law for seven years ; and no person shall be hereafter elected solicitor-general, unless, at the time of his election, he shall have attained twenty-five years of age, shall have been a citizen of the. State for three years, and shall have practiced law for three years next pre ceding his election.
APPENDIX.
xxxih
SECTION xv.
DITOHCE.
1. DIVORCE.--No total divorce shall be granted, except on the concurrent verdicts of two juries at different terms of the court.
2. LAST JURY DETERMINES DISABILITIES.--When a divorce is granted, the jury rendering the final verdict shall determine the rights and disabilities of the parties.
SECTION XVI.
VENUE.
1. DIVORCE CASES, WHERE BROUGHT.--Divorce cases shall be brought in the county where the defendant resides, if a resident of this State ; if the defendant be not a resident of this State, then in the county in which the plaintiff resides.
2. LAND, TITLES, WHERE TRIED.--Cases respecting titles to land shall be tried in the county where the land lies, except where a single tract is. divided by a county line, in which case the superior court in either county shall have jurisdiction.
3. EQUITY CASES.--Equity cases shall be tried in the county where a defendant resides against whom substantial relief is prayed.
4. SUITS AGAINST JOINT OBLIGORS, ETC.--Suits against joint obligors, joint promissors, copartners, or joint trespassers, residing in different counties, may be tried in either county.
5. SUITS AGAINST MAKKK AND INDORSER, ETC.--Suits against the maker and indorser of promissory notes, or drawer, acceptor and indorser of foreign or inland bills of exchange, or like instruments, residing in different counties, shall be brought in the county where the maker or acceptor resides.
6. ALL OTHER CASES.--All other civil cases shall be tried in the county where the defendant resides, and all criminal cases shall be tried in the county where the crime was committed, except cases in the superior courts where the judge is satisfied that an impartial jury cannot be obtained in such county.
SECTION XVII.
CHANGE OF VENUE.
i. POWER TO CHANGE VENUE.--The power to change the venue in civil and criminal cases shall be vested in the superior courts, to be exercised in such manner as has been, or shall be, provided by ]aw.
SECTION XVIII.
JUKY TRIALS.
1. TBIAL BY JURY.--The right of trial by jury, except where it is otherwise provided in this Constitution, shall remain inviolate, but the General Assembly may prescribe any number, not less than five, to constitute a trial or traverse jury in courts other than the superior and city courts.
2. SELECTION OP JURORS.--The General Assembly shall provide by law for the selection of the most experienced, intelligent and upright men to serve as grand jurors, and intelligent and upright men to serve as traverse jurors. Nevertheless, the grand jurors shall be competent to serve as traverse jurors.
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
3. COMPENSATION OF JURORS.:---It shall be the duty of the General Assembly, by general laws, to prescribe the manner of fixing compensation of jurors in all counties in this State.
SECTION XIX.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
1. POWER TO CREATE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.--The General Assembly shall have power to provide for the creation of county commissioners in such counties as may require them, and to define their duties.
SECTION XX.
WHAT COURTS MAY BE ABOLISHED.
1. POWER TO ABOLISH COURTS.--All courts not specially mentioned by name in the first section of this Article, may be abolished in any county, at the discretion of the General Assembly.
SECTION XXI.
SUPREME COUKT COSTS.
1. COSTS IN SUPREME COURT.--The costs in the Supreme Court shall not exceed ten .dollars, until otherwise provided by law^ Plaintiffs in error shall not be required to pay costs in said court when the usual pauper oath is filed in the court below.
ARTICLE VII.
, TAXATION AND PUBLIC DEBT.
SECTION I.
POWER OF TAXATION.
1. TAXATION, How AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE EXERCISED.--The powers of taxation over the whole State shall be exercised by the General Assembly for the following pur poses only:
For the support of the State government and the public institutions. for educational purposes, in instructing children in the elementary branches of an
English education only. TO pay the interest on the public debt. To pay the principal of the public debt. To suppress insurrection, to repel invasion, and defend the State in time of war. To supply the soldiers who lost a limb, or limbs, in the .military service of the
Confederate States, with substantial artificial limbs during life, and to make suitable provision for such Confederate soldiers as may have been otherwise disabled or permanently injured in such service; or who, by reason of age and poverty, or infirmity and poverty, or blindness and poverty, are unable to provide a living for themselves; and for the widows of such Confederate soldiers as may have died in the service of Confederate States, or since from
APPENDIX.
xxxv
wonnds received therein, or disease contracted therein: Provided, this para graph shall only apply to such widows as were married at the time of snch service and have remained unmarried since the death of such soldier husbands. (This paragraph has been amended so as to limit the levy of taxes for any one year to five mills on each dollar of taxable property, except in time of war.)
SECTION II.
TAXATION AND EXEMPTIONS.
1. MUST BE TTswoEM, ETC.; Does.--All taxation shall he uniform upon the same class of subjects, and ad valorem on all property subject to be taxed within the territorial limits of the authority levying the tax, and shall be levied and collected under general laws. The General Assembly may, however, impose a tax upon such domestic animals as, from their nature and habits, are destructive of other property.
2. EXEMPTIONS.--The General Assembly may, by law, exempt from taxation all public property, places of religious worship ox burial; all institutions of purely public charity; all buildings erected for and used as a college, incorporated academy, or other seminary of learning; the real and personal estate of any public library, and that of any other literary association, used by or connected with such library ; all books and philo sophical apparatus ; and all paintings and statuary of any company of association, kept in a public hall, and not held as merchandise, or for purposes of sale or gain: Provided, the property so exempted be not used for purposes of private or corporate profit or income.
3. POLL TAX.--No poll tax shall be levied except for educational purposes, and such tax shall not exceed one dollar annually, upon each poll.
4. LAWS EXEMPTING PROPERTY VOID.--All laws exempting property from taxation, other than the property herein enumerated, shall be void.
5. TAX ON CORPORATIONS.--The power to tax corporations and corporate property, shall not be surrendered or suspended by any contract or grant to which the State shall be a party.
SECTION III.
STATE DEBT.
1. DEBTS, FOE WHAT CONTRACTED.--No debt shall be contracted by or on behalf of the State, except to supply casual deficiencies of revenue, to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, and defend the State in time of war, or to pay the existing public debt; but the debt created to supply deficiencies in revenue shall not exceed, in the aggregate, two hundred thousand dollars.
SECTION IV.
DEBT, HOW CONTRACTED.
I. FORM op LAWS TO BORROW MONET.--All laws authorizing the borrowing of money by or on behalf of the State, shall specify the purposes for which the money is to be used, and the money so obtained shall be used for the purpose specified, and for no other.
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
SECTION v.
STATE AID.
1. STATE AID FORBIDDEN.--The credit of the State shall not be pledged or loaned to any individual, company, corporation or association, and the State shall not become a joint owner or stockholder in any company, association or corporation.
SECTION VI.
PUKPOSES OF TAXATION BY COUNTIES AHT> CITIES.
1. RESTRICTIONS ON COUNTIES AND CITIES.--The General Assembly shall not author ize any county, municipal corporation, or political division of this State, to become a stockholder in any company, corporation, or association, or to appropriate money for, or to loan its credit to, any corporation, company, association, institution, or individual, ex cept for purely charitable purposes. This restriction shall not operate to prevent the support of schools by municipal corporations within their respective limits: Provided, that if any municipal corporation sball offer to the State any property for locating or building a capitol, and the State accepts such offer, the corporation may comply with such offer.
2. TAXING POWER OF COUNTIES LIMITED.--The General Assembly shall not have power to delegate to any county the right to levy a tax lor any purpose, except for educational purposes in instructing children in the elementary branches of an English, education only; to build and repair the public buildings and bridges ; to maintain and support prisoners; to pay jurors and coroners, and for litigation, quarantine, roads and expenses of courts ; to support paupers and pay debts heretofore existing.
SECTION VII.
LIMITATION ON MUNICIPAL DEBTS.
1. DEBT OF COUNTIES AND CITIES NOT TO EXCEED SEVEN PER CENT.--The debt hereafter incurred by any county, municipal corporation, or political division of this State, except as in this Constitution provided for, shall not exceed seven per centum of the assessed value of all the taxable property therein, and no such county, municipality, or division, shall incur any new debt, except for a temporary loan or loans to supply casual deficiencies of revenue, not to exceed one-fifth of one per centum of the assessed value of taxable property therein, without the assent of two-thirds of the qualified voters thereof, at an election for that purpose, to be held as may be prescribed by law; but any city, the debt of which does not exceed seven per centum of the assessed value of the taxable property at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, may be authorized by law to increase, at any time, the amount of said debt, three per centum upon such assessed valuation.
