Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

224 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS
king's sign manual, was to bear the high and solemn title of "Chief
Justice of Georgia" and was to receive £2,500 per annum. There were
to be three assistants appointed by the governor, but these were to serve
without salary, except in certain cases. Inferior courts were also to be
established.
Governor Reynolds did not reach Georgia until October 29, 1754.
He was an officer in the king's navy and was qualified neither by pre
vious experience nor by temperamental fitness for executive responsi
bilities. But he was given a cordial welcome by the colony which he
had come to govern. When the British man-of-war, Port Mahon, on
which he took passage, arrived at the docks in Savannah, there was a
great delegation assembled upon the bluff to meet him, and his arrival
upon Georgia's soil was hailed with signal honors. At night bon-fires
were kindled in the public square. Patrick Graham, acting as presi
dent of the colony, made a formal speech of welcome, introducing him
to the board of assistants. Governor Reynolds was then conducted to
the chair, at which time he formally dissolved the old board and
announced the new king's council. On the following day its members
were duly sworn. The oath was likewise administered to the various
officers appointed by the Crown. The commission given to Governor
Reynolds was "next read and published at the head of the militia under
arms," and was heard with profound respect. At its conclusion a
salute of musketry was fired. Then followed, in honor of the new
government, a public dinner, at which the members of council and the
principal inhabitants of Savannah were present, and with this bountiful
repast an eventful day was brought to an end.
Governor Reynolds found the province in a greatly reduced condi
tion. Back of the joyful acclamations with which he was greeted upon
his arrival in Savannah there were many anxious hearts. All looked to
his coming as a harbinger of better times. It was a period of transi
tion. Much depended upon the new form of government. There was
great latent wealth within the colony, but it needed the vitalizing touch
of Prospero's wand. Some idea of conditions in Savannah may be
obtained from an early letter written by Governor Reynolds to the
Board of Trade. -Said he:
"The town of Savannah is well sitxiated and contains about a hun
dred and fifty houses, all wooden, ones, very small and mostly very old.
The biggest was used for the meeting of the President and Assistants,
where I sat in Council for a few days, but one end fell down whilst
we were all there, and obliged us to move to a kind of shed behind the
Court-house, which being quite unfit, I have given orders, with the
advice of the Council, to fit up the shell of a house which was lately
built for laying up the silk, but was never made use of, being very ill-
calculated for that purpose as Mr. Ottolenghe informs me, wherefore
he says he has no further use for it, but it will make a tolerable good
house for the Council and Assembly to meet in, and for a' few offices
besides.''
Writs of election were issued at this time for a general assembly
to be held at Savannah, on January 7, 1755, only the lower house of
which was to be elected. When the house of assembly met at this time
in association with the king's council, sitting in a legislative capacity,