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Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

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GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 459<br />

ernor Wm. J. Nor<strong>the</strong>n became principal <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> school. The Powelton<br />

Academy was incorporated November 23, 1815, with <strong>the</strong> following board<br />

<strong>of</strong> trustees: Wm. Rabun, Nicholas Childers, Thomas Cooper, Sampson<br />

Duggar, Archibald R. S. Hunter, James Crowder, Reuben T. Battle,<br />

John Veazy and Stephen Weston.* The academy at Sparta was estab<br />

lished December 17, 1818, with <strong>the</strong> following incorporators: Wm. G.<br />

Springer, John Lucas, Nicholas Childers, Charles E. Haynes and Thomas<br />

Haynes. f<br />

According to <strong>the</strong> census <strong>of</strong> 1810 <strong>Georgia</strong>'s population was 250,000<br />

inhabitants. Her exports aggregated $2,500,000 in value, a net increase<br />

<strong>of</strong> $1,000,000 in ten years. Savannah was still <strong>the</strong> metropolis <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

state, but with a population <strong>of</strong> only 5,000. Brunswick, Darien and St.<br />

Marys were beginning to develop some importance as seaports. Augusta<br />

was still a small town on <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn frontier, but with a growing trade.<br />

On <strong>the</strong> basis <strong>of</strong> population, <strong>Georgia</strong> was entitled to six representatives<br />

in <strong>the</strong> national House, but <strong>the</strong> apportionment was not made1 in time to<br />

affect her representation in <strong>the</strong> Twelfth Congress (1811-1813). To this<br />

Congress, Dr. W. W. Bibb, Howell Cobb, Boiling Hall and George M.<br />

Troup were elected. Mr. Cobb resigned in 1812 to accept a captaincy'<br />

in <strong>the</strong> regular army <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> United States, when a rupture with England<br />

threatened a second war for independence. Mr. Cobb's successor was<br />

William Barnett. But in <strong>the</strong> fall <strong>of</strong> 1812 six representatives were chosen<br />

to <strong>the</strong> ensuing Congress (1813-1815), to wit: William Barnett, Wm.<br />

W. Bibb, John Forsyth, Boiling Hall, Thomas Telfair and George M.<br />

Troup.<br />

On March 13, 1813, William H. Crawford relinquished his seat in<br />

<strong>the</strong> United States Senate to become ambassador to France under an<br />

appointment from President Madison. To succeed him, Governor<br />

Mitchell appointed Wm. B. Bulloch, <strong>of</strong> Savannah, but when <strong>the</strong> Legis<br />

lature met in November, Dr. W. W. Bibb, <strong>the</strong>n a member <strong>of</strong> Congress,<br />

was elected to <strong>the</strong> Senate, while Alfred Cuthbert was chosen to succeed<br />

Doctor Bibb in Congress. While abroad Mr. Crawford was <strong>the</strong> re<br />

cipient <strong>of</strong> a marked tribute from <strong>the</strong> Emperor Napoleon, a detailed<br />

account <strong>of</strong> which is given elsewhere in this work. J<br />

MR. CRAWPORD AT THE COURT OP NAPOLEON.—In a letter written to Maj. Stephen<br />

F. Miller by Col. George M. Dudley, son-in-law and biographer <strong>of</strong> Mr. Crawford,<br />

<strong>the</strong> following au<strong>the</strong>ntic account is given <strong>of</strong> a famous episode which occurred at <strong>the</strong><br />

French Court in 1813. Says Colonel Dudley ("Miller's Bench and Bar <strong>of</strong> <strong>Georgia</strong>,"<br />

Vol. I, Sketch <strong>of</strong> Mr. Crawford) : "Though Mr. Crawford has told us <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> bow<br />

he made on his presentation to <strong>the</strong> Emperor Napoleon, his modesty prevented him<br />

from saying what special favors he received in return. We are indebted to his<br />

Secretary <strong>of</strong> Legation [Dr. Henry Jackson], for <strong>the</strong> following incident: So im<br />

pressed was <strong>the</strong> Emperor with his firm step, his l<strong>of</strong>ty bearing, his tall, manly, and<br />

imposing figure, decorated for <strong>the</strong> first time in <strong>the</strong> court dress <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Empire that<br />

he avowed [on meeting <strong>the</strong> American Ambassador] that Mr. Crawford was <strong>the</strong> only<br />

man to whom he had ever felt constrained to bow and that on this occasion he had<br />

involuntarily bowed twice as he received <strong>the</strong> minister from <strong>the</strong> United States. The<br />

homage thus paid by <strong>the</strong> Emperor was said to be a rare if not an unprecedented<br />

occurrence at this court; and <strong>the</strong> Emperor himself was one <strong>of</strong> those who observed,<br />

upon looking at Mr. Crawford, that he was among <strong>the</strong> few distinguished men whose<br />

actual appearance more than realized what one anticipated before seeing <strong>the</strong>m."<br />

* "Lamar's Compilation," pp. 4-5.<br />

t "Lamar's Compilation," pp. 22-23.<br />

1 See '' <strong>Georgia</strong> in <strong>the</strong> Realm <strong>of</strong> Anecdote, Wit and Humor.''

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