Wilson Lumpkin:

Returning from Washington to become governor ( 1831-1835), Wil-
son Lumpkin continued to work for the removal of the Cherokees. In
his message to the Georgia legislature ( November 6, 1832), he was
able to report substantial progress and an undiminished determination.

W HEN we take a survey of the
events of the closing year, it pro-
duces mingled emotions of pleasure and
pain. Our actual condition and enjoy-
ments as a people, arising from climate,
soil, and good government, when com-
pared with other portions of the world,
admonish us to admire and adore the
divine author of our multiplied bless-
ings.

Nothing has transpired to lessen at-
tachment, or diminish our confidence in
the good systems of government under
which we live; we should, therefore,
cherish an increased zeal, and an abid-
ing hope for the perpetuation of our
free and happy institutions. The truths
of history do not authorize the belief,
that we are to enjoy the inestimable
blessings of liberty and free govern-
ment, founded on principles of equal
rights, without vigilance, and constant
exertion on the part of the people, who
are the only legitimate source of gov-
ernmental power.

Our conflicts with Federal usurpation
are not yet at an end; the events of the
past year have afforded us new cause
for distrust and dissatisfaction. Con-
trary to the enlightened opinions, and
just expectations of this, and every other
State in the Union, a majority of the
judges of the Supreme Court of the
United States have not only assumed
jurisdiction, in the case of Worcester
and Butler, but have, by their decision,
attempted to overthrow that essential
jurisdiction of the State, in criminal
cases, which has been vested by our
constitution in the superior courts of our
own state. In conformity with their de-
cision, a mandate was issued, directed
to our court, ordering a reversal of the
decree under which those persons are
imprisoned; thereby attempting, and in-
tending to prostrate the sovereignty of
this state in the exercise of its constitu-
tional criminal jurisdiction. These ex-
traordinary proceedings of the supreme
court, have not been submitted to me
officially, nor have they been brought
before me in any manner which called
for my official action. I have, however,
been prepared to meet this usurpation
of federal power, with the most prompt
and determined resistance, in whatever

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