May 31

1783 In Augusta, a portion of the Lower Creeks signed the Treaty of Augusta ceding Creek lands between the Ogeechee and Oconee rivers to Georgia. The next year, the Georgia legislature began creating counties in the ceded lands. However, because of doubts as to the legality of the treaty and the opposition of chief Alexander McGillivray and his followers, official cession of the contested land did not occur until the Treaty of New York in 1790.

1804 The University of Georgia held its first graduation ceremonies.

1818 Editor Joseph Clisby was born in Medford, Massachusetts. Clisby was a successful newspaper editor in Florida before he purchased the Macon Telegraph in 1855. He was a pioneer in modern journalism, believing newspapers should communicate news, not shape public opinion. To better achieve this goal, he transformed the Telegraph from a weekly to a daily in 1860. His coverage of the Civil War was much more even-handed than most newspapers of his day, though like so many Southerners, he became embittered as the war neared its end. Poor health and the loss of his son spurred him to sell the Telegraph in 1864, though he returned as editor in 1868. Now he encouraged the South to accept defeat and look forward, primarily by searching for ways to improve the area's prominently agricultural economy. Clisby also supported public education and was a member of Bibb County's first board of public education. A stroke left him an invalid in 1881, and he died at home in Macon on Feb. 26, 1885.

1864 Radical members of the Republican Party held a national convention in Cleveland, Ohio and nominated John C. Fremont for president. [Born in Savannah, Fremont had been the first presidential nominee of the new Republican Party in 1856.] The convention also adopted a platform calling for a single term for the president, direct election of the president by the people, placing Congress – not the president -- in charge of reconstruction, and confiscation of property owned by those in rebellion. In accepting the nomination, Fremont repudiated the confiscation provision.

1889 The charter for Atlanta's Capital City Club was issued. The club is still in business today.

1913 Preparing to prosecute Leo Frank for the murder of Mary Phagan, solicitor Hugh Dorsey interviewed suspect Jim Conley for two hours. Conley was then returned to police headquarters so where he would be readily available for further questioning. The police believed Frank was guilty of Phagan's murder, but they were still concerned over "flaws and rough places" in Conley's story. Click here for a detailed accounting of the case.

1930 Atlanta golfing great Bobby Jones captured the first leg of golf's Grand Slam by winning the British Amateur golf tournament. [See March 17 entry for biographical information on Jones.]

1934 Georgia politician Ronald "Bo" Ginn was born in Morgan, Ga. He graduated from Georgia Southern College. In 1972, Ginn was elected as U.S. Representative from Georgia's First District, serving from Jan. 1973 to Jan. 1983.

In 1982, Ginn unsuccessfully ran for the office of governor. He died January 6, 2005.

1955 The U.S. Supreme Court issued its second decision in the case of Brown v. Board of Education. The first decision in 1954 had declared that the "separate but equal" doctrine for public education violated the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment but was silent on how quickly a remedy must take effect. The second Brown decision answered that question by saying that integration of Topeka, Kansas' public schools must take place "with all deliberate speed."

As much as the first Brown decision upset white political leaders in the South, it was the second decision that precipitated the most angry reaction. Signs and billboards proclaiming "Impeach Earl Warren" were erected in many states.

Political leaders in several southern states talked of invoking the states' rights theory of interposition to nullify the Brown decisions. In January 1956, Georgia governor Marvin Griffin would introduce a "massive resistance" package of legislation to resist integration. Griffin also introduced an interposition resolution in the Georgia General Assembly, which both houses adopted – making Georgia the only southern state to actually follow through on the threat (though nothing would actually result from the attempt at interposition).

1971 Georgia governor Jimmy Carter appeared on the cover of Time magazine, with the caption "Dixie Whistles a Different Tune." [Click here to view the cover from the Time magazine web site]

1984 The U.S. Postal Service issued 10-cent Richard Russell stamp with first day of issue ceremonies at Fort Yargo State Park in Winder. Click here to read more about the stamp.

2003 Eric Rudolph, who confessed to the Centennial Olympic Park bombing, as well as abortion clinic bombings in Georgia and Alabama, was arrested in North Carolina. 