2. COUNTY AND CITY BONDS, How PAID.--Any county, municipal corporation, or political division of this State, which shall incur any bonded indebtedness under the pro visions of this Constitution, shall, at or before the time of so doing, provide for the assessment and collection of an annual tax, sufficient in amount to pay the principal and interest of said debt within thirty years from the date of the incurring of said indebted ness.
APPENDIX.
xxxvii
SECTION VIII.
ASSUMPTION OF DBBT.
1. ASSUMPTION OF DEBTS FORBIDDEN.--The State shall not assume the debt, nor any part thereof, of any county, municipal corporation, or political division of the State, unless such debt shall be contracted to enable the State to repel invasion, suppress insur rection, or defend itself in time of war. .
SECTION IX.
PUBLIC MONEY.
1. PKOITT ON PUBLIC MONEY.--The receiving, directly or indirectly, Dy any officer of the State or county, or member or officer of the General Assembly, of any interests, profits or perquisites arising from the use or loan of public funds in his hands, or moneys to be raised through his agency for State or county purposes, shall be deemed a felony, and punishable as may be prescribed by law, a part of which punishment shall be a disqualification from holding office.
SECTION X.
CITY DEBTS.
1. CITY DEBTS, How INCUKBED.--Municipal corporations shall not incur any debt until provision therefor shall have been made by the municipal government.
SECTION XL
TOID BONDS.
1. CERTAIN BONDS SHALL NOT BE PAID.--The General Assembly shall have no authority to appropriate money directly or indirectly, to pay the whole, or any part, of the principal or interest of the bonds, or other obligations, which have been pronounced illegal, null and void, by the General Assembly, and the constitutional amendments ratified by a vote of the people on the first day of May, 1877 ; nor shall the General Assembly have authority to pay any of the obligations created by the State under laws passed during the late war between the States, nor any of the bonds, notes, or obligations made and entered into during the existence of said war, the time for the payment of which was fixed after the ratification of a treaty of peace between the United States and the Confederate States; nor shall the General Assembly pass any law, or the Governor, or other State official, enter into any contract or agreement, whereby the State shall be made a party to any suit in any court of this State, or of the United States, instituted to test the validity ofany such bonds or obligations.
SECTION XII.
PUBLIC DBBT NOT TO BE INCKEASED.
1. BONDED DEBT NOT TO INCREASE.--The bonded debt of the State shall never be increased, except to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, or to defend the State in time of war.
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
SECTION xnL
PUBLIC PROPERTY PLEDGED FOB STATE'S DEBT.
1. STATE'S PROPERTY MAT BE SOLD TO PAT BONDED DEBT.--The proceeds of the sale of the Western and Atlantic, Macon and Brunswick, or other railroads held by the State, and any other property owned by the - State, whenever the General Assembly may authorize the sale of the whole, or any part thereof, shall be applied to the payment of the bonded debt of the State, and shall not be used for any other purpose whatever, so long as the State has any existing bonded debt: Provided, that the proceeds of the sale of the Western and Atlantic Hailroad shall be applied to the payment of the bonds for which said railroad has been mortgaged, in preference to al] other bonds.
SECTION" XIV.
SINKING FUND.
1. SINKING FUND.--The General Assembly shall raise by taxation each year, in ad dition to the sum required to pay the public expenses and interests on the public debt, the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, which shall be held as a sinking-fund to pay off and retire the bonds of the State which have not yet matured, and shall be applied to no other purpose whatever. If the bonds cannot at any time be purchased at or below par, then tbe sinking fund, herein provided for, may be loaned by the Governor and treasurer of the State: Provided, the security which shall be demanded for said loan shall consist only of the valid bonds of the State ; but this section shall not take effect until the eight per cent, currency bonds, issued under the Act of February 19th, 1873. sb.aU have been paid.
SECTION XV.
REPORTS.
1. QUARTERLY HEPOBTS op COMPTROLLER AND TREASURER.--The comptrollergeneral and treasurer shall each make to the Governor a quarterly report of the financial condition of the State, which report shall include a statement of the assets, liabilities and income of the State, and expenditures therefor, for the three months preceding ; and it shall be the duty of the Governor to carefully examine the same by himself, or through competent persons connected with Ms department, and cause an abstract thereof to be published for the information of the people, which abstract snail be indorsed by him as having been examined.
SECTION XVI.
DONATIONS.
1. DONATIONS FORBIDDEN.--The General Assembly shall not, by vote, resolution, or order, grant any donation, or gratuity, in favor of any person, corporation, or associa tion.
2. EXTKA COMPENSATION FORBIDDEN.--The general Assembly shall not grant or authorize extra compensation to any public officer, agent, or contractor, after the service has been rendered, or the contract entered into.
APPENDIX.
SECTION XVH.
PUBLIC PRINTING.
1. PUBLIC PRINTING.--The office of the State printer shall cease with the expiration of the term of the present incumbent, and the General Assembly shall provide, by law, for letting the public printing to the lowest responsible bidder, or bidders, who shall give adequate and satisfactory security for the faithful performance thereof. No member of the General Assembly, or other public officer, shall be interested, either directly or in directly, in any such contract,
ARTICLE VIII.
EDUCATION.
SECTION I.
COMMON SCHOOLS.
1. COMMON SCHOOLS.--There shall be a thorough system of common schools for the education of children in the elementary branches of an English education only, as nearly uniform as practicable, the expenses of which shall be provided for by taxation, or otherwise. The schools shall be free to all children of the State, but separate schools shall be provided for the white and colored races.
SECTION II.
SCHOOL COMMISSIONER.
1. STATE SCHOOL COMMISSIONER.--There shall be a State school commissioner, elected by the people at the same time and manner as the Governor and State House offi cers are elected, whose term of office shall be two years, and until his successor is ap pointed and qualified. His office shall be at the seat of government, and he shall be paid a salary not to exceed two thousand dollars per annum. The General Assembly may sub stitute for the State school commissioner such officer, or officers, as may be deemed nee-essary to perfect the system of public education.
SECTION III.
SCHOOL FUND.
1. SCHOOL FUND.--The poll tax, any educational fund now belonging to the State (except the endowment of, and debt due to, the University of Georgia), a special tax on shows and exhibitions, and on the sale of spirituous and malt liquors, which the General Assembly is hereby authorized to assess, and the proceeds of any commutation tax for military service, and all taxes that may be assessed on such domestic animals as, from their nature and habits, are destructive to other property, are hereby set apart and devoted for the support of common schools.
xl
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
SECTION IV.
EDUCATIONAL TAX.
1. COUNTIES AND CITIES MAT TAX FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.--Authority may be granted to counties, militia districts, school districts, and to municipal corporations upon the recommendation of the corporate authority, to establish and maintain public schools in tneir respective limits, by local taxation; bat no suck local laws shall take effect until the same shall have been submitted to a vote of the qualified voters in each county, militia district, school district, or municipal corporation, and approved by a two-thirds majority of those voting at such election; and the General Assembly may prescribe who shall vote oil such question.
SECTION V.
LOCAL SYSTEMS.
1. LOCAL SCHOOLS NOT AJTECTED.--Existing local school systems shall not be affected by this Constitution. Nothing contained in first section of this article shall be construed to deprive schools in this State, not common schools, from participation in the educational fund of the State, as to all pupils therein taught in the elementary branches of an English education.
SECTION VI.
TTNTVEBSITY OF GEORGIA.
1. STATE UNIVERSITY.--The trustees of the University of Georgia may accept be quests, donations and grants of land, or other property, for the use of said University. In addition to the payment, of the annual interest on the debt due by the State to the University, the General Assembly may, from time to time, make such donations thereto as the condition of the treasury will authorize. And the General Assembly may also, from time to time, make such appropriations of money as the condition of the treasury will aohorize, to any college or university (not exceeding one in number) now established, or hereafter to be established, in this State for the education of persons of color.
AETICLE IX.
HOMESTEAD ASTD EXEMPTIONS.
SECTION I.
HOMESTEAD.
1. HOMESTEAD AND EXEMPTION.--There shall be exempt from levy and sale, by virtue of any process whatever under the laws of this State, except as hereinafter escepted, of the property of every head of a family, or guardian or trustee of a family of minor children, or every aged or infirm person, or person having the care and support of dependent females of any age, who is not the head of a family, realty or personalty, or both, to the value in the aggregate of sixteen hundred dollars.
APPENDIX.
Xli
SECTION IL
EXEMPTION.
