MCDUFFIE COUNTY, GA - BIOS George McDuffie Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Jam66inGA2@aol.com James Malone Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/mcduffie.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm George McDuffie Just after the close of the American Revolution the wild untamed lands of Georgia were opened for settlement. The Parents of George McDuffie arrived from Scotland in the late 1780's and settled in the pine wilderness of Columbia County not too many miles distant from the Growing City of Augusta. John and Jane McDuffie built a Home near the community of Cobbham and soon had a growing family. John was looked upon by his neighbors as being a bit more educated than the average settler and he was often a leader in community events. . The Family was large ,though exactly how many children there were is not recorded. George ,Born August 10 1790, grew to manhood in the small rural farming community and attended the rude local field schools where children were taught reading and writing and how to cipher. Often the teachers of these schools were barley educated themselves and students often got the switch for the smallest misbehavior. Little George was a dedicated student and impressed his teachers with his quick wit and amiable temper. At age Twelve he left the Field school and became a Clerk at the Country store of Mr Hayes. His Hard work soon secured him a better position in the Store of Wilson and Calhoun, which was half owned by the brother of Congressman John C Calhoun of South Carolina. Sharing a room with Gus Longstreet, who would later become a Judge, McDuffie was said to devour every book and newspaper he could get his hands on. George's passion for learning and desire to improve himself rubbed off on Longstreet during the time the boys shared their attic room and each would seek out books to recommend to the other. These years (1805-1807) would be fondly recalled by both men all their lives. In 1807 the Wilson and Calhoun Business failed and William Calhoun came over from South Carolina to help his brother settle his affairs. Meeting the Young George McDuffie ,William was impressed with the boy and thought he should have the opportunity of a few more years of education. He offered the boy a room in his home and meals as long as he enrolled and attended the Willington School founded by the Reverend Moses Waddell in Abbeville District South Carolina. Gus Longstreet soon enrolled in the school as well and George impressed the teachers and fellow students as a dedicated scholar , fine fellow, and foremost pupil of the school. The students studied in small Log Cabins and often in good weather took their classes under the trees. Studies in Latin, the classics and rhetoric were standard curriculum. George studied hard and took his lodging and meals at the Calhoun home for which through out his life McDuffie would always be though of as a Calhoun protege. While he did hold great affection for the Calhoun family , His later success was due more to his own pluck and determination to educate himself. Developing skills in oratory, brilliant argumentation and eloquence McDuffie was soon prepared to enter the Junior Class of South Carolina College in Columbia, while Gus Longstreet went to Yale. Again by diligent study and dedication McDuffie rose to prominence in the School and was soon acknowledged as the first man in the College. In December 1813 he was selected First Honor man of his graduating class and presented the Validictorian address , his subject, The Permanent Nature of the Union , destined to abide Forever. The address was so popular that the student body had it published . McDuffie began to read law after Graduation and within six months was ready to take the bar examination, which he passed. He opened a small law office , but finding business slow sought election to the position of solicitor, he was defeated. In 1815 He joined and became a partner in the law firm of Colonel Eldred Simkins a prominent Congressman and Lawyer. McDuffie was soon recognized as one of the finest lawyers in South Carolina and argued many eminent cases. Desiring to enter politics George soon ran for and was elected to the House of the State legislature in 1818, representing the Edgefield District. He soon became a leading man in the assembly due to his eloquence and belief that the institution of slavery should be restricted in South Carolina. In 1820 Colonel Simkins resigned his Congressional seat , to which McDuffie was elected. As in the state assembly McDuffie soon impressed his Fellows in the Federal Congress with his Skill at oratory. Though looked upon as a tool of John C Calhoun, McDuffie often proved his independence on issues over which he and the Senator disagreed. The Washington Political scene at that time was split by a bitter feud. between the factions of John C Calhoun of South Carolina and William