Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-03-09
co N c. K E S S
OF The
: UNITED STA TIES.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES..
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 80.
D:bat: on the Georgia CLAIMS.
Mr. Lucas's Speech ee,sc!a!ed.)
CO N G. K E S S
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Mr. LucaS's Speech eesc!a4ed

Mr. Lucas's Speech sssc!used.)
shall forhear to advert any longer on
the defects of,he titles of the four Georgia
companies, and the New England compa-
nv, claiming under the act Of one thousand
seven hundred and ninety FIVE, shall only
say that the fraud and COLLISION by the
means (Which these grants were obtained
having operated radical defect, viz. de-
feet from the beginning, no legal transfer
does exist by the first grant, and none OF
My confidence in this opinion is much
heightened by tina, of the three distinguish.
ed characters, who have been appointed
commissioners in pursuance OF an act en-.
titled an act for an smicab!e settle ment of
limits with the state of Georgia, &c.
observation-disclosures have said ia their re.
port copy Of which 1 now hold. ",hat
they feel no hesitation in declaring it as
their opinion, that under all the Circumstan.
ces which may affect the case, as they have
GONE within their knowledge and as here
in stated, The title Of the claimants cannot
be subb0rtea," meaning the claimants under
the act OF Georgia, OF one thousand seven
hundred and ninety-hve, this opinion de-
-ives great weight, not only from the
high official standing, the known correct
n.ss aud abilities of these commissioners
bus also from the special trust which con-
grrss hath reposed in them to investigate
those claims aud report on their merit.
True it is that these commissioners did ex-
press that "nevertheless the Interests Of
the United States, the tranquility of those
who may hereafter inhabit that territory,
and various equitable considerations, which
may be urged in favsr OF most of the pre-.
sent claimants, render it ex2edient to enter
into compromise On reasonable terms -
when am satisfied from my own opinion
and that of the commissioners, " that the IT,
tie of the claimants cannot be supported"
think that on the question OF sxpedieney
there is no member ofthis house but that can
form .n opinion for himself, indeed if this
house did not act from their own ideas on
this question they.need not to exercise their
opinion apon any thing at all; as to me l
cannot see any danger in not gratifying the
cspidi,y of fraudulent purchasers with large
quantities of land. cannot consent to give
away the property of the public to very
large amount for the sake of humorins land
companies, and strengthening the nerve of
speculation money is the bane Of a,orals
when put int the hands Of land specula-
tors. Let Us give them land or money, &
we add to their means Of sedueiag futu
legislatures. view land SPECTATORS as
.ePerate class of men acting upon prinei.
pies quite noxious te the rest OF society. 4
/ view as them being intimately connected
VITA one another from one end ofthe con-
,insrt to the other. Their strength con.
sists in perfect combination of their inHu.
encr; It is through that influence that anv
individual whose right clashes with their
clains must submit to sheir terms or loose
all, It is matter of course with land com.
Psnies to monopolizs lawyers to hav. them
a, their command to make them speak @,
be silent as their own interest requires.
Whilst we are debating this great cues.
ton, the land spectators within these
wa lis or oat of these walls are ia .ilen,
watch aaxiou,ly waiting for the measures
we are going to adopt; they appear a,
presentquite modest and unassuming but
le: US throw in their hands Ave millions of
acres otiaud and the scene will soon be
changed their wealth and the con,equen
ees attending it, will sooa make Us sensi
bic of the advantages they viii posses. o.
yer us as individuals and their children
will in very little time be laugh. too look
with contempt upon ours; and all the land
companies will find new encouragement to
rally round congres, from all quarters.
would not do as representative in
cargress,wha, could rot do as an individu.
al without blushing; contract. in my Cpl
MON cannot be divided by ounces aud pen.
ny weights. The titles of the companies
charming under the acc of Georgia, 1895,
are good or bad, if they are good, con.
gress ought not to screw out of the
hands of these companies, the seven.