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MISCELLANEOUS.
made his escape. It was effected by the fol
lowing stratagem, which ho said was suggested
to him by a whig lady, whoso name it was al
ways a subject of regret to him that he did not
know.
From the Edgefield Hive. ; v
r.tf uN Bmn was a native of Virginia,
tp removed from that state at an enrly age,
„l,i sf ev,donee in South Carolina, where he
Lr ,1 lie was one of the first settlers of Edge-
■ M District, and when lie died was one of her
i Revolutionary patriots. Ho was one of
C ew patriots and heroes, in the upper part
fSouth Carolina, who fearlessly assumed the
rtsnonsibility of Independence. Unlike, many
bo cautiously awaited the progress of events,
Ufflio enlisted in the cause of Independence
ac when it was successful; he was one of
. ji rst who espoused it, and throughout all
J vicissitudes and reverses of the eventful
latest that was waged for its maintenance,
b never faultered or deserted the cause. . He
irsi under all circumstances, the same con-
isient patriot and intrepid hero. In prospert-
, he rejoiced, and “ho was not faint in the
Jur of adversity.”
He was a man of excellent judgement, and
L 0 ;e decision, energy, and origiomtL cast of
liuracier fitted him well for the times in which
t lived. Naturally brave and enterprising,
b was found of the adventures of a newly set-
ed country, and the more glorious hazards of
wnurable war. Hence few had a higher cha
ncier among his co.eniporaries as a partisan
iccr. Few could oncounter danger with
ire coolness, or bear the hardships of a catn-
igu with more fortitude. A daring mtrepi-
y was the strongest trait in his character,
d perhaps, as an officer, an excess of it was
(is greatest fault. Though not incapable of
k stratagem and cautious wisdom' of Fabius,
et, like M ircellus, lib preferred the sword to-
|he shield. He always showed more foarless-
ess in the charge than wisdom in the retreat,
ttshort, lie hud the elements of an ardont Ito-
rc; pinl, l.ke Henry Laroche Jacqueliup, ho
preferred the glories of the field to the dolibe-
filion of die Council Room.- - .
Capt. Ryan was soon called oil, after his
Settlement in South Carolina, to take a part in
fcwnrs against the Indians.. In 1768, he re-
ceived a commission of Lioutenant, and served
the Cherokee war in that capacity. He
a distinguished in that war, for his gallantry,
hood conduct anil personal prowess. lie al-
pays volunteered in the most hazardous enter-
pnscs, and was frequently engaged in perso-
hi combats with the Indians. Sp distinguish
ed was lie, for his athletic streugth and actlviTy,
Cthat he migiit be called the Ajax of the oxpodi-
on. When the war of the Revolution com*
weed he did not hesitate tvhichsideto take.
jHe repaired to the standard'of Independence,
Rom which no temptation could seduce, or
•ianjer drive him, in any of the revorsos_of the,
Outlet. So distinguished tyas lie, for his for*'
Her services, that ho was immediately nppoint-
|c! Cap’ain, which commissiou lie boro dll tho
■close of tho war. In the' first part of the war-
lie served under Col. Lo Roy llatnmoml; anil
»is engaged in many small but bloody skirmish*
ts,which are only, known in'tradition. In the
b wr part of the year 1780, or the first of 1781,
|*li«i South Carolina was, considered a con-
Iqucrct] province, the British authorities pub-
|ii>!icd a procluination, offering protection to
I'l'isc wlio would accept it and become British
| subjects. Capt. Ryan and some of the post
Istaundi wliigs in 96. district, mistaking thq true