Crawford of Georgia. Both men were intriguing for the next presidential nomination and Newspapers were filled with articles written by one faction vilifying the other. A set of articles written by Friends of Crawford and printed in the Millegeville Gazette was particularly nasty and was soon answered by another series printed in the Georgia Advertiser in Augusta. The author was George McDuffie, and he practically accused the Crawford faction of attempting to dissolve the Union and throw the Constitution in the wastebasket over the issue of States Rights. McDuffie stated in his article that. "The States as Political bodies have no original, inherent rights. That they have such Rights is a false, dangerous and anti republican assumption. " McDuffie believed in a strict interpretation of the Constitution and his articles heaped scorn on the States Rights Men, The Crawford faction believed that the States had certain powers reserved for them which the Federal Government could not limit or take away. Colonel William Cummings , one of the writers of the Gazette articles, felt McDuffie had gone too far and Insulted him . He pressed the Congressman for a duel to settle the matter but McDuffie would have preferred a peaceful settlement Cummings was adamant and even followed McDuffie to Washington, publicly calling him a coward and the dispute soon drew national attention. John C Calhoun expressed the opinion that "Colonel Cummings suffers from hereditary insanity and has perused McDuffie like a monomaniac ." Finally a date was agreed upon and on June 2nd 1822 the duelist met o the South Carolina side of the Savanna River, Opposite Augusta. McDuffie put his first shot into the ground between he and Cummings, whos first shot struck McDuffie in the rib and the ball lodged in his back near the spine. Doctors felt it was too dangerous to remove , but he was not dangerously wounded otherwise. After several more bitter newspaper articles, Cummings again challenged McDuffie to meet him, a location was agreed to across the North Carolina Line but was postponed by the arrival of the local authorities, Dueling was illegal in most places at that time. After several more aborted meetings the men finally faced each other again in late November. This time Cummings second shot grazed McDuffie's back and broke his arm. Both men declared themselves satisfied and the matter was settled at last ,the Nation breathed a collective sigh of relief. In 1829 George McDuffie Married the Lively and Beautiful Mary Rebecca Singelton. Mary was the Daughter of Colonel Singelton and a renowned Belle of the State. She was said to be Very accomplished and full of fun, a good french Scholar , played both the Harp and Piano and could sing sweetly. Many doubted That the Upstate Congressman of Humble origins could win the heart of such a lady, others said her wealthy father would surely object to such a match. However Col Singelton said of McDuffie, that he was one of the finest men the State had produced, and Mary, on her trips to Washington made it a point to appear in the House gallery on days McDuffie was to speak. His Colleagues noticed that he was never more eloquent than on those days. On July 7 1830 a daughter was born to the Couple and named after her mother. The Child, Mary McDuffie, would in time grow into one of the South's most famous Beauties and marry Wade Hampton. The families happiness was short lived however as in September 1830 Mary Singelton McDuffie passed away leaving her Husband and New Daughter to carry on. She was Buried in the Singelton Family Graveyard Near Wedgefield South Carolina. Leaving his Daughter in the Care of her Grandfather, McDuffie returned to congress and the debate that threatened to tear the country apart. For many years the Southern States had opposed the introduction of Tariff laws designed to protect Northern manufactures. The Tariffs placed high import duties on goods from England and Europe. The Southern Planters sold their cotton to English Mills and bought English goods which were cheaper and of better quality than those made in the Northern states. The Tariff Bill of 1824 was greatly Opposed by the South but the even higher duties imposed in the Tariff of 1828 would cause it to be called The Tariff of Abominations. McDuffie had remained Moderate in 1824 but by 1828 he felt the Tariff was being used to force Southern states into servitude to the Northern Business interest. He described the tariff system as a constitutional perversion whos aim was to give bounties to one section of the country at the expense of another. McDuffie called for a boycott of Northern goods and adopted a suit of simple homespun cloth which his followers also began to wear. Many in South Carolina felt the Federal Goverment was misusing its power and a strong States Rights movement was being formed by Dr Thomas Cooper, President of South Carolina College and Former Senator William