USA > Georgia > The history of Georgia, Volume II > Part 20
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Parish of St. Andrew. - Jonathan Cochran, William Jones, Peter Tarlin, Lachlan McIntosh, William McIntosh, George Threadcraft, John Wereat, Roderick McIntosh, John Wither- spoon, George McIntosh, Allan Stuart, John McIntosh, Raymond Demere.
Parish of St. David. - Seth John Cuthbert, William Williams, Sen.
Parish of St. Mary. - Daniel Ryan.
Parish of St. Thomas. - John Roberts.
Parish of St. Paul. - John Walton, Joseph Maddock,1 An- drew Burns, Robert Rae, James Rae, Andrew Moore, Andrew Burney, Leonard Marbury.
Parish of St. John. - James Screven, Nathan Brownson, Daniel Roberts, John Baker, Sen., John Bacon, Sen., James Maxwell, Edward Ball, William Baker, Sen., William Bacon, Jr., John Stevens, and John Winn, Sen.
The congress was organized by the election of Archibald Bul- loch as president and of George Walton as secretary. Both these officers were unanimously chosen.
Its organization having been perfected, the body adjourned to the meeting-house of the Rev. Dr. John J. Zubly, who preached a sermon on the alarming state of American affairs, selecting as his text "So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty."
On the following day a resolution was adopted requesting Gov- ernor Wright to appoint a day of fasting and prayer to be observed throughout the province in the hope that a " happy
1 Declined taking his seat.
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reconciliation might soon take place between America and the Parent State." The proceedings of the meeting of the citizens of Savannah, convened at Mrs. Cuyler's residence on the 13th of June, certified by John Mullryne, chairman, were formally presented by John Jamieson and John Simpson, Esquires, and considered.
A motion was made and carried " that this Congress do put this Province upon the same footing with our sister Colonies," and the consummation of this important matter was made the special order of the day for the morrow.
On the 6th of July, after careful consideration and solemn deliberation, the following important resolutions were unani- mnously adopted : -
" 1st. Resolved : That this Province will adopt and carry into execution all and singular the measures and recommendations of the late Continental Congress.
" 2nd. Resolved: In particular, that we, in behalf of ourselves and our constituents, do adopt and approve of the American Declaration or Bill of Rights published by the late Continental Congress, and also of their several resolves made in consequence of some infractions thereof.
" 3rd. Resolved : That we will not receive into this Province any goods, wares, or merchandise shipped from Great Britain or Ireland, or from any other place, any such goods, wares or mer- chandise as shall have been exported from Great Britain or Ire- land after this day ; nor will we import any East India tea from any part of the world; nor any molasses, syrups, paneles, coffee or pimento, from the British Plantations, or from Dominica ; nor wines from Madeira or the Western Islands, nor foreign indigo.
" 4th. Resolved : That we will neither import nor purchase any slave, imported from Africa or elsewhere, after this day.
"5th. Resolved : As a non-consumption agreement strictly adhered to will be an effectual security for the observation of the non-importation, we, as above, solemnly agree and associate, that from this day we will not purchase or use any tea imported on account of the East India Company, or any on which a duty hatlı or shall be paid ; and we will not purchase or use any East India tea whatever; nor will we, nor shall any person for or under us, purchase any of those goods, wares, or merchandise we have agreed not to import, which we shall know or have cause to suspect were imported after this day.
"Gth. Resolved: The carnest desire we have not to injure our
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fellow-subjects in Great Britain and Ireland, and the West Indies, induces us to suspend a non-exportation until the tenth day of September, 1775, at which time, if the acts and parts of acts of the British Parliament hereinafter mentioned are not repealed, we will not directly or indirectly export any merchandise or com- modity whatsoever to Great Britain, Ireland, or the West Indies, except rice to Europe.
"7th. Resolved: Such as are merchants and use the British and Irish trade, will give orders as soon as possible to their factors, agents, and correspondents in Great Britain and Ireland, not to ship any goods to them on any pretence whatever, as they cannot be received into this Province; and if any merchant residing in Great Britain or Ireland shall directly or indirectly ship any goods, wares, or merchandise for America in order to break the said non-importation agreement, or in any manner contravene the same, on such unworthy conduct being well attested, it ought to be made public, and on the same being so done, we will not thenceforth have any commercial connections with such merchants.
