The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-03-22

ON. These were derived from various
sources +: LIST. From the British government
while the country Belonged To the British
Cd. From the Spanish Crown, after its con-
quest OF West Florida. Sd. From cccupan-
cy and settlement only and 4th. From the
state of Georgia. Petitions, memorials and
rcmonstranccs swarmed before Congress,
and among others, these Of the Yazoo spccu-
lasors lt5ecame important to the u. States
TO ascertain how many OF those Claims were
well founded and deserved to be confirmed
how many were FICTITIOUS ard deserved 10 he
rejected. BY an act of Congress passed in
1900, the commissioners of the U. States who
had been previously appointed to settle limits
with the state Of Georgia, were authorised
lst =" to enquire into the claims which are or
shall bc made by settlers or any other per-
sons whatsoever to any part of the lands "a
toresaid." Cd. " To receive from such set
tiers and claimants any PROPOSITIONS Of com
fromiss." Sd. "To lay a full statement of the
claims and propositions, together gpiih their
ottlaion thereon, before Congress" Mr.. Ma
olson, the Secretary of StaIe, Mr.. Gallatin,
the Secretary of the Treasury, and Mr.. Lin
cain, the then Attorney General Of the U.
States, were the commissioners appointed 20
perform those lab",icsis duties. They dis
charged them with ability and all three
concurrcd in the report upon this subject In
explaining the NIzoo claims, so far are they
from supervising one single feature of that
hide0us transaction, that they open up all the
sources OF corruption i'll Which the Georgia
law originated, point out the names of the
corrupted members, and arrange and exhi-
bit tue proofs OF that corruption, In short,
they exhibit the whole of the evidence which
was the theme of so much eloquent decla-
nation in Congress. Never was there a case of
infamous corruption, more UNANIMOUSLY, more
ably. f~y w IL npf 81 II
played, than that CT the Yazoo in their report
They were directed however by the law, I'M
der which they were acting, to receive any
PROPOSALS of compromise which might be
made by the Yazo0 claimants, and to report
such proposals to Congress, together with
their opinion. They accordingly receive and
report the Yazoo proposals, and give their
opinion that they were inadmissible. AT tie
same time they think that there were fea-
turcs.in this transaction, which deserved
their consideration and that OF congress. For
instance, great number cf virtuous and in
F0cent men at a distance from the scene
ef ACTON, and who knew nothing of the cor
rup,ion in which the law Of Georgia origina-
ted, had been INDUCED to become purchasers
of Yasoo lands. The law Itself on the face
o. If was not only fair, but popular. 1t was
an act supplementary to an act entitled " an
ac- ajhfroflriafing fart If the. Indicated
S9fe state tTo0fG."-- The assembly of the
state OF Georgia, body having full power
ON the subject pledge the faith of the STAKE
tor the validity OF the grant. On the faith of
TINS pledge, distant men, as virtuous as any
In the United States, and knowing nothing OF
this case except the fair face of the law, were
induced TO take titles under it. Was it com
Detent to the state of Georgia, one only of
the contracting parties, to revoke the law,
and that to the. prejudice Of these INNOCENT
purchasers These were difficulties which
the commissioners had to consider and TO re-
port their opinion upon. The United States
had now taken the place Of Georgia if had
acquired by ceSslon vast territory and
besides doing strict 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 disputes, and its
own interest in removing all the sources of
litigation and quoting the titles of its
own future grantees in this territory
Considering these circumstances, the real
hardships of the Innocent purchasers and
the rich acquisition which the United States
had gained in the TERRITORY, the three COM
inissioners conCurled in thinking il the most
liberal and sound policy to put an end to all
disputes, by giving to those claimants rea-
snnable compensation for their disappoint-
nfents and Losses.
MS IS inc whole case. j ne opinion NAV
be Incorrect; many very just and intelligent
men think it incorrect; but no man Of ordi-
nary liberality ever thought it diShonest We
zee nothing init, which man Of the purest
= integrity need blush to avow and we will add
that the arguments which support the opini-
OIL OF these three vrtuous and eminent men
have. never yet been. answered, and perhaps
never will be answered in any other way
than by resortng to the sovereign power of
Congress on tie subject, and appealing to the
angry passions on the corrupt origin of the
Claims: corruption, at which VIC 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
or which it rested were submitted to Con-
gress, so as to enable them 10 Judge for them
5 lves--for this opinion, you, members Of
Congress and processing high regard for
Virtue and character, you have the Justice
and liberahty TO single out Mr. Madison. and
brand him with every odious epithet which
your habits OF oboquy and nvective can sup
ply! We see this transaction and this gen
telnan III his true light ard be assured that
We see you, in your true light.
Mir. MaGisen sbeyohd your r,ach. Aban-
don The vain and ignominious euteIprizc in
'~hichycu have embarked. Repent and re-
tim totDe i1!d Of repubiicanisin. The Deo-
pic may even Jet forgive yDlr alterations.
lrosa aud Migrant rs they are. Buzz do not
expect that the people will sacrifice their
dignity, their Justice their rratitudc gl tt,e;,