256 FORSYTH COUNTY. 



characters on this rock mean, the oldest inhabitants cannot 

 tell. The oldest Indians could give no account of it. Would 

 it not be proper for the Legislature to make a small appropria- 

 tion to convey this curious relic of antiquity to Milledgeville? 



Mr. Samuel Julian has a marble font, presented to him by 

 James Daniel, formerly a judge in the Cherokee nation. 



Name. — The merits of the Hon. John Forsyth, in honour 

 of w^hom this county is named, are written in the history of 

 his country. He was born in Frederick county, Virginia, and 

 came with his father to Georgia when he was about four years 

 of age. He studied the classics under the Rev. Mr. Springer, 

 who had charge of an academy of great repute in Wilkes 

 county. He then went to Princeton College, where he was 

 graduated in 1799. After his collegiate course he studied law 

 in Augusta with Mr. Noel, and commenced practice in 1802. 

 A short time afterwards he was appointed Attorney General 

 of the State, and in this office acquired great distinction. In 

 1811 he was honoured by his fellow-citizens with a seat in the 

 House of Representatives of the United States. Here he be- 

 came a warm advocate of Mr. Madison's administration, and 

 defended the policy, justice, and conduct of the war. Upon 

 most of the important topics which then agitated Congress he 

 distinguished himself. In 1818 he resigned his seat in the 

 House of Representatives, and was elected a member of the 

 Senate. In this august body he displayed the superiority of 

 his talents, and the whole country regarded him with pride and 

 admiration. During the winter of 1818, he was sent minister 

 to Spain, where he remained several years engaged in adjust- 

 ing the differences between that country and the United States. 

 By his skill and prudence, he brought matters to a successful 

 termination. Whilst in Spain, Georgia elected him a member 

 of the House of Representatives of the United States, in 

 which body he took his seat in 1823. At this session he 

 showed himself to be the firm friend of the rights of Georgia. 

 The report which he«then made on the subject of the original 

 compact, by which the United States had agreed to extinguish 

 the Indian title to the territory within Georgia, is acknow- 

 ledged by the most able men to be equal to any ever presented 

 to Congress. In 1827 he was elected Governor of Georgia, 



