The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-03-08
FROM THE NATIONAL ISrElLlosxcEn.
Mr.. S. "a. SMIgH,

] rcquef place in your paper for the vindi- |
cation.vf my character, againf an mutual at |
tack made thereon in the Aurora, headed Fee
5r::aar;y attack had been only fcurri-
lous, would have pafled it over, as have al |
ways done every thing OF that kind but it was
an unqualified anertion of fact On reflection |
am induced TO believe, that owe it to my
friends, my children, and iociety, at my time of
life, not to fan6tion an abiolute uutruth agaiBtt
my character by my filence. The words are,
g the Yezco fquad gains ftrength-Mr. Findley
is gone overto them, &c. He voted uniformly
againt this nefarious speculation before, and his
eyes became fuddenly open in his old age" l
do not quote for your paper any more OF iuch
language than is necenary to fate the fact. /
called Peaceably on he editor of the Aurora,
and requeited him to correct the abortion in
what manner he pleafed-he refuied to take my
word as authority, and l referred him to the
journals from the year 1895, on that fubeet.
He refufed TO pay that attention to the fubeet,
but told me might write in his paper if peaf-
ed. ThisI was fulfilled in declining, by the
difpoftion he difcovered. am not too old to
have my mind enlightened. certainly would
think it my honor. to change my vote if was
convinced | was wrong, and never condemned
a memterin any public body FOR doing 70. 1t
is not the charge of changing, made in the mott
Indecent language, that l refent, but the abfo-
lutte falehood of what is ftated as fact in this
cafe. perfectly recolleGt what my judgment
was always on this fubje& but leaa ihould
have forget, have examined the Journals for
ten years back, ard can trace no inconEitent
vote refpe6ting it.
The iolemn obligation entered into by the
fates before they confented to ratify the con-
federation, that every colony and new fate
ihould make cetiion Of the territory within its
jurifli6tion, that was the property of the King
of Great Britain, and not appropriated to any
individual. to the United States, as common
fuad 10 detray the expence of the war, mutt be
recolected by every citizen acquainted with the
proceedings fthat eventtul crilis. Other fates
made fnch ceiIions Of territory as was accented
by Congre(S. Georgia made cellion clogged
with fuch conditions as was rejcGted-perhaps
umwiieiy that fate was frequently called on by
Congrets 70 make fuch cetiion as would be &C
cepted, but declined. In 1889, when the con-
federation government had ccafed, the legilia
ture of Georgia made fale of the lands, incud-
Ing the YaZoo creek or river, 20 feveral compa-
MES, and received part of the payment. The
fucceeding aaembly, by an es P9Rta7o refoluti-
on, in oppolition to law, rejected the tender
of the remaining payment, refufed to complete
the title, and directed the money to be returned,
which was eventually done; a. this time Con-
grcis was not 10 far organized to think it prl-
dent to interfere.
Il
more exteniive fa!e of land, to certain compa.
mics, located by natural boundaries, of which
the amount could not be known, but was then
eitimated at about 2o,OOO,oOO of acres, but
which the commlfoners of the United States
have eliminated at S5,ooO,OoO, and fome others
without any data, have called 40 and fome
100000 ofacres, and icr2e an enpi,e. Du-
ring the next month, February 1895, the Pref
dert by meflage informed Congrels of this ex-
tenfve faie. The mei1age was referred to fe-
Iect committee, contifting Of Mr. Nicholas OF
Virginia, Mr.. Macon of North Carolina, MIR.
Murray, of Maryland, Mr. Findley, of Pennfy-
vaEia, Mr.. Boudinot, OF New Jerfey, Mr.. Ames,
of Maiiachufetts, Mr.. Sherbourne, of New.
Bampillire. Though parties had not been diff
eliminated in the fame degree as they were fome
time afterwards, all theie were members well
known in the United States, and four, viz. the
majority at leaf, uniform republicans. On this
futie6t, however, there was but one opinion,
They knew that no method had been provided
to compel fate to relinquih territory which
flie claimed, however invalid her claim MIGHT
g., ncr &C pa her iot5t5 ttue 10 the United
States. They knew that Georgia was under A
moral obligation ariiing from contract to make a
ceffion.
They ALTO knew that the titles of the colony
of Georgia from The king, having been 70 often
varied and 70 greatly extended, might be doubt
tu. lhey knew that the cetl.on from South
Carolina, lying along the northern boundary
of Georgia, belonged to the United States, and
did not admit that the 3Ift degree OF latitude
then about 20 be ceded by Spain to the United
States agreeably to the definitive treaty with
Britain, and which lay all along the fouthern
boundary ofGeorgia, did OF right belong TO
Georgia, though me claimed it. They alto be-
lieved that the claim of Georgia was much too
large for one fate to occupy. But they knew
alto that there was no method of bringing T.
bout an accommodation, but by conproniGe.
and therefore laid the plan which at laf, tho
llolely, accomplished that de6rable obica
The drf reiolution shat pafcd in conftousnce
of the deberaticn of that committee, provided
for authorizing the Preiidsnt to obtain cefion
OF the whole or a part of that territory, then
and vet owned and occupied by the Indians.
The next was, requeGing the Preiident TO di-
rect the attorney general to examine and re-
port on the charters or other titles of Georgia
to the iurifdiction and foil and the extent of
her faleS and the boundaries, &c. of the lands
ofthe United States adjoining. This was fol-
lowed BY refoife that no fate or individual
1houd nesociafe with the natives for the extin.
guifhment oIthe right Of foil all .hefe refolu-
tons were calculated and defgned to induce
the tate of Georgia, and the companies Grin
dividnais who had purchafed pre-em,ton
rights TO foil owned and occupied by the ma