Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-21

EN the beginning Of 1T7S there
dawned the darkest day that Geor-
gia ever knew. The British forces
had occupied Savannah. the only
organized body Of troops in the state
had been broken to pieces and It's
fragments were driven from the state.
The British, without opposition, had
marched to the northern frontier.
Hundreds had taken the oath, ana
companies had been organized among
the tories to fight under the BRUSH
flag Then there came short period
of relief and the rising of new nope
Kettle Creek had driven the tories
from the frontier, the British had
withdrawn from Augusta and gone
southwark again, but it was only for
moment. In a short time the adverse
tide set in again. General Ash was
surprised and army dispersed or cap
tured. Leucolin went to Charleston.
Governor Wright was again governor
of nearly all the state. There was no
organized resistance to British rule,
and no possibility of conducting the
government constitutionally. Then
came the crushing defeat at Savannah
and when the French feet sailed away
hope went with it. The government
was being conducted by council ana
now In the midst of all these troubles
there sprang up the most serious dis
cord among the leading people. Inc
man who reads early Georgia history
carefully will not fail to see that there
was no good feeling, even then, be-
tween Old Georgia and New Georgia
as the southern and northern sections
might be called. The people from Eff
flngham county southwark were homo
geneous, and represented the older cit
liens, who had mainly the wealth and
culture. They were English, Scotch
and German in their ancestry and
had little in common with the Viz
ginians and North Carolinians, who
constituted the citizenship of the coun-
try north of Ebenezer. Among these
were found the rich loyalists. The up
country people were men of small for
tunes or no fortunes at all, and in the
government of the new state, they
were not even recognized.
When in December. IT'S, the time
came for the legislature to meet, no
quorum could be found. 1t was abso-
lutely necessary that something should
be done, so an oligarchy was decided
on. 1t consisted of John Wereah, an
English planter; Jos. Clay, son of an
English planter; Jos. Habersham, son
of an English planter; Humphrey
Wells, from Burke, a Virginian; VIM.
Few, a North Carolinian; Jno. Dolly,
a Virginian; Seth John Cuthbert,
Scotchman; VIM. Gibbons, a Scotch
planter, and Myrick Davies, who were
invested with all the powers of gov
eminent. OF these nine members Of
the council, there were only two from
the up country and only five out Of
Savannah The county of Wilkes was
entirely ignored. The town of Augusta
was not recognized. George Walton,
who had now been released from pris-
on, Richard Hawley, an EngEshman,
and George Wells, a Virginian, were
much displeased at the condition of
things, and they. called for an election
and had new election and Walton
was chosen the governor and delegate
to the continental congress. There
were now two governors and two
councils. The regular assembly met
again and Richard Hawley was chos-
en- governor and William Glascock
speaker and George Wells, Stephen
Heard and Humphrey Wells members
of the council.
There was but little time for political
strife. Savannah had fallen. Angus
ia was defenseless, the governor was
forced to flee and the council and gov
eminent went to the frontier at
Heard's Fort. Here to add to the trou-
bles. young James Jackson, without
a command became involved in fear
full quarrel with Governor Wells, and