Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-13
SESQUI-CENTENNIAL.


tCOntiaued from Fifth Page.)
events in Georgia, and its three printed
volumes, now become a very rare book,
are a stOrehOuse of facts for history.
Stephens succeeded OglethOrpe as Presi-
dent Of the Council, and was acting Gov
ernOr from July IL, 1143. when OglethOrpe
left Georgia finally. till April ;, It0i.
During the latter part of the year lI3S,
there was much dissatisfaction in Savan-
nah among the peOple-murmurs against
Oglethorpe and the trustees. complaints
against the authorities, and a general re-
action from their former cOntentedness.
The wear 1879 was a busy one to Ogle-
thorpe. Travels up and down the coast,
visits to the Indian towns. and hearing
and deciding disputes occupied most Of his
time. One OF his Indian tours embraced
three months, July. August and Septem-
her, in which he rode three hundred miles
through the wilderness. exposed to the
weather and sleeping on the ground, and
AT the end he concluded treaty with the
Upper Creeks. On his return to Sayan-
nah he found that England and Spain
were AT war, and he at once ayailed him
self of the Kings orders for reprisals. by
causing to be fitted out a priyateer Of IA
guns against Spanish commerce.
The very next week October > J, as II
awaiting his white friends return. the
aged MicO. Of the Namacraws. the faith
ful TomOchichi. after a lingering illness,
died at his home. just above the city's
bluff. His original welcome of the whites
and his fidelity 10 them, his singular de-
yoti0n 10 OgiethOrpe. his great services to
the colony. and his venerable age of
ninety-seVen years, have made his name
famous and his memory preserved. He
was sensible to the last minute, and when
ne was persuaded his death was near. he
showed the greatest magnanimity and
4
IN forget the faYOTs he had received from
the King when in England. but TO perse-
we're i'm their friendship with the English.
He expressed the greatest tenderness for
General Oglethorpe, and seemed TO
have no concern at dying. but its
being at a time when his life might
Ice useful against the Spanisrds.
He desired that his body might be buried
among the English. in the town OF SaVan-
nah. since 1t was he that had prevailed
with the Greek Indians to give the land,
and had assisted in the founding OF the
town. The corpse was brought down 10y
water. The General. attended by the
Magistrates and people Of the town, met
IL upon the waters edge. The corpse was
carried into the Percival NOW Wright
square. The pail was supported 10y the
General. Colonel stephens, Colonel Mon
taigute, MIR. Carteret. Mr.. Lemon and Mr..
Maxwell. 1t was followed by the Indians
and Magistrates and people of the Gown.
There was the respect paid of firing min
ute guns from the battery all the time of
the procession, and funeral firing by the
militia. who were under arms. The Gen
eral has ordered "a pyramid of stone which
is dug in this neighborh0od. TO be erected
over the grave. which being IN the centre
Of the town, will be a great ornament 10
il. as well rs testimony of gratitude
Harris. D.. sst4.
The burial OF his old friend was scarcely
over when OglethOrpe's time was taken
mp with the threatened war with Spain,
and with preparations TO ward of from
MS young colony the expected attack by
the Governor of Florida. But as our pur-
pose was To describe the settlement Of
Georgia and the incidents of its early his
tory, we need 20 no further. Two or three
wears of alternate invasion Of Florida and
Georgia by each others forces. with vary
ing success. ended the war. when Ogle-
thorpe, moved 10y both public and private
business, left Georgia on July 23, 1143, for
England. whence he returned no more to
America. His highest encOmium is that
''io bim Carolina was indebted for safety
and rcpose. as we'll as Georgia for exist
ence and protection
I would like. but must fOrbear. to give
his subsequent career, beginning with his
marriage on Sept. Is. 1144. through the
hOnOTs and active services of his remain
ing fOTty-two wears. until his death at
Cranham Hall. Essex. on June so. 1875. i'm
his ninety-seyenth year, the exact age, by
4 singular coincidence. Of his Indian
friend, TOmOchichi. The eliminating
point in his honorable career must not be
omitted. At the opening of the revolu-
tion. being at the head of all the Kings
forces. he was offered the command of the
army against America, bat promptly de-
ellned II on the ground that he would not
- -, owl cS.0Ry nor accept
the command unless 1.-The Ministry would
authorize him 10 assure the colonies that
justice should be done Them
Let Us close With Bishop Stevens glow
ing words: Each American colony de
lights TO cherish the memory Of him who
was pre-eminent in its origin and settle
ment. Virginia glOries in the chivalric
Smith. Massachusetts in the stern virtues
of Bradford. PENNSYLVANIA magnifies the
eXcellencies Of Penn. Maryland treasures
ND the memory of Calvert. Rhode Island
lauds the broad liberality of Roger
Williams. Connecticut hOnQgs the
character Of Winthrop. New York will
-ntV e. forget sseett TIE old Dutch Governor,
WOnter Van Twiller. and Carolina will
remember the Earl of Shaftesbury as long
as the Ashley and Cooper rivers, which
bear his name. shall roll their waters into
the Atlantic. But no colony can point to
a leader or founder in whose character
meet more eminent qualities or more en-
during worth than in that of James Ogle-
thorpe, the Father of Georgia"