e ranks of her
military, it followed, as a matter of course, that a great proportion of
the members were military men. Among these were Sumter and Marion. The
former, about this time, yielded his commission to the authorities, on
account of some slight or injustice to which he had been subjected, and
left the army when he took his seat in the Assembly. General Henderson
succeeded to his command. The Jacksonborough Assembly was highly
distinguished, as well for its talent as for its worth and patriotism.
Its character was, perhaps, rather military than civil. Constituting
as they did, in a slave community, a sort of feudal aristocracy, and
accustomed, as, for so long a time they had been, to the use of the
weapons of war, its members wore the deportment of so many armed barons,
gathered together quite as much for action as resolve. It was not only
unavoidable, but highly important at this juncture, that such should be
the character of this body. Who could so well determine what were the
necessities of the country--what the exigencies of the people--what
the local resources and remedies--as those who had fought its battles,
traversed every acre of its soil, and represented its interests
and maintained its rights when there was no civil authority? What
legislators so likely to wield the popular will, as men who, like Marion
and Sumter, had become its rallying leaders--whom the people had been
accustomed to obey and follow, and by whom they had been protected.
It was equally important that the legislation should come from such
sources, when we consider the effect upon the enemy, still having a
foothold in the State. They might reasonably apprehend that the laws
springing from such a body would be marked by a stern directness
and decision of purpose which would leave nothing to be hoped by
disaffection or hostility; and their proceedings did not disappoint the
expectations of friend or foe.

The measures of this Assembly were marked by equal prudence and resolve.
They passed a new act respecting the militia, and one for raising
the State quota of Continental troops. One of their measures has been
questioned as unwise and impolitic--that, namely, for amercing and
confiscating the estates of certain of the loyalists, and for banishing
the most obnoxious among them. Something, certainly, is to be said in
favor of this act. If vindictive, it seems to have been necessary. It
must be remembered that, in consequence of a previous p