The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-03-19
DEBATE,
IN TIE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
OF THE UNITED STATES.
WEDNESDAY, January 81.
DEBATE on THE GEORGIA CLAIMS.
CoH!inueI. I

ton OF the Houte for a f,iCrt time but from
viewing the mutual turn iome of the arguments
had taken and the nature OF the fulie g, he found
1t matter of fome delicacy to know how to
proceed. He was oppOltd 70 the AMENDING lit
under debate and in favour OF the refolution
but he obirrved tome members with whom be
had generally voted and Tor Whole talents he had
tue hIShcit titeem, and lii whole integrity hS
mad the utmott confidence, take the other fde
WIKI iuch ardent zeal and in mode Of argU-
inentS 70 unuiual in public bodies, that on ON
isrvlng this he had heiitattd and tad voted in
the ldt felton, for the poltpone:neut which took
place. lie had done this in hopes that the
ioute would in this ftfion me st The cafe in
temper more becoming their own dignity aud
the Importance and drIicdcy of the fubett. In
deciding on tits cafa, they did not act fulev in
thelr itG" legislative character, which was to
make ruies for the future conduct Of the Citi-
zenS. in ;hls cafe they were in the very deli
cate mutation OF both paI'c and Judges, in adj
dltlon to that of legillators-a fituation always
to be avoided if pofiibIe, and when it cannot be
avoided It thou!i be conducted with The greatef}
decorum. Awed by this E;ua;;ou, Mr.. I. laid
he had again and again viewed the fuhiect IN G.
very aiPett IN which 1t preieuted tfllt TO him,
ard examined it by the rules of equity, Of *.
pediency and policy, with as great attention as
he had ever done any cafe on which he was cal
led to act, and excited by the unprecedented at
tackS made on the motives and character OF the
members in oppoG;ion 10 tl!e amendment, when
fair and candid argtment faxed for his oWn
dlhntereitednefsi uthe utlion, he woulCtake the
liberty CT appealing to the God ofiudgment, to
whom &c was 10 be accountable for the honcftv
OF his declion in this ard every other cafe, and
on wto.e subordinate throne of judgement on
earth, liz lonfdcrsd the Hcutc in the preitnt
declhon to be itatCd and Sing. So tedious Al.
Introduction was not uiuaI 10 him, but on this
location he thought there was Cault.
By thete circumstances he was CoIivinC ed that
on this oc' alton it was his duty to mention to
the Houte, at leaf fone Of the reaions fer The.
vote which it was his du;y to give on this CUFF
ton, but would give them in 40 Few words a. il
was IN his power TO render them ,nteigiGe to
the lIou!t; for this purpoie he thought nar-
ratve the tacS was in the firlt place neccGary.
He iaid he would begin with the mslIa4e of
the Prefdent near the Clofc of the fflion in Fe-
hruary. in the year 1895, Informing Concreie OF
two laws made in Georgia, one III DeccEALer and
the other in the month of February 1885, (thc
lame mei!age mentioned by the memLc, from
Virginia, Mr.. l}andolph) The meliage was refer
red to fcett committee of which he had the
honor of being member with other very intel
lieent members from both iou,h and can TElr.
Nicholas, Mr.. Ames, &C. Ii had long been the
option OF men well informed that the title Of
was doubtful, and that it WAS too great for any
fate 10 Torfs in corrcI.i., ,,!.,. th;. 80,
raj union. The old Cong refs frt quently called
On Georgia to make a cellon Of her uii,tte,.
territory agreeab'y to the ftipulatiuns on which
the confederation was agreed to, but when
Georgia did prcpotc Csfnon, The terms on
which il was male were reic6tt q. Cthrr iates
made c>iiionS Of lands to which they had no ii.
tie or elit had appropriated The lands to indiyi
duals before the Ctlion was made TO that on |
the whole but fHali quantity of land uHiucu,n- |
bered, came to the benefit of the United States. |
But 20 rctUrnj the committee in F bruary i795, |
examined The tile of Georgia rs far as they had
information, tie bounds not bsins certainly
known, the uniettled territory Of Georgia was |
believed 10 be larger than France or Germany
or any other European nation, except RuIlia, |
Whole Afatic doniniODs extend 20 the Pacific |
ocean; hence they concludedthat fuch an extent
of territory pohehcd by one fate at the extre |
nifty ofthe United States, & bordering It's " hole !
length Oh tht Spanib donlniors with which we |
were then in danger Of a itTious couteh, it was |
the opinion of the committee that every pro- |
per means ihould be u(ed TO induce Georgia TO |
cede in peaceabe manner proportion Of that !
territory, and as a fri hcP towards obtaining !
this objed, the committee reported, that theat- !
torney general mould examine the titles ofthe !
Rate Of Georgia and Of the lands claimed by /
the Company from the law of 1895, and they /
further reported that the Prthdcnt fhould be au- !
thorifed to obtain a Ccfiion from the Rate of
Georgia Of the whole or pa.t CT The territory. !
1t was not certainly known that there was !
dsfcd il the title of Georgia, but from the cir |
cumRauoes Of the fmal extent OF that colony at /
the beginning, and its various extenfons by /
different novel procamatons, &c. the :itle Of |
Georgia was held in doubt. II is well known, /
that the fate Of Georgia at FRI was pitched in .
TO the fate of South Carolina, which for a con-
iderabe time granted titles for land, fouih of |
the fate Of Georgia, and one degree Of latitude .
which the United States claimed from the dcfni. I
tive treaty with Britain, was yet in the poGcai- /
on Of Spain but this the members OF Georgia .
coufidered aIfc rs within the iuriidiGtion Of that
fate.-T hisbeing thee cafe hecommiitee thought |
it prudent to make no mention of the fiippof-
cd defect of the title OF Georgia. Tie com I
mttee and particularly hmftlf. fufpe6ted that
different laws enacted by that fate for the fale 1
Of land and particularly the recent f1le of 1895,
was encouraged by their own fufpcion Of a de- I.
feGtive title, but they knew nothing OF tine br- |
berry and corruption aligned as reafon, in the /.
yearf0Ilowing, for annuiling the contract, there
fore it was, that no notice 10 the contractors,
that Congrefs doubted the title of Georgia, was
given. There was no precedent in tie United
States, Of a contract authorized by connituti-
nD1 lspi0afive SGT bsiro 1ec1, rod mil aud void