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GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 403
secured the fraudulent patents sold them to parties ignorant of the true
state of things and for years an earnest effort was made by defrauded
purchasers of worthless script to secure some indemnity from the state,
but without success.*
But while the General Assembly did not convene at Louisville until
1796, a convention called for the purpose of revising the state's funda
mental law met at the new seat of government in May, 1795, amidst the
general upheaval produced by the Yazoo Fraud. There was a provision
made in the Constitution of 1789 for a convention of the people to be
held within six years. It stipulated that in the general election of 1794
three persons should be chosen from each county as members to a con
vention "for taking into consideration the alterations necessary to be
made in this Constitution, who shall meet at such time and place as the
General Assembly may appoint."
Accordingly delegates were chosen in 1794 to attend a convention
at Louisville in May of the year following. Some of the counties, when
this convention met, were not represented by a full quota of delegates.
Glynn, in a sparsely settled district, sent only one member; while
Liberty, though in a wealthy belt, does not seem to have been repre
sented at all. However, there are no authentic records extant. It is
not unlikely that Liberty's delegation was late in arriving. We can
find nothing at this late day beyond a meagre newspaper account, giv
ing a list of delegates who probably answered to the first roll call. This
list is as follows: f
Chatham—Josiah Tattnall, Jr., Thomas Gibbons, Noble W. Jones.
Melntosh—Joseph Clay, John Wereat. These delegates did not live
in Melntosh but were chosen by its electors to represent them.
Burke—B. Davis, D. Emanuel, Thomas King.
Elbert—L. Higginbotham, Stephen Heard, Wm. Barnett.
Glynn—John Girardeau.
Greene—David Gresham, Phil Hunter, ~W. Fitzpatrick.
Richmond—John Milton, George Walker, Phil Clay ton.
Screven—B. Lanier, Wm. Skinner, P. R. Smith.
Warren—Levi Pruitt, John Cobbs, P. Goodwin.
Washington—John Rutherford, George Franklin, R. Wilkinson.
Wilkes—B. Catehings, Silas Mercer, D. Creswell.
The convention organized by electing Dr. Noble Wymberley Jones,
of Chatham, president.
To quote Bishop Stevens, the principal contest was over the appor
tionment of representatives among the counties. :!: The basis of repre
sentation was adjusted somewhat; and several new counties having been
formed, these were allotted representatives. The time for holding the
annual sessions of the General Assembly was changed from the first
Monday in November to the second Tuesday in January; all elections
by the General Assembly were to be held in joint session; senators
thereafter were to be elected annually instead of triennially; and Louis
ville was to be the new seat of government. There was some discussion
* "Story of Georgia ^nd the Georgia People," George G. Smith, pp. 176-178.
t Story of Georgia and the Georgia People,'' George G. Smith, p. 178.
t "History of Georgia," II, p. 407.