Newspaper Page Text
fare sot the alternative proposed by this day’s
question.
Were it necessary it might be added, that
there appears to have been the most urgent
veafoo and policy in favor of the terms of the
law* A great revolution having taken place
in the government of the United States, by
the original consent and after adoption of this
fate, it was surely an objeft of the highest
concernment to its future interest to have its
Representatives in the Federal Government
at the commencement of it; and, therefore,
it was necessary so to word and regulate the
law of election to reduce the appointments to
a certainty.—And that, with refpeft to the
four absent {counties, they are placed in the
fame point of view, as all laws place default
ing individuals, Suffering by their own ne
gleft.
On motion of Mr. Booker, Seconded by
Mr. Fitzpatrick, it is ordered that the pro
ceedings 'of this day for reconsidering, &c. be
also published in the State Gazette.
Extrafl from the Minutes,
}. MERIWETHER, S. E. C.
In C O U N C I L, February 28,1789.
The following protest was received and en
tered this day at five o’clock in the evening :
We the under-written members of the
Executive Council, do solemnly protest against
the proceedings of the Executive of the 26th
instant, founded on the question in the follow
ing words : “ Whether further time can be
given by this board for receiving the returns
of the deficient counties.”
ift. Because this state consists of eleven
counties, and seven of those counties only
have made a return of the elections held in
each on the ninth instant.
ad, Because this hasty proceeding in the
Executive of declaring the names of the Re
presentatives elefted by the freemen of the
Rate of Georgia may not be true % as the re
turns are not complete; nor i» this board
authorifed to make the declaration until all
the eleftions should be returned, or a certifi
cate that no eleftion was held.
3d. Because the Aft of this state, entitled,
41 An Aft for appointing the time, manner,
and places of holding eleftions for Represen
tatives in Congress,” exprcfsly declares, that
if any of the counties within this state shall
negleft or refufe to hold the eleftiOn, that
then the counties so proceeding to elect and
tranfmittmg their returns, (hall be deemed as
having completed the eleftion. By which
Law it plainly appears, that only in case of
refufal or negleft, could the Executive declare
the eleftion final and complete; no vouchers
have come forward (hewing such refufal or
negleft ; but, on the contrary, it is notorious
that the counties of Greene and Franklin have
elefted, but have not tr&nfmitted their re
turns.
4th. Because the said Aft did appoint the
ofikers before whom the eleftions (hould be
held ; therefore any negleft in those officers
ought not to be imputed to the counties, nor
ftiould that negleft deprive the people of their
votes.
sth. Because the returns from those coun
ties may have been withheld by detign ; it
was therefore the duty of this board to make
the enquiry, and be convinced before they
determined.
6th. Because if a returning officer ihould
not be pleased with the poll, he may suppress
the certificate; no measures having been
taken to compel a return, nor is there any
penalty infiifted on the officer; thereby eftab
i thing a dangerous precedent, by leaviugthe
votes of a whole county in the power of the
individual.
7th. Because the citizens of the counties
of Franklin, Gteene, GJ)b, and Camden, are
by this order deprived of their fuffrages for
Representatives to the Congress of the United
States; a deprivation we cannot help couli
dering as untotiftitutional, unjust, and an
unwarrantable infringement of the rights of
freemen.
JACOB WEED, Member from Camden .
El IHU LYMAN, Member from Liberty •
EmrnG from the Minute /,
J. MERIWETHER, 0. E, C.
NOTES by the GOVERNOR. '
No. z This article goes to the law, and
not to the execution of it.
No. i. A proceeding cannot be called
hafly , which had been the result of much dis
cussion from the day of the firft. proclamation
on it, to that of the last : Nor can in execu
tive art on a law be said to be so, after the
time for its execution expires.
No. 3. The fubftancc of this article is
conformable to the law ; a comment on the
conclusion is unnecessary.
No. 4. The law made no diftinrtion be
tween the counties and its returning officers ;
if the latter arc faulty, the gentlemen who
protest know the tribunal for puniflung cor
ruption.
No. 5. It is notorious, that, within the
seventeen days, upon the chair being filled,
everyday of Council, the firft question
was, what returns have come to hand. Those
which did come to hand withia the time pre
scribed by law were arted upon, and the board
was convinced that none others were trans
mitted agreeably to the intentions of the Art.
No. 6. It was, ntoft probable, the fear of
some undue influence, or interposition, that
induced the Legislature to provide, in cale
of returns being withheld or interrupted, that
we ftiould not lose our representation in the
firft Federal Congress.
No. 7. An equal zeal for the rights for
the elertors of Richmond is to be regretted ;
but the privation mentioned in this article is
acknowledged to be an infringement of the
rights of the people of at Icaft one of the men
tioned counties ; and it is earnestly recom
mended to them to inquire fully whence the
injury originated*
GEORGE WALTON.
