Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-03-06
CON GRESS.irs E
a.. OF THE
UNITED S TATE S.,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
, "WEDNESDAY, ian. so.
Debate on the Georgia CLAIMS
srMr. EA;ofs Sbeech Continued.

@(Mr. EAiots Speech Continued. } 8
ON the claims pretended to be de.
rived under the at of Georgia of
.a1a December 1859, they obferw,
&C upon fun view of the fubjeds the
,commiiEoners do not perceive that
thoie companies have any equitable.
claim either for the land, or for COM
penfation from the United States. -
Very different is their opinion uponthe
claims under the act of 1895. IS The.
commiilioncrs think thole proportions
;inadmiGble, and without pretending to
affirm that the Legislature of Georgia;
was competent to make the deciGen,;
they feel no helitation in declaring it
as their opinion, that under all the;cn-
-cumlances which may afed the cafe,
as they have come within their know
ledge, and as herein fased, the title of
the claimants cannot be fupported.-
But they nevertheless believe that the
interelt of the United States, the tran
guilty of thole who may hereafter In
habit that territory, and various equi-
table considerations, which maybe urg-
81 :. c-..e- ~r ...vfl VI rue pfcient clai
mants, render it expedient to enter 10
to compromile on reafonable terms"
Here cannot but remark how very
difficult it is for feeble minds to decide
important queifions upon which great
men dilagree. The gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Randolph )is of opinion
that it would not only be impolitic to.
compromife thefe claims, but that the
only claims of the applicants are fraud
and villainy the commilIoners, who
probably examined the fubjeet with as
much attention, at leaf with as much
coolnefs as that gentleman, believethat
not only the public good requires the.
compromise, but that various equitable
considerations may be urged in favor of
mott of the prelent claimants. Fhe
Secretary of the Treafufy, in his letter
of the 9th infant to the chairman ofthe
committee of claims obierves, "My
own imprellion was, that the five mill
ons of acres would be (uHicient to CO.
yer all the claims of lettlefs, Briulh
grantees, and others nor expressly pro
vided for by the articles of agreement,
and eljo to make a ajoxable eompents-
ton for claims derived or pretended to
be deriued from Georgia !; and it APP
peaxed to me that the eEed ofthe claufe
would be--ilt to prevent Congreis
from voluntarily confirming, at fome
future time, the laid Georgia claims.
I'D. To leave ii in their power to com
promile with that defcription of claim
ants, by allowing 70 much nf the Cur
plus of five millions of acres as they
| might think proper; without, a. the
| fame time, pledging government to en-
ter into compromite, if upon full
| view Of all the circumstances Of the
I SdiSs q oluS'SHl IOuI IC ~dS tHou6Al
| more eligible" The committee of
claims who, mutt have paid more at
tenton to the fubjed than tits pofhble
for other members to d.. g On conf
| dering theie various traniaaions, are
| of opinion, that it is proper to. make
aome Legislative provilion fer the pur-
pole. Of, lettling the exiting claims on
iuch terms A. lhall appear to be rea-
fonable," and they recommend the
appointment of colnmifhonefs for that
purpols. Can there any longer Be a
doubt that the claims are recognized
by the at Of ceflien ? Can there be
doubt that Congrels, by making the
appropriation of the five millions Of a
cres, and BY fubjeaiag the claimants
to great expence IN recording and fup--
porting their claims, have tacitly pledg-
4 IL u IL =