issippi for president, and Alexander H. Stephens of Georgia for
vice-president.

Only a few men doubted that the South would conquer the North, and
among these was Herschel V. Johnson. There was an idea abroad, that one
Southerner could whip a dozen Northerners. Nobody knows how this idea
got out, nor why the absurdity of it was not plain to all; but the
newspapers were full of it, and the speech makers insisted on it so
roundly that the people began to believe it. One orator declared that he
could take one company of "Southrons," arm them with popguns, and run a
regiment of Yankees out of the country. Another stated that he would
be willing to drink all the blood that would be shed as the result
of secession. It is said that both of these orators were asked for an
explanation by their constituents after the war was over. The first
said that the reason he didn't run the Yankees out of the country with
popguns was because they wouldn't fight that way. The second one, who
had promised to drink all the blood, said that exposure in camp had
interfered with his digestion, and his appetite wasn't as good as it
ought to be.

At this time and afterwards there was an overwhelming sentiment in favor
of the Union in some parts of North Georgia. The people of that section
had few slaves, and the arguments in favor of the protection of slavery
in the Territories did not appeal to them: consequently they were
opposed to secession. There was but one thing that prevented serious
trouble between these Union men and the State government, and that
was the fact that Joe Brown was governor. He knew the North Georgians
thoroughly, and he knew precisely how to deal with them. General
Harrison W. Riley, a leading citizen of Lumpkin County, declared that
he intended to seize the mint at Dahlonega, and hold it for the United
States. This threat was telegraphed to Governor Brown by some of the
secession leaders in that part of the State, and they appealed to him to
send troops to Dahlonega at once, and seize the mint by force. But the
governor knew Riley and the people of North Georgia too well to make any
show of force. He knew that any such demonstration would excite sympathy
for Riley, and inflame the Union sentiment there.. So Governor Brown
wrote to some of Riley's friends, telling them what he had heard, and
saying that he had known General Riley too long, and had too high an
opinion of his good sense and patriotism, to believe the report.