1. PROTECTION GUARANTEED.--No court or ministerial officer in this State shaft ever have jurisdiction or authority to enforce any judgment, execution, or decree, against the property set apart for such purpose, including such improvements as may be made thereon from time to time, except for taxes, for the purchase money of the same, for labor done thereon, for material furnished therefor, or for the removal of incumbrances thereon.
SECTION III.
WAITER OF HOMESTEAD.
1. MAY' BE WAIVED, How FAB ; How SOLD.--The debtor shall have power to waive or renounce in writing his right to the benefit of the exemption provided for in this Article, except as to wearing apparel, and not exceeding three hundred dollars worth of household and kitchen furniture, and provisions, to be selected by himself and his wife, if any, and he shall not, after it is set apart, alienate or encumber the property so exempted, but it may be sold by the debtor, and his wife, if any, jointly, with the sanction of the judge of the superior court of the county where the debtor resides or the land is situated, the proceeds to be reinvested upon the same uses.
SECTION IV.
HOMESTEAD SET APABT, HOW.
1. SETTING APART SHORT HOMESTEAD.--The General Assembly shall provide, by law, as early as practicable, for the setting apart and valuation of said property. But nothing in this Article shall be construed to affect or repeal the existing laws for exemp tion of property from sale, contained in the present Code of this State, in paragraphs 2040 to 2049, inclusive, and the acts amendatory thereto. It may be optional with the applicant to take either, but not both, of such exemptions.
SECTION V.
SHOUT HOMESTEAD WAIVED.
1. SHOUT HOMESTEAD MAT BE WAIVED.--The debtor shall have authority to waive or renounce in writing his right to the benefit of the exemption provided for in section four, except as is excepted in section three of this Article.
SECTION VI.
HOMESTEAD SUPPLEMENTED.
1. SUPPLEMENTAL HOMESTEAD.--The applicant shall at any time have the right to supplement his exemption by adding to an amount already set apart, which is less than the whole amount of exemption herein allowed, a sufficiency to make his exemption equal to the whole amount.
xlii
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
SECTION VII.
FORMER HOMESTEADS PRESERVED.
1. HOMESTEADS HERETOFORE SET APART.--Homesteads and exemptions of per. sonal property which have been heretofore set apart by virtue of the provisions of the existing Constitution of this State, and in accordance with the laws for the enforcement thereof, or which may he hereafter so set apart, at any time, shall be and remain valid as against all debts and liabilities existing at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, to the same extent that they would have been had said existing Constitution not been revised.
SECTION VIII.
PRIOR RIGHTS TO EXEMPTION PRESERVED.
1. VESTED RIGHTS PROTECTED.--Rights which have become vested under previously existing laws shall not be affected by anything herein contained. In all cases in which homesteads have been set apart under the Constitution of 1868, and the laws made in pursuance thereof, and a Sana fide sale of such property has been subsequently made and the full purchase price thereof has been paid, all right of exemption in such property by reason of its having been so set apart, shall cease in so far as it affects the right of the purchaser. In all such cases where a part only of the purchase price has been paid, such transactions shall be governed by the laws now of force in this State, in so far as they affect the rights of the purchaser, as though said property had not been set apart.
.SECTION IX.
SALE OF HOMESTEAD.
1. SALE AND REINVESTMENT OF HOMESTEAD.--Parties who have taken a homestead of realty under the Constitution of 1868 shall have the right to sell said homestead and reinvest the same, by order of the judge of the superior courts of this State.
ARTICLE X.
MILITIA.
SECTION I.
MILITIA AND VOLUNTEERS.
1. ORGANIZATION OP MILITIA.--A well regulated militia being essential to the peace and security of the State, the General Assembly shall have authority to provide by law how the militia of this State shall be organized, officered, trained, armed, and equipped ; and of whom it shall consist.
2. VOLUNTEERS.--The General Assembly shall have power to authorise the formation of volunteer companies, and to provide for their organization into battalions, regiments, brigades, divisions and corps, with such restrictions as may be prescribed by law, and shall have authority to arm and equip the same.
APPENDIX.
xliii
3. PAT or MILITIA.--The officers and men of the militia and volunteer forces shall
not be entitled to receive any pay, rations, or emoluments, when not in active service by authority of the State.
ARTICLE XI.
COmfTIES AND COUNTY OITICEBS.
SECTION I.
COUNTIES.
1. COUNTIES ARE CoKPOHATE BODIES.--Each county shall be a body corporate, with scch powers and limitations as may be prescribed bylaw. All suits by or against a county, shall be in the name thereof ; and the metes and bounds of the several counties shall remain as now prescribed by law, unless changed as hereinafter provided.
2. NEW COUNTIES NOT ALLOWED.--(There shall not be more tban 146 counties.) 3. CHANGE OF COUNTT LUTES.--County lines shall not be changed unless under the operation of a general law for that purpose. 4. CHANGE or COUNTT SITES.--No county-site shall be changed or removed, except by a two-thirds vote of the qualified voters of the county, voting at an election held for that purpose, and a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly. 5. DISSOLUTION OP COUNTIES.--Any county may be dissolved and merged with contiguous counties, by a two-thirds vote of the qualified electors of such county, voting at an election held for that purpose.
SECTION II.
COTJNTr OFFICERS.
1. COUNTY OFFIOEES.--The county officers shall be elected by the qualified voters of their respective counties, or districts, and shall hold their offices for two years. They shall be removed on conviction for malpractice in office, and no person shall be eligible to any of the offices referred to in this paragraph, unless he shall have been a resident of the county for two years, and is a qualified voter.
SECTION III.
UNIFORMITY HI COUNTY OFFICERS.
1. COUNTT OPFICEKS TO BE UNIFORM.--Whatever tribunal, or officers, may here after be created by the General Assembly for the transaction of county matters, shall be uniform throughout the State, and of the same name, jurisdiction and remedies, except that the General Assembly may provide for the appointment of commissioners of roads and revenue in any county.
SECTION IV.
STATE CAPITAL.
1. CAPITAL m ATLANTA.--The city of Atlanta shall be the capital of the State, until changed by the same authority, and in the some way, that is provided tot the alteration of this Constitution.
xliv
HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
ARTICLE XII.
THE LAWS OP GENERAL OPERATION IN FORCE IN THIS STATE.
SECTION I.
1. SUPREME LAW, WHAT Is.--The laws of general operation in this State are, first, -as the supreme law : The Constitution of the United States, the laws of the United States in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made under the authority of the United States.
2. SECOND ITS AOTHOKITT.--Second, as next in authority thereto: this Constitution. 3. THIRD IN AUTHORITY.--Third, in subordination to the foregoing: All laws now of force in this State, not inconsistent with this Constitution, and the ordinances of this Convention, shall remain of force until the same are modified or repealed by the General Assembly. The tax acts and appropriation acts passed by the General Assembly of 1877, and approved by the Governor of the State, and not inconsistent with the Constitution, are hereby continued in force until altered by law. 4. LOCAL AND PRIVATE ACTS.--Local and private acts passed for the benefit of coun ties, cities, towns, corporations, and private persons, not inconsistent with the supreme law, nor with this Constitution, and which have not expired nor been repealed, shall have the force of statute law, subject to judicial decision as to their validity when passed, and to any limitations imposed by their own terms. 5. VESTED BIGHTS SECURED.--All rights, privileges and immunities which may have been vested in, or accrued to, any person or persons, or corporation, in his, her or their own right, or in any fiduciary capacity, under and in virtue of, any act of the General Assembly, or any judgment, decree or order, or other proceeding of any court of compe tent jurisdiction in this State, heretofore rendered, shall be held inviolate by all courts before which they may he brought in question, unless attacked for fraud. 6. ACTS OF COURTS CONFIRMED.--All judgments, decrees, orders, and other proceed ings, of the several courts of this State, heretofore made, within the limits of their several jurisdictions, are hereby ratified and affirmed, subject only to reversal by motion for a new trial, appeal, bill of review, or other proceeding, in conformity with the'law of force when they were made. 1. EXISTING OFFICERS.--The officers of the government now existing, shall continue in the exercise of their several functions until their successors are duly elected or ap pointed, and qualified; but nothing herein is to apply to any officer whose office may be abolished by this Constitution. 8. ORDINANCES.--The ordinances of this Convention shall have the force of laws until otherwise provided by the General Assembly, except the ordinances in reference to submitting the homestead and capital question to a vote of the people, which ordinances, after being voted on, shall have the effect of constitutional provisions,
ARTICLE XIII.
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION,
SECTION I. 1. CONSTITUTION, How AMENDED,--Any amendment, or amendments, to this Consti tution may be proposed in tne Senate or House of Representatives, and if the same shall
APPENDIX.
