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

tsnu indeed was not settled, but was soil
40 individuals or companies. The peopl
IN these aid settlements had no suspicio
because they had no experience, Of va.
body OF land, at least now six counties
Pennsylvania unsettled, being at ,he sam
time appropriated TO others. They pul
chased the fraudulent deeds and many {
them moved their families into the wilde,
ness, and sat down On heavy timbered Ian
;repu,ed to be dear Of the clearing, AMI al
ter they had spent their strength and en-
durec iRcalculabie hardships, found tina
the lind was not their own but the proper
ny Of some. Pennsylvania or foreign com
l,anns or other land jobbers. lie was 'n'
formed of this peddling or swiptiiing bu-
sinsss by the then members Iron, Massa-
chrselis, who enquired OF him Tor inior-
msion, he informed them that the wnoie
Business was fraud, that all the land IN
question had been sold long before, though
not settled, and he advised them TO inform
their people. They did so, and put stop
TO this mischicvous business. But alter
they had paid the swindIers and cleared
the heavy beach weeds to make living,
they were elected, and no doubt after pay.
ing their money and spending their labor
were sversc to giving up their residence,
but he understood by the newspapers that
they were making overtures to the legal
owners for the purchase of the titles.
The lease ofthe Wyoming settlers from
Connecticut in Pennsylvania, which had
given so much trouble TO that state, and
to whose claims he-had been opposed, and
had assisted in making laws against them,
he considered as proof OF the observation
he had made, they had rashly conidcd in
claim of the Connecticut government, to
part Of Pennsylvania, and before that claim
was decided had made purchases, and re-
moved their families TO the land they pur-
chased under that claim, they had defend
ed il against the Indians, by whom many
of them had been buichrred in most
shocking manner, and they had resisted
the laws of Pennsylvania. even after judg
ment was hpally given against the claims
OF Connecticut by court appointed for
that purpose, by the old Congress. They
defeated even some laws expressly made
for their advantage and continued to live
IN poverty and uncertainty, long since this
contest, they might have taken lands in
that state agieeably To- law, on very easy
terms and have lived undis,urbed. In all
this contest during more than forty years,
they have given continued testimony Of
simplicity withrespe@ to claims and tiles
for land, and at the same time however
they have set notable example of per-
severance under the greatest difficulties
occasioned by savage war, and some
times from an armed force from Pennsyl-
vania. The proprietary government, Of
that state never proposed 10 quiet these
settlements as had been done with intrud.
<rs from other states, it having previous
ly granted the land 10 others outl heir DO
stinale perseverance has had its effeG
After trying various and sometimes incon
sistent methods, Pennsylvania has foun,
il best at last to quiettheir settlements Of
moderate terms, and for this purpose, L
purchase the rights of the original pur
chasers from the proprietary government,
II had been objected TO him by anolhe
of his colleagues, tina, he had himself yot
ed for the repeal of contract IN the stat,
legislature from his knowledge Of tha
gvnlleman's candor, and dscernment M
Cregg,) he knew he would no, have mad,
this observation, if he had examined III,
case. Mr.. r. said, in the course Of a long
CT life than was common 10 many, at on,
time or other in all the various public DO
dies, which instituted or conducted repub
Iican governments, he had given som,
votes which he regretted, and many which
he would not give again, If he had the op
portunity, and he would never admit tha
a member was inconsistent for changin,
his opinion on better Information 70
what purpose is all our painful sludie
and wearisome debates but To inform ou
Judgment and of what use is this infor
maliou If we cannot take advantage of
for the public good, and if we have vote
wrought we cannot correca it by changing
our vote, we ought TO prevent all discus
sions, ali reading and study, and becom
mere machines. But though he advocat
ed this right, he did not need il on thi
occasion, nor Tor his yindication agains
the charge Of Inconsistency.
The bank Of North America, the frs
bank in the Uniied States, not chartered
by the old congress, which had no consi
tutional authority to grant charters but
the situof;on Of The ff,,,t.d Cfofo, q, sho,