Ic'nracter of the proclamation, went (as hd stat-
H to the writer of this notice,) to what was
|then called tho Congareos,'to demand their
I paroles; but to thoir disappointment this was
■refused; and shortly afterwards tljdy werb'ar-
I ai, d confined in 96 prison, then - within a
| British garrison. From this place, Capt. Ry-
Ip* Capr. James Boiler, Michael Duff, James
| Caldwell, John M'llhenuey, Jantes Vessels,
I Ko ! l « r ' Stark, Sen. and others, wera handle
I culled, and conducted, under a British, guard,
1 conmianded by Captain Gist^to-thh pniv.ist in
blarleston. Iti this place their treatment'was
disgraceful to the English character. An in-
ci lont occurred during their confinement that
!t r ongly illustrates tho spirit and character of
S* Patriots of that day. Tho British officers,
w the purposo of punishing delinquents and
I ^ P n,s , were in tho habits of sending them to
■« provost and confining tiiera with the whig
| P'Uonijrs. This made tno prison intolerable,
ot only by crowding it, but by placing in cou-
’ cl 'mb gentlemen, tho meanest add most in-
"°u« wretches of the royal tinny. ' O no day,
k ' n 't' e numbors were nearly -equals it was
r 0 posed by onoofthe American prisoners,that
'Hey wore not allowed to take a part in the
ur m tho open field, that they sliould carry it
( j :IMlnst those in tho prison. This proposi
ng was readily assented to, and a sovere con-
and tlie Captain has often stated
t ,’"° whig* woro boating tho British soldoirs,
y cn a force camo to their relief from without,
foin the provost, the Captain and his com-
i,,,' 0115 ,were put on board a.prison ship,
inri! 611C ^ incredible hardships. An
the 7 ° Ccurrecl While thoy wero on board of
q, th 'P' which deserves to bo mentioned.—
lilJ s!,l P.being old, sprung aleak, and was
10 , ‘ n * c * The Captain of tho guard, in
Dent conster u at i°n, applied to Vessels, a enr-
tdi-a'i.*? ass,st in repairing her, Vessels re
st) n ’ i^°' ^ l *'° Eternal Gods, let her sink,
•f a° Hi B ° ,0 C 0, hcr.” This was the language
a Sri ° an< ' unci, hivated man, but worthy of
- '^ rt * n From the prison ship, some were
The prisoners were sometimes by special
permission, allowed to go on shore within tho
British lines. While in. town, by permission
from the prison ship, the Captain met some
British soldiers in the street, whose insolence
provoked him into an angry controversy with
them* When the soldiers had passed, u lady,
BY MYRON BARTLET.
Jj^^fJd' inged, and others made thoir es
‘lie Captain was one of those who
who had heard all that occurred, asked the
Captain to come to her door. She soon learn
ed his history; and being a true whig herself,
she said, sho thought she could give him some
advice, by which he could make his escape.—
It was this: “Sho told him to go to a sentinel
on tho lines, and when he asked who he was,
to say that he was a rebel deserter, who had
boon badly treated, and who being admitted
within the linos, was in searcli of a British offi
cer who would enlist .him in the king’s service;
after a careless conversation, to go off, as tho*
in search of an officer; to do so two or three
times, and the sentinel’s suspicion would bo
lulled.” Accordingly he went to the sentinel
three times, always complaining of his ill treat
ment in the rebel array, j At last, finding the
sentinel perfectly satisfied, and in fact mani
festing a disposition to. assist him, he observed
that ho knew an officer from reputation, at
Monk’s Corner, with whom he would like to
enlist; and wishing him a good day, passod
confidently oil.
