Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-04-03

boast of that nation, and has excited ths
eulogies OF this our judiciary is the shes
aochor of safety, against popular fuzzy, OF
the more destructive, though less violent
lattacks of ,nsurpa,ion. I look TO It with
II veneration and respect, as the prescryer
) OF civil rights, and civil liberty; ou' " u
: rs 10 yield 10 the power OF an array ana
: It's DEGREES, are 10 be reversed on tne
points of hireling, mercenary siyohe's
J lgien indeed. noughtreDains of borrty on'
| The name, a phantom not worm Pfescrv-
. ing is polite in the language OF the
President, 10 compromise these claims,
l"a prompt settlement too, Of all existing
claims within this territory, presents IT,
self as a preliminary operation" It is
( polite, sir, on every ground, many emf
nent lawyers alike superior to the quirlss,
| and bubbles Of the law, as well rs the
heresy of making the law yield to a mil
tary force, believe in the legality Of these
claims, and it there is a pre,ex. oflaw on
their side, II will produce more injary than
the value OF the land, they are willing TO
take; speak expcrimco.ally upon this
sublect-tcn millions OF acres OF land, (bv
computation) in the district represent,
are claimed by persons called the
Indiana company, by grant from the
SIX nations oil Indians lin the year l744,
a public treaty under the regal authority,
was held at Lancaster, with those Indians,
and at that time they coded the wnnl. of
their title to all the lands within the char
tered limits OF the state some years af.
forwards viz. in 1903, as an Indemnity In
company ofmerchants for go,ds forcibly
taken bv the Indians, they ceaed large
tract OF land, bounded by the Laurel Hill.
on The east, the Pennsylvaaia lie on The
north, the Ohio river, on The west, & L. I, e
kenhawa on the south to Trent and
others. In 1870, this company petition
ed the Virginia legislature, 10 grantthen
some compensation, this hey refused 10
do, and they proceeded 10 pass sundry re-
solutions upon the subject, namely that
this grant to Trent and his associates, vas
null and VOID, that the exclusive right of
prescription from the Indiansl vas vested
IN the government, anil that they would
vlndicate its rights TO their u nos. power.
Soon after the consti,uton WAS adopted,
, suit was brought against Virginia IN the.
I federal court, and n consel irnc- pf tn
amendment concerning the stability of
the states II was di ,,nIssed; various sf
forts were afterwards made by the com.
pany To obtain some allowance, and Il
naiiy, they instituted snt agains, US,
IN the Virginia circuit court of the United
States, which is now depending. pre-
sumo from reference 10 the dates OF the
| grants, and the established rule that ind.
v'duais cannot purchase the Indian tile
every member of this House will Join me
in saying, that there is no chance of sue
lcess for the company-yet. sir, the dis
uict attorney Of Virginia, who nv col
league on q FORMER occasion, pronounced
: to be gentleman of great legal learning
(Which also admit) has given an opini.
On IN their favour, and he with other emf
nent lawyers equally as learned as himself
, are their counsel the effect Of The exist.
e encc of this claim is, that tract of coun
. try larger than Massachusetts, separa eC
| from the province OF Maine, larger thar
d Connecticut, New Hampshire. or Yer
u mont, possessing the rnoss saiubrious eli
I; mate in the United States most fertile
! sol, & tempera second 20 none in N r
(; Union, situated too uponlarge nayiedble ri
yers-s scarcely contains thirty thous in.
= labitan,s; & even now in consequences o,
e a renewal Of the suit, our most valnabl /.
citizens are abandoning heir homes.
:, which are sold Tor much less than their
value, and removing TO a-onun,ry where
no such dispute can annoy them. SIR. II
we had resorted to a e0mhromise VIII CHI
they sought and urged, the allowance of
their utmost demand would have been
r much than the injury we. have 50 sense
bly, FELT MIR. Speaker, having taken tn.
: view ofthe subject, Tshsil no wi hs,aad,u
The claimao;sIIavc been denounceda> gia-
dicrs, liars hypocriies, and accessar'es %
1 stHpendous robbery, which far oul strips
the petty lartenies Of the lederal,sts, vote
y Tor the reference of their claims, To CO.
e nissioners because believe tAeir re.
e specilul exercise ola constitutional right.
I the right Of p~'iiioniog. is emitted to a
( tenuon, and because do not THINK they
!. are base men, but abused in cruel man
= ner, whose lives refue the charges made
J Against them--and if were permitted ia
;, address them upon the occasion, I would
5 say, be not afraid of the shafts Of SANDER
your characters are your shields, aud
would add, in the language Of a great man
who, alter an affentive efudu ~ k,,..... =