The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-11-07

just one nUHureu yeas "SO
county was laid off and named for GOV
ernor Archibald Bulloek-no, not gov
ernor. but president Of the executive
council of the province. He was the las
man who held this office under the KIM
and the first who ever read the deciara
ton of independence in Georgia. On TIT
10th of August, 1TT6, Mr.. Bulloch re
ceived this declaration from john Hah
cock, and Immediately convened the eN
ecutive council in Savannah, and AFTER
reading it to that body they proceede1
TO the public square and read IL TO
great concourse of people. A hner's
pole was erected near by. Inc soldiers
came out on dress parade, and after the
reading they fired their guns III platoons
and the people cheered long and ioud
From there they marched to the battery
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
mulled drums, they buried an eftigy or
the king, and Lacman Mcintosh acted
as priest, and said: I'VE commit his
political existence to the ground--cor-
ruption to corruption-tyranny to the
graye-oppression to eternal lnfamy.
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 great and
noble man; but he died not long after,
and Button Gwinnett became the first
governor of Georgia under the constitu-
ton Of 1777.
l 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 refresh
ed. DR.. johnson said: THAT man is
little to be envied whose patriotism
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 exciting, peril
Gus times in which they lived. There is
something amusing as well as heroic in
these old records. While John Martin
was governor in 1882 and the legisla-
ture was in session, the house passed a
resolution directing the governor to pur-
chase for the use of the assembly twenty
three pounds of coffee, $40 pounds OF
sugar and forty-two gallons of rum.
thought of this when / met our distin-
guished citizen, Bob Berner, on the train
hurrying on a day behind to his seat
in the legislature. 'Why are You SO
lateY' said l. We'll, there was very
interesting Baptist meeting going on
in our town, and | wanted to get spirit
ually prepared for the hard work that is
before u.s." If had not known his long
settled temperate habits / would have
informed him that some of his colleagues
thought that Atlanta was good place
for spiritual refreshment. One hundred
years ago Jamaica rum was the univer-
sal spirit; and the members of the leg
islature had to be furnished at public
expense. Berner is good and true man
and / hope will be our governor some
of these days.
But about Bulloch county and about
Statesboro, the county seat: For half
century and more this town has been
hid out in the woods unhonored and un-
sung, but within the last decade it has
taken ON new life and is now one of the
prettiest and most prosperous little towns
in Georgia. / did not expect much of
piny woods town and so was agreeably
surprised to see their fine new courthouse
that cost $4,000 and their fine brick
storehouses with large plate-glass win
dows, and their inviting hotels and
commodious town hall. And / saw the
round, HOPELESS bales Of sea island cotton
that the farmers bring into that market
from the adjacent country. There is a
wide belt of chocolate sandy land that
girdles a good portion of the county
and produces the very best of long sta
pie cotton. The farmers are making
money out of this and don't propose
to move anywhere. They are content. A
more delightful and healthy climate can
hardly be found, and the records show
that the people live to a great age, es-
pecially the women. From ninety-six to
lO6 is not very uncommon age for
them. That same sandy, chocolate land
makes the finest cane / ever saw, and
the syrup from it is said to be better
than Florida sEruQ. A friend has prom
ised to send ne few gallons put up
in bottles and packed like beer in
barrel. They say it keeps better that
way than any other. My mouth waters
for it right now and l shall hide some of
it when it gets here, for these hungry
grandchildren will lick it all up in a
week and their grandma will encourage
them in it. Solomon says ''the glory
of man are his children's children"
but they are the glory of a woman at
my house.
But It was the little railroad that gave
the start to Statesboro. 1t is only ten
miles long and it takes nearly an hour
TO make the trip, but it beats no railroad
along ways and makes $4,000 a year
clear money on capital of $4,000. 1t
b hard to tell whether you are COM
taS or going, but it gets there all the
same, and has never been known to kill
. cow.
II 10 to be noted that twenty-five of
eur counties were named for twenty
Eve Of our most notable ante-bellum gov
renors-from Gwinnett down to Her
schel V. Johnson. Our State got its
Eame before the revolution, or it would
40 nofafhnrpn