Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1898-03-03
A BIT OF OLD GEORGIA.
The Quaint Town Of Louisville
and It's History.
once Prominent Slave Market
Where Thousands of Negroes
Have Been Sold-SOme His
toric Events.

There stands in the center OF the
principal street of the quaint old town
of Louisville, Ca, queer structure. 1t
was built so long ago that those who
have grown old and gray in this former
capital of the state cannot tell OF its
early history. Somewhere in the early
DAYS before the "Yazoo speculation"
This old "slave market" was erected,
and, although built of wood, it has
stood the storms of time, and the hewn
post oak beams and pillars are as
sound now as on that day when the
wrought-iron nails were first driven
into them, and the bell, which now
hangs cracked and toneless as a Curl
osty, pealed forth its brazen tones,
calling the dealer to bid at the "nigger
SALE"
A very few people know that Louis
vile was ever the capital of Georgia.
The star of empire taking its way west
ward came first to Savannah, then Au-
gusta, and on the 10th day of May, 1875,
the seat of government was changed
from Augusta to this little island vii
lage, and here remained until 1904
after which Milledgeville was selected,
and, at a cost of $115,0OO, capitol was
erected.
1t was at Louisville that the papers
and documents connected with that
giant swindle, the "Yazoo frauds" were
burned by Gen. James Jackson.
The story of the Yazoo frauds is a
long and intricate history. 1t is stated
that more than 100 duels were fought
about it. The pith of the story is about
as follows:
During the first years subsequent to
the revolution a few wealthy and I'M
scrupulOus men under oath of secrecy
formed what was known as the Com
bined society.
Their scheme was to bride the Georgia
Legislature and TO buy from the state
35,O0O,C00 acres of land in western
Georgia. Alabama and Mississippi, and
the price for all this territory was only
to be 100000.
This purchase would have taken in
what is now the best part of three pop
nlous states. These old-time swindlers
only wanted a part of the earth. This
would have been a deed to all Atlanta,
Chattanooga, Memphis, to say nothing
of 10000 smaller towns. The arch
swindler was one Thomas Washington.
alias Walsh, man of wonderful parts
History tells of how the giant specu-
lator failed principally through the
courageous efforts of Gen. James Jack
son. The conspirators actually car
ried their bill through both houses of
the legislature and the governors sig
nature was attached.
On January %, 1896, the general as!
sembly met and rescinded the action OF
the former body. Gen. Jackson, for
merly United States senator, resigned
his seat in the senate, came home and
was elected member of this legisla
ture from Chatham county. He en-
gineered the rescinded bill through.
On the day following, by the order of
both houses, a fire was kindled in the
square and all the records and docu
ments were publicly burned.
The clerk of the house was required
to cry in loud voice: God save the
state and long preserve her rights, and
may every attempt to injure her per-
ish as these wicked and corrupt acts
now do"
This occurred in the year of our Lord
1899. Ninety-eight years ago. Yet
there can be seen in the courthouse
yard, under the spreading shades, the
shallow excavation in the ground into
which the papers were piled.
The old governors mansion was only
torn away last year, the capitol disap-
peared many years ago, and the old
slave market which inspires this sketch
will soon, too, give way before the
march Of nineteenth century push. A
water tower will probably take the
place of this hoary sentinel of time.
An old gentleman whom met on the
streets of Louisville, and whose gray
hair and lettering form could not help
comparing to the ancient landmark,
said:
81 know I've seen a thousand niggers
bid off here. The bell which hangs in
side you will notice bears the French
coat of arms and is stamped 1772. ]
have heard that this bell was captured
in colonial days from the deck of a
French privateer. 1t has only been
cracked since few years before the
war"
The strangest part of the story is the
wonderful preservation of the timbers
in the old structure. They are all hewn
oak, put together with wrought-iron
nails, and the wood is so hard that
don't believe it would be possible to
drive nineteenth century ~qil into it
with an ak.
Louisville of to-day is still unpreten-
tious. 1t is the county seat of Jeffer-
son-named from that great father of
democracy and declarations.
Louisville has one-gallus railroad,
which blows long blow IS minutes be-
fore the train starts back to the Central
railroad connection at Wadley, Ga
The old town has many beautiful
homes and quiet, aristocratic families,