The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-03-08

~
fovereignty have conveyed TO TIL M.fiifiippi
land company the right OF foil TO the land in
queition, and that company have transferred
the fame to the N.w-Engand NiilIiilipp land
company, tae riget is veited in them, unlefs
we have arrived al that fate OF political de-
pravity, that what was yeileIday acknowledge
en rs 4 right ihlll tomorrow be declared d
wrong.
Why is it that fpectlators are 70 much re-
proached, when we ourieiyes have become ipe-
culatorS to al extent beyond the aggregate of
the land fDecuationS in The United States of
America Has not Congrefs recently ipecu-
/ lated in the purchaie of Louifana, and paid the
price, and will gentlemen contend here, as if
they mean to be confident they might do, that
we have acquired no right to the fdme, becauie
we Purchaied of France, who had no right to
fell as It's government holds ali its powers for
the good ofthe people, and that It is not for the
good Of the French people that their terrific
res ihould be alienated from them : Does it
| follow that when nation has vcited in another
its rights of foil aud ;uriai9ior, that the invei-
tituTe does not hold good, without enquiry in
TO the purity of the motives OF the contracting
parties VIII you then prevent men rom
putting their reliance and confidence in the
itate legilaturcs
L is sGscd why, if they have right to the
lands in Georgia which they claim, why do
! they propolt 70 renqu;Fh TO the United States
nine tenths of their claim ? II would be iuf-
/, fcent an!wer 20 that pueltiou to FAY, that Con-
eret5 is the only power pofeiiirg the right 10
eXtnguiill The Indian title TO that country, and
if Georgia had poiie1td that right he appre-
hended the preftnt claimants would have been
! fuhered to go on and improve their farms i'll
that dilri6t they never would have been dit
lturbed in their poGtliiou. He was not in favor
| & hut Ia 49, al C
never to lay his hand violently upon the CLAIM
OF any man, more than he would a mans pro-
perty when he was in full and quiet poiieihon.
Nor ihould he pretend to inttru1 Others IN tine
di.poial of their money, periuaded that every
man had a right TO lay his money OUT IN iuch
way rs was moG agreeable to hinieif, and of
which he was the beh Judge.
We are alked who dare vote for fqua3dering
the public money in this wholeia!e manner
! This is my declaration in reply. l dare to vote
for the meaiure propofed by the committee of
claims. Nay, further, am bound to vote in
its favor. 1t is my duty 70 to vote, for l have
f%orn to fipport the contribution OF the United
States, and that contribution declares that no
fate fhall make any ex pot facto law, or law
impairing contracts. But why do gentlemen
dwell 70 much upon fpeculators. The act OF
| Congrefa to obtain the cefiioH of her weftern
territory from the fate OF Georgia., is fpecu-
lation upon the fpeculators who purchafed the
right of foil to the Miflillippi territory.
do not enquire whether Georgia fold her
land in fmall tracts or III large diitrictS nor
whether flle fold the land to individuals or COM
panieS-numbers and quantities. lay out of the
quetion, and confine mylelf merely to the en-
curry, did fine fell, and finding that ihe did fell,
and that for valuable confederation, my mind
refs fatislied, and | am compelled to render
| that iuftice which the annulng act OF Georgia
refufed-Nay the price itfelf does not enter in
! &C. G;iy Contemplation circumstances may al
ter the relative value of the price to the article.
viii any gentleman fay that the price at
which Congrefs have fold their lands to the great
purchafers, fuch as Simms and others, is a caufe
TO jutify our fettng thofe fales Aide? l APP
prehend not-Why then do they meafure by
different ftandard in the cafe OF Georgia.
Georgia under the old regime was what was
called kings government the right of jurif-
di6tion was given up to her exercife from the
frft the right of uriidittion was given up to
Der exercife from the frR the right of foil re-
manned in the crown but when we acquired
orr independence, Georgia took poiiefiion,
which flIe was iultifiable in doing, ofthe foil as
we'll rs the foveregnty-and their being poiici-
| fed of both, it was competent for her legla-
ture to difpofe OF the vacant land, and no fub-
| ftquent legislature could conhitutiona.iy fay it
| dVdliS DOt, ana IL HAL VOL HOiNi--I am IOL T.
| named of this opinion on the contrary it is
conoborated by the practice of all the fatcs in
| the union. a grant of land by the Legislature
| is universally held facredIt is 70 under the 90
vernment of the u. States alto, yet neither the
fate legislatures are all the citizens Of the fate,
nor are Congress all the citizens Of the United
States, which according to the doctrine we have
| beard advanced are requiiite to compleat the
contract. This being the cafe | will not v6
for the amendment it goes to deltroy the righ
which the petitioners have to the reierved fund
Of FIVE millions ofacres it goes TO defeat and
oyerturn well eRablihed fecurity which the
people of the u. States have for landed proper
! ty. | will not vote for it, becaufe do not be-
eve that Congrefs have divine isht to do
wrong.--Mr. Boyd faid, if all the fpecuators
we're fcouted from theie walls, he did not
know who would remain--He had no quarrel
with them about the quelion, but he lhoud E.
YER contend that every man had right to pur-
fue his object in his own way, the right grew
ont of the moral compact agreed to as funda-
mental in every etablilied aud well regulated
fociety.
Mr.. CLARK flid, he was Till in favor of the
amendment on the table, and which he yefter-
| day had the honor Of fnbmitting. He did not
with it to be undertood, that the amendment
was Intended 10 give preference to any def
cripton of claims under the different acts of the
fate of Georgia aud provided for by the gene
| ;,,f.