396 



GEORGIA. 



all her nets while in rebellion were null and 

 void, and the Convention must prohibit any 

 acknowledgment now, or hereafter, of the war 

 debt. Slavery was abolished, and Georgia was 

 called on to give earnest promises to the world 

 that this institution will never be revived. 



On the 26th the Convention commenced its 

 work in earnest. The following ordinance, re- 

 pealing that of secession, and ordinances con- 

 nected therewith, was reported, and subse- 

 quently passed : 



October 80, 1865. 



AN OEDIXANCE to repeal certain ordinances and resolu- 

 tions therein mentioned, heretofore passed by the 

 people of the State of Georgia in Convention. 

 ' "\Ve, the people of Georgia, in convention at our 

 seat of government, do declare and ordain that the 

 ordinance adopted by the same people in convention 

 on the 19th day of January, A. D. 1861, entitled an 

 ordinance to dissolve the union between the State of 

 Georgia and other States united with her under a 

 compact of government entitled the united States 6f 

 America ; also, an ordinance adopted by the same on 

 the 15th day of March, in the year of our Lord afore- 

 said, entitled an ordinance to adopt and ratify the 

 Constitution of the Confederate States of America, 

 and also all ordinances and resolutions of the same 

 adopted between the 16th day of January and the 

 24th day of March of the year aforesaid, subversive 

 or antagonistic to the civil and military authorities 

 of the Government of the United States of America 

 under the Constitution thereof, be, and the same are 

 hereby repealed. 



(Signed) HERSCHEL V. JOHNSON, President. 

 Attest, J. D. WADDELL, Secretary. 



J. JOHNSON, Provisional Governor, 



The passage of this ordinance was reported 

 by the Provisional Governor to the President, 

 by whom the following reply was despatched : 



EXECITTIVE MANSION, \ 

 WASHINGTON, D. C., Oct 28, 1865. f 

 To James Johnson, Prov. Governor, Milledgeville, Ga.: 



Your despatch has been received. The people of 

 Georgia should not hesitate one single moment in 

 repudiating every singla dollar of debt created for the 

 purpose of aiding the rebellion against the Govern- 

 ment of the United States. It will not do to levy and 

 collect taxes from a State and people that are loyal 

 and in the Union to pay a debt that was created to 

 aid in taking them out and subverting the Constitu- 

 tion of the United States. 



I do not believe the great mass of the people of the 

 State of Georgia, when left uninfluenced, will ever 

 submit to the payment of a debt which was the main 

 cause of bringing on their p&st and present suffering, 

 the result of the rebellion. 



Those who invested their capital in the creation of 

 this debt must meet their fate, and take it as one of 

 the inevitable results of the rebellion, though it may 

 seem hard to them. 



It should at once be made known, at home and 

 abroad, that no debt contracted for the purpose of 

 dissolving the Union can or ever will be paid by 

 taxes levied on the people for such purpose. 



ANDREW JOHNSON, 

 President of the United States. 



On the 28th an ordinance declaring the war 

 debt void was referred. This ordinance met 

 with much opposition, and was vigorously dis- 

 cussed. It was finally passed on November 

 7th by a vote of one hundred and thirty-three 

 to one hundred and seventeen. The following 

 is a report of sotno further proceedings of the 

 same day : 



The committee of sixteen offered a series of reso- 

 lutions of thanks to his Excellency the Governor ; 

 also requesting him to forward a copy of all ordi- 

 nances to the President, passed by this Convention, 

 Adopted. 



They also offered a memorial to the President, 

 affirming that they had abolished slavery and com- 

 plied with all the requirements, in order to become 

 again a State with the rights and privileges of other 

 States, desiring peace and harmony, and confiding 

 in the good intentions of the President, etc. 



Mr. Hill moved to recommit, so as to incorporate 

 in the memorial the ordinance passed, declaring null 

 and void the public debt. 



Mr. Kenan saw no good reason why this should be 

 done. Why place this in the memorial and no other? 

 Why emblazon it to the world ? and why tell Presi- 

 dent Johnson that we had by ordinance repudiated 

 the war debt of Georgia ? We have had enough of 

 telegrams from the City of Washington influencing 

 this body. It was humiliating enough to pass the 

 ordinance without incorporating it in this memorial. 

 He hoped the measure would not prevail. 



Mr. Hill replied : The President would not con- 

 sider it humiliating to place this in the memorial 

 that we had abolished slavery. 



Mr. Kenan. That was required. 



Mr. Hill. The gentleman says that was required. 

 Was not the measure spoken of required ? 



Mr. Kenan. No, sir; in my opinion there has been 

 no requisition. 



Mr. Hill read from the memorial. 



Mr. Kenan said that these telegrams were received 

 in other States, including Georgia, and nothing was 

 said by the President requiring repudiation. He 

 had a pardon in his pocket for nimself, and nothing 

 in that pardon requires him to forfeit by his vote the 

 honor of Georgia. He was a Union man five years 

 ag^o in this hall, and when Georgia seceded he went 

 with her, and " so help me God, if I had my way, we 

 to-day would have been a separate and distinct Gov- 

 ernment." 



He did not tell President Johnson in order to get a 

 pardon that he was a Union man. He stood upon 

 his merits. He had heard of applications for special 

 pardon at the White House because men were using 

 the plea that they were Union men. One party used 

 this plea to obtain a pardon, whilst near him stood a 

 young man of 21 years. The question was asked the 

 Union man, "What did you do?" "Oh, I am for 

 the Union." "Did you fight for it?" "No." 

 Turning to the young man, " And you, sir, what 

 have you done? " Sir, I am a rebel, have fought 

 for the South four years, received several wounds, 

 and ask for a pardon." The President ordered his 

 secretary to make out a special pardon for the young 

 man, whilst the Union shrieker was left out in the 

 cold. No, sir, I will never shield any responsibility 

 in the plea of Union. 



The Convention also passed an ordinance di- 

 viding the State into seven Congressional dis- 

 tricts, containing counties and population as 

 follows : 



Another ordinance was adopted, directing an 

 election for Governor, members of the Stuto 

 Legislature, and of Congress, to be held on No- 

 vember 15th. 