Slv
jje agreed to, by two-thirds of the members elected to each of the two houses, such pro posed amendment, or amendments shall be entered on their journals, with the yeas and nays taken thereon. And the General Assembly shall cause such amendment or amend. ments to be published in one or more newspapers in each congressional district, for two months previous to the time of holding the next general election, and shall also provide for a submission of such proposed amendment or amendments to the people at said next general election, and if the people shall ratify such amendment or amendments, by a majority of the electors qualified to vote for members of the General Assembly, voting thereon, such amendment or amendments shall become a part of this Constitution. When more than one amendment is submitted at the same time, they shall be so submitted as to enable the electors to vote on each amendment separately.
2. CONVENTION, How CALLED.--No convention of. the people shall be called by the General Assembly to revise, amend, or change this Constitution, unless by a concurrence of two-thirds of all the members of each house of the General Assembly. The repre sentation in said convention shall be based on population as near as practicable.
SECTION II.
CONSTITUTION, HOW RATIFIED.
1. CONSTITUTION, How RATIFIED.--The Constitution shall be submitted for ratifica tion or rejection to the electors of the State, at an election to be held on the first Wednes day in December, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven, in the several election districts of this State, at which election every person shall be entitled to vote who is entitled to vote for the members of the General Assembly under the Constitution and laws of force at the date of such election ; said election to be held and conducted as is now provided by law for holding elections for members of the General Assembly. All persons voting at said election in favor of adopting the Constitution, shall write or have printed on their ballots the words "For Ratification," and all persons opposed to the adoption of this Constitution shall write or have printed on their ballots the words "Against Eatification."
2. CONSOLIDATION OF VOTES.--The votes cast at said election shall be consolidated in each of the counties of this State, as is now required by law in elections for members of the General Assembly, and returns thereof made to the Governor ; and should a majority of all the votes cast at said election be in favor of ratification, he shall declare the said Constitution adopted, and make proclamation of the result of said election by publication ia one or more newspapers in each congressional district of the State, but should a majority of the votes cast be against ratification, he shall in the same manner proclaim the said Constitution rejected.
CONSTITUTION RATIFIED.
Eatified by a rote of the People at an election held on the fifth day of December, 1877. The Convention which adopted the Constitution met on the eleventh day of July, and adjourned on the twenty-fifth day of August, 1877.
GOVERNORS OF GEORGIA.
COLONIAL :
MATTHEW TALBOT, Presi
GEN. JAMES E. OGLETHOKPE. 1732 dent of Senate . . 1819
WILLIAM STEPHENS (Acting) 1743 JOHN CLARK . . . 1819
HENRY PARKER (Acting) . 1751 GEORGE M. TROUP . . 1823
\ $.< PROVINCIAL :
JOHN FORSYTE . . GEORGE R. GILMBR . WILSON LUMPKIN .
.,1827 , 1829 .1831
JOHN REYNOLDS . . . 1754 WILLIAM SCHLEY . . 1833
HENRY ELLIS . . . 1757 GEORGE R. GILMER. . . 1837
JAMES WRIGHT . . .1760 CHARLES J. MCDONALD . 1839
GEORGE W. CRAWFORD . 1843
PROVISIONAL :
GEORGE W. TOWNS . . 1847
ARCHIBALD BULLOCK, Presi dent .... 1776
BUTTON GWINNETT, Presi dent .... 1777
HOWELL COBB .
.
. 1851
HERSCHEL V. JOHNSON . 1853
JOSEPH E. BROWN . . 1857'
JAMES JOHNSONJ Provisional ~~
Governor . . . 1865
CHARLES J. JENKINS . . 1865
STATE :
GEN. T. H. RUGER, U.S.A.,
JOHN A. TREUTLEN
JOHN HOUSTOUN
JOHN WEREAT .
GEORGE WALTON
RICHARD HOWLEY
STEPHEN HEARD
NATHAN BROWNSON
JOHN MARTIN
LYMAN HALL
JOHN HOUSTOUN
SAMUEL ELBERT .
EDWARD TELFAIR
GEORGE MATTHEWS -
GEORGE HANDLY
GEORGE WALTON / EDWARD TEL-FAIR
-
1777 1778 1778 1779 1780 1781 1781 1782.
Military Governor . . 1868 RUFUS B. BULLOCK . . 1868 BENJAMIN CONLEY, Presi
dent of Senate . . 1871 JAMES M. SMITH . . 1872 ALFRED H. COLQUITT . 1876 ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS . 1882 JAMES S. BOYNTON, Presi
dent of Senate . . 1883
HENRY D. McDANiEL . 1883
1785 1786 1787 1788 1789
JOHN B. GORDON . W. J. NORTHEN . W. Y. ATKINSON . A. D. CAisTDLER . . JOSEPH M. TXBSXLL .
. 1886 .1890 . 1894 . 1898 . 1902
1790 HOKE SMITH . . . 1907
p GEORGE MATikEWS
1793 Jos. M. BBOWN . . . 1909
JARED IRWIN
1796- . HOKE SMITH . . . 1911
JAMES JACKSON .
1798
--"
DAVID EMANUEL
1801
JOSIAH TATNALL
1801
JOHN MILLEDGB .
1802
JAKED IHWIN
1806
DAVID B. MITCHELL
1809
PETER EARLY
1813
DAVID B. MITCHELL
1815
WILLIAM RABUN
1817
INDEX.
(Pronunciations according to Webster.)
Academy, Chatham, 128 ; Richmond, 127, Atlanta, Confederate ram, 985.
: 137; Mt. Zion, 168.
Attakullakulla, 62, 66.
I Acadianf, 56.
Augusta, 25, 68,100,103,105 ; occupied by
'Acadiets/ka-dS'), 56.
British, 115, 117,130,131, 273, 342, 344.
Acworth, 290.
Antossee, battle, 176.
Adams, John Q,., 207.
Ayllon, Lucas Vascuiez de (lu'kSs vSs'kStli
Adjutant-general, office created, 268.
da Jtl-yOn'), 4.
Agricultural and Mechanical Arts--branch Azilia, Margravate of, 10.
colleges--Cuthbert, 324 ; Dahlonega, 318 ;
Milledgeville, Thomasrille, 824.
Bacon, A. O., 341; biog., 345.
Agricultural district schools, 352.
-- Samuel, 47.
-- products of Georgia, App. iii.
Baker, Benjamin, 47.
-- Society, 167.
-- Col. John, 97.
Akerman, A. T., 318.
-- County Swamp, battle in, 230.
Alexander, E. P., 298, 330.
Baldwin, Abram, 135, 136, 137; biog., 164.
Allatoona, 294.
Bank, first in Georgia, 168.
Altamaha Biver, 10, 26, 159.
Banks, specie payment stopped, 244.
1 Amelia Island,J25,171.
Barbecue, 193.
Americus Vespucius, 3.
Barnett, Samuel, 324.
Amnesty Oath, 304.
Barrow, David C., 351 ; biog., 353.
Anaesthesia, 249.
-- Pope, 327; biog., 339.
Anderson, C. D., 292.
Bartow, Francis, 271,372,377.
-- G. T., 284.
Beall, Col. A. A., 230.
Andrew, Rev. Jas. O., 238; biog., 339.
Beaulieu (bOl-yuh'), 107.
Appalachee River, 183.
Benjamin, Col., 100.
Appalachicola, ambush near, 182.
Benning, Henry L., 266, 286.
Appling, Col. Dan'1, 177.
Bentonrille, 298.
Appoinattox Court House, 298.
Berner, Col. Robert, 344.
Arbuckle, Col., 181.
Berrien, J. M., 211; biog., 216, 334, 247,261.
krgyle (ar-gil'), Duke of, 28.
Bethesda Asylum, 37.
" Articled " servants, 40.
Bibb, W. W., 178,180'; biog., 186.
Articles of Confederation, 134.
Big Shanty, engine stealing exploit at, 283.
Ashburn, 326.
Big "Warrior, 303.
Ashe, General, 104.
Bill of Rights, 70.
Assembly, first General, 46; two houses of, Bills of Credit as money, 55.
52 ; Provincial (1780), 114; organized by Bimini, 3.
Walton, 115.
Bissell, Alex., 139.
Athene, 156, 344.
Black, J. C. C., 338, 843.
Atkineon, W. Y., 343 ; biog., 348.
Blackshear, David, 177; biog., 178.
Atlanta, 243; burned, 294, 310, 311, 322 ; Blackshear's road, 178.
made capital, 342 ; battles near, 292, 293, Bleckley, Logan E., 334; biog., 335, 343.
327; jubilee at, 347.