Tho Captain howevor, never stopped at
Monk’s Corner, but immediately took Inscourso
home. On-his way he cdlod on his friend
and school mate CoL Thomas Taylor, to whom
ho was much attached to the end of his life.—
Tire Colonel with his characteristic kindness
gave him a fine filly to assist him home, as (he
Colonel lias often since said, when he had tint
one for himself, having been plundered of near
ly all his property. The couhtry then being
much infested with Tories, he look his course
through the woods. While.passing through a
deep wood near North Edisto, he unexpectedly
met three men armed, who hailed him, and
brought him to. He hud no hesitation that
they were lories; and when asked who he was,
assumed the well known tory name (in th/u
part of tho country) of Ruihbn. One of the
men, a tory, by the name of Holly, asked bim,
“Which Rumbo? was it Jim?” The Captajn
said “no,” but perhaps from the awkwardness,
and hesitation which a soldier and gentleman
would always manifest in attempting disguise,
Holly suspected him: and upon examining his
commission, which was found in his boot, dis
closed his true - numo. Holly immediately
cocked his gunj and observed “you are a d d
rebel, and I -will shoot you;” and about tho
time be was drawing his aim, the captain with
an energy and force which a brave man can a-
lune feel in rhe hour of danger, oljseryed-“Stop;
I have pever dooe yon any barm, apd ns suro
as you kill me'tlie vengeance of God will over
take you before yon leave.the .spot where you
now stand.” Holly feeling 'ho forco of the ap
peal-, ami yielding to the cuntroul which a man of
courago will always exercise over a mean man
and a coward, said “Well l can't kill you; hut
I will carry you where I know ydti will be kill
ed." Ho vyas conducted o a cainp of lories,
where he found an old mm who seemed to be
in comrannd of it. Tho old man examined
him with an eye of great particularity and sits
picion, and after many inquiries ho ordored
Holly to let him go. Holly insisted however
in having him shot, and was only prevented
from doiiig so by .tho old man; who ordered
peremptorily that lie should fie lei go. Holly,
and lii.s companions insisted upon going and
showing tho Captain the way. This ivas in
vain declined. When they had taken Hirh out
of sight of the camp, and tlm control of tho old
man, they took the .Captuiu’s fillv and stript
him of . his coat, and boots nnd dismissed him
with great indignity* .^ , \ /•'. 'V:
It was not long before the captain , with bis
sruull - company, which ho soon recruited, re
turned to lie cainp.- He found no one .there
hut an old wouian, tho wife of the'old m in who
lias boon mon’ionod. Sho w is in groat distress,
and begged that tho Captain would not injure
her; ho said “no, it'is not my design to-ihjure
you or your husband,-*! came uot for plunder
or innocent.blood,” And upon ascertaining
that she wns without provisions, ho killed a
heef nnd had it' cut up and salted and left her, in
pursuit of tho tory party. During tho scout,
ns ho called it, hy camp up with the party, and
after a short couflict, succeeded in taking some
of them prisoners; among oliters lie recognis
ed Holly, on whom he infiicicd the summary
punishment too common .widi ull parties in
those times, * ' ;*
About this time, while part of .Lord Raw
don’s array was retreating froni,96, through
tho fork of the Edistoes, Captain Ryan, with
his company of - about 50 nten, formed tho
bold dosigu of cuttttig off, aud capturiugilio
baggage waggons. H iving communicated his
design to his men, lie addressed them hr his
own peculiar way, which never failed to in
spire them with courage and confidence to uii-
dortnko any enterprise; lie ordered all but.a-
bnut three or lburto advnnco to the attack.—
VVhilo tho iqain party woro engaged, the ih.ee
or four that remained bellied wore to indicate,
by blowing tho bugle and making other mar
tial signs, tho approach of a larger de aclunciu.
In this way, ho succoodod in taking the w*g<
gons, and supplying himself witli valuablo stores
and ammunition, before a superior force trom
the enemy came against his little party;* and it
was rv«t until after a severe contest that he a-
bundoned tho waggins.
In tho latter part of tho year 1781, while
advancing with his usual inipctuosi y, and per-
h ips too much temerity, upon a par y of lories,
that lay encamped near Orangeburg, ho wns
dangerously wounded in his sliouldor by a mus
ket ball, which he carried fo the grave. Not
at all discouraged or discomfittcd, though una
ble to proceed, he ordored, with groat presence
of mind, his first Lieutenant, William Butler,
to lead on the attack, and continue the pursuit.
