The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-03-05

three hGndTed acres of land but thar 4 compa-
ny offobcT & diicreet SPECTATORS & of T.. Eng
too, being about purchaing an immenie qusn-
tity of land for great fun of money, ihould
be ignorant Of what every body knows, aud of
what they ought u know .coner tban any body
ellie, is ciTcumitauce too unaccountabie s. ex-
trsosdiaariy ffor ne 10 believe that ii really ey-
its ihond rather think that the fpscnla-
tors OF New-Englaud, fober and difcreet as
they file themielves to be, found the bargain
70 good and f. tempting, the means of pleading
ignorance Of fraud committed in the original
purchaie 10 caiy, the means on the part of The
fate OF Georgia or lis vendee, to prove the no.
tcc 70 difficult, that the fober and difcreet fps
culators OF New England thought il adviiable
10 make 4 gambling bargain, expecting that the
two extremities of The United States being en-
gagged in the fame speculation, they would COM
bine their force and influence to prefs hard up
on the centre, and fave through the conle}
their Ejaculation either in whole or in part.
Other tlrong circumstances lead fill more to
bSlieve, that the New-England company were
well aware ofthe danger which did exiitin ma
king purchaic from the Georgia land compa-
MES; and that they were taking unuflsl
rifques upon themieives; this appears clearly
from the face OF their deeds not only the CO.
venant of warranty in fpeca! infead Of being
general but another extraordinary covenant is
entered upon by which the Georgia Nili!Iipni
Company sis not liable TO the refundug of any
money in conicqusnce OF any defect in their
title from the hatc OF Georgia, il any iiich there
fLould hereafter appear to be-" Was not fIch
covenant f.nelling itrongly the fraud which the
Ge Jreia grant was Impregnated with Could
the New-England company take more clearly
every rifque upon themfclves? Could they
more expressly preclude themfeives from every
remedy I'm law IN, ,Fs
mail forbear to advert any longer on the de-
fette Of thctitles ofthe four Georgia compa-
MES and the New-England company claiming
under the al Of 1875, ihall only FAY that the
fraud and colIulon by the means of which thefe
grants were obtained having operated a radical
defect, VIZ. defect from the beginning, no le-
gal transfer does exit by the fri grant, and
none of courte can exit by the fccond purchafe.
My confidence in this opinion is much height
ened by that of the three ditinguilhcd charac-
tiers, wao have been appointed commissioners
III PEIiuance OF an act entitled an att for an a.
micable fettleinent OF limits with the fate OF
Georgia &c. Thefe Commiiioners have fad
In their report, a copy of which I now held,
that they feel no hcGtation in declaring it as
their opinion, that under all the circumstances
which may affect the cafe, as they have come
within THEN knowledge and as herein Aated,
foe the q claimants eannof be Gl55orisd,"
meaning the claimants under the acf of Geor-
gla OF 1875, this opinion derives great weight,
not only from the nigh official itanding, the
known correcfnefa and abilities of thcfe Com
m'inoners /; but aifo from the fpecial truG
which Concrefs hath reDofsd in them TO invef.
tigate thnte claims and report on their merit.
True 1t IS that theie Commiilioners did expreis
that g nevertheless they believe that the inter-
eft of the United States, the tranquility of
thoie who may hereafter inhabit that terrific
ry, and various equitable considerations, which
may b. urged in favor of mott OF the preient
claimants, render if expedient 20 enter into
conPromife on reafonable terms 80 when am
iatiSiied from my own opinion and that of the
Commiilioners, "tbat the title Of tie claimants
cannot b flb5orte3," l think that on the ouec
ton ofexpediency there is no member of this
Houfe but that can form an opinion for him.
feif, indeed if this houfr did not act from their
own ideas or this queition, they need not to ex-
ercite their opinion upon any thing at all as
to me, cannot fee any dagger in not gratifying
the cupidity of fraudulent purchafers with large
Quantities Of land. | cannot content to give
away the property of the public TO very large
amount for the fake of humouring land COM
Paaies, and strengthening the nerve of fpecu!a-
ton money is the bane of morals when put in
the hands Of land fpeculator;. Let us give them
'''''' '' iit'-:S. -''i i;II 10 JlSlT means OF
frducing future Legislatures. / view land foe
cu!ators as feparatc clafs of men acting upon
principles quite noxious to the ref of focetv,
| view them as being Intimately connected
with one another from one end of the continent
to the other end. Their trehgth conlifs in a
perfect combination of their influence; it is
through that influence that any individual
whole right cIafnes with their claims mult fllb-
NIT TO their terns or lofe all, it is a matter of
courie with land companies to monopolize
Lawyers, to have them at their command. to
make them fpeak or be iilent as their intereR
requires.
While we are debating this great quefion,
the land iPeculators within thefe walls or ont
Of theie walls are in ilent watch anxiouIly
waiting for the meafires we are going TO r.
dept; they appear at prefent quite molef and
unahunling but let us throw in their hands
1--we millions of acres land, and the fcene will
ioon be changed /; their wealth and the confe-
quence attending it, will Coon make us fen6ble
Of the advantages they will ponefs over us as
individuals; and their children will in a very liz
tie time, be taught to look with contempt upon
ours; all the land companies will find new en-
enlargement TO rally round Congrefs from all
quarters, and fet forth their claims. We have
lard companies who claim anof all the lands
which the u. States have purchafed on the
year before lat, from the Kafkafsia and Plank
a'haw Indians; thele companies, who Cvle
thernfeIyes the Illinois and Wabaih land com
Panies, have purcbaftd for a valuable conGde-
srtT 1.-1 "a