Drayton was well known in north Georgia as the radical South Carolinian who had debated with Thomas Brown and, in effect, come to control the state’s Council of Safety. It had surprised no one when this firebrand, who despised Georgia’s relative neutrality, initiated an effort in Charles Town to form a union of the two colonies. Since Elijah Clarke and other settlers who lived in north Georgia were closer to their South Carolina neighbors than to the merchants and political leaders in Savannah or Augusta, many of them supported this effort to “strengthen Georgia’s backbone.”

The visitor was speaking. “It’s time to get off our arses and let everyone know that South Carolina and Georgia are working and fighting together on the side of freedom and independence. All the other colonies have already taken a stand. The problem is in Georgia, where a group of weak-kneed cowards act like they want an independent country but would really rather stay part of the British Empire. There is no way to change the situation as long as the damned Whigs in Savannah are divided and the rest of the state is afraid to take a stand.”

Aaron saw that Elijah was nodding in agreement, and hastened to respond, “Mr. Drayton, there are a lot of Georgians, not only up here but also in Savannah and along the coast, who have made it plain that we support the Continental Congress.”

“That’s just the point I’m making. The people are for freedom, but there are too many rich merchants in Savannah still in bed with the king’s men, and there ain’t no way to change them. All they want is to protect their property, play with their little, selfish government, and let others fight the British. London has bribed this colony since it was set up over forty years ago with handouts and special privileges that the rest of us have never seen. The only way left is to bring the people of our two states together under one government. Then we can speak with a clear voice, defend ourselves better from savages, and form a fighting force that will run the British out of both east and west Florida.”

Elijah was obviously excited when he said, “I feel like you do. There’s no reason for the river to keep us apart no longer. The folks up here already feel a lot closer to Charles Town than we do to Savannah. All they do down there is talk and talk and then back away from whatever calls for guts.”

Aaron had heard Drayton’s proposition discussed in Savannah and many other places, both by Tories and Whigs, and knew that most Georgians, on both sides of the arguments with London, looked on any union with South Carolina as effective annexation of their colony. He decided to be cautious.