His wound becoming very painful, he request
ed to be carried home, whore ho remained till
the close of tho war. ' -
While in this situation, however, ho was hot
indifferent to his country; but continued to is
sue orders and plan operations against the lo
ries, with which the country was then infested.
Tho control, which ho then and subsequently
exercised, was rather yielded to him by tacit
consent, than conferred by regular authority.
At the close of the war, Captain Ryan retir
ed to his plantation oil Horne’s Creek, whore,
by industry, good management a ini'good econo
my, he accumulated a large and valuable es
tate, which he distributed by will among his
collateral relations, having never had any chil
dren.
Captain Ryan sooms to have had very little
ambition.'For office. In fact, being a man of.
iroud spirit, and great sternness of character,
action where he could assert his superiority,
that he was most distinguished. He was an
Open and fearless enemy, and a warm and con
stant friend, ft may be truly said of him that
he never deserted a friend, or refused to face
an enemy. ,
GEORGIA LEGISLATURE.
MESSAGE
OP IHS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR TROOP. DELIVER
ED TO BOTH BRANCHES OF THE LEGISLATURE,
Executirt Department, Georgia, , +
. Mitlcdgtriuc, November G, 1827.
Fellow-Citizens—In making known to
you the events of tho passing^ voar, it is equal
ly my duty to communicate those which give
pain as those which afford pleasure, so that
without concealment or suppression all may be
embodied in the history of the times—our suc
cessors will u>ko cuun»—l f«om them, amlahc
experience of the past wifi be equally profita
ble, whether it furnish examples of good to bp
imitatod, or Of evil to be avoided.
Before the close of the last session of
the Legislature, hope was indulged that the
controversy between tho Government of this
State and that of the United States vyas happi
ly tdrmiftkting; and so indeed to all appear
ances it av.is—The surveys of the recently ac
quired territory, so long resisted, had proceed
ed with little or no interruption—the last of
them were about to be completed—the - Indian
irritation bad exhausted itself in a few demon
strations of hostility and when calmness and
tial, <haractep-iBut other.rights and interests
than those of. Georgia were concerned. The
doctrino assumed in justification of the menace
involved the rights ot all tlm States—It asserts
the broad power of the Executive of tho Gen-
oral Government in any controversy between
a State and the United States to decide the
right apd wrong of that controversy promptly,
absolutely and finally, without, appeal, and to
enforce such decision by tho sword—a powr
most awful, tremendous and unnatural, and not
given' by the Constitution even to the Con
gress.* In such a contest, Georgia could raako
no sacrifices too dear, because she contended
in a just and rlghteons cause, not for herself a-
lono, but for all the States, whose honor, digni
ty and indopeudenco.vwero alike at stake.—
Happily for tho country, tho enforcement of
tin’s measure has not been as yet attempted;
whether, on consideration, it has boen yiolded
to more deliberate suggestions and more pru
dent counsels, or decided as wholly indofensi-
bie, and therefore impracticablo, or reserved
for some other and future occasion; is' not
known-to mo, and can only be conjectured—It
is reasonable, at least charitable, to conclude,
that what in this respect ought to bo done, has
been dnno, and that wisdom and moderation
can find no amends for the calamities of a civil
war, in tlie transfer from Georgia to the Indi
ans of a comparatively worthless fraction of
territory, which, but for tho principle involved,
this Government would not deign to make a
suliject of angry contention with that orthe
United-Stales. ; - "*.
