Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-05-21
CONGRESSIONAL.
liz SEnArE-Eridau. NAV


this exclamation by stating that Virginia asked no
thing OF the liberality the bounty of this govern
lnent He should make appeal to it's gratitude in
favor OF those whose descendants interested in
thePassaye OF the measure before the Senate.
lSthey had 10 claim either in Justice eeuity-f in
pfalner words, they not entitled obtain, pro-
vded this government sueabe, a decree of judg-
ent in court of law equity, for that which il now
demanded for them he desired that the bill might be
rejected. The General Assembly of the State ono of
whose representatives. he wason that floor had adopt
ed certain resolves upon this subject, not in the
character of supPiant for Congressional bounty,
but from desire to fulfil her engagements solemniy
entered into with men who had evinced their fdel-
ty 10 her and the cause OF American Independence
by long and faithful service That State would scorn
to be sUppliant to government whichhas no pow
cr to hcStow charity or to exercise spirit of munif
ccnce he had promised thus much not only in JUS
tice To his State but to himself
lie then entered into an expoSStiou of the grounds
oh which the bill rested. The State of Virrina by
sundry Legislative resolves, commencing at an eary
period OF the Revolutionary war, had held out in
ducements to her citizens to enter into the military
service Amongst the most prominent of which was
the promise land bounties to her officers aud soldiers
Us well upon State as continental establishment. She
wasthen the mistress ofan extensive region, g. if she
had continued to retain her sovercrnfy over it, no
murmur of complaint would ever have been uttered
against her. by those who fought not her battles on
ly, but those ofthe conf,Geracy. She drew no dis
cTm'nation between her State and continentutroops.
None In truth existed. The only difference between
them was u mere difference to the government by
whom they were to be paid The service of the
SEase troops was as trying and perous that of
the contlnentes. The fields were emhrued
with their blood and when Victory perched on the
banner of the 1t aghtcd also those of the o.
Their. In fufilment or her pIighed faith, resolu.
ton was adopted by her Legislature, the 18th of
Dec 1878, appropriatng all the lands living between
Green river, the Cumberland mountain, the North
Carolina line, the Tennessee and Ohio rivers exclu
s'vey TO the purpose of satisfying the claims to
military bounty; and in 1881, she added the lands w.
md hof1 thn nb,
and North Carolina line, and the Mississippi He
rccted these facts to show distinctly to the Senate
that she had ever considered the claims of both her
Ines as lnseparable and undistineuishable, fact
which 1t was Necessary to bear faithfully in mind
In l78i she adopted the policy of cedng to the
United States her extensive territory northwest of
the river ONO, which had been conquered exclusive
ly by her own arms; and on the ed day of January
passed resolution authorisng her delegates in Con.
gress to make the cession on certain conditions
Here Mr. Tyler said, the difficulty appertaining to
heretofore prevented her from doing full and ample
justice to her gallant sons. By the resolution gu.
thorsing the cesson-he would call it the power of
attorney under which her agents acted-her reserya-
ton or lands aPpertained as well to the benefit Of
her State as continental troops. This was the ony
au horlty with which she invest any one in re-
iction to the aads ceded.
Here Mr. 7. read from copy Of the original res
olution the following words: sThat in 1850 1,e
tty OF good lands the Southeast side of the Ohio
Upon the waters of the Cumberland river and he
tween tH5 Grcen river anu the Tennessee river.
which have been reserved by law for the virginia
troops upon continental establishment, and upon her
own State este bishment, should flor the reasous
therein stated prove insufficient for their legal boun-
ties the deficiency shall be made up to the said troorz
in good land to be laid of between The rivers Sciotu
and he little Miami, the North side of the river
Ohio, &c. &C." No one will doubt but that her
agents were bound by their positive letters Of
tons; ana that IT the deed varied any essential
tlcuar from the terms oft authority by which, and
by which alone, it was executed, waving the oues
ton whether the deed might not be entirely avoided
thereby court of equity would correc. such yaria
ton and supply all defects This was he fact in re
gard to this transaction The deed assigned reci-
ted the whole of the conditions expressed in the res
outon, totdem oer6is, but omitted all mention of the
State troops. Hoy could this have arisen; The
Legislature of Virginia gave no authority to anv one
other than that which be had just mentioned She
bad never contemplated measure of Justice for her
continentals which she did at the time deal
out to her State TROOPS. There was but one mode of
accounting for it. There must have been an omis
sion either in the copy rected the recital of the
copy No other rational explanation could be gyen
ne mac IN fact II his memory did not most egreg
ousIy deceive hum, seen certificate to that effect
from Hlr Monroe, who assisted in executing the deed
lie had not been able, recently to lay his hand on
that document, nor did he esteem it material The
narrative into which he had entered served fully tn
establish it, In fact tie Journals Of Congress- OIL
1893, showed how the mistake had originated
COMMITTEE was appointed consider of the terms of
ccss'n, and to report tereon and they undertook in
their report to set forth IN the very words of each the
various conditions which Virginia had proposed TO
make the cesslon The 5th condition was that an
pertaining to this subject and in the recital of that
the error was committed which ran into the deed af.
forwards. That committee had The resolution of the
General Assembly before them; and it is not to be
credited for moment; that they Intentionally reci
ted falsely its terms. 1t is much more credable and
Just towards that committee to ascribe the omission
70 mere oversight. If he right in this il fol-
lowed that the State troops had full right to enter
upon the reserved lands Northwest of the river Ohio
III order to locate their warrants. The lands reser
we'd IN Kentucky had proved insufficient from two
causes First. IN running the division line between
Kentucky and Tennessee. the Territory of Tennes-
see had encroached considerably on those reserved
lands And secondly portion of that tract of coun.
try was inhabited by the Chckasaw tribe of Indiana
up TO 1879, when treaty Begocisted with them:
whereupOn, Kentucky claimed exclusive jurisdiction
over the country and forbade the location of the mil
Hary warrants. In the time, the State troops
We're not, and have not at any time been permitted