Council Chamber ,
id March, 1789.
AVGUSTA, Feb. 28.
GEORGIA.
By His Honor GEORGE WAL
-1 ON, EJquire, Captain Gene
ral. Governor and Commander
in Chief m and over the said
State.
A Proclamation.
WHEREAS on the twenty fixrh day of
February inftatn, the Honorable the
Executive proceeded to open and examine the
returns of elertions for Reprefentativesof this
slate in the Congress of the United States*
when, after counting the votes from the coun
ties of Richmond, Wilkes, Effingham, Cha
tham, Liberty, Burke, Waftiington, (the
counties of Glyn, Camden, Grcene and Frank
lin not having made any,) it appeared that
the Honorable Mathews, Esq. was
duly elected and returned as a Representative
for the Upper or Weflern Diftrirt, the Honor
able Abraham Baldwin, Esq. was dulyelerted
and returned as a Reprefeutative for the Mid
dle or Center Diftrirt, and Brigadier-General
James Jackson, was duly elerted and re
turned as a Representative for the Eaflern or
Lower Diftrirt. In obedience, therefore, to
the Art “ For appointing the time, manner,
and places for holding elertion6 for Represen
tatives in Congress” and by and with the ad
vice of the Honorable the Executive Council,
I have thought fit to issue this my Proclama
tion, hereby notifying to, and informing the
said George Mathews, Abraham Baldwin, and
James Jackson, of such their elertion as Re
presentatives to the Congress of the United
States ; and farther, requiring that they fig
nify their acceptance or refufal of the said
appointment, according to law.
Given under my Hand, and the Great
Seal of the Jaid State, in the Council
Chamber, at Augujia, tbit t>wtnty-fe
•ventb day of February , in the year of our
Lord, one thou/and , Jensen hundred and
eighty-nine \ and of our Sovereignty and
Independence the thirteenth .
. .. fI CEORGE WALTON.
By bit Honest Command,
JOHN MILTON, Secretary »
GOD SAFE THE STATE.
| On Saturday the 21st inst. the Coroner's In
quest fat on the body of Mr. Gilbert Clark,
of this county, then lying in his waggon on
the ro3d, near Col. M‘Nicl’s at the Kio
kies.
Who on examination found, that he was
struck three times, in consequence of which
his skull was broke open in three parts, as
was also the left temple of his head, and the
left jaw bone.
Whereon they gave it as their opinion,
that he was murdered with an ax, by the
hands of his waggoner, a Negro Fellow,
named Sampson, who was the only person
that was in company with him at that time ;
who a few minutes previous to the fitting of
the inquest found means to escape, and being
pursued was come up with the ensuing day,
but refufing to furrenderand making resistance
he was instantly put to death.
Five Guineas Reward .
On the night of the 27th inst. the
iubfcriber’s (hop was broke open,
and the following watches taken:
One Gold French watch, maker’s name, Grey
fon, a Paris-
One silver do. Win. Rumfey, London, No.
unknown.
One ditto, Webster, London, No. 2554.
One ditto, Wm. M‘Fell, London, No. 6039.
One ditto, Ths. Garner, London, No, un
known
One ditto, name and number unknown.
One Pinchbeck, J. Wood, London, No. 2823
One Pinchbeck Case.
The above Reward will be given to any
person or persons that will apprehend the thief
or thieves, so that he or they may be brought x
to punilhment, and the watches recovered.
THOMAS BRAY.
Feb. 28, 1789.
To all concerned\
T.H E following places and persons are
' appointed for the reception of the fpe
cific taxes for the year 1788.
Mr, John Garrett, in Augusta ; Mr. Wm.
Gardner, at Lewis Gardner’s, Esq. Kioka;
Mr. John Martha!], at his mill, near Brownf
boreugh; Mr. Thomas White, at Wrightf
borough; Mr. James Simpson, at John Wat
■ son’s mill, on Sweet Water ; Mr. John Hat
cher, at his mill on Joe’s creek, near Ogechee,
The above ftote houses will be open as long
as the law will admit, and immediately there
after executions will ifluc against every de
linquent.
JOEL BARNETT, C. T.
N. B, Those in arrears in their cafti tax
for the above mentioned year, may expert; to
be distressed immediately.
An Ad
v or impojing a Tax for the Tear
one thoujand /even hundred and
eighty-nine .
BE it enabled by theßepre
fentatives of the Free
men of the State of Geor
gia, in General Ajfembly
met , and by the authority of the
fame, That a Tax of ten (hillings
for every hundred pounds value
of all lands within this state,
granted to, or surveyed for any
per lon, as fuchjands (hall be est -
mated at, (hall be levied on the
fame in the following mode, viz.
All tide swamps (including
islands) cultivated or uncultivat
ed, of the firft quality at ninety
feven (hillings per acre y of the
second quality at sixty (hillings
per acic y and of the third quali-