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Executive Department Geo. [Georgia] Milledgeville
3rd. Novr. [November] 1818.
Fellow Citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives,
It is with lively emotions of gratification and thankfulness that I am again by the blessing of Divine Providence permitted to meet you in this place. A retrospect of the period elapsed since we last assembled, altho [although] mingled with something [added text: to ] regret, furnishes abundant cause for grateful [added text: l ] [grateful] exultation. -- For notwithstanding the unexampled prosperity of our beloved Country, has experienced many alarming admonitions, which were indeed calculated to [deleted text: produce ] [added text: cast ] a Gloom on many of our Golden prospects, yet not to an extent to alarm or depress, but rather to stimulate to vigilence [vigilance] and exertion: And should awaken in us a suitable recollection of our dependance on the Almighty Disposer of events, of which man uninterruptedly prosperous is too prone to be forgetfull [forgetful] . --
You will not be surprized [surprised] when I assure you that the duties of the Executive Department for the year past have been unusually arduous and perplexing. It may therefore be verry [very] naturally expected that errors have been committed. But I can truly aver that however feeble my efforts may have been: My


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highest, and leading object has been to promote the the [the] interest and prosperity of our beloved Country.
The War which had commenced during the last year between the United States, and the Seminole Indians bording [bordering] on our Southern frontier has been terminated by a mutual cessation of hostilities without any stipulations for peace. I should not enlarge my remarks on this subject but for an event connected with it which has excited great interest throughout the State. The circumstance to which I allude is the late expedition undertaken to retaliate and thus to repress and chastize [chastise] the atrocious audacity of the savage inhabitants of two hostile Villages called Hopanna's and Phelemee's which had been left in the rear of the army which was then in the Nation. -- From these dens it was ascertained they made frequent and formidable inroads upon our defenceless [defenseless] frontier, marking their course with the blood of our helpless women and children. Afflictive and alarming intelligence of these depredations accompanied by urgent demands for protection from those whose situation were most exposed reached the Executive almost daily. -- An early application was made to the Commanding General of the Military District for a force competent to the defence [defense] of our frontier, but it was several months before this was even noticed. Under these circumstances I should have shown culpable insinsibility [insensibility] to the sufferings of my fellow citizens, and to the duties of the high and important trust with which you have honored me, had I


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even hesitated as to what course to pursue. -- I therefore determined to organize a force sufficient to inflict condign punishment on this unrelenting foe, and [deleted text: make ] [added text: teach ] them [deleted text: feel ], that the frontiers of Georgia was not to be desolated with impunity. At this juncture Captain Wright presented himself as a Gentleman recently holding a command in the service of the United States, and bearing recommendation, testimonials from persons of high and unquestionable respectability. The tender of his services were accepted, and by a General order of the
14th of Apl [April] (a Copy of which and Copies of all the documents relative to this subject will be laid before you) was authorized to collect the troops and march them upon the two villages notorious as the residence of the Murderous banditte [banditti] . On their approach to the Chehaw Town they were informed that one of the hostile Chiefs was harbored there, and Concieving [Conceiving] that the spirit of their instructions, warranted the measure, they attacked the Town, and stung with the recollection of the merciless barbarities exercised on their neighbours [neighbors] and relatives, and their supposed perfidy committed in harbouring [harboring] the enemy proceeded to extremities over which humanity weeps, and which I deeply and sincerely deplore. --
In the General orders it will be seen that Capt. Wright was directed to call on Capt. Bothwell of the Militia of this State then in the U. S. [United States] service commanding at Fort Early for part of his force if necessary. -- I was indeed doubtfull [doubtful] as respected my right to call on these troops, but the emergency of the case in my opinion justified the propriety. --


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On the return of the Troops and the report of the Commanding Officer, whose statement was Corroborated by the testimony of Other Officers of the detachment some of whom are Gentlemen of high standing and Character in the State. I felt satisfied that altho [although] the orders given had been manifestly violated, yet that the motives which influenced the conduct both of the troops and their officers, were more the result of a sincere desire to prevent a repetition of the distressing occurences [occurrences] which had recently happened on the frontier than of any deliberate cruelty or premeditated severity. -- The subject however became a theme of animadversion and a variety of [added text: opposite ] statements being made both to the Executive, and in the public prints, I deemed it necessary for the purpose of doing justice to the Indians and to the Character of Capt. Wright to cause him to be arrested An order was therefore issued for that purpose on the
20th day of May directed to Col. [Colonel] Marshall of Savannah the late residence of Capt. Wright and to which place it was supposed he would immediately return: [deleted text: Before ] But before he reached that place he was overtaken by an officer sent by Genl [General] Jackson who arrested him. On their way to Fort Hawkins passing through this place, Captain Wright was released from the custody of the Officer by a Writ of Habeas Corpus before the Inferior Court of this County. --


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On the same evening I issued an order to the Adjutant Genl. [General] to arrest and confine him determining to refer the mode of trying him to this President of the U. S. Which course I was the more inclined to pursue as it seemed to have been the one contemplated by Genl. [General] Jackson. -- But before a proper warrant could be obtained to enable the Federal Marshall [Marshal] to take him into custody, he ascertained thro [through] the medium of the Savannah papers that the President had directed him to be prosecuted before the Circuit Court of the U. S. for Murder, and being alarmed at his situation affected [effected] his escape, and has not yet been apprehended.
I have deemed it a duty to the outraged character of the State, my fellow Citizens to be thus particular in noticing this transaction, as mistaken onesided humanity and medling [meddling] malignity have been persevereingly [perseveringly] busy in distorting and disguising almost every circumstance connected with the expedition.
The operation of our Penal code has been attended with Considerable expence [expense] during the Political year just ended, the articles necessary for the Completion of the building; raw materials for the employment of the convicts; and provisions for their support, have all been procured at exorbitant prices. --


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From the experiment of the new system, as far as it has proceeded, we may safely conclude the period is yet distant, when the profits arising from the labour [labor] of the persons confined will meet the expenditure incured [incurred] . And I am loth [loath] to say it furnishes but little ground for the benevolent expectation so fondly cherished, being frequently realized, of their moral reformation or of restoring them to Society in the Character of good Citizens. We have however the consolation of believing that this system has been efficient, and by precedent management will continue to be so in restraining villany [villainy] within much narrower limits than those to which they have been accustomed, and of course greatly discriminating their depredations on Society. --