/The .tountry of the Creek? falling within the
chartered limits of -Georgia being acquired, it
remains for yon to consider of tho measures /
most expedient for the acquisition of that of the
Cherokces within the same limits—On this
subject my opinions have been freely and
frankly, and repeatedly communicated—There
is no reason to change them—you hold the tor-
ritoty by the same tenure as you hold that on
which yourselves and your ancestors liavo long
fixed your hearths-and firesides—tho original
charter of t)ie State. This tenure remains un
changed by tho .Articles of Confederation, or
by. the present Constitution; and without tho
consent of the'people, is unchangeable but by
tlie act of Gol—the tight of occupancy following
the, right of soil and jurisdiction, you claim tho
s uite right of occupancy now ns ever unlimit
ed and unrestrained by tho confederation or
the present constiQition; and, therefore, tiro
free in times future as in times past, to enter
upon that occupancy, consulting your rights,
your convenience, and the dictates of humani
ty only. -Your rights are undoubted—your
convenient# is resolve ! by the various circutn*
•Inncco in •yrhicK yovrumj at any 111110 fluU juur
population and territory, and tlie wants.of youi*
people, as resulting from tho relativo condition
of both; and the obligations ^f humanity, al
ways paramount to the claims of interest, are
to ha sought in tlie consideration of what is due
from a civilized to a savage community, nnd of
tlie sum of human 'happiness, present and fu-
ture, jvhich is involved in the estimate—What
ever may be the controhng motives resulting
from.other considerations, those of humanity
oppose no . obstacle to the immediate occupa
tion outlie country. The Cherokces are only
asked to surrender now, and voluntarily, the
country which bv thn force of moral circum-
dian f«r his imaginary wrongs but a trilling con
sideration in money, the Executive Govern
ment at Washington seized the occasion as a
fit one to denounce tho Executive of Georgia
ns tho violator of tho faith of Treaties, anil the
lawless Invader of Indian rights—o forbid tho
prosecution of tho surveys, and 'o threaten the
employment of military force to coerco obedi-
ienco to its commands—a menace which, with
out being unprecedented on tho part of that
Government, was'yet so ill-timed and unex
pected, that but ono reception and otto treat
ment could bb given to it—The Documents
herewith tiansmitted will disclo/o the maimer
of that reception and treatment—'The Mes
sage of tho President to Congress, coinmuni-
cating this measure, left no doubt ns tp its mo
tives nndiits objects. Tho couucils and peo
ple of Goorgia were to bo subdued at all oVentS.
in-o a recognition of the vnlidity of the. Instru
ment called the New Treaty—by civil process,
if civil process would answer—by' - military
force, if_ it would net—indeed by all means ci
vil or military as enjoined by a sttperadded o-
bligation (to uso the language of the President,)
oven higher than that of hum in authority—Ii
could not bo seen why umfot* a government of
laws tho civil remedy might not suffico, being,
if not so prompt, at loast amplo and appropri-
ate or why if lesorted to at all it should no:
ho exclusively depended on? Tho alternative
of a resort'to tho military un failure of,the ci
vil remedy, .or tho resort to both concurrently
for the redress of the same wrong is not tho
theory; and-has not been liitheflo, the practice
of this' government—whettover it-shall be be-
como so, tbe.ro will ho no longor any. differ
ence between. our own constitution of govern
ratmt and that of the most arbitrary .and des
potic." It war.imponjble to doubt therefore,
from, the unconstitutional character of tho me
nace, from itii unseasonablenoss and from tho
ojipalhng consequences which must inevitably
follow i-s execution that the temper which
dictated it was hostile ,to Georgia, and bent on
Iter humiliation or 'destruction. Tho councils
of Georgia could pever recede, without the
roust detruding humiliation, from the positions
taken in support of tho Treaty of tho Indian
Springs—it wns the professed object of tho
menace to produce tint recession; anil it was
obviously better for Georgia to run the hazard
of beiag stricken from the rolls of the States,
than by a passive submission to surrender, with
important interests and essential rights, wltat
was infinitely more important aud more essen-
tranquility had succeeded, to excitement and stances they must very soon surrender, even u-
clamor, and nothing remained to satisfy tno-In- gsjnst their will, not without consideration or
mnst
(ptivqlent, but in exchange for another, and
in lill respects a better country, with a titlo in
fee in the place of a precarious occupancy—
ivilh generous soil and salubrious climate, pre
senting a choico to* agriculture or the chase—
insulated from tho whiles and protected by the
power of the United States—All who opposo
themselves to this movomcm are enemios of the
Cherokces, .ignorant of their true interests, or
indifferent to thoir.present and future welfare.