" 8th. Resolved : That such as are owners of vessels will give positive orders to their captains or masters not to receive on board their vessels any goods prohibited by the said non-importa- tion agreement, on pain of immediate dismission from their service.
"9th. Resolved : We will use our utmost endeavours to im- prove the breed of sheep, and increase their numbers to the great- est extent, and to that end we will kill them as sparingly as may be, especially those of the most profitable kind, nor will we ex- port any to the West Indies or elsewhere; and those of us who are or may become overstocked with, or can conveniently spare any sheep, will dispose of them to our neighbours, especially to the poorer sort, on moderate terms.
"10th. Resolved : That we will, in our several stations, en- courage frugality, economy, and industry, and promote agricul- ture, arts, and the manufactures of British America, especially that of wool ; and will discountenance and discourage every spe- cies of extravagance and dissipation, especially horse-racing, and every kind of gaming, cock-fighting, exhibitions of shows, plays, and other expensive diversions and entertainments ; and on the death of any relation or friend, none of us or any of our families will go into any farther mourning dress than a black crape or rib- bon on the arm or hat for gentlemen, and a black ribbon or neck- lace for ladies, and we will discontinue the giving of gloves and scarfs at funerals.
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" 11th. Resolved : That such as are vendors of goods or mer- chandise will not take advantage of the scarcity of goods that may be occasioned by this Association, but will sell the same at the rates we have been respectively accustomed to do for twelve months last past; and if any vendor of goods or merchandise shall sell any such goods or merchandise on higher terms, or shall in any manner, or by any device, violate or depart from this agreement, no person ought, nor will any of us deal with any such person, or his or her factor or agent, at any time there- after, for any commodity whatever.
"12th. Resolved : In case any merchant, trader, or other per- sons shall attempt to import any goods or merchandise into this Province after this day, the same shall be forthwith sent back again without breaking any of the packages thereof.
"13th. Resolved : That a Committee be chosen in every town, district and parish within this Province by those who pay to- wards the General Tax, whose business it shall be attentively to observe the conduct of all persons touching this Association ; and when it shall be made to appear to the satisfaction of a ma- jority of any such Committee that any person within the limits of their appointment has violated this Association, that such a majority do forthwith cause the truth of the case to be published in the Gazette, to the end that all such foes to the rights of Brit- ish America may be publicly known and universally contemned as the enemies of American liberty, and thenceforth we will break off all connections with him or her.
"14th. Resolved: That a Committee of Correspondence to this Province do frequently inspect the entries of the Custom House, and inform the Committees of the other Colonies which have acceded to the Continental Association, from time to time, of the true state thereof, and of every other material circum- stance that may occur relative to this Association.
" 15th. Resolved : that all manufactures of this Province be sold at reasonable prices, so that no undue advantage be taken of a future scarcity of goods.
"16th. Resolved: And we do further agree and resolve, that we will have no trade, commerce, dealings or intercourse what- soever with any Colony or Province in North America which shall not accede to, or which shall hereafter violate this Asso- ciation, but will hold them as unworthy of the rights of freemen and as inimical to the liberties of their country.
" And we do solemnly bind ourselves and our constituents,
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under the ties of virtue, honour, and love of our country, to ad- here to this Association until such parts of the several acts of Parliament passed since the close of the last war as impose, or continue duties upon tea, molasses, syrups, paneles, coffee, sugar, pimento, indigo, foreign paper, glass and painters' colours, im- ported into America, and extend the powers of the Admiralty Courts beyond their ancient limits, deprive American subjects of trial by jury, authorize the judge's certificate to indemnify the prosecutor from damages that he might otherwise be liable to from a trial by his peers, require oppressive security from claim- ants of ships or goods seized before he is allowed to defend his property, are repealed ; and until that part of the act of the 12th George III, ch : 24, entitled ' An Act for the better securing his Majesty's Dock-yards, Magazines, Ships, Ammunition, and Stores,' by which any person charged with committing any of the offences therein described in America, may be tried within any Shire or County within the Realm, is repealed ; and until the four acts passed in the last session of Parliament, viz, that for stopping the port and blocking up the harbour of Boston, that for altering the charter and government of the Massachu- setts Bay, and that which is entitled ' An Act for the better Administration,' &c, and that for ' extending the limits of Que- bec,' &c are repealed ; and until the two acts passed in the pres- ent session of Parliament, the one entitled ' A Bill to restrain the trade and commerce of the Colonies of New Jersey, Penn- sylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina to Great Britain and Ireland and the British islands in the West Indies, under certain conditions and limitations,' and the other ' An Act com- monly called the Fishery Bill,' are likewise repealed."
