Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-01-25
GEORGIA DUELs.

GEURGlA DUELS.
Georgia has produced some of the
stoutest fighters that ever went to the
field. The State was settled by Scotch
and Irish colonies, that soon produced
an amalgam-tOugh, stubborn and dog
matic-and quickened with u sharp in
fusion of New England blood. There
has been, since the colonial days down,
tibrous, determined assertiveness
about Georgia that always meant
great deal more than the brittle passion
of Carolina or the quick choler of Flor
ida. Like the young Hercules, she
fought her way from the cradle. Her
first civilization was millet seed
dropped in a wilderness. An infant
colony or two, setting white faces and
Christian souls against an illimitable
forest that teemed with savages-
hemmed in by four powerful nations,
when the other States were in COM
paratiye peace-fighting from between
the plowshares, up and down every
furrow, and COMPRISING the staple for
an epic into the life of every day. Every
man was hero then. The alternative
was simple-it was heroism or emigra-
ton. In those rude and gallant days
no man could succeed who was not alb
solutely fearless. To refuse to fight
was to court disgrace. | doubt if there
ever was enkindled on this side of the
Atlantic spirit so near akin to the
naughty stubbornness that moved the
English bosoms as that which lived in
the breasts of the earlier Georgians.
In her well-remembered history Georgia
can duplicate the more than kingly
deeds of Warwick. 1t was her Troup
ho,speaking from his Governor chair
sent to President Adams this letter:
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, President:
ST-l have ordered your Gen. Gaines to for
bear all further communication with this Gov
ernment. Should he infringe upon this order
Iwill send your MajorGencral by brevct home
to you in irons. GEORGE NJ TRoUP,
Governor of Georgia.
When the controversy between Troup
and the President had deepened Git in
volved some disputed territory, Troup
sent him word that the argument was
exhausted and Georgia would stand by
her arms
The prim and diplomatic Mr. Adams
must have been sorely tried by these
turbulent Georgians. He was sitting
in his executive room, one day, when a
red-faced, wheezy gentleman forced his
way into the room.
''You are the President, presumed"
81 am, SIR"
swell, sir, l am George Matthews,
of Georgia, commonly known as Gov.
Matthews. understand that you sent
my name to the Senate as Territorial
Governor of Mississippi?' ~ did, sir"
u understand, sir, that you after
ward Withdrew my nameP' "You are
correct, SIR
"Well, sir, have come all the way
from Georgia to receive your explana-
ton of that withdrawal. And unless it
shall suit me your position as President
shall not begin to shield you from my
vengeance"
The explanation was given by Mr..
Adams, who esteemed Gov. Matthews
as good Federalist, and did not wish
to ALLEVIATE him. 1t was this same Gov.
Matthews who once fought duel, and
having been disarmed was on the point
of being slain, when a spectator inter-
ferred and saved his life. ITO whom
do l owe my lifeP" asked Matthews.
The stranger, an Englishman, produced
his card. "If you consider it an obli-
CATION, to me, sir" Matthews looked
at the card carefully, and then replied:
"Well, sir, want you to know that l
scorn life that was saved by a Britonr'
One of the prolific causes of duels in
Georgia in the last decade of the last
century was the "Yazoo Fraud This
was the purchase of twenty millions of
acres of Georgia territory by a company
called the Yazoo Company for the
paltry sum of $207, 900. The Legisla-
ture was bribed into the passage of the
bill. AS soon as it became a law the
whole people arose in indignation. The
State was ablaze with passion. The
legislators who voted for the bill were
mobbed and driven from their homes.
Several were killed. One was hung.
One was followed to Virginia and killed
there. At last the people met in mighty
mass-meeting, and taking the fraudu-
lent bill prepared to destroy it. An
improvised orator declared that it must
be destroyed by divine fire, and, at the
word, gray-haired man held a sun
glass over the parchment until it had
kindled into flame and ran to ashes.
AS matter of course, this popular
spasm produced numberless feuds.
Duels and formal rencontres were of
daily occurrence. At the very head of
the opponents of this bill was Gov.
James Jackson-a most remarkable
man. He was young Englishman,
who, by his fearlessness and his power,
had so won the people that they elected
him Governor when he was twenty-four
years of age. He was United States
Senator when the Yazoo Fraud was
cOnsummaed, aud he at once resigned
his seat, came home, and canvassed the
State for its repeal. He was unspar-
ing in his denunciatiOns, and readily
fought any man that excepted to his
utterances. Within few months he
fought half-dozen duels. One of these
was remarkable in its terms and con-
clusion. He was challenged to fight
duel at the conclusion of one Of his
speeches. Having become tired of the
ordinary affairs" he determined TO
make this one a pattern that would
serve as a warning. He prescribed,
therefore, that he and his opponent
should each get into small boat at
nine o'clock at night and pull TO oppo-
site sides of the Savannah River; at
precisely twelve o'clock they should
start for a thickly-wooded island that
lay in the middle of the river; upon
reaching the island each man should
stand by his boat for the space of ten
minutes; he should then go into the
woods in search of his foe, and upon
rencontre they should fight to the death.
Neither was TO be restricted in the
weapon he used.
The duel came of as arranged. 1t