Blockade of Georgia coasts, 278.
xlviii
INDEX.
Bloody Marsh, 34.
Games, Peter J., 150.
Boggs, Brig.-Gen. W. K., 801.
-- Thos. P., 153.
-- Dr. Win. E., 348.
Carpet Baggers, 307.
Bolzius (bOlt'sl-us), Rev. Mr., 41.
Carr, Thos., 59.
Bosomworth Claim, 42.
Carswell, K. W., 292.
Boundaries of Province (1765), 68.
Cassville, 288.
-- West and North settled, 159.
Catholics, 56.
Boundary line, Fla., 67, 124, 183 ; S. Car., Cave Springs, 254.
131 ; N. Car., 165 ; Tenn., 183.
Centennial of Georgia, 227.
Bourbon (boor'bun) County, 149.
Central Railroad. 241.
Bowen (bo'en), Commodore, 85.
Cession of land by Indians to Gov. Wright,
Boyd, Col., 100, 101.
(1773) 78 ; to U. S., (1802) 158, 163 ; by
Boynton, Jas. S., biog., 328.
Cherokees, (1817) 185, (1818) 183, (1835)
Braawell, S. D., 338, 353.
:
229; by Creeks, (1783) 128, (1802) 159,
--^ranson, E. C., 338,
(1814) 176, (1818) 183, (1825) 208, (1826)
Breckenridge, John C., 267.
213, (1827) 214 ; by Georgia to TT. S., 158,
Brier Creek, battle, 104.
159 ; by Spain, (1819) 184 ; general review
Broad Eiver, Virginians settle on, 129,167. of, App. viii.
Broken Arrow, Council, 208.
Challibbee, battle, 116.
Brown, Col., 100, 115, 116,117,123.
Charlton, Kobt. M., 262.
-- Jos. E., 265; biog., 268; 271,273,278,282, Charter of Georgia, 14.
293, 295, 296, 302, 303, 308, 313, 324-326, Chattahoochee Eiver, 183, 209, 290.
" Cherokee Georgia," 218.
-- Jos. M., 356; biog., 357.
-- War, 61, 66.
-- Col. Oscar J., 343.
Cherokees, their laws, 61; defeat of, 66;
Brownson, Nathan, 131,125,137.
troubles with, 203, 218, 338.
Brumby, Lient., 344,348.
Chestatee Eiver, 183.
Brunswick, 168.
Chiaha (chS-a-ha'), 7.
-- Jonathan, 57, 74, 79,99.
Chickamauga, battle of, 386.
Buchanan, Jas., 263.
-- Park, camps, 344.
Bulloch, Archibald, 77, 79, 86, 87,137.
Chisholm vs. Georgia, 141.
-- Wm. B., 178.
Civil Government, App. v.
Bullock, Eufus B., 311, 313; biog., 313,315; Clark, Elijah, 116 ; biog., 119.
charges against, 316.
-- John, 100, 103,194, 197, 198, 200; biog.,
Burgoyne's surrender, 97.
201, 202, 205.
Butler, Elizur, 321.
-- party, 198.
Clark's Creek, 100.
Calhoun, 288.
-- Mills, murders at, 181.
' -- Jno. C., 184.
Clarkites, 198.
Calhountown, 203.
Clay, Alex. S., 343 ; biog.,,-846; 350.
California, controversy over, 257.
-- Joseph, 137'.
Campbell, Col., 97,99,100,103.
Clay's Compromise, 325, 258.
-- Dnncan G., 215, 237.
Clergymen not eligible to legislature, 92.
Candler, Gor. A. D., 347; biog., 349.
Cleveland, President, at Atlanta, 335.
-- Col. Jno. S., 344, 350.
Clifton, William, 57.
-- Dr. W. A., 348-.
Climate of Georgia, App. ii.
Capers, F. W., 277.
Clinch, Duncan L., 257; biog., 260.
Capital, Atlanta, 322; Augusta, 131; Beard's Cobb, Howell, 258, 261 ; biog., 263, 370, 275.
Fort, 115; Louisville, 130 ; Milleageville, 278, 284, 286, 303.
163; Savannah, 55.
-- Thos. R. R., 370, 272, 284.
Capitol building, 166, 330.
-- Thos. W., 211 ; biog., 212, 218.
INDEX.
slix
CoJigny (ka-lSn'ye), Admiral, 9.
Convict Lease System, 318, 351, 355, 356.
Colonies, thirteen, 26.
Convicts, App. vii.
Colony, definition of, 90.
Cook, Gen. Phil., 298, 330.
Colquitt, Alfred H., 284, 320,321; biog., 324, Cooking, early times, 189.
325, 387, 328, 339, 341.
Cooper, Mark A., 247.
-- Peyton H., 286.
Corn shucking, 195.
-- Walter T., 247.
Cotton Exposition, Atlanta, 327, 342.
Columbus, regiment formed at, 253, 344. -- gin, 139.
Columbus, Christopher, 3.
-- Sea-island, 139.
Commerce of Georgia, App. v.
Cotymore, Capt., 62.
Commissioners, Lords, 48,
Council of Safety, 81, 85, 96.
Compact of Georgia with U. S., 158, 204. Counties, first two, 39 ; eight, 93.
Compromise of 1850, 258.
-- list of present, for whom named, when
Cone, Capt. Wm., 179.
laid out, population of, App. x, xi.
Confederate States formed, 275.
County Seats, App. x, xi.
Confiscation of estates of Tories, 127.
Coweta (kow-e'ta) town, 28,
Congregationalist settlement, 47.
-- Indians, 176.
Congress with Indians (Augusta), 68; Cracker, Georgia, origin of name, 191.
Provincial at Savannah (1775), 79, 84, Crawford, George W., 247 ; biog., 250, 252,
85 (1776), 86.
254, 271.
-- Continental, 79,86,88 ; Georgia delegates -- Joel, 217, 226.
to, 137,138.
-- Martin J., 276.
-- U. S. reps, of Georgia in (1810), 168.
-- William H., 164, 178, 184, 197', 198, 207,
Congressional districts, 137, App. vii.
208 ; biog., 211.
Congressmen, first, from Georgia, 136.
Crawfordville, 303.
-- Georgia, refused seats, 312.
Creeks, 176, 203^208 ? land reconveyed to,
Conley, Benjamin, 315.
213, 218; murders by, surrender of,
Conscript Act, 282.
229.
Constitution of IjTff, 9&i;M United States, Crisp, Chas. P., 337 ; biog., 339.
135 ; of 1783,~i36 ; of_K9.8, l,5M5i; of Cuba, war in, 343.
1_8.65, 304 PO? 1868", 310.;" of 1877,_ 320 ; Cumberland Island, 25,178.
present, App. xiii.
--' Cumming, Alfred, 286, 292.
Constitutional Union Party, 267.
Cuthbert, Alfred, 227, 247.
Convention, _Atlanta, reconetr. (1865),
304.
Dahlonegagold mint, 220; seized by Georgia,
r- -- constl. (1877), 320.
276; burned, 318.
-- -- farmers' (1887), 333.
Dallas, 290.
-- Augusta, constl. (1787), 135 ; (1788,1789), Dalton, 288.
136.
Darien, 34, 39, 108, 168.
-- Convention, Democratic, Charleston, 266. Davis, Jefferson, 273, 299, 301.
-- Eatonton, railroad (1830), 240.
Dawson, William C., 245; biog., 246.
-- Louisville, constl. (1795), 146 ; (1798), 150. 263.
-- Macon, Harrison (1840), 244.
Deaf and Dumb Asylum, 254.
-- Milledgeville, anti-tariff (1832), 224, 225. De Brahm, Wm., 57.
-- -- reconstruction (1865), 304.
De Lacy, Roger, 25.
-- -- secession (1861), 271.
De Soto, 6.
-- -- slavery (1850), 858.
Decoration Day, 298.
-- -- State Eights (1833), 236.
Democratic party, 226.
-- -- Whig (1843), 247.
Democratic-Republican party, 197, 215.
-- Savannah, Confed. Const. (1861), 276. Deshler, Jas., 286.
-- -- Constl. (1776), 91.
D'Estaing (dSe-laV), Count, 106,109,129.
INDEX.
Diocese of Georgia, 246 ; of Savannah, 259, Floyd, J., biog., 173; 175,176, 177,178,194.
Doles, Gen. George, 284, 298.
Forrest, General, 285.
Dooly, Col. John, 100,103,115,116.
Foisyth, John, 184,185,215; biog., 216, ISA..
-- Judge Jno. M., biog., 806.
225, 226,244.
Dorchester, 48.
Forsyth town, 241.
