Liberty Boys grew in numbers and determination.

[Illustration: Tondee's Tavern 055]

On the 20th of July, 1774, "The Georgia Gazette," published at Savannah,
contained an invitation to the people of the Province to meet at
Tondee's Tavern on the 27th of July to take into consideration the
unjust laws that had been passed by the British Parliament. The cause
of Massachusetts was the cause of all. The meeting was held, and stood
adjourned to the 10th of August, in order to give all the parishes an
opportunity to be represented by delegates. Governor Wright, loyal to
the last, issued a proclamation warning the people of the Province to
avoid attending the meeting; but the proclamation was disregarded, and a
meeting of the people of the Province was held at Tondee's Tavern on
the 10th of August, 1774. Resolutions were adopted, declaring that
his Majesty's subjects in America owed the same allegiance, and were
entitled to the same rights and privileges, as their fellow-subjects
in Great Britain; that the act lately passed for blockading the port
of Boston was contrary to the British constitution; that the act for
abolishing the charter of Massachusetts Bay tended to the subversion of
American rights; that the Parliament of Great Britain had not, nor ever
had, the right to tax his Majesty's American subjects; and that every
demand for the support of government should be by requisition made to
the several houses of representatives. The resolutions covered all the
grievances of the people of the Colonies.

Meanwhile, Governor Wright was not idle. He called a convention of
Royalists, which met, and signed a protest against the resolutions.
Copies of this protest were made, and sent into all the parishes, by the
governor's friends. Under pressure, many timid men who were really in
sympathy with the Liberty Boys signed the protest. The signatures of
dead men were used, and other frauds practiced, in order to make the
demonstration in favor of the King sufficient to overawe those who
had pledged themselves to American independence. In all this, Governor
Wright was aided by the fact that the only newspaper in the Province,
"The Georgia Gazette," was under his control. He was also aided by the
geographical situation of Georgia, and by his own personal popularity.
He had made a good governor. He had worked as hard for the prosperity
and progress of the Province as he now worked to prevent the people from
joining the movement for i