TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Birth-Parentage-His Boyhood-Academic, Collegiate and Legal Education— .1-13. CHAPTER II. Early Career as a public man-Election to Congress-Political Relations-Traits CHAPTER III. State of the Country-Foreign Relations-Meeting of Congress in 1807-Em- bargo-Mr. Troup's Speeches-Letter to Mr. Harris, and to Gov. Mitchell-Army Bill— CHAPTER IV. Yazoo Fraud-Its history-Claims growing out of it, before Congress-Speech of Mr. Randolph-Mr. Troup's Course and Speeches on that subject-Settlement of CHAPTER V. Re-election to Congress-Mr. Madison's Presidential term-State of Foreign Relations Preparations for War-Mr. Troup's Speeches and Letters-Non-intercourse— CHAPTER VI. Re-election to Congress, in 1810-Congress Convened by the President-Threat- ening posture of Foreign Relations-Mr. Troup advocates strong measures-Letters to Gov. Mitchell Speeches on Enlistment and the Militia-Declaration of war-Speeches on En- listment of minors, and on Army Bill-Defences of the Country................105-132 CHAPTER VII. Re-election to Congress, in 1812-Appointed Chairman of Military Committee CHAPTER VIII. Election to U. S. Senate, over Dr. Bibb-Course in that Body-African Slave Trade "Concert"-Mr. Troup's Speeches thereon-Resignation-State of Parties in Georgia -William H. Crawford-Gov. Clark--Col. Troup a candidate for Governor-Defeated in 1819, and again in 1821-Elected Governor in 1823, by the Legislature-Internal Improve- CHAPTER IX. Beginning of Indian Difficulties--Cherokee Controversy--Correspondence on that subject-Federal Relations-Slavery Agitation by Ohio Legislature--First Annual Mes- sage of Gov. Troup-Election of Governor given to the People-Commissioners appointed to treat with the Creeks-Governor requested to receive LaFayette, &c., &c. 194--253 CHAPTER X. Treaty concluded with the Creek Indians-Disturbances growing out of it-- Precautions of the Governor--Murder of McIntosh and others--Governor's Reception of LaFayette--Extra Session of the Legislature-Governor's Message--Recom mendations-- Views on Slavery Question--Governor Troup, Judge Berrien and Mr. Wirt--Proceedings of the Legislature-Major Andrews and General Gaines at Milledgeville-Governor's corres- pondence with them and the Government at Washington, begun, &c.--Case of the Indian CHAPTER XI. Canvass for Governor, in 1825-Gov. Troup and Gen. Clark rival candidates-- Political Excitement--Indian Difficulties continued--Gen. Gaines and Major Andrews- Governor forbids intercourse with them--Complains to the President, and demands arrest and trial of Gen. Gaines--U. S. Government objects to survey of Creek lands, &c. &c.— Acrimony of Gubernatorial contest--Governor Troup elected by the People--Mecting of Legislature--Annual Message of 1825--Proceedings of Legislature, &c., &c... ......334--424. CHAPTER XII. Now treaty concluded at Washington, with the Creek Indians-Difficulties, debates and correspondence growing out of it--More trouble with the Cherokees--Position and firmness of Governor Troup and the Georgia Delegation-Letter to Dr. Daniell--Gov. pronounces a eulogium on Jefferson and Adams-Dinner at Indian Springs-Survey of land ceded by the old Treaty-Threatened Interruption of the Surveyors-Meeting of the Legisla- ture-Governor's Message-Legislative action-Events of 1827-Threatening posture of CHAPTER XIII. Retirement of Gov. Troup from the Executive Chair-His last Annual Mes- sage-Declines a public Entertainment at Milledgeville, and a public Dinner at Savannah- Election to the U. S. Senate, in 1828-Course in Congress-Political opinions, &c.-His Resignation, and final retirement from public life.... CHAPTER XIV. Gov. Troup in retirement-Nominated, by State Rights men, for the Presidency -Political opinions, and views on various subjects-State sovereignty-United States Bank and Independent Treasury-Course in Presidential contest of 1840--Is opposed to admission of California, and "Compromise" measures of 1850-Elected a Delegate to the Nashville Con- vention--Nominated for the Presidency, by Southern Rights Convention in Alabama- Political and private correspondence--Decline in health; last sickness, and Death--Public testimonials to his worth-Summary of his character--Conclusion..... APPENDIX. Letter to Major Howard, on State interposition and sovereignty-Letter to Major LIFE OF GEORGE M. TROUP. CHAPTER I. Birth, Parentage, Education, and First Appearance in Public Life. By the Charter of the Province, the boundaries of Georgia included all that territory "which lies from the most northern part of a stream, or river there, commonly called the Savannah, all along the seacoast to the southward, to the southern stream of a certain other great water or river, called the Alatamaha, and westwardly from the heads of the said rivers respectively, in direct lines to the South seas; and all that share, circuit and precinct of land, within the said boundaries, with the islands on the sea, lying