From Governor Wright a communication was received on the 7th, in which, although declaring that he could not recognize the congress as a constitutional body, he announced, in view of the loyal and dutiful terms in which the request was preferred, and in consideration of the good ends proposed, that he would cer- tainly appoint a day of fasting and prayer to be observed throughout the province.
In pursuance of a resolution to select five persons to repre- sent the province of Georgia in the Continental Congress, the convention proceeded to a choice, and John Houstoun, Archi- bald Bulloch, Rev. Dr. Zubly, Noble W. Jones, and Dr. Lyman Hall were duly elected.1 Upon a suggestion from Dr. Zubly
1 Any three of them to constitute a quorum.
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that he was greatly surprised at being chosen a delegate, and that he could not accept the honor without the consent of his congregation, Messrs. Noble W. Jones and John Houstoun were appointed a committee to interview the members of Dr. Zubly's church and request their permission that he absent himself from his charge for a season in order that he might perform the im- portant duties devolved upon him by the congress. Four days afterwards those gentlemen reported that they had conferred with the congregation and that the members expressed a will- ingness " to spare their minister for a time for the good of the common cause." Dr. Zubly thereupon declared his acceptance of the appointment, and thanked the congress for this mark of honor and confidence.
Upon the recommendation of the convention a secret commit- tee of seven was nominated by the president. Its members were charged to be vigilant and active in the discovery of mat- ters which might affect the public, and were instructed to lay all important intelligence before the president of this Congress or, during its recess, before the president of the Council of Safety in order that "the evil designs of wicked men " might be frustrated at the earliest moment.
Dr. Zubly was selected to prepare a petition to the king " upon the present unhappy situation of affairs," and that gen- tleman and Messrs. John Smith, William Young, William Le Conte, and William Gibbons were directed to address a letter to the president of the Continental Congress acquainting him fully with the proceedings of this congress.
A committee consisting of Dr. Zubly, Basil Cowper, John Walton, Joseph Clay, and Edward Telfair was raised to frame an address to be presented by congress to his excellency Gover- nor Wright.
On Saturday, the 8th, congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole " to consider ways and means for raising and sink- ing the sum of ten thousand pounds sterling to defray the neces- sary services of this Province in the present alarming and dis- tracted state of affairs." A conclusion in regard to this matter was not reached until the 12th, when the following resolutions were adopted : -
" Resolved that the Congress being a full representation of the whole Province, the members of the same, their constituents, and all others resident or holding property within the same, are . bound to contribute by an equal and general tax towards the sinking the ten thousand pounds.
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" Resolved that this Congress, while sitting, and the Council of Safety in its recess, have power to issue certificates from time to time as occasion shall require, to the amount of ten thousand pounds sterling, and that all such certificates shall be signed by the treasurers and at least three of the members of the Council of Safety.
" Resolved that any person who shall not receive any such certificate in payment, will be guilty of a breach of the public faith, and ought to be considered as an enemy to the Province and treated accordingly.
" Resolved that the said certificates be sunk in three years after a reconciliation shall take place between Great Britain and the Colonies."
A committee of intelligence was appointed, consisting of Will- iam Young, David Zubly, Stephen Drayton, Daniel Roberts, John Glen, Edward Telfair, William Ewen, Joseph Clay, and George Walton.
