Georgia 
in America. 
—_—— 
Commerce, 
Political di- 
vision. 
Counties. 
Towns. 
Population. 
249 
state have not been accustomed to prepare evem their 
own clothing, or that worn by their negroes. For al- 
most every article, as well of their wearing apparel 
as of the tools used by them in their husbandry, 
they have been indebted to their merchants, who im- 
rted them from Great Britain or the northern states. 
Bat in the upper parts of the country, the inhabitants 
themselves manufacture the chief part of their clothing 
from cotton and from flax. The principal manufac- 
tures are those of indigo, silk, and sago. The latter is a 
kind of sediment or starch, that is obtained by properly 
macerating and washing potatoes. The large crops of 
this kind that grow on the dry plains of the country, 
besides affording wholesome nourishment, have been 
made to yield, by distillation, a spirituous liquor of a 
tolerable quality, though inferior to that which is made 
from rye. The chief articles of export from this state 
are rice, tobaeco, indigo, sago, lumber of various kinds, 
naval stores, leather, deer-skins, snake-root, myrtle, and 
bees-wax, corn, live stock, &c. The value in sterling 
money of the whole amount of those exports in the year 
1755, was £15,744; in 1760, £20,852; in- 1765, 
£73,426 ; and in 1772, £ 121,677. In 1791, the value 
of articles in like manner exported, was, in dollars, 
491,472 ; in 1792, 458,973 ; in 1793, 501,383 ; in 1794, 
676,154; in 1796, 950,658; and in 1801, 1,854,951. 
The tonnage employed in this state was, in the year 
1755, 1899; in 1760, 1457; in 1765, 7685; in 1772, 
11,246; and in 1790, 28,540 tons. The number of 
American seamen, during the last of those years, was 
11,235. In return for her exports, Georgia receives 
West India goods, teas, wines, clothing, ond dry goods 
of all kinds ; from the northern states, cheese, fish, po- 
tatoes, apples, cyder, and shoes. The imports and ex- 
shige are principally to and from Savannah, which 
as a fine harbour, and is the chief emporium of the 
state. 
Before the revolution, Georgia, like the rest of the 
southern states, was divided into parishes ; but since 
that period, the division has been into counties. Ac- 
cording to. this distribution, Georgia, under two dis- 
tricts, viz. the Upper and the Lower, comprehends 24 
counties, of which 15 are included in the former divi- 
sion and nine in the latter. The counties of the upper 
district are Montgomery, Washington, Hancock, Green, 
Franklin, Oglethorpe, Elbert, Wilkes, Lincoln, War- 
ren, Jefferson, Jackson, Bullock, Columbia, and- Rich- 
mond ; those of the lower district are Camden, Glynn, 
Liberty, Chatham, Bryan, M‘Intosh, Effingham, Scri- 
ven, and Burke. The principal towns are Augusta, 
formerly the seat of government, Savannah, the former 
capital of the state, both on the river Savannah, Sun- 
bury, Brunswick, Frederica, Washington, and Louis- 
ville, which last is now the metropolis of the state, and 
the place in which are deposited itsrecords. The situ« 
ation of these towns is generally advantageous ; most of 
them standing on the banks of considerable rivers, and 
some of them, as Savannah, Brunswick, Frederica, and 
Sunbury, having safe and commodious harbours. 
In the grand convention at Philadelphia in 1787, the 
inhabitants of Georgia. were reckoned to amount in all 
to 90,000. By the census of 1790, it did not exceed 
82,548 persons, of whom 29,264 were slaves. Subse- 
quent to that period, however, there has been a very 
considerable augmentation, The disposition and.cha~ 
racter of the inhabitants, collected as they were led by 
interest, necessity, or inclination, from. different parts. 
of the world, are very much. diversified. They have 
been charged with indolence, which is attributed part. 
GEORGIA. 
ly to the relaxing heat of the climate, and partly to the 
want of the necessary motives to the excitement of in- in Amex 
dustry. They are more advantageously distinguished 
by their open and friendly hospitality, particularly to- 
wards strangers. Their diversions are dancing, gaming, 
horse-racing, cock-fighting, and chiefly hunting. Ta 
this latter amusement the nature of the country is suffi< 
ciently favourable, the woods abounding with deer, ra- 
coons, rabbits, wild turkies, and other game, at the same 
time that they are commonly so thin and free from ob- 
struction, as to throw no impediment in the way of the 
chace. : 
ed and ratified by a convention of delegates from 
people on the 6th of May 1789, is formed upon a plan 
similar to the federal constitution of the United States. 
According to it, all legislative power is vested in two 
distinct bodies, both of which are chosen by the people 
at large, and which are styled the General Assembly. 
These are the senate and the house of representatives ; 
of the former of which the members are chosen for the 
term of three years, those of the latter annually. The 
senate consists of one member from each county, and 
the house of representatives of 34 members. e exe= 
cutive power is vested in a governor, who holds his of- 
fice for the space of two years. It is decreed, that free- 
dom of the press, and trial by jurf, shall remain invio- 
late in-the state, and that the benefits of the writ of ha- 
beas ie 0 shall be open to every one who may choose, 
or may have occasion to avail himself of these. The free 
exercise of their religion is at the same time guaranteed 
to all persons without exception, none moreoyer being 
whee to contribute to the support of any religious 
profession but his own. A superior court is twice in 
each year to be held in the several counties, where all 
causes are to be tried civil and criminal, other than such 
as may be subject to the federal court, or as may by law 
be eH to inferior jurisdictions. The judges of the 
supreme court, and the attorney general, hold their 
commissions for three years, and have their stated sala~ 
ries, which are fixed and secured to them by law. For 
the more convenient administration of justice, the whole 
state is divided into two districts, which are called the 
upper and the lower circuits. The number of judges 
appointed to sit in the superior court are two only, to 
each of whom it belongs also to try causes in the seve- 
ral circuits. Besides the superior court, there is an in- 
ferior one, viz. a court of common pleas, establishsd in 
each county, that sits twice in a year, with five judges, 
who are appointed by the legislature.. The county courts 
have a jurisdiction in criminal causes, which are finally 
determined in the superior court. There are moreover 
the sheriff’s court, and courts which are held by the jus- 
tices of the peace in every part of the state, 
The religious sects of Georgia, are Baptists, Metho- Religions 
terians, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, 8° _ 
dists, Pres 
Quakers, and. Jews. The two first are the most nume-. 
rous, and inhabit principally the upper part of the state. 
The Episcopalians and Presbyterians are nearly equal in 
number. ‘The Catholics and. Jews have each at thear 
one church. There are likewise some German Luthe- 
rans, and a society of Congregationalists. 
The literature of this state may be considered to be Literati: i 
still in its infancy, though the measures adopted for its 
improvement have been such as to afford the most flat- 
tering prospects of ultimate success. The charter, 
containing the system of education to be followed out . 
in it, passed in the year 1785. A’ college, with ample 
and liberal endowments, has been. instituted at Louise 
The civil constitution of Georgia, which was adopt- Givil cog 
tution, 