It is pr.oper to inform you that the memori
al »of the last Legislature on this subject, ad
dressed to the v President, was forwarded in duo
time, jvith an arcoropanying letter, to which no
satisfactbry’a’nsivor has been given.
Connected .with othor subjects of disagree
ment with tho Government of tho United
States, is th'qt^f tho dividing lino betwoou Flo
rida. and this State, directed to be run and
marked by soveral resolutions of the Logisla ‘
lure.. The concurrence of thn general govern
ment being necessary to the perfection of this
measure, it;was repeatedly invited, and event
ually obtained. A highly respectable gentle
man, and Laio Governor of Virginia, Thomas
M. Randolph, having been appointed the Com
missioner on tho part of the United States, and
Thomas Spalding, tho Commissioner on tho
part of Georgia, they proceeded in a spirit of
harmony arid concert to the execution of thoir
trust, nnd I am happy to inform you that, with
out bringing their labors to'a termination nm.st
desirable, they closed (hem with no interrup
tion of that spirit. On tho contrary, with an
improvement of it corresponding to tho intclli-
gcnce,' patriotism and liberal sentiments which
distinguished them.
Tho (Jharter of Goorgia, tho Treaty of
Peace of 1783, tho Confederation of 1778,
the present Constitution, the Treaty of Spain
Of 1795, tho Constitution of Georgia, all re
cognise or guarantee tho head or source ef the
St. Mary’s River ns tho true point of tho south
ern' boundary of the State. Tho Commis
sioner of tho U. States and the Commissioner
of Spain appointed under tho Treaty of ’95 to
run and mark the lino in terras of tho Articles
of thaT Treaty, instead of discovering the head
or source of the St. Mary’s, as thoy wero in
structed to do, and for which they searched, es
tablished a point different from, and discon
nected’with that river: viz. apoint in tho Okn-
finoka Swamp-one mile or two miles north of
the mound cf Ellicott. It had been ascertain
ed by rese i relies authorised to he.mado by
eommissieueis appointed under the authority
of this State iri the year 1818, that tho U,
States and Spanish Commissioners* its agree
ing to that point, wore wide of the true point
—• that the head of tho stream pursued by Elli
cott was not to he found as ho supposed, in tho
Okafanoka Swamp two milos north of the mound
of Ellicott, nnd it has been since ascertained
that the head of that branch of the river is to
be found to tho southward of both tho swamp
animound. It was justifiable to take the mound
as the true point, because so in substance, our
own commissioners, believing that Ellicott in
pursuing the north, did pursue the ra-iin branch
of the St. Marys, had reported; and so tho
Governor of this State, in tho year 1819, re
lying on tlie correctness of thut report had in-
firmed the Legislature. Our commissioner
was accordingly instructed to agree with iho
United States Commissioner in running tho
lino from the mound of Ellicott to the junction
of the Flint and Chattuhoochie riverj. It
happened that tho U. States commissioner was
not authorised to concur. On the contrary,
an act of Congress which, departing from the*
ordinary course, gave his instructions, in tho
same section in which it authorised his appoint
ment, virtually forbade it. Those instructions
directed tho commissiuncr to run from tho'
point established by Ellicott, two miles north
of the mound, and wore of course directly op
posed to tho Treaty of 1795, which prescribed
tho head or sourco of tho St. Marys as the*
true point. The President of tho U. States
would have been quite justifiable, disregarding
the act of Congress in this respect, in direct
ing his coinmissiditer to run from the line de
signated by the Treaty, instoad of tho point
designated by the act, tlie Treaty being tho
supreme law. It was not, howevei, deemed
expediont, on this account, to arrest the com
missioner of Georgia at the outsot. .If tho
point established by Ellicot had, by the com
missioners of tfie.U. States nnd Georgia, boon
found to coiticido with the head or sourco of
tho St. Marys, tho- commissioner of Georgia
