HON. WILLIAM C. DAWSON was born in Greene County, Georgia, of respectable parentage. His academic course was first taken under the direction of the Rev. Dr. Cummins, and afterwards at the County Academy, in Greenesborough. At an early age he entered Franklin College, and was graduated in 1816.

Upon leaving college, he immediately commenced the study of law in the office of the Hon. Thomas W. Cobb, at Lexington; and at the expiration of a year, he entered the Law School at Litchfield, Connecticut, under the care of Judges Reeve and Gould. After taking a full course of lectures, he returned to Greenesborough, was admitted to the bar, and in a short time ranked very high in his profession. In 1821, he was elected Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State Legislature; and it is a proof of his fidelity as an officer, and his amiable character as a man, that through frequent changes of party supremacy, he filled that office for ten or eleven consecutive years.

In 1828, he was appointed by the Legislature to compile the statutes of Georgia, which duty he performed to the satisfaction of the General Assembly and the legal profession. In 1845, he was appointed by Governor Crawford to fill a vacancy on the bench of the Ocmulgee Circuit. His patience, urbanity, and frankness, are remembered with pleasure by his cotemporaries.

In 1834 and 1835, he was elected to the State Senate from the County of Greene, and gave his efficient aid to promote all the great interests of Georgia.

In 1836, he was elected, by general ticket, to Congress, being the only Whig returned, prevailing over a popular Democratic majority. General Coffee, a member of Congress from Georgia in 1836, having died, he was also elected to fill his unexpired term, and took his seat, in the winter of that year, in the House of Representatives.

The Creek and Seminole Indians in Florida, and on the line of Georgia, becoming hostile, in 1836, Judge Dawson raised a company of volunteers, to the command of which he was elected, and, under the authority of the State Government, took the field. General Scott, who had at that time taken the conduct of the Florida war, gave him a separate command, and detailed him upon a special service, which he performed to the satisfaction of that gallant soldier.

Having faithfully discharged the duties of his new post, he returned home.

He was re-elected to Congress in 1838, and also in 1840. In 1841, he was nominated for Governor by the Whigs, and was beaten, on account, it is believed, of a vote which he had given, at the extra session of Congress in 1841, to increase the duties on tea and coffee. Believing that his defeat was a disapproval of his course in Congress, Mr. Dawson resigned his seat in November, 1841. In the autumn of 1847, he was elected to the Senate of the United States, of which body he is now a member. His character in Congress is that of a vigilant, industrious man of business. He seldom speaks, and when he does, it is upon a question requiring action. Good sense and independence characterize his speeches.

In the course of his Congressional career, he has been associated with the most important measures. Whilst a member of the House, he was chairman of the Military Committee, and also chairman of the Committee on Claims-the latter, one of the most laborious and useful positions appertaining to the National Legislature. At the opening of the XXVIth Congress, he was put in nomination for the Speaker's chair. Upon the first ballot he received a flattering vote ; but discovering that two of his colleagues had voted against him, he requested his name to be withdrawn.

Against the absurd theories, and indelicately selfish, not to say impudent demands of Kossuth, Mr. Dawson was the first to take ground.

He is eminently social in his nature and habits. For harmless fun and innocent frolic he has a keen relish; and his associates cherish with fond recollection his anecdotes, his pleasantry, and his practical jokes.

Dr. FRANCIS CUMMINS died in this county. He was one of the oldest and most respectable Presbyterian ministers in the Southern States. He preached to his congregation for more than twenty-three years.

Major OLIVER PORTER was four times elected Elector of President and Vice-President, and frequently a member of the Legislature of Georgia.

Colonel JONAS FAUCHE, in the early settlement of Greene, bore a conspicuous part in the defence of the frontiers against the Creek Indians. He was a remarkable man in every respect.

Captain STOKES was an active officer during the Indian wars.

GWINNETT COUNTY.

LAID out by the Lottery Act of 1818; part taken from Jackson, 1818; part set off to De Kalb, 1822; part of the ceded territory added, 1822. Named after the Hon. Button Gwinnett. Length, 29 m.; breadth, 19 m.; square miles, 551.

The Chattahoochee is the principal stream. The head waters of several of our rivers are in this county.

The face of the country is hilly.

The soil is various. Its productions are corn, cotton, &c.

LAWRENCEVILLE is the county town, 90 miles N. N.W. of Milledgeville. Lawrenceville Manufacturing Co., situated in Lawrenceville, has a capital of $90,000. Building of granite, 200 feet by 50; four stories. high. Spindles, 3,050; looms, 36; operatives, 80. Connected with this establishment is a flouring and grist mill. The whole propelled by steam.

The public places are Auburn, Cains, Orrsville, Pinckneyville, Yellow River, Suwannee, Choice's Store.

Extract from the Census of 1850.-Dwellings, 1,610; families, 1,610; white males, 4,499; white females, 4,454; free coloured males, 4; free coloured females, 6. Total free population, 8,963; slaves, 2,294. Deaths, 110. Farms, 1,036; manufacturing establishments, 26. Value of real estate, $977,693; value of personal estate, $1,440,125.

The climate is healthy. The examples of longevity are numerous, viz.: DANIEL CLOVER, 87; JOHN LAWRENCE, 85; STEPHEN HARRIS, 90; JONATHAN JOHNSON, 80; LEWIS DISHONS, 80; OWEN ANDREWS, 90; EDWARD JACKSON, 87; SARAH HUNT, 81; Mrs. SHADDOCK, 100; Mr. HUNT, 100; GEORGE WILSON, 100; JOHN DAVIS, 110; GEORGE THRASHER, 93. The list might be enlarged, but space will not allow.

