Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-04-10

1~hichin Tree governments, arc always sub
jecl 10 the discretion OF the legislature, nc
price 10 paid for them, and The p1vilegs
MAY be always Withdrawn, when the pub
| lie good requires il. Blu, the claim before
| the house Is of quite different salors' II
is transfer of property by competent au-
thority, for which more valuable c"nsi-
Iteration had been received BY that s'a'e'
. Than, for any SALE OF lands by 'hat s'A'e.
before or since that time, and me pae.e",
{ claimants. on the faith of government, "au
their purchase al a still much hgne' '"'e
Much had been said about inc eA'e"'
of the purchase by the original grantees
and the corruption of the legislatures Dut
that was not before the house, he con
dition Of the convention between the Unit
ed States and Georgia was that, not 40
nor IS, nor $1,000 600 of acres, should be
given 10 satisfy those claims, but that
S 100000 of acres or some part thereof
should be given, but 5000 600 Of acres is
by that convention vested in the United
States as deposit for that purpose, and
If not so applied, the deposit is to be re-
turned to the state of Georgia; these are
the facts on record, and If the record Is
those who voted in favor Of the report of
the committee Of claims, were putting
their hand into The public purse, that i,
was public robbery, SC. was not only un-
founded II was mere defamation. He
would not say for what purpose. II was
not the property or purse Of The United
States, but a deposit put in he hands of
the United States, for the very purpose for
which the resolution before the house pho
poses TO apply it.
Mr.. F. said, thar this was not only the
the commissioners of The United States,
who had the best opportunity Of under
standing the subject, and whose talents
and integrity, it will be admitted, are not
interior to tina, Of any me nber on this
honr, and in their words he would con-
ciude. Ia their report they say, that the
interest ofthe United States, the Tranquil
iity oil those who may hereafter iaial5it
that territory, and various equi,ao'e consi-
derations that may be urged in favor ot
most oil the present claimants. render u
exPedient to enter into compromise on
equitable terms.
Mr. Root began by observing that he
should not undertake lengthy and elaho
rate discussion of the merits of this claim
lie was not disposed infinitely TO enquire
INTO the legality or equity Of The claims de-
rived under The set of Georgia or 1875.
Although he believed that the NV En-.
gland purchasers were entitled To recuv y,
both in law and in rquity--tha, the fee Of
the lands in question was vest. d IN Nc M
beyond any legi lative control, yet as thy
had offered terms Of Compromise, and as
gentlemen have Inclined to put the Issue
upon the exrediency Of the measure, he
should chs fis confine himself to the an.
swering ofsuch objections as he had hea L
offered IN opposition 10 the claim. He
said iha, he had listened atten,ivelv dur-
ing this debate. and the FIRST obieStioa
which possessed any ella m to argument
tell from ,hs first gentleman from Virgi.
MA, MIR. j. Randolph). Tie objection is
4 tins THAT the New England Company
were purchasers syifh n. ncc--that is thai
they had notice of the fraud believe tfss
became purchasers that they knew the
sales by Georgia were void, and purchas.
ing with their eyes open, they must sus.
tain the 'nss-and how, he inquired. has
tins notice been shewn? BY whom and on
whom has 1t been servedl The gentle.
man from Virginia who first spoke on this
Question has, to be sure referred us tn lie
Presidents message OF the i7lh nj Feb u
airy, i795, and this he is pleased to deno-
inmate notice. II may be notice fer
ought know, but surely il did not SATISFY
even Congress. much less the ci'izcns of
Boston, that the AL Of Georgia was pas.
seh IN fraud, was a5 itifio void, or ina,
subsequent Legislature would annul
the grant. That message did mott.
y Congress that Georgia had passed a
law Tor selling part Of her vacan lands,
and expressed some apprehensinns for
tne future peace of she United Safes
Here MIR. Root read the Presidents mes.
sage OF the l7th February, of Ho5 and
inferred from the message itself ina, the
Presidents approximations arose from the
circumstance OF tina counry's being in
habIted by warlke indians and that he
communicated the information to Con
gress in order thar pacific measures nigh.
be adopted. Is this continued Mr. v a
notice of fraud Il mi. !. ,oy.o. ,,,-..:e