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GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 281
in justice to Doctor Znbly that, while he had strongly advocated re
sistance to the oppressive acts of Parliament, and had boldly stigmatized
taxation without representation, he had not gone so far as to preach ab
solute separation from the Crown of England. It was the plan of Doctor
Zubly to seek redress of grievances within the limits,of urgent protest,
but not to the extent of open revolt. He considered himself an English
subject. But on. the other hand it must be said, in justice to those who
were ready to dissolve the bonds of union, that, in upholding the prin
ciples of the great charter, they, too, acquitted themselves like loyal
Englishmen who bent-the knee in the true allegiance.
Perhaps Doctor Zubly, like more than one reluctant patriot, might
eventually have acquiesced in the majority sentiment; but an unfortu
nate incident occurred in the progress of the session which served to
bar him from future affiliation with the colonial patriots, even though,
underneath the horns of his own altar he crouched among the penitents.
Seeing that radical steps were to be taken, he undertook privately to
communicate with Governor "Wright. He was divulging no star-chamber
secret and betraying no public trust; but the watchword of the hour
was liberty. In some way the designs of Doctor Zubly were discovered,
and he was confronted with exposure on the floor of the Continental
Congress. Realizing that his influence was destroyed and his useful
ness ended in Philadelphia, he withdrew from the patriotic councils, and
returned to Georgia.
But Doctor Zubly was not to remain idle. Though he was powerless
among the assembled lawmakers in Philadelphia, he was not debarred
from appealing to the inhabitants of the colony; and he went before the
people, resolved to cheek, if possible, the movement toward separation.
Many communicants withdrew from the Independent Church. Some
were converted by tie eloquent logic of the wily doctor, and some re
tained membership only because of an inherent conservatism. He began
to thunder again from the pulpit. He resorted once more to the
pamphlets. But it was now to stem the republican tide.
Another Provincial Congress was held early in the year following,
but there was no adjournment to hear Doctor Zubly preach. Archibald
Bulloch, Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton and John
HoTistonn were elected to the Continental Congress. It has already
been stated that Mr. Bulloch was detained at home by reason of admin
istrative duties. The others repaired to Philadelphia. But news at
length reached the Quaker City to the effect that Doctor Zubly, instead
of converting bad sinners, was converting good Whigs and that Georgia
was apt to turn Tory unless the designs of the preacher were check
mated.
Times of excitement are always favorable to the reckless use of
hyperbole; but, while the accounts were felt to be exaggerated, it was
thought best to dispatch one of the members of the congressional dele
gation to Georgia to combat the heretical doctrines o£ Doctor Zubly and
to hold the colony to the formulas of the true faith. Upon Mr. Houstoun
devolved the task; and, since he had gone before the congregation of
the old Independent Church the year previous to ask that Doctor Zubly
be allowed to represent the colony, he felt the responsibility of the
commission. Like the epigrammatic Cffisar, he was soon able to say,