Dougherty (dor'rg-ti), Charles, 228,243. Fort, Argyle, 20.
Douglass, Stephen A., 267.
-- Caroline, 9.
Du Bose, Dudley M., 298.
-- Carrs, 100.
Duel, Clark and Crawford, 198.
-- Cornwallis, li7.
-- Gwinnett and Mclntosh, 95.
-- Du Quesne (du kSn*), 61.
-- Gaines, 182.
Early, Peter, 149,175; biog., 178.
-- Galphiu (gol'fun), 116.
Eason, Thos., 345.
-- Goliad, 251.
Bast Florida, raids from, into Ga., 171. -- Grierson, 117.
Ebenezer, 21, 99.
-- Hawkins, 173,175,178.
Echowanotchaway Swamp, 231.
-- Heard's, temporary capital, 115.
Elbert, Col. Sam, 96,101,104; biog., 132. -- Kings, 68.
Electoral Laws, App. vi.
-- Loudoun, 61, 62.
Elliott, John, 185, 211.
-- McAllister, 884; captured, 296,300.
-- Stephen, 246.
-- Mclntosn, 94.
-- Mrs., flag presented by, 63.
-- Mims, 172.
Ellis, Henry, 58; biog., 63, 65.
-- Mitchell, 175, 176.
Elzey, Capt. A., 273.
-- Moore, 37.
Emancipation proclamation, 284.
-- Moosa, 31.
Emanuel, David, 149,155; biog., 159.
-- Morris, 98,100.
Embargo of 1807,170.
-- Moultrie (mol'trl), 111.
Emory, Bishop, 235.
-- Pickens, 276.
Emory College, 835.
-- Prince George, 61, 62.
Etchoe, 66.
-- Pulaski, 271, 277, 281.
Evans, C. A., 298, 341, 345.
-- St. Simon, 33.
Ewen (fl'Sn), William, 81; biog., 82.
-- Scott, 182.
Executive Council, 92, 96; withdraws to -- Spring Hill redoubt, 111.
Augusta, 105 ; abolished, 136.
-- Sumter, 276.
Executive power, 151, App. vi.
-- Wilkinson, 159.
Exposition, Atlanta (1881), 327; (1887), 335; Fortress Monroe, 301.
(1895), 342.
Forts, frontier (1812), 175.
Exposition mills, 327.
Fountain of Youth, 3, 4.
Expositions, annual, commenced, 335.
Fourteenth Amendment, 308.
Ezra Church battle, 293.
Fox hunting, 195.
Franklin, Benj., 73.
Factories, in 1810,168.
Franklin College, 156.
Family Compact, 67.
Frederica, 24, 33, 55.
Fannin, Colonel, 251.
-- County, extent, 39.
Farmers' Alliance, 336, 338.
Fredericksburg, battle, 884.
Few, Hev. Ignatius A., 235; biog., 239.
Free Soil party, 263.
-- Wm., 100, 135,136; biog., 138,149.
Freedman's Bureau, 307.
Fifteenth Amendment, 312.
French, Captain, 106.
Flag of the Lone Star, 251.
French and Indian War, 69.
Fleming, Wm., 149.
Fuller, Capt. W. A., 282.
Flint Eiver, fight at, 181.
Fulton, Eobt., 167.
Florida, 4, 67, 124,184.
Fueer (ffl-sS'), Col., 98.
7&DJX
Gage, General, 80.
Greene, Nathanael, 124, W, 131.
Gaines, Major-General, 181.
-- Mrs.,.140.
"Galphin Claim," 88.
Greenesborough, 132,156.
Galphin, George, biog., 82.
Grierson, Col., 115, 116.
Galvez (gal'vgth), 124.
GrMln, camp at, 344.
Gardiner, Wm. M., 253, 87s..
Gunn, Jar ,es, 136,155.
Garmany, Captain, 330.
Gwinnet* Button, 88, 94,95; biog., 101,138.
Garonne (ga-rOn'), 9.
Garfland, Bishop Francis X., 259.
Habersham, Jas., 37, 47, 57, 72; biog., 75.
Gartrell, L. J., 298, 328.
-- John, 138.
George II., 14; George IH, 66.
-- JOB., 81, 85, 86,136.
Georgia, 14.
Hall, Lyman, 80, 88,127; biog., 132,138.
-- Company, 144.
Hampstead, 21.
1 -- condition of, in 1773,82 ; in 1799,154 ; in Handley, Geo., 137; biog,,.138.
' 1810, 168 ; in 1830, 222; in 1840, 246; in Haralson7Hugh, 194.
1850, 259 ; after the war, 299.
Hard Cider campaign, 244.
-- Cracker, 191.
Hard times, 243.
-- Female College, 238.
Hardee, W. J., 278; biog., 280, 284,293, 296.
-- first govt. by people, 86, 91.
Hardeman, Thos., 328.
-- Mississippi Co., 144.
Hardwicke, 55, 65.
-- Platform, 259.
Harris, Francis, 46.
-- Eailroad, 240, 293.
Harrison, Wm. H., 244.
-- Bangers, 36.
-- Geo. P., 277.
-- readmitted to TJnion, 311.
Hart, Nancy, 119.
-- a republic, 86.
Hawkins, exploit of, 101.
Georgian, boat, burned, 230.
-- Benj., 181; biog., 185.
Gibbons, Wm., 138.
Hawk's Gully, attack at, 116.
Gilmer, Geo. E., 217; biog., 222,231, Uirftrdey, V. J. B., 298.--------"''
Haygood, Bev. A. G., 348. Head-right Land Warrants, 129,162.--
Gironde (zhS-rONd'), 9.
Heard, Stephen, 115; biog., 120.
Gladstone, Wm. E., 135.
Hicks, Eli, 228.
Glascock, Thos., 112; biog., 113; 149,150. -- Elijah, 203, 204.
Gleun, G. E., 352.
Highgate, 21.
-- John, Chief Justice, 87.
Highlanders, Scotch, 24.
Gold in Northern Georgia, 219.
Hill, Benj. H., 263, 270, 272; biog., 273, 278,
Gold-miners defy the law, 220.
303, 308, 320, 327.
Gomez (go'mes), Stephen, 5.
-- B. Y., 257.
Gordon, John B., 286, 298,311, 318 ; biog., -- Joshua, 312; biog., 314 ; 318.
319, 323, 333.
-- Walter B., 348; biog., 349 ; 351.
-- W. W., 241.
Hines, Jas. K., 341.
-- W. W., Brig.-Gen., 344 ; biog., 346.
Hogan, J. E., 47.
Governors, two acting, 115; first elected by "Hold the Fort," song, 294.
people, 204, 205; list of colonial, provin Hood, Gen., 292, 293, 294, 296.
cial, State, App. zlvi.
Hook, James S., K52.
Grady, H. W., biog., 835.
Hope, Isle of, 49.
-- Hospital, 335.
Hopkins, tarred, etc., 81.
Graham, Patrick, 50.
Horse Shoe Bend, 176.
Grant, Gen. I). S., 288.
Horton, Maj., 41.
-- Lieut.-Col. Jas., 66.
Hotle Crawle, 176.
Grape culture, 45.
House raising, 194.
Green, Thos. M., 149.
Houstoun, John, 79, 96; biog., 102; 188, 138.
iii
INDEX.
Honstoun, Sir Patrick, 67.
Labor Day, 127.
-- William, 138.
Lafayette (la-fs-ygf), Gen., 205.
Howe, Gen. Eobt, 96.
Lamar, Mirabeau, 252; biog., 254.
Howell, Capt. B. P., 330.
Land Act of 1783,127.
Howley, Richard, 115,119; biog., 120,136. -- court, 129.
Hudson's Ferry, 103.
-- lottery, 161,162.
Syperion, boat, burned, 230.
-- tenures, 15,42,
-- warrants, 129.
Impeachment, Comp.-Genl. and Treas., 322. Langworthy, Edw., 138.
Improvement of roads, 167.
Laurens, Col., 111.
" Indented " servants, 40.
Lawton, A. E., 271, 277; biog., 280, 281,282,
Indians, cattle stolen by, 181; removal, 200, 284, 301.
204, 215, 231; attack by (1813), 172.
-- Col. A. E., 343.
Indigo, cultivation of, 45.
Lee, Col. Henry, 116,117.
Industries of Georgia, App. v.
-- Eobt. E., 288.
Invasion by British, 98; by Spaniards, 33. Legislature, first, 55, 94, 146 ; first session
Inverness^ ship, burned, 87.
inMilledgeville, 165; annual session, 338;
Irwin, Jared, 147; biog., 149,150,163.
constitution of, App. vi.
