Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

CHAPTER XI
GEORGE M. TEOUP WINS THE GOVERNORSHIP IN 1823, DEFEATING MATTHEW
TALBOT, THE CLARK CANDIDATE—THE BALLOT STANDS EIGHTY-FIVE TO
EIGHTY-ONE—GREAT EXCITEMENT IN THE LEGISLATURE—JESSE MER- ,
CER Is OVERJOYED—THE LAST ELECTION OF A GOVERNOR BY THE LEGIS-
. LATURE—AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION Is ADOPTED MAKING
THE OFFICE ELECTIVE BY THE PEOPLE—GOVERNOR TROUP SOUNDS AN
UNEQUIVOCAL NOTE FOR A REMOVAL OF THE INDIANS—CONGRESS Is
AGAIN MEMORIALIZED—THE GOVERNOR ALSO ' ADDRESSES A VIGOROUS
COMMUNICATION TO GEORGIA'S SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES IN
CONGRESS—NEXT, IN 1824, HE TRANSMITS A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO THE
LEGISLATURE ON THIS SUBJECT—THE COMPACT OF 1802 RECALLED—
THINGS BEGIN TO LOOK SERIOUS—ALARMED BY THE MENACING TONE
OF GOVERNOR TROUP 's MESSAGE, THE CHEROKEES SEND A DELEGATION
TO WASHINGTON—PROGRESS MADE BY THESE INDIANS IN THE ARTS OF
• PEACE AND IN THE SCIENCE OF GOVERNMENT—MEMORIAL ADDRESSED
BY THE CHEROKEES TO CONGRESS—PRESIDENT MONROE Is FRIENDLY
TO THE INDIANS—His ATTITUDE Is RESENTED BY GEORGIA—THE MAT
TER REFERRED TO CONGRESS—BUT ACTION Is DELAYED PENDING .THE
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1824—NEW . COUNTIES CREATED—DE-
CATUR, WARE, UPSON, THOMAS, BAKER, LOWNDES AND TALIAFERRO.
George M. Troup finally won the governorship in 1823. But not
without a spirited contest. Governor Clark, having filled this high office
for two consecutive terms, was not a candidate f or - re-election; but the
Clark party had put a candidate in the field and political excitement was
at fever heat when the Legislature met in November to elect a governor.
Hon. Matthew Talbot, of Wilkes, was the candidate supported by the
Clark faction. Mr. Talbot was a native of Virginia and a man of large
means. He had served repeatedly in the State Legislature and was occu
pying the president's chair in the Senate, when the death of Governor
Rabun in 1819 brought him temporarily to the helm of affairs. Having
stepped aside for General Clark at this time, the latter was now ready
to pay a political debt by supporting Mr. Talbot.
On March 6,1823, a ballot was taken, the result of which stood: Troup
eighty-five, Talbot eighty-one. Says Mr. Phillips:* "It so happened
that when 162 ballots had been counted the tally stood 81 to 81, with
four votes still in the hat. These proved to be all for Troup, and the
house went wild. A picturesque figure was that of Jesse Mercer, who
staggered out, overcome with joy, loudly praising heaven that he had
lived to see the day. This old man was for many years a prominent
'Georgia and State Eights," pp. 102-103.
527