Newspaper Page Text
SATURDAY, September 6, 1788;
GEORGIA STATE GAZETTE
O R
INDEPENDENT register.
» • * * 1 4
'REEDOM of the PRESS, and TRI A L by JURY, to remain inviolate forever. Ctrfiituticn of Georgia.
tu GU ST A: Printed by JOHN E. SMIT H, Printer to the State-, Pfays, Articles of
Intelligence, Advert ifements, if c.will be gratefully received, and every kind of Printing perfernted.
I Mr. SMITH,
Publication in your paper of the
9th inst. addrelfed to me, under
igriature of one Hopkins, is one of
ilanderous performances that is the
d effetf of a party spirit, which, un-
Utely for this Hate, prevails uncor
is not my intention to fay any thing
apkins, nor ainfwer the iufinuations
ined in his publication ; I have placed
vithiu the pale cf criminal law ; he
here, no doubt, receive that punith
which is due such audacity :—I will
in myfelf into a bog in pursuit of an
fat u us.
ie following are not mere atfertions,
le efTeft of party violence, or fiial
fadion ; neither do they want the
rt of principal gentlemen to place them
nt. They arc fafts supported by af
ts, from winch the world will deter
mh me, that the late publication is
rom its address to the lignatnxe,and
ns aflertions which no decent cha
in the republic dare countenance.
of 7 PERSONALLY appearedTTio
ia.y mas Mills of Savannah; iner
, who 1 being duly fwofn, declares,
ie is well acquainted with the con
ind behaviour of Thomas Gibbons,
vannah. Attorney at law, since the
if our Lord one thousand seven hnn
and feyenty-five ; and this deponent
that the said Thomas Gibbons never
any commiffion',. civil' or military,
' British government, ti J or is this de
it acquainted with any tranfatlion of
lid Thomas Gibbons that is prejudi
d the cause of America ;• bur on the
ary, the said Thomas Gibbons hath
friendly to all clafles- of men that
distressed under British authority, for
attachment to the American cause ;
t is confident with this deponent’s
ledge, that the said Thomas Gib
was the only Attorney at the' bar
would atf for many persons then ar
-1 for their attachment to America,-
or treason againlt British government,
further this deponent faith, that it
generally received among all clafFes
en, and particularly by tbofe that
the warm friends of Britifli govern
, that the said Thomas Gibbons was
endly to that government; insomuch,
the said Thomas Gibbons was made
>jett of British persecution, and was
ned to the citadel and common gaol
ie town of Savannah, and after be
taken up, $n a Q palled the then House
' T H‘g v
of AlTembly to perpetuate his imprison
ment.
Szvorn to this o th of ) rr «
j t „q/ l / „ ( t HO3. MILLS.
August , 17 82 * before y
SAMUEL STIRK, CL.U.
State of } PERSONALLY appeared Paul
Georgia . S Porcher*, lately cf the State
of South-Carolina, Planter, at prclent of
Savannah, Gentleman, who being duly
sworn, declares, that fomc time in the
month of July, which was in the year of
our Lord, one thousand seven hundred
and eighty-one, this deponent wjis taken
prisoner by a party of the British army, in
the (late of South-Carolina,’ and brought
to the town of Savannah, and lodged in
the Citadel, but from there removed to
the Provost, as it was nearer to the house
of Thomas Gibbons, of Savannah, At
torney at law, who a&ed as this deponent’s
friend upon this occasion ; and this de
ponent faith, that after being confined in
the Provost for about four days, the said
Mr. Gibbons procured leave for him tube
removed to a house in the town of Savan
nah, and in a few days, by the exertions
of the laid Mr. Gibbons, this deponent
obtained permiflion to return to hit plan
tation in the state of South-Carolina, on
parole; and this deponent, from his dis
agreeable situation, and the rigorous mode
of persecution which was then adopted by
the Britifli government towards all thole
who were the friends of the American
; cause, w r as induced to offer to the said Mr.
Gibbons, as be then afied as an Attorney,
a very large sum of money as a fee ; hut
- that t’ne laid Thomas Gibbons declined
accepting such money,’ and would not
fake an advantage of this deponent’s ne
-5 cefiities, but willingly stepped forth as
; his friend, arid by vigoroufiy exerting
himfelf in this deponent’s behalf, he wa3
indulged with his parole, and had liberty
to return home.’
Sworn to this if l PAUL PORCHER..
Augufl, 1782. 5
SAMUEL STIRK, Q^U.
State cf ? PERSON ALLY appeared Wi!-
Georgia . ) liam Littles, junior, of the
■ county of Burke, in the l£ate aforefaid,
Gentleman, who' being duly sworn, de
clares, that some time in the month of
September, which Was in the of our
Lord one thousand seven hundred and
eighty, this deponent was taken up by one
' * A wealthy Planter of Black-Swamp,*
in the state of South-Carolina.
f A Member of the Legifla.ture for
the county of Burfce> for the years
//pri a i [No.cn.]
Samuel Montgomery, who pretended to
ad as a magiflr?te in the said county, un
der Eritilh authority, for being a friend to
the independence of America, ami
biought to Savannah under a guard, and
. compelled to give cxceflive bail toanfwer
the chatgi; that he vtas lodged in the
com men gaol inr Savannah, and other
wise was mod giievoufly opprefi'ed by
Eritifti authority. And this deponeue
further faith, that from his firrt coming
in'o Savannah, he made application to
Thomas Gibbcns of Savannah, Attorney
at law, who gave him every afliflancc in
his power during his loathsome confine
ment: And this deponent faith, that dur
ing his confinement i:l the said gaol,
which was for upwards of one month, he
knew the said Mr. Gibbons to aflifl many
persons who were in confinement under
Britiih government,.for their attachment
to the cause of America.
KjHXC) ft to thlS 1 rvTT' M T T'T'T'T T* *
iyhjul y ,x 7 ?.x. \ W!L 1 LITTLE ' J un -
SAMUEL ST IKK.
State of > PERSONALLY appeared If-
Ci'corgia. y rael Bird, of the county of
Chatham, in the Hate aforefaid, Planter,
who being duly sworn, declares, that
some time in the month of Ortoher, which
was in the year of our Lotd one thotifand
seven hundred and seventy-nine, this de
ponent was defirotis of moving his family
and efTerts otrt of the slate of Georgia,
into the Hate of South-Carolina, hecaufe
of the unfuceefsful attack then made on
the enemy, who were in pofieffen of the
town of Savannah, and apprehenlive of
the confequencc3‘ resulting from the mis
fortunes of this Hate at that time; —this
deponent had in consequence thereof,
moved his family and effects from Oge
chee as far as Mrs. Hannah Gibbons’s
plantation, on his way, and was prevent
ed from moving on by the deftrurtion of
the bridges on the Anguffa road, and be
fore he could make his escape, was taken
prisoner by one George Fox and others
who were out-lyers in that part of the
slate, and brought a prisoner to the town
of Savannah, and lodged in the common
gaol for the fyace of three or four months.
Immediately upon this deponent’s being
taken, the plunderers from Savannah went
out and took eighty head of his cattle and
all his (beep, and would have greatly di
flrefied his family, net having then left a
milch cow for their ufe* Fortunately for
• this deponent, Thomas Gibbons of Sa
vannah, Attorney at lawr, being then in the
neighbourhood, and Without any applica-