The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-03-08

itatc C1 georgia the Claims ana CSIuO1 10 WntCn
the faid act has relation that is TO Gay, the
claims of perfons and ceilion of the fate. The
Preident afterwards cer.;.;ss that articles of a.
greement and ceilion had been hgned and en-
tered into, &c. and lays the fame before Con-
greis to act thereon leginatively. One expref.
condition of the aSt of ceflion was a referve of /
five millions OF acres out of what is efirnated
at SO millions, to iatisfy ipecfic claims, aud
the re!idue to fatisfy, quiet and compeniate o.
Their claims derived from any act or pretended
act of the Legislature of Georgia. And the law
the lands Office for ipecifc Claims ex
preiSly appropriates the reiidne of the five mill
lions of acres towards fatisfyins, quieting and
compeniating theie claims which originated un-
der any act or pretended act of Georgia.
In puriuance of the iad law the aforeflid
commiiiioners made propotals of compromise
TO the claimants aforeiaid, and required them
to RICHTER their claims in the fecretary's office
within twelve months, and they received pro-
pofals from them, both which are contained in
the Pretident's meilage. They were afo re-
quired by law, aereeaby to the propoials of
the cOmmfiioners to regiter their claims at 4
fpecihed rate ofexpence. Thus it appeared to
me that the faith of government, before the
queition came upin Congrets, was fully and re-
peatedly pledged to apply the reiidue of the
five millions of acres agHeably TO the exprefs
law of 1908, towards Eatigfyiag, qnisting and
rombenEatiRg thefe claims, otherwfe making
propoials to them and receiving propofals from
them inviting them by law to bring their claims
forward and to RICHTER them, and having re-
ceived depotit Of land from Georgia for that
purpoie to refuie now to enter on a compro-
miic was what did not expect to be attempt
ed, aud could not avoid confdering it as an
inItance of tantailZiug beneath the dignity of a
regular government.
was always very much oppoied to the ex-
tent OF the territory over which Georgia claim
ed juritdiGtion, as it contained the mott hume
rous and powerful nations ofIndans within the
United States and with whom none but the u
States or by the Intervention of the United
States could hold treaties. | alto thought it
wrong that the blood and treafure Of the U. S.
ihould acquire tuch an eXtenhve unfettlci ter
rtory to give It to one fate. ! was equally on
pOfed to her large faes Of land, not only as i'm
polite, but as calculated and apparently de-
iigned to defeat the claims ofthe United States
Therefore cheerfully promoted the plan to
bring about the compromise. When however
it was accomplished, was not in Congress, but
reioiced at the fuccefs of the plan and aopro-
we'd of the terms Of the cel!ion, and of the
terms OF compromilt propofed by the commit.
iioners. reioiced that the Gate of GEORGIA
ionabIe bounds. COTitGGently l WAS aftoniGled
when found the reiolutions for carrying it in
TO effect oppofed with 10 much zeal, and I'M
ufual reiOiutions brought forward to defeat II.
voted againit every refolution that had that
tendency, and inslly, for a reinforcement of
the Gueaion till his feliion, that the members
whole attention had not been formerly called
to the iubjeet might have opportunity to be
more fully informed. See the yeas and nays
OH the Journals. This felton, have voted for
and advocated the report and the recommen
dation of the commiiiioners, and in doing 60,
have acted in coniiitency with my whole con-
du6f with refpef to this fubjest for ten wears
pat, fince it originated, and am forty that 70
good plan for the tranquility of the u. States,
ihould meet with difficulty in the concIuiion.
Among the new things that this queltion has
produced, one of the grcatef novelties is,
afcribng the deci6ons on this fubie6t to polit-
cal party views; this indeed applied to the de-
ciiion on claims, is by implication charge of
the highef degree of depravity. That this
ihould be done IN iuch manner in a public
newfpaper while the cafe is ltill depending is
novelty N chs, aGd i;flfuiile III every other
country. That it was not confidered as par
ty buGneis heretofore, is evident from the re-
cords. The majority of the Congrefs in Feb.
1895, and the majority of the committee ap-
pointed TO originate the plan were republicans.
The majority of Cougrefs in 1898 and 1900,
were decidedly federal, but they purified the
fame plan and carried it to greater majority.
The majority ofthe Congrefs of 1903, which
carried the plan into effect 70 far, was republi-
can, and the commiflioners on both the part
of the United States and the fate of Georgia,
who had actually made the compromises, and
Whole recommendation is contained in the Pre-
iident's mefiage, are decided republicans. OF
a committee OF FIVE members laa felton,, who
unanimously recommended finilar refoution
to the preient Congrefs, four are republicans,
and the majority of the committee of Claims,
who reported the revolutions under debate are
alfo republicans, and tits admitted that the ma
iority of the claimants are republicans. This
far thought proTer to fate, to vindicate the
character of the Legislature from the inpudant
flanders of being influenced by political party
in deciding on claims. For my own part I can
fay with good confidence that have always
acted agreeably to the degree of information
pohcicd in deciding on claims, as an honoa
man, and not as party politician and trua
every member DOES the fame thing. If had
not been mentioned by name and difiinyuiAied
by a particular and abfolutey falfe charge of
crminality from the ref of The majority Of Con-
grefs, would not in this way have addrelitd
the public attention.
Wa. FINDLEY.
ct syr.-s
Ii Perions indebted to the sRate Of the late
81 ~.