The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-12-18

Virginia Yazoo company was withdrawn. but
the South Carolina company initiated, before
the fupreme court of the United States, luit a
gainh the Rate, which was terminated by the a.
mendment To the contribution, relative TO the fl-
ability of tates.
Both companies now claim At leait IN ndem-
MITIGATION on account of the eXpeuccs and da-
images incurred by re1ton Of what they coniiier
violation ofcontratt on the part of Georgia.
There is nothing ON the face or the act, jufti-
res the conftruetion Coltsnded for by the claim
ants and II is by collateral evidence only that
they attempt to prove that II was the Intention
of the legislature, when the law was pa1ed, that
the payment ihould be made in evidences OF the
pHblic debt of the fate. In iupport of that
contribution, they bring their own petitions TO
the legiature, applying for the land, whichpe-
titions are referred 10 in the preamble of the
act, and the protect of+hc minority, in the lc-
gillature, who voted aganA the law, principal
y, as they alledge, bccaufc the payments were
to be made in deprecated certificates.
Upon full view Of the fubett, the commihi-
oncrs do not perceive that thofe companies have
any equitable claim either for the land, or for
compensation from the United States.
On the 9Th day OF January, 1898, the rate of
Georgia palied an act, hereunto annexed, an
thoriiing the iale of four tracts of land therein
deicribed, and compromising the greater part
to four companies, called the Georgia, the Geor-
gia A1iHGipti, the Upper MiElG,bbi, and the Ten
ncGrt companies, for which they were to pay
five hundred thouiand dollars.
To the Georgia Mili;iiippi company WAS al
fgned all that tract lying between the Mlfhiiip-
pi and Tombgbee rivers, and bounded by the
parallels of latitude, 81 ls and So 40; for
which they were to pay $4,000 dollars.
The traSt dehgnatcd for the Georgia compa-
ny was bounded on the north by the 3ith de-
gree of latitude, on the eat by the Alabama ri
yer, on the wet or fouth by the Mobile or Tom
bigbee, from the Spanilh line to the north caf
corner of the lands aligned to the Georgia Milf
hiiippi company, by tbenorth boundary of the
fad lands, and by the Miihippi for which
they were 70 pay 100000 dollars.
The Tennehce company were TO pay 10000
dollars, for I tract lying between the northern
boundary of the fate, and the parallel of lati-
tude pailing by the headipring of Bear creek,
and on the eaft by 4 meridian crotiing the lait
mentioned parallel, one hundred and twenty
miles eaft from the fource of Bear creek.
And the Upper Miliilippi company were in
confederation of $4,000 dollars, 10 receive a
tract of25 miles in breadth, adjoining the nor
them boundary of the fate, and extending from
the Mifiifippito Tenneficc and Bear creeks,
its boundaries on the cat.
Two millions of acres were rcfcrved out of
theic feveral tracts, for the ufe of fuch citizens
of Georgia, as chofe to fubfcribe to the original
| terms of the purchafe: the monies paid by
thofe citizens to the fate, being coniidered as
part of the purchafe money of the companies,
in whole territory they fubfcribed: the quanti-
tics THUS refervsd out Of each tIatt, being one
million of acres in the Georgia company
e2o, 900 acres i'll the Georgia Mifhlippi compa-
ny; $4,000 acres in the Tenneflee company
and $4,000 acres in the Upper MiffiGippi
company. The price paid by the citizens who
did fubicribe, was two cents and one third per
acre, it being the price then fuppofed to be paid
by the companies which 100000 dollars be-
ing the purchafe money! give about 81 100000
acres for the eitimated quantity of land in the
four tracts. 1t was further declared by the act,
that the lands lying weitward of the caftward
boundary of the feveral companies purchale,
were eitim2ted at one third of the land within
the purchafe; and were fuppofed to contain
100000 acres, which would give 2l,75o,ooo
acres, for the quantity intendedto be fold. The
land contained within thofe purchaies, amounts,
however, to near IS millions of acres and the
prelent claimants Ultimate the quantity at near
40 millions of acres.
ITO 6F e0ntiDnsG.)