Proclaiming in terms most emphatic their conception of the natural and constitutional rights which appertained to them as citizens of Georgia and subjects of Great Britain ; testifying their determined opposition to the late objectionable acts of Parlia- ment, their admiration of the conduct of New England, and their resolution to share the fortunes of their sister colonies ; manifesting their willingness to observe all orders of the Conti- mental Congress, indicating their loyalty to America, and sug- gesting such measures as they deemed appropriate in the present perplexed condition of public affairs, the members of Congress speaking for themselves, their constituents, and for the entire province of Georgia, on the 10th of July, 1775, passed the fol- lowing preamble and resolutions : -
" Whereas, by the unrelenting fury of a despotic Ministry, with a view to enforce the most oppressive acts of a venal and corrupted Parliament, an army of mercenaries, under an unfeel- ing commander, have actually begun a civil war in America ; and whereas, the apparent iniquity and cruelty of these obstruc- tive measures have, however, had this good effect -to unite men of all ranks in the common cause; and whereas, to consult on means of safety and the method of obtaining redress, the good people of this Province of Georgia have thought proper to ap- point a Provincial Congress ; the Delegates met at the said Con- gress, now assembled from every part of the Province, besides adopting the resolutions of the late Continental Congress, find it
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RESOLUTIONS OF THE PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
prudent to enter into such other resolutions as may best express their own sense, and the sense of their constituents on the pres- ent unhappy situation of things, and therefore think fit and nec- essary to resolve as follows, viz. : -
" Resolved, That we were born free, have all the feelings of men, and are entitled to all the natural rights of mankind.
" Resolved, That by birth or incorporation we are all Britons, and whatever Britons may claim as their birthright is also ours.
" Resolved, That in the British Empire, to which we belong, the Constitution is superior to every man or set of men what- ever, and that it is a crime of the deepest dye in any instance to impair, or take it away, or deprive the meanest subject of its benefits.
" Resolved, That that part of the American Continent which we inhabit was originally granted by the Crown, and the charter from Charles the Second expressly makes its constitutional de- pendence upon the Crown only.
" Resolved, That those who would now subject all America, or this Province, to dependency upon the Crown and Parliament, are guilty of a very dangerous innovation which in time will ap- pear as injurious to the Crown as it is inconsistent with the lib- erty of the American subject.
" Resolved, That by the law of nature and the British Consti- tution no man can be legally deprived of his property without his consent given by himself or his representatives.
" Resolved, That the acts of the British Parliament for raising a perpetual revenue on the Americans by laying a tax on them without their consent and contrary to their protestations, are di- ametrically opposite to every idea of property, to the spirit of the Constitution, and at one stroke deprive this vast continent of all liberty and property, and as such must be detested by every well-wisher to Great Britain and America.
" Resolved, That the subsequent laws, made with a view to enforce these acts, viz. : the Boston Port Bill -the Alteration of their Charter - the Act to carry beyond sea for Trial - and (what refines upon every species of cruelty ) the Fishery Bill, are of such a complexion that we can say nothing about them for want of words to express our abhorrence and detestation.
" Resolved, That the loyalty, patience, and prudence of the in- habitants of New-England under their unparalleled pressures hav- ing been construed into timidity and a dread of regular troops, a civil war in support of acts extremely oppressive in themselves
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hath actually been begun, and there is too much reason to believe that plans have been in agitation big with everything horrible to other Provinces; plans as rash, barbarous and destructive as the cause which they were intended to serve.
" Resolved, That in these times of extreme danger, our Assem- bly not being permitted to sit, we must either have been a people without all thought or counsel, or have assembled as we now are in Provincial Congress to consult upon measures which, under God, may prove the means of a perpetual union with the Mother Country, and tend to the honour, freedom and safety of both.
" Resolved, That this Province bears all true allegiance to our own rightful Sovereign, King George the Third, and always will and ought to bear it agreeable to the Constitution of Great Brit- ain, by virtue of which only the King is now our Sovereign, and which equally binds Majesty and subjects.
" Resolved, That we are truly sensible how much our safety and happiness depend on a constitutional connection with Great Britain, and that nothing but the being deprived of the privileges and natural rights of Britons could ever make the thought of a separation otherwise than intolerable.
" Resolved, That in case liis Majesty or his successors shall at any time hereafter make any requisition on the good people of this Province by his representative, it will be just and right that such sums should be granted as the nature of the service may re- quire, and the ability and situation of this Province will admit of.
