Ed Jackson and Charles Pou

The University of Georgia

September 27

1787 After debating for two days on whether to censure members of the Constitutional Convention for going beyond their authority in creating a new form of government, the U.S. Congress set in motion the ratification process for the new U.S. Constitution. Congress ordered that copies of the document be sent to the states and directed each state legislature to call a convention to vote on ratification.

1833 Black politician Madison Davis was born in Athens, Georgia. Until the end of the Civil War, Davis was the slave of a local carriage maker. After the war, he was one of two Clarke County delegates to the convention that framed the Constitution of 1868. Also in 1868, Davis was elected to the General Assembly. Because of their light complexions, he and one other black representative were allowed to keep their seats when the legislature voted to expel black members. In 1870, Davis was reelected to the House. In later years, he served as U.S. customs surveyor in Atlanta and as Athens postmaster. Davis was also active in Republican Party politics.

1871 Former Confederate general James H. Clanton died in Knoxville, Tenn. For biographical information on Clanton, who was born in Columbia County, Ga., see the Jan. 8, 1827 entry.

1927 Franklin D. Roosevelt arrived in Warm Springs, Ga. for the ninth visit to what was becoming his "second home." He would stay for over two months on this visit.

1930 Bobby Jones won the U.S. Amateur championship at Philadelphia, thus becoming the first player ever to make the "Grand Slam" by winning all four major titles (the U.S. Open, the U.S. Amateur, the British Open, and the British Amateur championship).

1945 The Atlanta Constitution published a story announcing that Marietta's Bell Bomber plant would soon be declared surplus by the U.S. War Department and put up for sale or lease.

1950 Heavyweight champ Ezzard Charles defeated Joe Louis in 15 rounds in New York City to retain the heavyweight boxing championship. Charles was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

1996 In his final game of the regular season, pitching great John Smoltz cemented his hold on the 1996 Cy Young Award. In winning his 24th game, he set a new Atlanta Braves record for regular season wins. Smoltz also extended his club strikeout record to 276.

1998 Playing at home on the final day of the regular season, the Atlanta Braves beat the New York Mets 7-2 for their 106th win – extending the franchise record set the previous day.

2002 Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz established a National League record with 54 saves in a victory over the New York Mets.

2005 The Atlanta Braves won their 14th consecutive National League division championship, establishing yet another new record for Major League Baseball.

Georgia cities and towns incorporated by acts approved on Sept. 27:

1883 Ball Ground (Cherokee County)

In Their Own Words on This Day. . .

1739 In Ebenezer, Johann Martin Boltzius recorded in his journal of his return that day from Savannah. There, he had personally presented the needs of the Salzburgers to James Oglethorpe, who gave Boltzius a widow to serve as his maid and also as a midwife to the community. In Savannah, Boltzius also learned that war was about to be declared:

"A warship has arrived and explained why Captain Thomson's long-expected ship has remained away for so long. The reason is that the King of England is going to declare war on the King of Spain, before which it should be announced to all his Majesty's subjects in America so that they can arm themselves, take precautions, and take revenge at sea, which they have not been able to do yet after suffering so many loses. In order that the planned declaration of war might not be made known to the Spaniards by merchant vessels before it is known to the English, an embargo, or general prohibition against going to sea, has been placed on all ships ready to sail until the warship that has been dispatched has arrived in the American colonies. . . ."

Source: George Fenwick Jones and Renate Wilson (ed. and trans.), Detailed Reports on the Salzburger Emigrants Who Settled in America . . . Edited by Samuel Urlsperger (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1981), Vol. 6, p. 225.

1864 Col. Fredrick Winkler of the 26th Wisconsin Infantry wrote his wife from Atlanta:

"We had a review before General Slocum yesterday and started out at twelve o'clock, marched to the other side of the city, and there the review took place at three P.M., and passed off finely indeed. The whole division appeared well. Ours is the crack brigade in the division. It is said that Forrest is in our rear with a considerable force; rumor has it that he has possession of Bridgeport and Stevenson; the former place is one of great importance, where he could do immense damage by destroying the long, high bridge across the Tennessee River, which it took so many months to build, but it is only rumor. Yesterday the report also was that Marietta had been attacked and a fierce fight taken Place there. It is doubtless true that a considerable rebel force is operating in our rear, but fortunately the capture of Atlanta leaves our large army at present unemployed and several detachments have already been sent to the rear, and they will doubtless soon succeed in clearing the road. It is also said the large trestle bridge at Whiteside has been destroyed; that certainly would not have occurred if the 26th had been left there to guard it. The draft seems to have taken place on the 19th. It is a shame that one new regiment after another is being organized and drafted men put into new organizations."

Source: Civil War Letters of Major Fredrick C. Winkler, in 26th Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers Home Page

For more, see This Week in Georgia Civil War History.

1928 On the previous evening, Franklin D. Roosevelt had given his first speech in Atlanta. He and other speakers had used the occasion to attack fellow Democrats who were opposing their party's presidential nominee – New York Gov. Al Smith (who also was Roman Catholic and an opponent of prohibition) – in that year's race against Republican Herbert Hoover. According to Atlanta Constitution reporter Paul Stevenson, the event was an old-fashioned political rally not seen in some time:

"Amid a bedlam of enthusiasm not witnessed in Atlanta since the stormy days of free silver and gold standard fights, Franklin D. Roosevelt, distinguished democratic leader of New York and Georgia, fired the opening gun in the statewide fight in support of Governor Al Smith for president at the auditorium Wednesday night before a monster crowd that packed the vast building to its very eaves and overflowed into the lobbies, and which frequently burst into storms of cheers that rocked the walls of the building and lasted several minutes. . . .

"Led by Mr. Roosevelt, the speakers flayed without mercy the forces within the party who are opposing the nominee. . . . [A]nd each thrust apparently pleased the vast crowd as the cheers came in spontaneous roars of approval.

"It was like the old-time days in Georgia when political campaigns inflamed the enthusiasm of virtually the entire population. The colorful crowd was boisterous and militant. The band played East Side, West Side and the crowds shouted in mighty symphonies of applause. The band played Dixie and the crowd almost tore the off off the house. Old Confederate veterans tottered to their feet and gave the 'Rebel Yell.' . . .

"Backing Mr. Roosevelt on the stage sat a crowd of representative democrats whose names would form practically a roster of the officials of the democratic party in Georgia; of the state officialdom; of the appellate courts, of the Fulton County officers and of the city administration. It was the most representative democratic gathering that has assembled in Atlanta in a decade or more. . . ."

Source: Franklin M. Garrett, Atlanta and Environs: A Chronicle of Its People and Events (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1969 reprint of 1954 original volume), Part II, p. 838.