The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-09-14
THE STORY OF THE
GREAT .YAZOO FRAUD
The Infamous Act Burned Near the Site of the
Present Jefferson County Court House.
By j. H. ESTILL.


The boundaries of the state of Geor-
ola under it's charter from King George
II extended from the Atlantic ocean to
the Mississippi river, and included the
state of Georgia, as it is, and the
states of Alabama and Mississippi.
nearly as they are now. In the
davs of the Yazoo fraud, the settled
mart of Georgia was a small strip along
the coast and that between the Savan-
nah and Ogeechee rivers, and the Vir-
einia settlements, the country just
above Richmond county. The remain
der of it was the home of the Chero-
kee. Creeks and other tribes of Indians.
The opening of this immense terri
tory to settlement by white people
was only a question of few years
and its possession early tempted the
cupidity of politicians and spectators.
Immediately after the close of the war
for independence a secret society was
organized, the object of which was to
obtain possession of the far-away ter
ritory, then occupied by the Indians
and a few white traders. This organ
tzation, however. was exposed and con-
sequently went to pieces. The scheme
was taken up few years later, in
1889, by Thomas Washington, who
would be in these days called a pro-
moter, but our forbears called him
a swindler. The real name of this adj
venturer was Tom Walsh. He served
honorably in the Revolutionary army,
and had mingled freely with soldiers,
statesmen and farmers, and, therefore,
had an extensive acquaintance with
men who could help him in his pro-
jects.
He was a man of persuasive man
ners, elegant address and extraordin-
nary energy. He had done everything
from swapping jack knives to buying
prncely domains, and those who dealt /
with himself usually came out second
best in the trading.
1t was this plausible man who start
ed the Yazoo business. He became In
terested in the Virginia Yazoo Com
pany and through his efforts and those
Of others he succeeded in having the
Georgia Legislature pass bill selling
the greater part of what is now the
state of Mississippi to his company.
The people then, as they did later,
made such an cutlery against the trans
action the act was repealed the next
year. Whether Thomas Washington,
or Walsh, had any part in the deal of
1894, is not known.
The defeat of Walsh's scheme was
not the end of the Yazoo business; it
looked too rich in results to be aban-
doned. In 1894 the land speculation or
spoliation of the state was revived.
Many leading men in Georgia and
other states, like so many Mulberry
Sellers, saw millions in it,
and through their influence and efforts
the act giving away Georgia's far
away territory, for a mess of pottage,
became a law.
This was the "Yazoo fraud" The
news of the corrupt sale spread
throughout the state and caused in
tense excitement. The people in meet
lngs. by resolutions and petitions, en-
tered their protests against the act. A
constitutional convention, which was
about to be held, was suspended be-
cause its members had been elected
at the same time as those of the "Ya-
ZOO" Legislature. The petitions, reso-
lutions and protests were referred TO
the convention. and that august body
referred them to the next Legislature,
and adjourned sine die.
Maj. Gen. Twiggs, the senior officer
OF the militia, was requested by prom
Ihent citizens to take charge of the
state, because of the suspicion that
lhe Governor was in the ring, but he
was not, however, and simply signed
the Ubiquitous act because he did not
Know hot leu 10
told MIN that it was the thing for him
70 90. and he did it. They were in
Ine ring, but the Governor was not.
excitement and confusion reigned and
continued to reign until the meeting
vi the new Legislature at Louisville,
IN January, 1896. The members of that
Dody We're chosen as anti-Yazoo men,
ana under the lead of Gen. Jackson of
savannah proceeded to undo the bad
WORK OF their predecessors. They made
Tuick work of repeating the Yazoo act.
mere were doubts whether they could
1egahy undo the work of the "Yazoo"
legislature, but they did undo it all
the same
BY order of the two houses, the rec
U,4s ana documents were burnt in the
puphc square in front of the Capitol
a. louisville with imposing ceremonies.
ne secretary of State produced the
eeocuinents and passed them to the
SpedKer of the House. who after due
eAdHllnation, turned them over to the
oierK, who, having read them aloud,
s0Ye them to the messenger, who, with
great flourish and loud voice, COM
a"iItteo them to the flames, exclaiming,
boou save the state and long preserve
- ~ rights, and may every attempt to
lure them perish as these wicked
"i ~ corrupt acts do"
.. nus ended the undoing of the work
"A -
w. s, put 1t was half century before
~ e1ects ceased to affect the politics
VI the state.
4, while the Yazoo act became a law
, vi augusta. 1t was repealed in Louis
tn, the capital having been between
es removed to that town
susta was then the temporary
,apilal and was filled with men eager
lsspoll the state. Money, wine. and
linen, We're the means used TO cor
~ the representatives Of the peo-
r.. majority OF the members Of the
ri rs had been elected BY the
diSs 4, 20 betray the people. and they
pora,s Inc act conveying to four cor
Watsloas, the Georgia, the Georgia
~ .Sslppi, the Upper Mississippi. and
80. irnnessee Companies, 1000. 900
&C.,, 81 lana lying between the bfie-
'ppii Tennessee, Alabama, CO0ea,
IA liner rivers for $500. 900 was paes-
n ne Governor signed the act and
became q law
t can BE- said 10 the credit Of the