Smith. McDuffie had always stood for Union, but the 1824 Tariff weakened his position and the 1828 law brought him into the States Rights Fold.. In 1828 he became involved in the case of Mr Holms, Mazyck and Gadsden who wanted to test the law, and so imported Goods from Liverpool and refused to pay the Duties. The Goverment Sued and McDuffie took the case hoping to Prove the Tariff unconstitutional. The Judge ,however, refused to allow introduction of that type evidence and McDuffie withdrew from the case . In Congress he advocated a High Tax on Northern Goods sold in the South to match the Import Duties. The dispute grew even worse with the introduction of a new tariff in 1830. John C Calhoun had earlier secretly written a paper in which he proposed That since the States had freely Joined the Union, then each state was a sovereign entity and could Nullify or Void any Federal law with in its own borders. By 1830 this Idea had found favor with the Southerners hurting under the high Import duties. Two parties formed around the issue, the Nullifiers or Nullies and the Unionist or Submissionist as they were called. McDuffie spoke in favor of the Nullifiers though he wasn't as ardent supporter as John C Calhoun, and in one speech Made reference to his Famous Forty Bales Theory. The Theory stated that Since Southern Planters paid Forty percent Duties on Goods they imported that in essence they were giving forty of every one hundred bales of cotton they grew free to the Northern Business men . In the Elections the Nullifiers took a majority of seats in the General Assembly and soon a statewide convention was called .And a resolution passed voiding the Tariffs of 1828 and 1830. McDuffie stated. "If South Carolina should find if Necessary to withdraw from the Union, no treason could be imputed to those who vindicated her rights." The Federal Government responded by calling for Troops and President Andrew Jackson threatened to Invade South Carolina. Sitting on the Conventions Governing Committee McDuffie called for a suspension of the Ordinance to allow time for Compromise and its eventual revocation. South Carolina would remain in the Union , at least for awhile longer. McDuffie did not stand for reelection in 1834, hoping to retire to his Plantation after fourteen years in the Congress. He had been Elected a Major general of the Militia and devoted himself to the Military Detail. Instituting regular drills and inspections for the organization whos efficiency before 1860 was due in large measure to his efforts. General McDuffie settled in and looked forward to rest and raising his Daughter at the Family Home of Cherry Hill in Abbeville on the Banks of the Savanna River.. The South Carolina Legislature had other Ideas, and soon unanimously elected him Governor of the State. The Duties of Governor were not strenuous , the chief executive of the State at that time had only to be present when the Assembly was in session, he did not have a Veto and was expected to provide his own lodging in the Capital. McDuffie made a resolution to the Assembly that a House be built for the Governor in Columbia and other internal improvements to the State. Even before he left Congress McDuffie's health had started to fail, he found himself often exhausted and his good temper failing. Some of this was possibly due to the bullet still lodged in his spine. As his term as Governor came to a close he found that his career in public service was not yet over Both Senators From the State had resigned and McDuffie was called upon to fill one of the unexpired terms and then to serve a full term. Once more he was at the front of the National debate over Tariffs and Slavery and fought the raising of import duties with all his power. His health deteriorated to the point where he could not stand for long periods and had to be assisted when he walked. Yet when he rose to speak all agreed he was as eloquent as ever. In 1846 he at last laid down the political mantle he had carried for so long and returned to South Carolina and his Home. There the Former Represenitive, Governor ,General and Senator devoted himself to writing, study and the management of his property. Often called upon to attend dinners in his honor , he declined to travel if possible. In 1851 he quietly passed away at Cherry Hill leaving a legacy of Statesmanship and service to his Adopted State. He was Buried At Cherry Hill where his memorial can still be seen today. In 1872 the Georgia Legislature Took Land carved from Warren and Columbia Counties and created a New County. By General agreement the New County was named for George McDuffie, whos birth place was located there. McDuffie County still proudly bears the Name of this great man to this day. Written by James malone Jam66inga2@aol.com Source Material George McDuffie By Edwin L Green Phd Published 1936 A History of McDuffie County Mrs W C McCommons & Mrs Stovall Pub 1933