The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1897-11-19
AN INSIGHT INTO THE EARLY HIS.
TORY OF GEORGIA.
NAMED FOR GOVERNORS.
Some Interesting Facts About Old Bull
iooh and tho Man for whom tho
County Was Named.

Governor Archibald Bulloch-no, not
governor, but president Of the execu-
tive council Of the province. He was
the last man who held this Office under
the king and the FIRST who ever read
the declaration Of independence in
Georgia. On the 10th Of August,
l77G, Mr.. Bulloch received this docla-
ration from John Hancock, and imme-
diately convened the executive council
in Savannah, and after reading it TO
that body they proceeded to the public
square and read it TO a great concourse
Of people. A liberty pole was erected
near by. The soldiers came ont in
dress parade, end after the reading
they fired their guns in platoons, and
the people cheered long and loud.
From there they marched TO the bat
terry and the declaration was read
again by Mr.. Bulloch. Then they
dined under the cedar trees and drank
TO the united free and independent
states Of America. That night the city
was illuminated and they had a solemn
funeral, for, with mufied drums, they
buried an efligy of the king, and Lach-
ian Mcintosh acted as priest, and said;
owe commit his political existence to
the ground-corruption 10 corruption
I tyranny to the grave-oppression TO
eternal infamy. May he never obtain
a resurrection to rule again over these
United States of America"
No doubt but that Bulloch would
have been governor, for he was a great
and noble man: but he died not long
after, and Burton Gwinnett became
the first governor of Georgia under the
constitution Of 1777.
was Eliminating about this scrap Of
history, for / have recently visited
Statesboro, in Bulloch county, and my
reverence for these grand old heroes OF
the revolution was revived and re-
freshed. DR.. Johnson said: THAT
man is little to be envied whose patri-
otism would not gain force on the
plains of Marathon. " And so it is well
for us all, both old and young, to read
about these men and about the excl
ting, perilous times in which they
lived. There is something amusing as
we'll as heroic in these old records.
While John Martin was governor in
1882 and the legislature was in session
the house passed resolution direct
ing the governor to purchase for the
use of the assembly twenty-three
pounds of coffee, 80 pounds Of sugar
and forty-two gallons of rum. I
thought of this when met our distin-
guished citizen, Bob Berner, on the
train huTying on a day behind to his
seat in the legislature. "Why are you
so late?" said I. "Well, there was a
very interesting Baptist meeting go
ing on in our town, and 1 wanted to
get spiritually prepared for the hard
work that is before us" If had not
known his long settled temperate
habits l would have informed him
that some of his colleagues thought
that Atlanta was a good place for
spiritual refreshment. One hundred
years ago Jamaica rum was the uni
versal spirit, and the members of the
legislature had to be furnished at pub
lie expense. Berner is a good and
true man and hope will be our gov
ernor some of these days.
But about Bulloch county and about
5tatesboro, the county seat: For half
century and more this town has been
= hid out in the woods unhonored and
, unsung, but within the last decade it
has taken on new life and is now one
of the prettiest and most prosperous
! 11441, -, -, (Ao,,,c,1, ,JfI 81
: pect much of pinywoods town and
Y so was agreeably surprised to see their
! fine new courthouse that cost 100000
and their fine brick storehouses with
. large plate-glass windows, and their
=. inviting hotels and commodious town
Q hall. And l saw the round, HOPELESS
r bales of sea island cotton that the
farmers bring into that market from
the adjacent country. There is wide
y belt of chocolate sandy land that Cir
I; dies good portion Of the county and
n produces the very best of long staple
3 cotton. The farmers are making money
out Of this and don't propose to move
- anywhere. They are content. A more
D. delightful and healthy climate car
<, hardly be found, and the records show
8, that the people live to great age
0, especially the women. From ninety
! six to 106 is not very uncommon age
- for them. That same sandy, chocolate
e, land makes the finest cane I ever saw
s; and the syrup from it is said to b.
er better than Florida syrup. A frien'
70 has promised to send me a few gallon
" put up in bottles and packed like bee
g in barrel. They say it keeps bette
IL that way than any other. My mout
es waters for it right now and I shall hid
nd some of it when it gets here, for thes
bo hungry grandchildren will lick 1t a.
40 up in a week and their grandma wi
encourage them in it. Solomon say