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Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

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332 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS<br />

needed equipment. But fur<strong>the</strong>r discussion <strong>of</strong> this subject is reserved<br />

for a subsequent chapter.<br />

In 1785 Samuel Elbert became governor; and in 1786 Edward Tel-<br />

fair was again called to <strong>the</strong> helm <strong>of</strong> affairs.<br />

With <strong>the</strong> return <strong>of</strong> peace, Savannah had once more become <strong>the</strong> seat<br />

<strong>of</strong> government; but <strong>the</strong> spread <strong>of</strong> <strong>Georgia</strong>'s population toward <strong>the</strong> foot<br />

hills necessitated a change <strong>of</strong> location. There were no good roads in<br />

those days and since traveling in stage coach or on horse-back was nec<br />

essarily slow, settlers in <strong>the</strong> newly acquired lands were reluctant to<br />

make so long and hazardous a journey. During <strong>the</strong> Revolution <strong>the</strong> seat<br />

<strong>of</strong> government had twice been shifted to Augusta, and in <strong>the</strong> summer<br />

<strong>of</strong> 1783 <strong>the</strong> Legislature had again met in that town, which, for temporary<br />

purposes at least, seemed to <strong>of</strong>fer a convenient site, and accordingly, in<br />

1786, <strong>the</strong> capital <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> state was transferred to Augusta, where it re<br />

mained continuously until 1796. Meanwhile, however, <strong>the</strong> Legislature<br />

<strong>of</strong> 1786 appointed commissioners to locate a permanent site for <strong>the</strong><br />

state capital. It was to be located within twenty miles <strong>of</strong> Galphin's<br />

Old Town and was to be called Louisville. The commission appointed<br />

by Governor Telfair to locate a site was as follows: Nathan Brownson,<br />

William Few and Hugh Lawson. Ten years elapsed before this com<br />

mission finally completed its work.<br />

While Samuel Elbert was governor in 1785 an old boundary line<br />

dispute between <strong>Georgia</strong> and South Carolina reached an eruptive state.<br />

South Carolina contended that <strong>Georgia</strong>'s nor<strong>the</strong>rn boundary line should<br />

be run from <strong>the</strong> mouth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Tugalo River, whereas <strong>Georgia</strong> contended<br />

that her nor<strong>the</strong>rn boundary line should run. from <strong>the</strong> mouth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Keowee. To increase <strong>the</strong> irritation produced by this issue, South Caro<br />

line again claimed all <strong>the</strong> lands in <strong>Georgia</strong> to <strong>the</strong> south <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Altamaha<br />

River. She finally appealed <strong>the</strong> matter for settlement to <strong>the</strong> Conti<br />

nental Congress, which body, in 1785, selected a court to hear both sides;<br />

but <strong>the</strong> two states in <strong>the</strong> meantime, having agreed to adjust <strong>the</strong> matter<br />

amicably, a conference was held at Beaufort, South Carolina, in 1787, at<br />

which time <strong>the</strong> Tugalo River was accepted by both states as <strong>the</strong> main<br />

stream <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Savannah River; and accordingly it was from <strong>the</strong> mouth<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Tugalo that <strong>Georgia</strong>'s nor<strong>the</strong>rn boundary line should be drawn.<br />

When <strong>the</strong> line was finally surveyed, it was found that a strip <strong>of</strong> terri<br />

tory twelve miles wide, extending westward to <strong>the</strong> Mississippi River<br />

belonged to South Carolina, but since this strip was <strong>of</strong> no practical<br />

value to that state, it was deeded by South Carolina to <strong>the</strong> Federal<br />

Government, by which it was deeded back to <strong>Georgia</strong> in 1802. As a re<br />

sult <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Beaufort conference, South Carolina also agreed to relinguish<br />

her claims to <strong>the</strong> region <strong>of</strong> country lying between Darien and.St. Marys.*<br />

On November 19, 1786, Gen. Nathanael Greene died at Mulberry<br />

Grove as <strong>the</strong> result <strong>of</strong> a sunstroke. The illustrious soldier had been a<br />

resident <strong>of</strong> <strong>Georgia</strong> for only two years. At <strong>the</strong> time <strong>the</strong> Legislature <strong>of</strong><br />

this state conferred <strong>the</strong> Graham plantation upon General Greene, North<br />

Carolina voted him 25,000 acres <strong>of</strong> land on Duck River and South Caro<br />

line gave him an estate valued at £10,000 sterling on Edisto River. He<br />

chose to establish his residence at Mulberry Grove, even in preference<br />

*"Crawford and Marbmy's Digest," pp. 662-667. '

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