The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-04-18
"'" EAST FLORIDA.
THE HACKLEY GRANT OF TEN MILLION
aH.au s or ACRES.

| and excellent RIoaARp Is. HIosLEr, is hitting oe
casion TO recall the atteniion.of the American public
10 the vast importance OF the grant made 10 him
and this has now become the necessary,
than tweny -6ve years have elapsed since the Royal
Ceduia together With the deed vi the Duke Of Ala
gon, and solemn Dyestiture of these lands gave 10
MIR. Haekiey an imPregnabie ttle--which no act Of
our government has ever questioned until the susuey
now gong on within his boundaries, and with high
and arbitrary hand, seems 1t were, designed 10
question his title. Against this act Of our government
under law that expires in August next and under
mere land offce construction given TO that law Of
very doubtful nature, Mr.. Haekiey promptly filed
his protest. and then pettoned the late congress to
docket case in the Supreme Court Of the United
States for the trial of his title.
Ia country Of constitutional law and of civil lib
erty, II rs TO be hoped and confidently trusted that
might will never be permitted to overcome right
merely because of the great magnitude of the claim.
The justice and honor Of our country, well as the
true interest Of government equally demand that this
title should be j,ldiciaiy investigated and solemn,
settled and that no arbitrary and despotc power
should be welded To suppress any right whatever, be
IT small or great Mr. Hackey's high character and
the whole history OF his life, give full assurance that
no covert fraud exists, where the entire paper title
beyond question and il may be asserted with per-
feet truth, that the sale made by the Duke Of Alagon
aud the purchase by MIR. Hackey were conceived and
contaminated in the most absolute good faith--and
that up to the present hour, the Spanish Cores the
public functonarIes, aud the Of the most en-
lghteDed jursts of that nation have never single
instance expressed the least doubt the consttu
tional, legal, equitable aud moral title OF Mr. Hackley
to all the lands embraced within the limits Of his
grant Hf
II W are these lands ever to be adyantageously
settledor settled at ALL should the United States on
The one hand sci up naked claim (even though at
Tended by It's vast power)-whlst, the other hand
every one the least cognizant Of the Hackley title,
entertains no doubt of its perfect legal VALIDITY The
opinions and arguments Of not less than one hundred
American jurists, have united with conclusive una
nimity in support Of hs grant-which they all consd
er just as impregnabe under the constitution and
laws of our land, under those of Spain Many
hundred THOUSAND dollars were zeaIousIy and con
scientiousy expended by this worthy man in estab-
fishing himself IN that vast domain then supposed to
be OF no greater value, and that time alone could
make II so under .3mtrican eXerton and in the
guileess honesty Of his heart and natural character
he never for moment conceived il possible that any
arbitrary power would ever be exered to dspossess
him OF his property, which, though great in acres
was as legally, honestly and const uonay purchased
by him. as ever any man purchased small farm, or
any humble dwelling.
The confidence inspired in Mr. Hackley by the
opinions of Spanish, British, French and American
lawyers and statesmen, not only nearly contempora-
neous with his purchase but from that period down
never had any other effect upon his noble 81 irt than
to inspire him with sentiments of the most exalted
benevoence,-which were followed by acts of be-
ray that resulted in the eventual loss TO himself and
family of nearly million Of dollars and during his
twenty five years of undsturbed possession he ever
manifested the strongest disposition to extend to his
country the freest and most liberal of such por-
tons OF the lands within his grant, the public SER
vice required. The United States never had and
never attempted to exercise any other than military
possession, from time to time, the acquisitions of
the Indian wars demanded; and Mr. Hackley resum-
ed his possessions the public funconaries retired
there being, in no instance, the least collision
and his agent, during that long period, filed
his deeds OF sale and Other documents and exercised
every act Of ownership undisurbed which the I'M
settled and begerent state of the country demand
ed Mr.. Hackey's great age, also, prevented his
doing more and knowing that those no should fol-
low him, when death should end his career would
be better able TO adopt and execute liberal and use
ful scheme OF settlement, he reposed in quiet and
hoped in the remote future, that his mcritorious cx
ertons and great personal sacrifices, would eventual
ly be crowned, in his children, with pc feet success
lie has now depa ted 10 his fathers-and his expiring
confidence was that his country would sully lis
honor, by dsYoticaiy ,rrestng from his beloved family
that which he had as fairly acquired, as ever any
man had been known TO acquire any estate whatever
however inconsiderabe. His last DAYS only were
greatly disturbed by the recent unlocked for action
of goyernment-but still he died in the alterations of
hope AMI anxiety-his protest had been fed-his pei-
ton then before Congress; and amidst confdea,
and doubt, he breathed his last. His family inherit
nausht but that domain acquired by such sacrifices and
deferred hopes rery title of IL has ever been disposed
OF 10 poNtfnment u N OF no or, at yalue-but TO
them il is their sole pat mory! For the sovereignty
Of all the Fioridas, and for the ungranied lands
amounting, as we learn 10 about hiTfu millions of
acres Government paid but five millions of dollars
and she purchased with the fullest knowledge of Alr
Hackley's utIe-thai the laws Of Spain could not in
the least impair it-and tat our own Constitution
absolutely forbade its impairment Many Spanish
titles, IN no way TO be compared in legal equitable and
constitutional validity with MIR. Hackley's have been
conhrmed-but theirs, 1t will be remembered were
small Does a title diminish in legal worth in the
ratio Of the increase Of IFS pecuniary value; We
will not, cannot believe ii no country that is no,
barbdrtc, could avow or be acuated by such sordid
and inquitous principle-t is not American, and
would, indeed, be inhuman All that the heirs de-
mand is legal investgation-this they ,ciH have
and trusting to the high character Of our judicial
tribunals, and TO the exalted sense Of right in our peo-
pie those heirs invoke and challenge the nvestiga-
uon aud never mean TO rest until full justice shall be
done them.
The people Of Florida would be largely bene-
fitted by having tins title legally adudicated-tbey
seek H-and all those who kno,o any thing of the
title, are satisfied that Government are now doing
,orong, IN the present survey OF MIR. Hackley's
lands Far better for them, and for all settlers and
for government, also that these lands should be con-
filmed IN these hers-more would be effectively and
prohtaby done 10 settle that portion of East Florida
m the round Of few years, than could be done by
government IN half century, the til set
tied IN favor OF government But, whatever ight
be the comparative value Of these lands in the hands
Of the one the otner is of little moment compared
with the enormty Of that dishonor aud cruel MUS
tce were this property TO be lawes,y and violently
seized upon, IN total disregard OF the highest legal
opinion, and IN violation Of every oiiisens righthat
of appealing 10 the sober judicial decision. This has
been respectfully solcred--no action was had upon
that petition IL will be renewed once more and IL
not then heard, the title will be prepared
for trial. and the result left with the only tribunal
which, under our constitution, recognizes no dsiinc-
ton IN the persons of tigaDts--nor whether the
matter ltgated be worth little or much.
As Counsel for the heirs and representatives Of the
late Richard s Hackley, the undersigned notify and
admonish all persons whatever, that all the lands