Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-03-09
SATURDA MARCH 9, 1906.

knowledge of the matter, which was the
| obIeSt OF the contract. This hath not
been the case here the Legislature hath
sold twice as much land as they Intended
TO sell, or which is the same thing, they
have sold it one time cheaper than II was
their iaten,ion, and all this loss is the re-
sult OF the false statement given by the
land companies. 49, = 49,,
IL is an uncontrovertible maxim OF law.
that none. ought IN be benefited by Isis
own wrongs, this maxim applies with
double force in a contract between the
sovereign authority, and private person
The contrast between The legislature ahd
the land companies having been entered
into by the means OF a statement which
proves 10 be false, and which hath been
! made by the parties that claim the benefit
arising thereof, the contract becomes vi
tiated and Of no effect. w
Should this wrong not be sufficient TO
in'alidate the CONTRACT, there is another
wrong that would arise from it by the
act OF i7S5, IA reserve was made OF two
millions lot acres out of the several tracts
! sold 10 the Georgia land compani.s 5, for the
use oil such citizens oil Georgia as chose
to subscribe iii the original terms of the
purchase, the price paid by the citizens
who did subscribe was two cents and one
third per acre, il being the price then sup
posed TO have been paid by the companies
- According to the statement originally
msde OF the whole quantity of land con-
taiHed IA the purchase, which as have
before said, proves To be very near double.
che land companies would receive from
.he citizens of Georgia, who clearly had
right 10 subscribe on the original terms, !
a price per acre nearly double 20 that |
winch they themselves would have Co paw, |
and taus have profit on the citizens of /
Georgia for The difference in the quantity I
at acies contained in the purchase arising {,
fromthe false sta,ement; which redrccswi;h
respect to the spectators tine actual price
oithe land To little mote than one cent per
! acre, while II remains Two cents aud one
! 'h'rd wtth respect To the citizens Of Geor-
gia' However great may have been the
departure OF the legislature e Georgia
from the interest OF their constituents or
TINS occasion, it appears evidently, that
| by the expression, original GERM they
understood that their citizens should sub
scribe. VI they chose, Ia the amount of TWO
The land companies. 1t appears evident
W they did believe they were selling the
land OF the state at the rate Of two cents
and one third per acre, whilst in faGl, the,
received but one cent and one sixth,
which upon the whole is a consideration
merely nominal.
| 10 the multiplicity Of the radical de.
ircls with which the title OF the compa-
MES claiming under the aet OF l7o 5 abound, ,
! the advocates of the claim of the New.
| England Mississippi land company an
swer that none of those who Compose
'heir company had any participation in
TIE fraud, they are said to- be bona fide
purchasers, perfectly ignorant of the fraud
winch may have been practised by those
OF whom they bought. They represent
ed Ia their memorial and yindication, az
plan farmers, mechanicks, &c. who have
made what they possess, by the closest
application to industry.
Sir, | stand among those who are the
most ready to acknowledge that the inha-
bitants of New ENGLAND are conspicnous
'or their industry, bat l am likewise of
opinion, that they are not less noted for
their sa6acity in their attendance to their
interest, and 10 the art OF making good
bargains, view them as beiue. Fuly corn
Peient TO cope in dealings with the inhab;-
tants ot'he Southern states; thatt they should
not have heard Of the motor, ~ f,s,l
which hath taken place at the passing Of
'he act ct 1875, is a great cause of asfo.
"Snhent to me; that they should have
made purchase 10 the amount of eia.
ven millions of acres, without making en-.
quirIes sufficient to discover what ai2nos,
every body knew throughout the United
states, II possible, increases my astouish.
ment' For my part having never thought
! OF purchasing any land from the GEORGIA
land companies, made no enquiry about
the acts ofthe legislature Of Georgia wi
I the corruption was so hagr1nt, the fraud
SO notorious that il reached my ears soon
alter Il was passed, a gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Sandolph) has Justly OBJ
served, Yesterday. that the President Of
the United States had in his address to
me two houses of congress az the BEGIN
lnQ of tbs aeeetnn or Izas