Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-03-25

" and settlement only and 4th From the
state Of Georgia. Petitions, memorials and |
swarmed before Congress,
and among others, those of the Yazoo spe-
cuiators. it became important to he ". $ /
10 ascertain hoy many of those claims |
were well founded and deserved to be con- |
tirmed how many were Fictitious and de- |
served to be rejected. By an act of Con-
gress passed in 1900, the commissioners Of
The u. 5. WHO had been previously appoint
ed to settle limits with the state of Geor-
gia, were authorised LIST "to enquire into
the claims which are or shall be made by
settlers, or an other persons whatsoever
TO any part of the lands aforesaid" 2d.
90 To receive from such settlers and cla-
mants any PROPOSITIONS Of comhromise."
Sd. "To lay n fail statement Of the claims
and propositions, together gt'ih their oitiai-
on thereon, before Congress" Mr. MaGi-
son, the secretary of State, Mr. Gallatip,
the Secretary q the Treasury, and Mr.
Lincoln, the then Attorney General of the
u. S. were the commI sioners appointed TO
perform those 'aborious duties. They DIS
charged them with ability; and all three
concurred in the report upon this subject.
In explaining the Yazoo claims, so far are
they from suppressing one single feature of
that hideous transaction. that they open up
all the sources of corruption in which the
Georgia law originated, point ont the names
of the corrupted members, and arrange and
exht.; the proofs of that corruption. In
short, they exhibit the whole of the evidence
which was the theme of so much eloquent
defamation in Congress. Never was there
case OF Infamous corruption, more lumi-
nously, more ably, and more cogently de-
veloped and displayed, than that Of the va
zoo in their report. They were directed
however by the law, under which they
were acting, to receive any proposals of
compromise which might be made by the
Yazoo claimants, and to report such pro-
posals to Congress, together with their
opinion. They accordingly receive and re-
port the Yazoo proposals, and give their
opinion that they were inadmissible. At
the same time they think that there were
features in this transaction, which deserv-
ed their consideration, and that OF { ongress.
For instance, great number of virtuous and
innocent men at distance from the scene
! of action, and who knew nothing of the
corruption in which the law of Georgia
originated, had been induced to become
purchasers of Yazoo lands. The law itself
on the face of il was not only fair, but DO
)pular. 1t was an act supplementary to an
act entitled " an act afhrohriating a tart
| Of the INDICATED territory Of this state TO
the Payment # fhe late state froohs. -
The assembly of the state of Georgia, a
body having full power on the subject
pledge the faith of the state for the vaiidi-
ty ofthe grant. On the faith of this pledge.
distant men, as virtuous as any in the u.
>. and knowing nothing of this case except
the fair face OF the law, were induced 10
take titles under it. Was it competent to
the state OF Georgia, one only of tile con-
tracing parties TO revoke the law, and
that to the prejudice of these innocent Dur-
Ichasers These were difficulties which
the commissioners had to consider and to
report their opinion upon. The u. States
has now taken the place of Georgia it
had acquired by csssion a vast territory /:
and besides doing srict Justice to itself, it
was bound to do what was equitable to
others. 1t was bound to consult its own
dignity in the mode of adjusting these dis
Iputes, and its own interest I'm removing all
the sources of litigation and quietine the
titles OF its own future grantees in this ter
ritory. Considering these circumstances.
the real hardships of the innocent purcha-
Isers and the rich acquisition which the u.
-. had gained in the territory, the three
commissioners concurred in thinking it the
most LIBERAL and sound policy to put an end
/ ~ 80 N''"t'"'SS1 Wy giving 10 lnOSe cal
mants reasonable compensation for their
Idisappointments and losses.
This is the whole case. The opinion
may be incorrect many very lust and in
Itelligent men think it incorrect; but no man
of ordinary liberty ever thought it Giabo-
nest. We see nothing in it, which man
ofthe purest integrity need blush to avow
and we viii add that the arguments which
support the opinion of these three virtuous
and eminent men have never vet heen an.
swered and perhaps rever will be CON
sidered IN any other way than by resortino
to the sovereign power of Congress on the
subject, and appealing to the angry passions
on the corrupt origin Of the claims: p cor
ruption, at which we are sure no men felt
more indignant than the three gentlemen
who made the report in question. Yet for
this opinion, which, if wrong, could do no
harm, because the whole foundations ON
which itrested were submitted to Congress.
50 as to enable them to Judge for themselves
for this opinion, you, members of Con-
gress, and protesting high regard for
vertue and character, you have the Justice
liberali,y 10 single out Mr. Madison. and
brand him with every odious epitbet which
your habits Of obloquy ard inyective can
supply We see this transaction, and this
gentleman IN bis true light and be assur.
ed that we see you, in your true light.
Mr. Madison is beyond your reach. A.
bandon the vain and igDominious enterprise
IN which you have embarked. Repent and