to him; and this doubtless had much to do with it.  He lies buried in the garden of his home, without a stone to mark the spot.  It is a reproach to the people of Georgia that her most eminent son should be neglected to sleep in an undistinguished grave.  But this neglect does not extend alone to Mr. Crawford.  I believe, of all her distinguished men, James A. Meriwether is the only one whose grave has been honored with a monumental stone by the State.  Crawford, Cobb, Dooly, Jackson, Troup, Forsyth, Campbell, Lumpkin, Dawson, Walker, Colquitt, Berrien, Daugherty, and many others who have done the State some service and much honor, are distinguished in their graves only by the green sod which covers them.

CHAPTER VI.

POPULAR CHARACTERISTICS.

A FRUGAL PEOPLE—­LAWS AND RELIGION—­FATHER PIERCE—­THOMAS W. COBB—­ REQUISITES OF A POLITICAL CANDIDATE—­A FARMER-LAWYER—­SOUTHERN HUMORISTS.

The plain republican habits which characterized the people of Upper Georgia, in her early settlement and growth, together with the fact of the very moderate means of her people, exercised a powerful influence in the formation of the character of her people.  She had no large commercial city, and her commerce was confined to the simple disposal of the surplus products of her soil and the supply of the few wants of the people.  It was a cardinal virtue to provide every thing possible of the absolute necessaries of life at home.  The provision crop was of first necessity, and secured the first attention of the farmer; the market crop was ever secondary, and was only looked to, to supply those necessaries which could not be grown upon the plantation.  These were salt, iron, and steel, first; and then, if there remained unexhausted some of the proceeds of the crop, a small (always a small) supply of sugar and coffee; and for rare occasions, a little tea.

The population, with the exception of mechanics, and these were a very small proportion, and the few professional men and country merchants, was entirely agricultural.  This rural pursuit confined at home and closely to business every one; and popular meetings were confined to religious gatherings on Sunday in each neighborhood, and the meeting of a few who could spare the time at court, in the village county-seat, twice a year.  There were no places of public resort for dissipation or amusement; a stern morality was demanded by public opinion of the older members of society.  Example and the switch enforced it with the children.  Perhaps in no country or community was the maxim of good old Solomon more universally practised upon, “Spare the rod and spoil the child,” than in Middle Georgia, fifty years ago.  Filial obedience and deference to age was the first lesson.  “Honor thy father and mother, that thy days may be long in the land,” was familiar to the ears of every child before they could lisp their a, b, c; and upon the first demonstration of a refractory disobedience, a severe punishment taught them that the law was absolute and inexorable.  To lie, or touch what was not his own, was beyond the pale of pardon, or mercy, and a solitary aberration was a stain for life.