Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-02-08

uonwealth.
HOUSE oB DELEGATES-FEp. 6.
Mr.. Giio,er offered the following preamble and
resolutions:
Whereas a resolution has been heretofore ndopted
by the General Assesbly requesting the Executive
to prepare and transmit TO the Senators and Repre-
senatives from this State, in Congress, statement
showing the amount of unsatisfied claims for lands
belonging to the officers, soldiers and of the
Virginia State line during the Revolution, and such
statement has been accordingly prepared and trans.
mited-Thcrefore,
Resolved, unanimously, by the General Assembly
that the Senators representing this State Congress
be instructed, and the Representatives from this
State be earnestly requested TO their best ex-
crtions to procure the passage Of law, providing
for the satisfaction OF the said claims, in mode
as may be deemed most expedicnt and proper.
Resolved, TINT the Executive be requested to pro-
cnre and to lay before the session of the Gene
raj Assembly, oil the information which may be re-
Quired in relation TO tho unsatisied claims of the
officers soldiers and seaDen of the Va. State line
dunngthe Revolution TO military bounty lands with
in the State Of Kentucky; and TO ascertain as far
us practicable the present condition OF those lands
and the portion thereof which remains INDICATE
MIR. Gitr,er sad that il was proper 10 state briefly
the outlines of the claim which Virginia asserted on
this subject. 1t was no appeal to the generosity Of
the Dederal Government, but substantial demand
On its justice. la l7el the Legislature fVirginiu in
pursuance OF recommendation of Congress- that the
States should cede their western territory the u
States adopted certain resolutions, declaring the
terms and conditions on which Virginia would con-
5ti resolution declared, Thnt in quantity Of
good lands on the southeast side of the Ohio upon
the waters of Cumberland river, and between the
Green and tennessee rivers, which have been re-
served by law, for the Virginia troops on continental
establishment, and upon her State estlbH shnlent
should from he North Carolina line bearing in fur
Their upon the Cumberland lands than was expected
prove insufficient for their legal bourties the defci-
ency should be made up to tho said troops In rood
lands to be laid off between the rivers Scioto and
Miami, on the northwest side of the river Ohio, in
such proportions as have been engaged to them by
The State OF Virginia." These resolutions were lite
rally transcribed and forwarded 10 Congress- where
they were referred to a select committee. They were
considered reasoIab bic by the committee and Il report
was made recommending acceptance of the ces-
sion from Virginia on the terms which had been pro-
posed In the report of ia committee the words
'ud up her Scte establishment" IN the 5th re-
solution omitted. This omission happened, it
Is supposed accidentally, through the negligence of
The clerk of the committee This report ofthe select
committee, with his omission, was agreed to by Con
gress, and an act Of ccsston was afterwards adopted
by the legislature of Virginia. The same omission
occurs IN the act Of cesson, and only be account
ed for as mistake, arising from presumption on
the part of the legislature that the committee OF
Congress had actually Us they proessed, set forth
the terms on which Virginia had proposed to ccde
Aer territory.
1t also that the officers and soldiers of the
continental line, (even If suppose that this omis-
sion was designed9 were at liberty to locate their
MILITARY bounty warrants, either in the Cumberland
reserve, or in the Northwestern reserve. They had
thus two funds, from either Of which their land claims
could be satisfied while the officers and soldiers of
the State line, had only The continental troops
flor whom Congress were bound to providc) located
their warrants the Kentucky reserve, as to eX
baust most Of the good lands. which remained after
tho adjustment of the North Carolina Tor what is now
the TennesSec) line, and thus lct tho troops of the
State line without tho Of obtaining their lands
Phe government of the United STATES were thereby
released from their obligation to provide for the con-
tinenta troops, to the extent of these locations and
hnn Ind NJ hR f1l
State line Every pTlnopls of equity, and establish
cd Justice, requires that the troops Of the State limo
should be entitled by Substitution to tho rights of
The continental troops locntng their up
on tho Northwestern The continental troops
had two sonrccs from either Of which their claims
might be satsGed--while the State troops could re-
sort TO but one OF tbesc-and the former having re
sorted to and exhausted that fund from which alone
the latter could be satisfied, strict Justice demands
tIDt the State troops should DO liberty to re-
sort to the Northwestern reserve.
Phere is another source from which tue claim Of
Virginia in behalf of her State troops derived. By
the treaty of Hopewell, negotiated between the u.
States and the Chcisnsaw Indians in 1896, the In
dian title was guaranteed by the United States TO
extensive territory, claimed by Virgina, and which
pledged for the satisfaction of the land bouncs
promised TO her troops The location of the militia
fy warrants upon these lands was thus prevented by
the act of the general government The Indian title
TO this territory was cxtnguishcd until 1919.
since which timo, IL ia believed, this fine tract OF
county OF large portions Of it, have been disposed of
by the United States and the proceeds added to tho
funds Of the general government.
pbis is a summary Of the principles which Vir-
gnin rests her claim on the United States. II is not
necessary to review tho policy which has character
iZed the intercourse between this State and the edc
raj governinent--nor 10 enumertte tho sacrifices
which we have made 20 establish and perpetuate the
Union. II would be remembered that Virginia asked
no boon OF tho hands OF Congress--she only asked
Cor justice, and this from 3 government which had
been enriched by her bounty and had grown power
iul al her expense Having gipen mions--we only
asked that pttance should bo paid whore was due
10 the officers and soldiers OF the Revolution.
With regard to the second resolution, Mr.. G. sad'
lie would only remark that every principle Of Justice
and good faith demanded that Virginia should assert
and sustain the claims Of her troops on the State oil
Knnfrnkv. lie f,nrnd I'm hnn, infnrrAh Er.t,