

GEORGIA. 



337 



published a narrative of his experiences, con- 

 taining much information respecting that in- 

 hospitable region. The Emperor of Brazil has 

 sent expeditions into the unknown interior of 

 his empire and among the sources of the south- 

 ern affluents of the Amazon. A new explora- 

 tion of the isthmus of Darien, to settle finally 

 the question of the practicability of the con- 

 struction of a canal, has been made by a French 

 and English company. 



Capt. Burton and M. Jules Remy have been 

 visiting and examining the Salt Lake and Car- 



for her safety, honor, or happiness ; and that when a 

 State exercises this right of secession, the Federal 

 Government has no right to coerce or make war upon 

 her because of the exercise of such right to secede ; 

 and should any Southern State secede from the Amer- 

 ican Union, and the Federal Government make war 

 upon her therefor, Georgia will give to the seceding 

 Southern State the aid, encouragement, and assistance 

 of her entire people. And should the State of Georgia 

 secede from the Union by the action of the Convention 

 of her people on the Itith of January next, she aska 

 the like sympathy and assistance from her Southern 

 sisters which she hereby offers to them. 



This resolution was subsequently, under the 



son valley region, and both have published the indications of the strength of the popular feel- 



results of their observations. 



The Canadian Government sent a scientific 

 corps to Labrador to ascertain the feasibility of 

 colonization there. They ascended the river 

 Moise, as far as it was navigable for a canoe, 

 and thence proceeded by land to the higher 

 region. They report that the peninsula is a 

 vast level but elevated plateau, having numer- 

 ous lakes which communicate with the sea, by 

 rivers 250 miles and more in length, but that 

 the soil is too barren and the country too cold 

 for emigrants. 



Such, briefly, are the results of the year's dis- 

 coveries. If less brilliant than those of some 

 previous years, they are certainly not less im- 

 portant in their bearing on the future progress 

 of the human race. 



GEORGIA, one of the original thirteen 

 States, is bounded north by Tennessee and 

 North Carolina, east by South Carolina and 

 the Atlantic Ocean, south by Florida, and west 

 by Florida and Alabama. It is about three 

 hundred miles in length from north to south, 

 and two hundred and fifty-six miles at its 

 greatest breadth, with an area of 58,000 square 

 miles. The population in 1860 was 591,638 

 whites, 3,459 free colored, and 462,232 slaves. 

 Total 1,057,329. The ratio of increase for the 

 previous ten years had been 13.43 per cent, 

 whites, 18.01 per cent, free colored, and 21.10 

 per cent, slaves. The Legislature meets bi- 

 ennially. The Senate consists of 47 members, 

 and the House of 130 members. Both Houses 

 are elected for each session. The term of the 

 Governor of the State, Joseph E. Brown, ex- 

 pires in November, 1863. (See NEW AMERICAN 

 CYCLOPAEDIA.) 



The session of the Legislature commenced in 

 November, and its attention was early attract- 

 ed to the movement to secede from the United 

 States. Various propositions were offered and 

 discussed, and on the 7th of December the fol- 

 lowing preamble and resolutions were adopted 

 in the Assembly ; yeas. 101, nays 27: 



The grievances now affecting the Southern States 

 must be effectively resisted. 



The interests and destiny of the slaveholding States 

 of this Union are and must remain common. 



The secession of one from the Union must, more or 

 less, involve or affect all ; therefore 



Regofaed by the General Assembly of Georgia, That 



I'm thejudgment of this General Assembly, any State in 

 this Union has the sovereign right to secede from the 

 Union, whenever she deems it necessary and proper 



ing against separate State secession, rescinded 

 by a vote of yeas 50, nays 47. 



The Senate had previously indefinitely post- 

 poned all the resolutions on this subject which 

 had been pending in that body, for the reason 

 that a large majority of its members were in- 

 disposed to interfere with a matter upon which 

 they had called a Convention of the People 

 to act. 



Subsequently, on the 14th of December, a 

 meeting of all the members of the Legislature 

 was held, at which resolutions were adopted, 

 repudiating the idea that either of the slave- 

 liolding States would, under any circumstances, 

 prove untrue to its own interests, and the in- 

 terests of the sister States, and the success of 

 the common cause. They also repudiated as 

 delusive, the policy of secession first and co- 

 operation afterwards. Interest, safety, and 

 success, and ordinary respect to the sister slave- 

 holding States required consultation with as 

 many as would consult before secession; and 

 then, if secession be deemed advisable, co- 

 operation in secession, and cooperation after 

 secession. "Whatever mode or manner of re- 

 dress was adopted, the first step to its success- 

 ful accomplishment was to unite the counsels 

 of those who were equally aggrieved, and who 

 were simultaneously demanding redress. In 

 hasty, ill-advised, separate State secession, 

 nothing could be seen but divisions among the 

 people, confusion among the slaveholding 

 States, strife around their firesides, and ulti- 

 mate defeat to every movement for the effective 

 redress of grievances. In the consultation and 

 cooperation of the slaveholding States would 

 be found the maintenance of their rights and 

 equality, the preservation of the laws, the peace 

 of families, the security of property, the har- 

 mony of the people, the peaceful division of the 

 public property, if division must ensue, and the 

 success of whatever plan of redress might be 

 agreed on and adopted. In selecting delegates 

 to the approaching State Convention, the people 

 were urged to be careful that they did not cast 

 their votes for those who were in favor of im- 

 mediate secession of Georgia alone ; and to 

 avoid doubt on that subject, it was suggested 

 that the people should require every candidate 

 to take a " distinct position against immediate 

 State secession, at least nntil a proper effort of 

 cooperation had failed." 

 An address to the people of the States of 



