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CHAPTER II
ORGANIZING THE NEW FEDERAL GOVERNMENT—WHEN THE ELECTORS
MEET, GEORGE WASHINGTON, OF VIRGINIA, RECEIVES EVERY BALLOT
CAST FOB PRESIDENT—MARCH 4, 1789, THE DATE SET FOR CONGRESS
TO ASSEMBLE, BUT THE LAWMAKERS SLOW IN ARRIVING—NEW YORK
THE TEMPORARY SEAT OP GOVERNMENT.—WASHINGTON'S INAUGURA
TION TAKES PLACE ON APRIL 30, 1789—THREE STATES RELUCTANT TO
ENTER THE UNION—RHODE ISLAND AND NORTH CAROLINA ENTP.R
AFTER WASHINGTON'S INAUGURATION—GEORGIA'S FIRST UNITED
STATES SENATORS : WILLIAM FEW AND JAMES GUNN—THREE REPRE
SENTATIVES ALLOWED, BUT ONE Is LOST UNDER THE CENSUS OP Ir 90—
JOSEPH HABERSHAM BECOMES POSTMASTER-GENERAL—INDIAN AF
FAIRS CONSTITUTE AT THIS TIME THE NATION'S MOST SERIOLS PROB
LEM—COL. BENJAMIN HAWKINS, OP NORTH CAROLINA, RELINQUISHES
A SEAT IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE, TO BECOME INDIAN AGENT
WITH HEADQUARTERS IN GEORGIA—His FIRST IMPORTANT SERVICE IN
NEGOTIATING THE TREATY OP COLERAINE—GEORGIA'S NEW STATE
CONSTITUTION ADOPTED MAY 4, 1789—SOME OF T TIE MORE IMPORTANT
CHANGES—THE OLD EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ABOLISHED—THE STATE
SENATE OP GEORGIA Is CREATED—How THE Two HOUSES WERE TO BE
CONSTITUTED—QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERSHIP—How THE GOV
ERNOR WAS TO BE ELECTED—No CLERGYMEN ADMITTED TO MEMBER
SHIP IN EITHER HOUSE—THE COUNTY UNIT PRINCIPLE—GEORGE
HANDLEY GOVERNOR FROM 1788 TO 1789—THEN GEORGE WALTON Is
ELECTED—HOLJJS OFFICE UNTIL THE NEW CONSTITUTION BECOMES
EFFECTIVE — EDWARD TELFAIR INAUGURATED — GEORGIA 's FIRST
THANKSGIVING DAY—DR. NATHAN BROWNSON, FIRST PRESIDENT OP
THE STATE SENATE—CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS—GEORGIA'S EARLY
REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS—GENERAL WAYNE AND MAJOR JACK
SON, Two REVOLUTIONARY PATRIOTS, IN A BITTER CONTEST—THE
FORMER UNSEATED—AFTERWARDS LEAVES .GEORGIA—IN 1793 MAJOR
JACKSON SUCCEEDS WILLIAM FE.W IN THE FEDERAL SENATE—THE
FEWS A NOTED FAMILY IN GEORGIA—Two NEW COUNTIES FORMED IN
1790, COLUMBIA AND ELBERT.
Preparations for launching the new government were all made by
the Continental Congress. This body, into whose hands the supreme
control of the nation had been entrusted since 1774, was fated to expire
when the Federal Congress should meet on March 4, 1789, to inaugurate
a President and to assume the law-making authority conferred upon it
by the Federal Constitution. In the meantime, the first Wednesday in
January was fixed as the time for choosing electors. These were to meet
on the first Wednesday in February and the new Congress was to assem-
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