Israelites, 21.
Lester, Eufus E., 328.
Iverson, Alfred, 263, 264,284, 292,293.
Lewis, Jno. W., 278.
-- Gen. J. E., 316, 352.
Jackson, Andrew, 149,176,216,224.
Lexington, battle of, 80.
-- Henry E., 253; biog., 256, 278, 281, 292. Liberty Boys, 71.
-- Gen. Jas., 117,121,123,124,136,137,145, Liberty County, 80.
150; biog., 154, 163.
Liberty pole, 81.
-- Judge Jas.,!i28; biog., 329, 334.
Lincoln, Abraham, 267, 298.
-- John K., 286, 292.
-- Benj.,99, 104,105, 109, 113.
Jasper, Sergeant, ill.
Little Eiver, factory, 168.
Jekyl OSk'Il), 25.
Local option, 332.
Jenkins, Chas. J., 259,305,306,308; biog., Lochrane, O. A., 313,316.
309, 310, 311, 315, 316.
Log rolling, 194.
Jernigan, Maj., 230, 231.
Loire (Iwar), 9.
Johnson, Andrew, 298.
Long, Dr. Crawford, biog., 249, 850.
-- Herschel V., 254, 262; biog., 264,266,267, Longstreet', Eev. A. B., 235.
270, 272, 284, 306.
-- Gen. Jas., 278, 284.
-- Gov. Jas., 304; biog., 305.
Longstreet's steamboat, 167.
Johnston, Gen. JOB. E., 288, 290,292,296. Lords Proprietors, 101.
Jones, Gen. D. E., 278.
Lottery system, 215.
-- George, 164.
Louisville, 130,146.
-- Noble W., 47,74,75,77,138,148.
Lumpkin, Jos.H., 248; biog., 250. jj^l
Jonesboro, 293.
/
-- WUson, 183, 223,326,227, 231; biog., 2.
V
Lytfleton, 61.
Kellet, Alex, 57. Kenesaw Mountain, battle, 290. Keowee (ks-o-wS'), 131. Kettle Creek, battle, 100. King, John P., 226; biog., 227, 231. Know-Nothing party, 263, Knox, Wm., 71. Knoxville, 346.
McAllister,M.H.,252. McBean Creek, 160. McCay, H. K., 292. McDaniel, H. D., 328,330; biog., 332. McDonald, Chas. J., 243, 245 . biog., 246,
248, 261. MeGirth, Col., 96, 97,100. Mclntosh, Chilly, 209.
INDEX.
liii
Molntosh, Col. Jas., 353.
Missionaries, oppose removal of Cherokees,
-- Col. John, 87, 98, 104, 177; biog., 179.
220 ; arrest of, 221.
-- Gen. Lachlan (lak'lSn), 94, 95, 105, 108. Mitehell, David B., 149,153,166 ; biog., 168;
-- Gen. Win., 176, 208; murder of, 209, 211; 171, 172, 180, 181.
biog., 212.
Monroe, President, visit to Savannah, 184;
Mackay, Capt., 31.
message on Indian lands, 204.
McLaws, Lafayette, 278, 284.
Monroe Railroad, 241.
Macon, 173, 235, 237, 241,244, 246 ; attacked Montgomery, Ala., 273.
by Stoneman, 293, 344,
-- Sir Kobt., 10.
-- and Western Ky., 242.
Moravian colonists, 24.
McPherson, Jno. B., 293.
More, Hannah, letter on Oglethorpe, 37.
Maitland, Col., 106,109.
Moses, Major, 299.
Manassas, battle, 277.
" Mosquito Division," 253.
Manners and customs, early times, 187-196. Mulberry grove, 132.
Manufactures of Georgia, App. v.
Mulberry trees, cultivation of, 45, 46.
Map, Atlantic Coast ports, 25.
Musgrove, Mary, 43.
-- parishes 1765 to "Revolution, 60.
Muster Day, 193.
-- first eight counties, 93.
Mutiny Act, 73.
-- grants, Georgia Western Ter., 145.
-- Early's, of Georgia (1818), 199.
Nashville, Chatt. and St. Lonis Ry., 337.
-- Georgia, present, 353.
National Republican party, 215.
-- Indian land cessions, App. ix.
"Negro quarters," 189.
-- (plan) original of Savannah, 20.
Negroes, elected to legislatare, 311; ex
Marietta, 290.
pelled, 312.
Marthasville, 242.
Nelly, brig, burned, 87.
Martin, Clement, 57..
New Echota (e-chO-ta'), 229.
-- John, 122; biog., 125.
New Hope Church, battles near, 390.
Matthews, George, 132, 136, 137, 143.
New Inverness, 24.
Meade, Gen., 330.
New Orleans, battle, 178.
Medical College of Georgia, 222.
Nickajack Creek, 183.
Medway Eiver Settlement, 47.
Nisbit, E. A., 248, 272, 278.
Meigs (mggz), Josiah, 156.
Norcross, Jonathan, 330.
Memorial Day, 299.
Normal and Industrial College, 334.
Menendez (mS-ngn'deti), 9.
Normal School, Athens, 337, 338.
Mercer, Hugh W., 278, 281, 292, 293.
Northen, Wm. J., 336, 338 ; biog., 339.
-- Rev. Jesse, 150, 283 ; biog., 238.
Norwood, T. M., 318, 325 ; biog., 328, 330.
-- University, 233.
Nullification, 225.
Meriweather, David, 149,184.
Merritt, W. B., 352.
Ocmulgee River, 163,173,183.
Methodist Church divided, 238.
Oconee River, 159,162,163, 167.
' -'Mexican War, 251.
Ogeechee Ferry, 121; battle near, 123.
'Midway Church, fight at, 98.
-- River, 55, 167.
Militia first organized, 47.
Oglethorpe, Jas. Ed., 18,14; biog., 16,18-
Milledge, Capt., 63.
31, 33, 34, 36-38, 44, 108.
-- John, 156j_ 161,163^164.
Oglethorpe University, 235.
Milledgeville, 163,1657166, 234,226,247,258, Olrnstead (om'sted), Col. Chas., 281.
295, 310, 322, 324, 334 ; State Farm, 345. Omnibus Bill, 258.
Miller, A. L., 330.
Orphan Asylum, Wliitefield's, 37.
-- H. V. M., 312; biog., 314; 318.
Orr, Gustavus J., 317; biog., 319; 352.
Minerals of Georgia, App. iv.
Ossabaw Island, 42.
Mining, illegal, 220.
Oxford, 235.
liv
INDEX.
Paedo, Jnaii (hoo-anO, 9.
Eidge, Major, 203.
Palmer, Col., 81.
Ringold, 382.
Palo Alto (pa'10 al'to), 253.
Roanoke burned, 229.
Pardons, Board of, 345.
Robinson, Picketing, 57.
Parker, Henry, 46; biog., 49.
Rock College, 337.
Peace Commissioners, Confed., 276.
Rockwell, Chas. F., 311.
Peace of Paris, 67.
Roman Catholic Church, 259.
Pearls, story of, 11.
Rome, battle near, 285 ; captured, 890.
Pedro de Qnexos (pa'drO da kS-hos'), 4. Ruger, Thos. H., 311.
Peek, W. L., 338.
Rum, Bale prohibited, 40.
Penfield, Jos., 233.
Russell, Wm., 57.
Penfleld (town), 233.
Penitentiary Act, 180.
St. Augustine, 29, 30.
People's party, 338.
St. Catherine's Island, 42,43.
Phillips, P. J., 292.
St. John, Gen. I. M., 301.
Pickens, General, 100,103,116,117.
St. John's Parish, 80.
Pierce, Rev. George F., 335, 238.
-- River, 29.
Pierce, Win., 138.
St. Mary's River, 97,159,179.
Pikes, Joe Brown's, 386.
St. Mary's (town), 168, 178.
Pine Mountain, 290.
St. Simon's Island, 24, 33.
Planter's Bank, 168.
Salette, Robt., biog., 112,113.
Platform, first, in Georgia, 326.
Salt famine, 280.
Polk, Jas. K., 252.
Salzburghers (salts-boorg'erz), 21,22.
-- Leonidas, 290.
Salzburgher Church, 99,100.
Ponce de Leon, Juan (hoo-an' pOn'thS da Sandwich, war brig, 171.
15-on'), 3.
Sapelo (sa-pS'lo) Island, 42.
Pope, Major-General, 308, 309, 310.
Satilla River, 173.