2011 True North Sports and Entertainment, from Canada, announced an agreement to purchase the Atlanta Thrashers professional hockey franchise and move the team to Winnipeg.
 

In Their Own Words on This Day. . .

1737 Thomas Causton was the first bailiff of Savannah and kept a journal of his work from May-July of 1737. His entry for this day shows how boisterous some inhabitants of the young colony could be, especially when intoxicated and remembering rivals from back home:

". . . James Smith . . . complained that William Sterling had assaulted & abused him with a great Stick without any provocation. I sent for Stirling by the officer of the Guard to answer the Complaint, & it appeared that Sterling with others of his Country men were walking up & down Bull street, while Smith & others with him were Sitting on a piece of Timber by the water side: that Smith held a Stick, which he pointed towards Sterling, who came to him directly, asked him what he meant, held up his stick & threatened him. That Smith said he did not fear him for all he was a Scotch man: upon which Sterling beat him, & bruised his shoulder. . . . . In half an hour after this one of the millwrights labourers being drunk at the water side, & Seeing Mr. Cuthbert & Andrew Grant coming down Bull street, he shook a hammer which he had in his hand, & swore if he could have his will, he would knock them Scotch Sons of Bitches brains out. Edward Jenkins overhearing these words, brought him before me, & he appearing to be very Drunk, I Sent him to the Stocks. . . ."

1838 White missionary Daniel Buttrick witnessed the roundup of Cherokees for removal to the West. On this day, he recorded in his diary:

"Just before night a young Lieutenant called and requested accommodation for two or three officers and permission for a company of Cherokees to camp near. . . . Accordingly, a little before sunset a company of about 200 Cherokees were driven into our lane. The day had been rainy and of course all men, women and children were dripping wet with no change of clothing and scarcely a blanket fit to cover them. As some of the women, when taken from houses, had on their poorest dress, this, of course, was the amount of their clothing for a journey of about 800 miles! As soon as permission was obtained from the officers, we opened every door to these poor sufferers. Mothers brought their dear little babies to our fire and stripped off their only covering to dry. Oh, how hear-rending was the sight of these little sufferers! Their little lips, blue and trembling with cold, yet seemed to form a smile of gratitude for this kind reception. We wept and wept again and still weep at the though of that affecting scene."

1864 From Virginia, Sandy Pendleton of the 12 Georgia Regiment had the sad duty to write F.J. Willis about the death of his son:

"[As] An intimate friend of your lamented son Ned Willis, late Colonel of the 12th Georgia Regiment, and having enjoyed the sad privilege of being with him a short time before his death, I take pleasure in doing the little that I can to assuage your grief.

"Knowing that he had been dangerously, if not mortally, wounded yesterday, I went as soon as my duties permitted to the hospital where he lay. I found him evidently dying, but not suffering much pain and perfectly conscious. Dr. McGuire, medical director of this corps, was with him, and, as I came to the pallet where he lay, he said, 'Willis, here's Sandy Pendleton come to see you.' Ned opened his eyes and grasped my hand with both of his and said, 'Sandy, the doctors won't tell me whether I am going to die. Am I mortally wounded?' I replied, 'Yes, Willis, I am afraid that you are mortally wounded.' He said, 'That's right, old fellow, that's the way I like to hear a man talk. I am not afraid to die any more than I was afraid to go into battle.' I said, 'Willis, I trust you have as good cause not to fear death as you had not to fear the enemy.' To which he replied, 'I rust so, Sandy. I believe I have.'

". . . The doctor said he would probably die during the say and without much pain, which satisfied him. . . . I asked him if there was anyone else he wanted to see. He said, 'Yes, Moxley Sorrel's sister to whom I am betrothed. I am not afraid to die. I don't mind it myself, but it will almost break her hear and my poor Father's and Mother's. Tell her not to be distressed. I die in the best cause a man could fall in.' He said nothing more, but seem a good deal moved. After a few moments he asked me to see that all his debts were paid by Captain Reed, quartermaster of his regiment.

"The doctor here interfered to give him some brandy and said that some ice and strawberries would be good for him. I left and sent him some. On returning after a couple of hours, I found that he had died quietly a short time after I left."

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