Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

CHAPTER VI
GEN. ELIJAH CLARICE'S TRANS-OCONEE REPUBLIC—AN EPISODE OP Gov-
ERNOE MA-THEWS' ADMINISTRATION—WEARY OP INCESSANT TROUBLES
ALONG THE EXPOSED BORDER, GENERAL CLARKB ADOPTS A NOVEL
COURSE—TAKES THE LAW INTO His OWN HANDS—His ORIGINAL
PLAN, HOWEVER, WAS TO RECOVER LOUISIANA FOE PRANCE AND TO
SEIZE FLORIDA—WON BY THE FRENCH EMISSARY, GENET, HE AC
CEPTS A COMMISSION IN TPIE FRENCH ARMY—GENERAL CLARICE A
MORTAL ENEMY OF SPAIN—WASHINGTON'S SUSPICIONS AROUSED—
RESOURCES INADEQUATE, THE SCHEME PROVES ABORTIVE—BUT FIND
ING HIMSELF AT THE HBAD OP ,AN ARMED FORCE, GENERAL CLARKE
ENTERS THE TERRITORY OP THE INDIANS—SEEKS TO FORM AN INDE
PENDENT NATION—PUBLIC CENSURE CONDEMNS GENERAL CLARKE—
JUDGE WALTON 's CHARGE TO THE GRAND JURY OF WILKES—THE WAR
DEPARTMENT TAKES A HAND—GENERAL CLARICE'S DESIGNS ARE SET
FORTH IN A PROCLAMATION ISSUED BY GOVERNOR MATHEWS—GENERAL
TWIGGS Is SENT TO ARREST GENERAL CLARKE—BOTH PATRIOTS OF
THE REVOLUTION—GENERAL CLARKE VOLUNTARILY SURRENDERS—BUT
No LEGAL ACTION Is TAKEN—THOUGH His REPUTATION WAS BE-
PLVIMED BY THIS EPISODE ov His LAST DAYS, THERE WAS DOUBT
LESS NO INTENT TO COMMIT AN ACT OP TREASON—COLONEL CHAP-
PELL'S OPINION—BURIAL PLACE OF GENERAL CLARKE RECENTLY
DISCOVERED.
During- the .year 1794, when Governor Ma thews occupied the execu
tive chair, there occurred in this state an episode to which the historians
have seemingly attached little importance; but it possesses a flavor of
intense human interest, if not a hearing of any great value upon the
future course of events. We call it an episode because it ended iu fail
ure; but had it succeeded there is no telling to what extent it might
have influenced the current of history. Gen. Elijah Clarke, of the Rev
olution, who at this time was well advanced in years but still full of
the martial spirit, conceived the idea of organizing an independent
government on the, west side of the Oconee River, in what was then the
domain of the Creek Indians.
General Clarke was undoubtedly a patriot. In the drama of inde
pendence, he had played a most heroic part, having been chiefly instru
mental in the overthrow of Toryism in upper Georgia; and if his fame
.as a fighter was eclipsed in some measure by this exploit of his later life
it was because the precise nature of his enterprise was not fully under
stood by his critics. He contemplated nothing akin to treason. The
collapse of Ms splendid scheme exposed him to consequences such as
failure invariably entails; but in sheer justice to the stern old warrior
379