Miscellaneous.

WE extract from the Columbus Enquirer the following account of a meeting held at Lawrenceville, for the purpose of doing honour to the memory of volunteers who were cruelly shot at Goliad, in Texas, and also of those who were killed in the battle at Shepherd's Plantation, in Stewart County, Georgia :—

At a meeting of a portion of the citizens of Gwinnett County, the Committee appointed at a previous meeting for that purpose made the following report :— The Committee appointed for that purpose, beg leave to report that they appointed Captain H. Garmany, Ensign M. T. Hamilton, and Privates Thomas Hunt and Elias Greene, to bring the remains of Ensign J. S. Lacy, Orderly Sergeant James C. Martin, and Privates J. A. V. Tate, Robert T. Holland, James H. Holland, James M. Allen, Henry W. Peden, and William M. Sims, who fell in the battle of Shepherd's Plantation, and who belonged to Captain Garmany's Company; that the remains have been carefully disinterred, placed in coffins and boxes, have been brought to this place, and are now in a room in the Courthouse, ready for interment.

Your Committee respectfully recommend that they be interred near the northwest corner of the Court-house yard, and that a suitable monument be erected to commemorate them for their gallantry and bravery. To this end, your Committee recommend the adoption of the following resolution :—

Resolved, That the remains of the said deceased be interred on Friday the 17th inst., in the northwest corner of the Court-house yard, at the hour of 1 o'clock, P. M., with military honours, and that a suitable monument be erected in a convenient time to their memory.

After this report was read, Colonel N. L. Hutchins offered the following as an amendment to the report, &c.:——

And whereas, our townsman, Captain James C. Winn, at the first call to arms, flew to the assistance of the Texians, who were warring for liberty and independence against their oppressors, and his early companion, Anthony Bates, who went with him to share his perils, fight in the same holy cause, and to suffer the same sad fate, were both inhumanly butchered in cold blood, in Fannin's devoted band;

And whereas, by their bravery and devotion to the cause they had espoused, the first was promoted to a Captain, and the latter to Orderly, in a very short time after they entered the service, and served with honour to themselves and usefulness to the cause, until they were taken, bravely fighting, and in cold blood butchered by a savage band of Mexicans, by order of their still more savage commander:-Therefore,

Resolved, That Captain James C. Winn, and Orderly Sergeant Anthony Bates, share the honours bestowed on our other lamented volunteers, and that their names, with suitable inscriptions, be engraved upon the monument to be erected in the public square.

Which amendment was adopted; and then both preamble and resolution were unanimously adopted.

On motion of Colonel N. L. Hutchins, a committee, consisting of himself, Captain H. Garmany, Lieutenant M. T. Hamilton, T. W. Alexander, Colonel H. P. Thomas, A. R. Smith, J. B. Trippe, Esq., John S. Wilson, Wm. Montgomery, and Captain George Reid, were appointed to take order for the interment.

And on motion of T. W. Alexander, a committee, consisting of himself, J. W. Thompson, M. Crawford and William Gordon, was appointed to prepare a vault for this purpose.

The meeting then adjourned, to meet at 10 o'clock on Friday, the 17th ult. The Committee appointed for that purpose beg leave to report the following order for the interment of the remains of Ensign Lacy, Orderly Martin, Privates Tate, R. T. Holland, J. H. Holland, Allen, Peden and Sims, and in honour of Captain Winn and Orderly Bates.

Order for Interment.-The procession will form in front of Dr. Hall's, in the following order:-1st. The Committee of Arrangements. 2d. Pall-bearers. 3d. Relatives of the dead as mourners. 4th. The clergy. 5th. The military. 6th. The judges and officers of courts. 7th. The corporate authorities of the town. 8th. The citizens.

The procession to march around the public square, and enter the inclosure at the east side.

The pall-bearers, under direction of the Committee of Arrangements, to receive the remains at the east door of the Court-house, and proceed to the vault.

The remains to be deposited, the Committee to take station on the right, the pall-bearers on the left, and the mourners and clergy on the west side of the vault, the military to approach the east end of the vault.

The military to be formed and ordered by Captain Garmany into platoons. The rounds fired in honour of each, as follows, (to wit):-1st. Captain Winn. 2d. Ensign Lacy. 3d. Orderlies Martin and Bates. Privates Tate, R. T. Holland, J. H. Holland, Allen and Sims.

The vault to be filled and covered up. The procession will then disperse.

The Committee recommend the appointment of a Marshal, with power to regulate the procession, and have agreed upon Dr. Thomas W. Alexander as a suitable person.

On the 17th of February, the remains were interred in conformity with the above arrangements. A large concourse of citizens attended to witness the solemn ceremonies. A suitable monument will be erected as soon as it can be done.

The monument has been erected. It stands in the Court-house Square. On one side is this inscription: "This monument is erected. by their friends to the memory of Captain James C. Winn and Sergeant Anthony Bates, Texan volunteers of this village, who were taken in honourable combat at Goliad, Texas, and shot by order of the Mexican commander, March 27th, 1830." On the other side, "To the memory of Ensign Isaac Lacy, Sergeant James C. Martin, and Privates William M. Sims, John A. V. Tate, Robert T.