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CHAPTER X
GOVERNOR JACKSON, ON RELINQUISHING THE EXECUTIVE CHAIR, Is
RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE—DESPITE A FIERY TEM
PER AND A HOST OF POWERFUL ENEMIES, His POPULARITY WITH THE
MASSES REMAINS UNDIMINISHED—JOSIAH TATTNALL Is CALLED TO
THE HELM—ONE OF His FIRST OFFICIAL ACTS Is TO APPROVE A
MEASURE RESTORING TO His FATHER AN ESTATE CONFISCATED BY
REASON OP THE LATTER's LOYALTY TO ENGLAND DURING THE REVO
LUTION——BONAVENTURE——TlIIS PROPERTY Is RESTORED IN RECOGNI
TION OF THE SON'S PATRIOTIC DEVOTION TO LIBERTY—GOVERNOR
TATTNALL's ILL HEALTH—SEEKS TO REGAIN His STRENGTH IN THE
BAHAMA ISLANDS—DIES AT NASSAU—JOHN MILLEDGE BECOMES Gov-
EKNOR—MEANWHILE, IN 1801, Two NEW COUNTIES ARE CREATED—
CLARKE AND TATTNALL—FRANKLIN COLLEGE AT ATHENS Is OPENED
TO STUDENTS—AMERICA'S OLDEST STATE UNIVERSITY—AN ACCOUNT
OF ITS ORIGIN—ABRAHAM BALDWIN AND JOHN MILLEDGE, Two
STAUNCH FRIENDS OF HIGHER EDUCATION—THE FORMER Is RECOG
NIZED AS THE FOUNDER OF FRANKLIN COLLEGE—THE SENATUS
ACADEMICUS—JOSIAH MEIGS—THE FIRST COMMENCEMENT EXER
CISES—JUDGE EMORY SPEER, IN 1901, DELIVERS THE CENTENNIAL
ORATION.
Governor James Jackson relinquished the executive chair in 1801,
after a turbulent administration. His enemies, some of whom were
men of powerful influence in the state, did not lapse into inactivity
upon his elevation to the official helm; nor did the old governor himself
while occupying the executive chair forget his mortal hatred of the
Yazooists. On more, than one occasion, as we have already noted, he
displayed a vindictive spirit. But his popularity with the masses re
mained unimpaired, and, on resigning the office of governor, he
re-entered the United States Senate, this time succeeding his former col
league, Senator Gunn. The latter's political career was at an end
because of his complicity in the sale of the Yazoo lands.
As chief magistrate of the state, Governor Jackson was succeeded by
a revered patriot of the Revolution, Josiah Tattnall. The son of a
stout old royalist, who bore the same name, he escaped from a school
in England, where his father had placed him, and made his way back
to America in time to lend a helping hand to the rescue of his native
state from British domination. Bonaventure, the beautiful country-
seat of the Tattnalls, near Savannah, had been confiscated by the "Whig
government because of the elder Tattnall's pronounced Tory senti
ments. He had refused to take up arms against the Crown of England
and had left the state rather than draw his sword against Georgia.
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