EARLY COUNTY. ' 221 



lence. Whilst the stoutest hearts trembled for the safety of 

 the country, the resolute mind of Governor Early beheld the 

 threatened storm without dismay, and boldly prepared to avert 

 its fury. With incredible dispatch he organized the militia of 

 the State, and gave to our menaced frontiers an imposing atti- 

 tude of defence. His military arrangements were in the main 

 extremely judicious ; and his administration of the government, 

 from beginning to end, was most able and patriotic. Uninflu- 

 enced by the selfish conduct which characterized some of the 

 States, he cheerfully rendered the National Government every 

 assistance in his power towards carrying on the war with 

 vigour and effect. The following fact will speak for itself: 

 An officer in the service of the United States being destitute 

 of funds, and unable to procure a further supply, in conse- 

 quence of the embarrassed state of the national finances, ap- 

 plied to Governor Early for a loan of $80,000, and pledged for 

 its payment the faith of the General Government. Rather 

 than the operations of the army should languish, the request 

 was readily granted, and a warrant for the amount drawn upon 

 the treasury of the State. It was suggested by a gentleman 

 who happened to be present, that as the union of the States 

 might not be of very long duration, in which case each mem- 

 ber of the confederacy must defend itself, that it would be well 

 to husband our resources. To this hint Governor Early mag- 

 nanimously replied, that he hoped such a thing would never 

 happen, but if it should, he had no wish that Georgia should 

 survive the general wreck ; he wanted to swim or sink toge- 

 ther. In 1814, a majority of the Legislature desired to con- 

 tinue what was called the Alleviating Law. Governor Early 

 considered its continuance inexpedient and unconstitutional, 

 and vetoed it, and on this account was not re-elected Gover- 

 nor. Some circumstances connected with this event gave him 

 such a disgust to public life that he resolved to abandon it alto- 

 gether, and never again meddle in political affairs ; but this 

 determination he was compelled to relinquish. His country- 

 men, to convince the world that their confidence in him was 

 undiminished, and perhaps to soothe his feelings for the harsh 

 and unmerited treatment he had received, elected him by com- 

 mon consent to the senatorial branch of the ensuing Legisla- 

 15 