" Resolved, That this Province join with all the Provinces in America now met by Delegates in Continental Congress, and that John Houstoun and Archibald Bulloch Esquires, the Rev: Dr Zubly, Lyman Hall, and Noble Wymberley Jones Esqr8 bo the delegates from this Province, and that any three constitute a quorum for that purpose.
Resolved, That a Committee be appointed whose duty it shall be to see that the resolutions of the Continental Congress and Provincial Congress be duly observed, and that every person who shall act in opposition thereto have his name transmitted to the Continental Congress, and that his misdeeds be published in every American paper.
" Resolved, That with all such persons, except the indispensa- ble duties we owe to all mankind (bad men and enemies not ex- cepted) we will have no dealings nor connection : and we extend this our resolution also to all such persons or corporations in Great Britain who have shown themselves enemies to America.
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" Resolved, That we will do what in us lies to preserve and promote the peace and good order of this Province ; and should any person become an innocent sufferer on account of these griev- ances, we will do whatever we justly may for his relief and as- sistance.
" Resolved, That in such calamitous times as the present, every possible indulgence ought to be given to honest debtors ; that it would be ungenerous, (unless there appear intention of fraud, ) in any gentleman of the law to sue without previous notice ; and any person so sued may apply to the Committee ; and should it appear to them that the creditor is in no danger of losing his money, or that he can be properly secured, they shall interpose their friendly offices to persuade him to drop the prosecution ; and every prosecutor that shall appear to take advantage of the confusion of the times to distress his debtor, ought to be publicly pointed out and held in abhorrence.
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" Resolved, That notwithstanding in a late Bill for restraining the trade of several Provinces in America this Province is ex- cepted, we declare that we look upon this exception rather as an insult than a favor; as being meant to break the union of the Provinces, and as being grounded on the supposition that the in- habitants of such excepted Province can be base enough to turn the oppression of America into a mean advantage." 1
1 See Georgia Gazette of July 12, 1775, No. 614.
VOL. II. 18
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CHAPTER X.
ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PROVINCIAL CONGRESS TO GOVERNOR WRIGHT. - REV. HADDON SMITH SILENCED. - GOVERNOR WRIGHT POW- ERLESS. - ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION ADOPTED BY THE PROVINCIAL CON- GRESS. - QUALIFICATION OF VOTERS. - REPRESENTATION .- ADDRESS TO THE INHABITANTS OF GEORGIA. - PETITION TO THE KING. - GEORGIA RECEIVED INTO THE CONFEDERATED SISTERHOOD. - REPRESENTATIVES TO THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS. - ARCHIBALD BULLOCH. - JOHN HOUS- TOUN. - REV. DR. J. J. ZUBLY. - CASE OF EBENEZER MCCARTY. - THIE MILITIA PURGED OF ITS LOYAL ELEMENT. - THE LIBERTY BOYS IN COM- PLETE POSSESSION OF THE PROVINCE. - ORGANIZATION OF THE COURTS. - MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF SAFETY. - OFFICERS APPOINTED FOR THE CONTINENTAL BATTALION. - GEORGIA GOVERNED BY THE COUNCIL OF SAFETY.
THE following address, signed by the president of the Provin- cial Congress, was presented to Governor Wright by Stephen Drayton, Edward Telfair, William LeConte, John Walton, George Houstoun, and Philip Box, a committee designated for that purpose : -
" To his Excellency, Sir James Wright, Baronet, Captain-Gen- eral, and Governor-in-Chief in and over his Majesty's Province of Georgia, Chancellor and Vice-Admiral of the same.
"May it please your Excellency.
" We, his Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the Delegates of this Province in Provincial Congress met, beg leave to address your Excellency.
" In these very critical and alarming times, the good people of this Province found themselves under an absolute necessity to take some measures for the security and preservation of their liberties and every thing that is near and dear to them; and they have accordingly chosen a large number of persons to meet together at Savannah to consult on the means to obtain redress under our many and very heavy grievances. These, being ac- cordingly met, (to be distinguished from the usual representa- tion, ) have styled themselves a Provincial Congress, and from the number and character of their names, which your Excellency may see in our last Gazette, your Excellency will be convinced
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