The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-11
JAMES WILSON.
WA the Just Reburied "siEner" ana Asso-
ciate Justice o Bfiber.

From the Independent.
The independent State OF Georgia, as rsoos-
nized by Great Britain in 1883. extended over
its present limits, and also over all Alabama
and Mississippi. Georgia held on to her vast
West ern Reserve while other States coded
theirs to the Federal Government. Led by
Patrick Henry, certain avaricious Virginians
formed the virginia Yazoo Company" in l7ss.
and secured by various underhand means
a sale of all the lands We now know as Ala
bama and Mississippi to themselves for about
$50. 900. President Washington obser we'd
their effort to create q vast landed oligarchy
and crushed their ambitious plans with a mes
sage to Congress. saying: Unless his IL
checked Il will endanger the very Republic
itself" Federal opposition. together with
their inability to raise enough money which
the Treasurer Of Georgia would accept. ruined
the Virginians.
But the vast wealth in So. OOo. 900 acres
OF rich land attracted other speculat ors.
In 1904 five new companies were formed,
and the control was placed in the hands
of James Wilson. James Gum. Unite ed States
Senator from Georgia; Wade Hampton Of
South Carolina and Zachariah Cox OF Ten
nessee. Boldly ent ering the State OF Georgia
this ~piratical crew threatened. inundated,
cajoled and bribed the members OF the Legis-
lature into passing. on January 2, I7e5, an act
selling to the five companies this vast domain
for the sum Of $500. 900. The Governor, brave,
ignorant old George Mathews, the hero OF
Kanawhs.- was persuaded by It's lying caption
to sign what he believed to be an act to pay
old soldiers their arrears and TO strengthen
the frontiers. No stigma ever attached to
his name.
In this vile conspiracy James Wilson
played the most important part. He came
from the Supreme Bench. and arrived in
Georgia with s2S, 900 In his addle bags, with
Uhfrh ha nrnNaahaA 60 hriba Nka Una1nhau.
Of the Georgia Legislature. Tbs act was
now . law. the purchase money paid over.
aud success seemed assured. HurryinR
northward. Wilson and Cox proceeded to sell
70 innocent purchasers sS. o0O.O 900 worth OF
rich lands. As Louisiana cost Americans
only SIS, 00O. 600 some years later. the relative
magnitude of this sum will be readily per-
ceived.
Then the storm broke. General James
Jackson. Senator from Georgia. became
the champion OF the people. Wilson'S party
in terror offered him ANY number OF acres
up to 1000. 900 II he ceased 10 oppose the
sale" which he Indignantly refused. Resign
ing his seat In the Senate. this patriot hurried
home and was elected to the Georgia House
of Representatives, where he bravely charged
the crime OF robbing his people of their battle
won lands to Wilson and his associates. The
times we're indeed rough. Coming into a
corridor of the Capitol. jackson was attacked
by a hired assassin, of whom he wrote. Il had
no weapon, but l trapped him finely with ny
little cane until 1t broke; . thrice
l threw him. . . . and a friend gave me
a pistol. " " 1 cried: NO meeting to-
morrow; stand back; l will settle with an
assassin only on the spotr " The people
Of Georgia were enraged. Miles Jennings,
an old Misunderstanding. waved a rope amid
a meeting OF protesting Gcorgians and yelled;
"~Neighbors. let's hang Musgrove[ Ia legislator,
- l. .I1 -- ANV
fleet horse saved the. knave. Two legis-
lators were actually shot by their furious
constituents. Under Governor Jared Irwin
a purified Legislature early in 1895 not only
repealed the Odious "Yazoo act as il was
called. but decreed that every vestige Of its
existence be expuneed from the State records.
ernor, the Legislature, and a vast concourse
OF people. the books were brought out and
umes attest the truth Of this story VOL
soon SECURED a favorable legal opinion f from
in Congress. where John Randolph Of Roanofe
clashed in debate while armed Georsians
drove honest purchasers away from the dis
and Pnde the se "Yszooists Se %efe .S Hstlea s sysry6SSid d}EI
war seemed, imminent as Georgia was the
very hO a1ssdd Of - sta e Rig6ts;s Finally
ceds the 1YaEoo Lands" 70 the Federal Gov
eminent. which In turn agreed to remove
VI Iuc uiiuu lTOIn Wllnln Jne limits OF
modern Georgia; and that Congress- should.
after indemnifyinG the honest purchasers,
5 lay out stct tw0 D,inssswSd states Te o,d The cessio9 vas
OF Roanoke came then an opportunity for
making one OF his shortest speeches. Hordes
OF claimants clamored in Congress but care
fully concealed their names: for among the
Innocent sufferers. were also many Of the
Yazooists who still held hopes of gain. Old
John cried out: Mr.. President. give us their
names"
SO came and went the great "Yazoo Fraud
and from II. the young nation suffered and
learned much. Two great States were raIsed
out of the. wilderness. Mems regulations
were ~ruined-like Wilson's, and men were
acclaimed and honored-like Jackson. ~
Wilson. conspirator and briber, sank into
an obscure grave, and now his dust ia given
great nonori jackson, patriot and statesman
sleeps In an unmarked grave in Arlington'
across che Potomac, but his name Ia honored
and his fame In safe.
Thus we fnd the good and sufficient reasons
for the oblivion into which the name OF lanes
Wilson was allowed TO sink.