would have been instructed to proceed. It wa*
ascertained that they did not coincide, and his
progress was accordingly arrested. You will
observe that the first question presenting itself
for settlement between tho two governments
is, whethor the point arbitrarily agreed on by
Ellicott and tlm Spanish Commissioner as tlt«
head of the St, Mary’s, now ascertained not to
bo the hoad o von of the stream pursued by El- *
licott, shall be considered ns the true head un
der the treaty of 1795. The other, and only
remaining qunstion will bo, which is the tru»
source of tho St. Mary’s. To enable you to,
act understanding^ on thoso qestioDs, its well
as to afford somo satisfaction to tho Govern-
nsviH mC UnitvU *trU’*vli ;mWJt uu«
doubtedly reviso its proceeding, I had instruct
ed a competent agent, tho same who acted as
the survoyor and artist under the commissioners^
and who approved himself worthy of thoir
highest confidence, to proceed to an examina
tion of tho soveral branchosof tho St. Mary’s, for
tho purposo of ascertaining, by actual admea
surement, tho true head or sourco of that river*
The correspondence and documents on this
subjoct, together with his report, are submitt
ed. It will bo seen that of the throo branches
forming tho St. Mary’**, viz: the Northorn, Wes
tern and Southern branch, the Southern is not
only tho longest by two or three miles, nnd
having a direction corresponding most natu
rally with the general courso anil disembogue-
ment of tho river, but discharges oight times
more wator than eithor of tho other branches*
and ono third more than both of them unitod,
including various other tributary streams;—that
of the three, tho north branch, viz: that pur
sued by Ellicott, is tho most inconsiderable*
discharging, in proportion oven to tho western:
branch, as two to throo, and in proportion tiv
the southorn brau:h as fivo to forty-throe; and
indoed that it is oven more inconsiderable than
anothor stream, ('tho Alligator,) south of it*
and running between it and tho westorn branch,
If these facts are confirmed to the satisfaction*,
of thp Government of tho United States, tho
conclusion will bo irresistible, even by itself,
that wo must follow, not the error or mistake
of Mr,. Ellicott, but the language of the Trea
ty; not tho point arbilrariy determined as
tliD ltoad of the St. Many’s, but the true hoadj
and that tho true head or sourco of the St.
Mary’s is to be found, not at Hie extemity of
tho northern, but at tlie extremity of the sou
thern branch; and that from this point tho line
must be run according to the letter of lira
charter of Gcorgin, of the Treaty of’83, of
tho Treaty of ’95, nnd of tho Constitution of
Georgia. This detail, so inconsistent with the
generalizing character of a Message, will find
an apology in the extremo reluctance which I
feel to opon a now controversy with tho Go.
vernraent of *ho United States—tho great de
licacy of-the question, (boing one of bottnda-
ry)—the extent of territory, (more th in two
thousand miles) whicirroay bo involved in it,
and the obvious propriety, therefore, in stating
the question for the first time, to stato it fairly
and fully.
It gives mo great pleasure to inform you,
that recent acts of the General Government,
and of its different departments, bespeak a re
turn to good feeling, and give on earnest ot'lu.
ture good understanding which it Iris been iho
sincere desire, os it is tho duty, of litis govern
ment, to cultivate. Our militia claims, so con-
stantly nnd sedulously, but tinavtilingly urged
before that government for 20or 30 years, have
been recognized, and, under circumstances w ir-
raming the belief that some grains of prejudice
had mingled with the former repeated conside
rations of them, and that nothing was wanting
to a_ prompt acknowledgment of their ju.tica at
all times, but calm, dispassionate and impartial
investigation—They ate in a course of liquida
tion and settlement.
The expenses of tho military expedition
ordered fitr tho defence of tho seuthera fresh
Ml.
taS
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