Population, table of, from 1790, App. vii. Savannah, 19, 20, 21; in 1754, 55, 74; tax
Ponnd, Jere M., 352.
meeting in, 78; council of safety, 81, 98,
Powellton Academy, 168. Prince, Oliver H., 318; biog., 222. Prison system, changes, 345,350,355,
99; siege, 110, 111, 113; surrendered, 123; legislature meets in, ^30,170; great fire, yellow fever, 201; captured by Shennan,
Prohibition, 354. Property, taxable, of Georgia, App. v.
296. Savannah, steamship, 184.
Pulaski, Count, 111.
Scarborough, Wm., 184.
Schley, Wm., 228; biog., 232.
Kabun, Win., 181; biog., 185,198.
School system, public, 316, 343,351, 352.
Railroads, 240, App. v.
Schools, free, authorized (1783), 138. '
-- Commissioners of, 333,354.
Scott, Winfield S., 229.
Raleigh, Sir Walter, 11.
Screven, James, 98.
Reconstruction; SOT, 308,313. .
Seal of Trustees, 14; of Province, 51,5?; of
Registration under military, 308,309.
1777,91; of 1799,151; of 1861,278; carried
Republican party, 263.
away, 311; restored, 315.
Resaca (rS-sa'kS), battles near,
Secession,. 272, 273, 274, 304.
Rescinding Act, 147.
Seminoles, 173,173,177,181, 229.
Revolutionary War, 70,9?.
Semmes, Paul J., 284.
Reynolds, John, 51,66.
Senate established, 136.
Ribault (reW). John, 9.
Senators,first U.S., from Ga., 136; refused
Eibero (rS-ba'rO), 5.
seats, 312.
Rice, Captain, 87.
Sequoyah, 169.
Eichmond, 267,377,
Seymour's White House eiege, 116.
INDEX.
Sharpe, Capt., 281.
Tariff, 223, 224.
Sherman, Wm. T., 288; march through Tassels, George, 819.
Georgia, 295.
Tatnall, Josiah, 147,155; biog., 160.
Shorter College, 322.
Tattnall, Commodore, 253; biog., 254, 278.,
Shorter, Col. A., 322.
Tax Amendment to State Const., 333.
Silk industry, 14, 21, 36, 45,46.
Tax on paints, etc., 73 ; on tea, 78.
Silver Bluff, 6,116.
Taxation without representation, 70.
Simms, Jas. P., SS8.
Taxes, App. yii.
Sirmnons, Thos. J., 341; biog., 346.
Taylor, Gen. Zachary, 254.
Slaves, prohibited,jL5,--40, 41, 42, 180 ; set Technology, School of, 330.
free, 304. * -
^ecumseh (te-kum'seh), 172.
y
Smith, Gustavus J., 292.
t Telfair, Edward, biog., 132,137,138,142. N
-- Hoke, 339 ; biog., 340 ; 354, 356.
V 'Tennessee Company, 144. _
-- James M., 315, 317; biog., 319, 324.
Terrell, Gov. JOB. M., 350'; biog., 352.
-- Gen. W. D., 284.
Terry, Maj.-Gen., 312.
Smugglers, Amelia Island, 171.
Texas, annexation, 252.
Soils of Georgia, App. iii.
Thanksgiving Day, first, 137.
Somme (som), 9.
Thomas, Gen. B.'M., 292.
Sons of Liberty, 71.
-- Gen. Ed. L., 284.
Sorrell, G. M., 298.
-- W. W., 330.
Spaniards, war with, 28, 33 ; 343, 345.
Thomasville, 324.
Specie payment stopped, 244.
Tobacco rolling, " Tobacco Road," 193.
-- train, 302.
Tomochichi (to-mo-chS'chg), 18 ; biog., 21,
Speedwell, ship, 72.
23.
Spinning and weaving, 188.
Toombs, Kobt., 362; biog., 269; 271, 272,
Stage .coaches, 167,190.
275, 278, 284, 292, 302, 321.
Stamp Act, 71, 72, 73.
Topography of Georgia, App. i.
Stamps, 72, 75.
Tories, 100.
States-Eights party, 226.
Tory and Indian raids, 96.
"State Road,"242.
Towns, Geo. W., 257 ; biog., 260.
Steamboat, Longstreet's, 167.
Treaty with Indians, at Augusta, 78, 128;
Stephens, A. H., 270, 273 ; biog., 274, 275, at Fort Wilkinson, 159 ; of 1805,163 ; at
303,306, 328.
Fort Jackson, 176 ; Indian Springs, 1821,
-- Battalion, 314.
200; of l&S, 208; of 1826, 213 ; 1835, New
-- Linton, 313; biog., 314.
Echota, 229, 231 ; of Beaufort (bo'fort),
-- Wm., 39-41 ; biog., 43.
131; of Ghent (gent), 178; Versailles
-- Wm., Attorney-Gen., 87.
(vSr-sa'ye), 1782, 124.
Stoneman, Gen., 293.
Treutlen (troot'lgn), John A., 95; biog., 101.
Stovall, M. A., 286, 292.
Troup, Geo. M., 180,185,198, SOO, 203; biog.,
Streight's (strfttz) Raid, 285.
205, 208, 211, 213, 214, 215, 217, 226, 261.
Sunbury town, 59, 97.
-- party, 198.
Superior Court districts, 153.
Troupers, 198.
Supreme Court, first, 248.
Trustees of Ga., 14, 39, 40, 41, 45, 48.
Survey of Creek lands, 214.
Tugaloo (tu-gal-oo'), 131.
Swiss Colonists, 24.
Turner, JOB. S., 345.
Twelve-mile Strip, 159.
Tait, Charles, 166,185,198, 206.
Twiggs, David E., 253; biog., 254, 277,
Talbot (tawl'bot), M., biog., 185, 202, 215. 278.
Taliaferro (tSl'I-ver) County, 78, 314.
-- Col. John, 100.
-- Benj., 149, 150.
Tybee (tl'bs) Island, 21,85,171,281.
TaUassee, battle, 176,
Tyler, John, 245.
Ivi
INDEX.
Union party, 226.
Wesley, John and Charles, 24.
University, endowment, 129 ; founded, 155, Wesleyan Female College, 235.
-- 156, 158 ; growth of, 183, 338, 351.
West Point Ry., 293.
Upper Mississippi Company, 144.
Western and Atlantic R. R., 242, 313,.
Wheeler, Jos., 286, 292, 293, 344."
' Van Buren, Martin, 263.
Whig party, 244, 263.
Verrazano (ver-ra-tsa'no), 3.
Whigs and Tories, 78.
Virginia Colony, 129.
White, Hugh L., 231.
Volunteers (1861), 277.
-- Col. John, 106,107.
Von Keck, Baron, 22.
Whitefleld, George, 35, 36, 37.
Whitney, Eli, 139,140, 141.
Waddell, Moses, 183.
Wilkes, riflemen, 119.
Wager, Major, 220.
-- Manufacturing Co., 168.
Walker, Freeman, 185, 201.
Williams, Mrs. Mary, 298.
Walker, W. H. T., 253, 278, 286, 292, 293. Wilson, C. C., 286, 292.
Wallace, Campbell, 324.
-- Gen., 303.
Walsh, Patrick, 339, 341.
Wirt, Wm., 218.
Walton, Geo., 88, 115 ; biog., 119; 137, 138, Wofford, Wm. T., 286, 304.
147,153.
Wood, Joseph, 138.
War, with Spaniards, 29 ; Seven Years', 69 ; Wood, varieties of, in Georgia, App. iv.
Revolutionary, 70,97 ; of 1812,170 ; Creek Worcester (woos'ter), Samuel, 221.
and Seminole, 229 ; with Mexico, 251 ; Wright, A. R., 278, 284, 298.
between the States, 275-98.
-- Jas., biog., 63, 65, 66, 77, 78, 86, 114,
Ward, Col. Wm., 251.
123.
Ware, Nicholas, 201; biog., 212.
--.Seaborn, 342.
Warner, Hiram, 248, 266, 316, 823, 328.
Wyley, Alex., 74.
Warsaw Sound, 285.
Washington, Ga., 301, 302.
Tamaeraw (yam'S-kraw) Indians, 18.
- George, 85,136,137. Watkins, Robt., 150.
Yazoo(ya-zoo') Fraud, 143,144; Yazoo Act
burned, 148.
' "----------
Watson, Thos. E., 338; biog., 340, 342.
Yoakley, Captain, 20.
Wayne, Anthony, 122-125.
Yonge, Henry, 57.
--- Jas. Moore, biog., 232.
Young, P. M. B., 298.
Wells, George, 115.
Wereat (ware'at), J., 106; biog., 10.7,114,135. Zubly, Kev. Dr., 88.
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