opposite to the eastern coast of the said lands, within twenty leagues of the same, which are not inhabited already, or settled by any authority derived from the Crown of Great Britain," &c. By a royal proclamation, dated the seventh day of October, 1763, "all the lands lying between the rivers Alatamaha and St. Mary's," were added to the province of Georgia. It is hardly necessary to remark that the term "South seas" conveyed no definite idea of the western boundary of the province, or that the claim under that description never extended, practically, to the west of the Mississippi river. Accordingly, we find that, by the fourth article of the Treaty between the United States and Spain, dated the 27th October, 1795, "it is likewise agreed that the western. boundary of the United States which separates them from the Spanish colony of Louisiana, is in the middle of the *The Pacific Ocean was originally called the South Sea.-ED. channel or bed of the river Mississippi, from the northern boundary of the said States to the completion of the thirtyfirst degree of latitude north of the equator." And by the Constitution of the State of Georgia, adopted the 30th day of May, 1798, the boundaries of the State were set out as follows: "that is to say, the limits, boundaries, jurisdiction and authority, of the State of Georgia, do and did, and of right ought to extend from the sea, or the mouth of the river Savannah, along the northern branch or stream thereof, to the fork or confluence of the rivers now called Tugalo and Keowee, and from thence along the most northern branch or stream of the said river Tugalo, till it intersects the northern boundary line of South Carolina, if the said branch or stream of Tugalo extends so far north, reserving all the islands in the said rivers Savannah and Tugalo to Georgia; but if the head-spring or source of any branch or stream of the said river Tugalo does not extend to the northern boundary line of South Carolina, then a west line to the Mississippi to be drawn from the headspring or source of the said branch or stream of Tugalo river, which extends to the highest northern latitude; thence down the middle of the said river Mississippi until it shall intersect the northernmost part of the thirty-first degree of north latitude; south by a line drawn due east from the termination of the line last mentioned, in the latitude of thirty-one degrees north of the equator, to the middle of the river Apalachicola or Chattahoochee; thence along the middle thereof to its junction with Flint river, thence straight to the head of St. Mary's river, and thence along the middle of St. Mary's river to the Atlantic ocean; and from thence to the mouth or inlet of Savannah river, the place of beginning; including and comprehending all the lands and waters within the said limits, boundaries and jurisdictional rights; and also all the islands within twenty leagues of the seacoast." At the time of Gov. Troup's birth, 8th September, 1780, all the country west of the present western boundary of Georgia (except a small portion of West Florida,) and within the limits aforesaid, were within the acknowledged limits of that State. It was within the bounds of the present State of Alabama, then a part of the territory of Georgia, that he was born. The following letter to Col. Pickett, the historiographer of Alabama, will show this fact and the precise spot of his nativity more clearly. The statement of Col. Pickett having been questioned, he wrote to Gov. Troup on the subject, and received the following reply: Col. A. J. Pickett, VALDOSTA, November 5th, 1852. Dear Sir: I have uniformly said to those who have appealed to me for facts connected with the history of persons and things in past time, and particularly such as relate to myself and family, that I have not a scrap of paper in the form of a record, memorial or authentic manuscript, that has been preserved for the purpose, or, indeed, any whatever, to my knowledge, spared by time, or by those yet more active destroyers, rats and mice. I must except the Bible, treasured by every family, and thus saved from the wasting influences of both. I have one of these, an old Oxford edition of 1772, in which is found recorded, in the hand-writing (the most beautiful and legible I ever saw,) of my father, the birth-place of six of his children. I copied this, word for word, into a new family Bible, and now have both before me. The following is a literal extract from the former, and all that appears in my father's hand-writing. “John McIntosh Troup, born the 3d of December, 1778, at Mobile in West Florida. "George Michael Troup, born at McIntosh's Bluff, on the river Tombigby, 8th of September, 1780. "David Troup, born at London, 8th November, 1781. "Roderick William Troup, born at Charleston, South Carolina, on Friday the 28th of February, 1783, at halfpast three o'clock in the morning. "Robert Lachlan Troup, born at Savannah, the day of December, 1784. |