Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 411
The Middle Circuit had been in existence since 1797.
William .Few was the first judge of the Middle Circuit, holding
office until his successor, George Walton, formerly judge of the Western
Circuit, qualified under the new State Constitution.
Thus we find the beginnings of our present judicial system clearly
defines in the great Judiciary Act of 1799.
The Convention of 1798 authorized the adoption of a new Great
Seal for the State but left the details of its design to be determined
later. On February 8, 1799, the Legislature, acting under this authority,
adopted a Seal which, for one hundred and sixteen years, was used in
attesting important State papers, for the validity of which the Great
Seal was required. In fact, it was used long after its imprint ceased
to be legible. It consisted of two solid plates of silver, each of which was
a quarter of an inch thick by two inches and a quarter in diameter. The
Great Seal was kept by authority of law in the office of Secretary of
State. According to the records, it was first used on July 4, 1799. The
following description of the Great Seal is taken verbatim from the Code
of Georgia.*
The device, on one side, is a view of the seashore, with a ship bear
ing the flag of the United States riding at anchor near a wharf, receiving
on. board hogsheads of tobacco and bales of cotton, emblematic of the
exports of this State; at a small distance a boat, landing from the inte
rior of the State, with hogsheads, etc., on board, representing the inter
nal traffic, in the back part of the same side a man in the act of plowing,
and at a small distance a flock of sheep in different pastures, shaded by
a flourishing tree; the motto thereon: "Agriculture and Commerce,
1799."
The device on the other side is three pillars, supporting an arch,
with the word '' Constitution'' engraven within the same, emblematic of
the Constitution, supported by the three departments of government,
viz., legislative, judicial and executive—the first pillar having engraven
on it " Wisdom,'' the second '' Justice,'' the third '' Moderation;" on the
right of the last pillar a man standing with a drawn sword, represent
ing the aid of the military in defense of the Constitution; the motto,
"State of Georgia, 1799."
When the great seal of the state was adopted, in 1799, tobacco fur
nished the chief agricultural crop of the state and there were numerous
warehouses erected for the inspection of the plant, but with the inven
tion of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney, cotton gradually gained the
ascendency over tobacco, until the cultivation of the latter was finally
discontinued.
In an old issue of the Louisville Gazette, dated February 26, 1799,
Governor Joseph M. Brown, during his second term of office, found an
executive order, signed by Thomas Johnson, secretary to Governor James
Jackson. It calls upon artists throughout the world to submit drawings
for the proposed new great seal of the state, an outline sketch of which
was furnished, in terms of the act approved February 8, 1799; and to
supply an adequate incentive to genius, the sum of $30 was offered as
a premium. It was further stipulated that the drawings were to be
* Code of 1895, Vol. I, p. 66.