Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-03-13
CON CIR ES S
OF THE
UNITED S ia TIES.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 50.
Debate on the Georgia CLAIMS.
(Continued'J
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Mr.. Boyd. The .questioa before the
House is not whether We are y do good
or an injury to the class Of ms6 whoare de-
bounced band of SPECTATORS but it is
whether we shall agree to OF reject the a.
mendment to the resolution offered yester-
day to the House by gentleman from Vir-
ginia (Mr. CLARKE Yesterday was taken
up in reading the laws of Georgia, and of
the United States, and various other pa
pers, which have been long in the hands OF
the members, and which no doubt had
been so attentively perused BY them, as
to have rendered the reading at this day
not indisPenssbly requisite. Mr.. Boyd
said, that if papers were to be read tor
the instruction and edihcation OF the
members as to we'll known facts, he
thought il would have been OF more con-
sequence to have read the declar alton OF
independence, and the treaty ct peace OF
1888, in which the independence OF the
United States was acknowledged by the
ONLY power on earth who contended 6.
gains, it. We were then free, sovereign
and independent states, to all intsnts aud
purposes, and as sovereign states each
and every state in the union had full pow
er and authority to dispose of their lands
to whom they pleased, and under what
conditions they pleased, and it the state
of Georgia in the exercise of her sovs-
rsignsy have conveyedto the Mississippi
land company the right Of soil to the laud
in question, and thar company have trans.
ferred the same to the New-England
Mississippi land company, the right is
vested in them, unless we have arrived at
that stage of political depravity, that what
was yesterday acknowledged as right
shall tomorrow b. declared wrong.>
Why is it that spectators are so much
reproached, when we ourselves have be.
come spectators to an extent beyond the
aggregate of the land speculations in the
United States of America! Has not Con-
gress recently speculated in the purchase
of Louisiana, and paid the price, and will
gentlemen contend here, as if they mean to
be consistent they might do, that We have
acquired no right to the same because We
purchased of France, who had no right to
sell, as its government holds all it. powers
for the good of the people, and that it
is not for the good of the French people
that their territories should be alienated
from them? Does it follow that when
nation has vested in another its rights of
soil and Jurisdiction, that the invessture
does not hold good, without enquiry in.
to the purity of the motives of the contract
ing parties: Will you then prevent men
! from putting their reliance and confidence
in the state legislatures?
1t is asked why. if they have right to
the lands in Georgia. which they claim,
why do they propose to relipquish to the
United States nine tenths Of their claim
1t wouldbe sufficient answer to tina, ques-
ton to say, that Congress is the only pow
err possessing the right to extiuguish the
Indian title to that country, and il Geor-
gia had possessed that right he apprehend.
ed the present claimants would have been
suffered to 60 on and improve their farms
IN that district; they never would have
been disturbed IN their possession He
was not in favor ofspeculators, but he had
made ep his mind never to lay his hand
violently upon the claim Of any man, more
than he would a mans property when he
was in full and quiet possession. Nor
should he pretend to instruct others in the
disposal of their money, persuaded that e.
very man had right to lay his money out
in such way as was most agreeable to him.
self, and of which he was the best Judge.
We are asked who dare vote for souan.
dering the public money in this wholesale
manner? This is nay declaration in reply.
dare to vote for the measure proposed by
the committee Of claims. Nay, further,
am bound to vote in its favor. 1t is my
duty SO to vote, for I have sworn to sup.
port the constitution ofthe United States,
and that constitution declares that no state
shall make any ex post facto law, or law
impairing contrasts. But why do gentle
men dwell so much upon speculation. The
act of Congress to obtain the cession of her
western territory from the state of Ceor-