ever made against him. No thief or swindler was ever bold enough to try
to bribe such a high-spirited and fearless man. But excitement in
the State ran so high, that General Matthews was ruined so far as his
influence was concerned. He left Georgia, and never afterwards made the
State his home for any long period.

In 1811 a lot of runaway negroes, ruffians, and lawless men congregated
in Florida in such numbers that they were able to get control of
affairs. They formed a government of their own, and then petitioned
the United States to make Florida one of their territories. President
Madison appointed General Matthews the agent of the United States to
negotiate with the "constituted authorities" for the annexation of
Florida. General Matthews made a treaty with those who were in control
of Florida; but Spain protested, and the President finally declared that
the treaty had not been made with the "constituted authorities."

General Matthews was not a learned man (he knew nothing of books),
and he could not understand the fuss that was made over the term
"constituted authorities." He became very angry with the President, said
that that officer had a cowardly fear of Spain and Great Britain, and
declared that he would go to Washington to "thrash" the President. He
actually set out on that errand; but the fatigue and exposure which he
had experienced in Florida, and the high state of excitement under
which he labored, threw him into a fever while he was on his journey to
Washington, and he died in Augusta in March, 1812.

Previous to his Florida appointment, General Matthews had been nominated
to be governor of the Territory of Mississippi by President Adams; but
the opposition was so great that the President withdrew the nomination.
When General Matthews heard of this, he promptly set out for
Philadelphia to call the President to account. He rode to Mr. Adams's
house, gave a loud knock on the door, and told the servant he wished
to see the President. The servant said the President was engaged; but
General Matthews bristled with anger at the bare thought that any man,
even the President, could be engaged in any business more important
than talking to George Matthews, late colonel of the Virginia line, and
governor of the State of Georgia. Therefore he told the servant to go at
once and tell the President that a gentleman wished to speak to him;
and he added, that, if the message was not carried at once, the servant
wou