The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-03-16
A. BIT OF OLD GEORGIA.
&.@<a@sfsr =, syssF@N
The Quaint Town OF louisville
and It's History

ssAA~e Ae0 AAA9VOAS
Once c Prominent slavd Market
Where Thousands Of Ne6roea
Have Been sold-soAs ais-
torie Events. =
There stands in the center OF the
principal street Of the quaint old town
OF Louisville, Ga, queer structure. It
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"
dhis 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
Twrought-iron nails were first driven
into them, and the bell, which now
hangs cracked and toneless as curi-
osity, pealed forth its brazen tones,
calling the dealer to bid at the 'tnigger
SALE" ..sss>..--.s
A very few people know that Louis
vile was ever the capital of Georgia.
Tho star Of empire taking it's way west
ward came first to Savannah, then Au-
gusta, and on the 10th day of May, 179s,
the seat of government was changed
from Augusta to this little island VIII
lage, and here remained until 1904
after which Milledgeville was selected.
and, at cost Of $115, 600. Q capitol was
erected.
It 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 q
long and intricate history. It 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 few wealthy and nn-
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
100000 acres of land in western
Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, and
the price for all This territory was only
to be $500,O00.
This purchase would have taken in
what is now the best part of three pop
ulous states. These old-time swindlers
only wanted 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.
1ied their bill through both houses Of
the legislature and the governors sig
nature was attached.
On January %, 1896, the general 40.
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 a member OF this 1egisla-
ture from Chatham county. He en-
gineered the rescinded bill through.
On the day following, by the order Of
both houses, 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 iniure her per-
ish as these wicled and corrupt acts
| now do" ..v,a-s>.. - ..
This occurred In the year Of our Lord
| 1893. Ninety-eight years ago. Yet
there can be seen in the courthouse
yard, under the spreading shades, tho
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 I met on the
'streets Of Louisville, and whose gray
hair and tottering form could not help
comparing to thu ancient landmark.
said:
II know I've seen thousand niggers
bid of here. The bell which hangs In
dde you will notice bears the French
:oat Of arms and il stamped 1772. I
aave heard that this bell was captured
IN colonial days from the deck of q
French privateer. It has only been
racl1ed since . few years before the
war;"
The strangest part Of the story Is the
wonderful preservation of the timbera
In the old structure. They are all hewn
oak, put together with wrought-iron
nails, and the wood is 80 hard that ]
don't believe it would be possible "a
drive nineteenth century nail into II
with an ak.
| Louisville Of to-day is still unpreten.
tious. It is the county seat Of Jeffer
I son-named from that great father Of