The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1907-01-02
THE QUALIFICATION OF A BRIBER
Removal of the Remains of James Wilson to Philadelphia
Recalls the Stirring Times of a Hundred Years
Ago in Georgia Rascaity Was Rampant
From The Independent.

Independent.
chasers $5,OO0,OO0 worth of rich
lands. AS Louisiana cost Americans
only 100000 some years later,
the relative magnitude of this sum
will be readily perceived.
Then the storm broke. General
James Jackson, senator from Geor-
gia, became the champion of the peO-
pie. Wilson's party, in terror, Of
fered him ANY number of acres up
to 100000 if he ceased to oppose
the sale" which he Indignantly re-
fused Resigning his seat in the SEN
ate this patriot hurried home and
was elected to the Georgia house of
representatives where he bravely
charged the crime of rObbiDg his peo-
pie of their battle-wOn lands to Will
son and his associates. The times
were indeed rough. Coming into
corridor of the capitol Jackson was
attacked by a hired assassin, of
whom he wrote: Il had no weapon,
but | trapped him finely with my
little cane until it broke; thrice |
threw him and a friend gave
me a pistol | cried, no meeting
tomorrow; stand back; | will settle
with an assassin only on the spot!
The people of Georgia were en-
ragged. Miles Jennings, an old leath-
er stocking, waved a rope amid
meeting Of protesting GeOrgians and
yelled: "NeighbOrs, let's hang Mus
grove Ga legislator), for he sold our
lands for bribe." Only fleet horse
i saved the knave. Two legislators
were actually shot by their furious
constituents. Under Governor Jared
! Irwin a purified legislature, early in
l1796. not only repealed the odiOus
"YazoO Act" as it was called, but
decreed that every vestige of its eX-
istence be eXpunged from the state
records. Accordingly, in the pres
ence of the governor, the legisla-
ture and a vast concourse of peo-
ple the books were brought out and
many pages burned amid the shouts
of the happy people. To this day
! the SCARED volumes attest the truth
of this story.
The thieves were not inactive.
They soon secured a favorable legal
opinion from Alexander Hamilton.
They raised storm in congress,
where John Randolph, of Roanoke,
stood against them. Federalist and
whig clashed in debate while armed
Georgians drove honest purchasers
away from the disputed territory.
Georgia defied everybody, and the
"Yazooists" were equally firm. Civil
war seemed imminent, as Georgia
was the very hOtbed of state rights
Finally it was agreed in 1902 that
Georgia should cede the "Yazoo
lands" to the federal government,
which, in turn, agreed to remove all
the Indians from within the limits
of modern Georgia; and that con-
gress should, after indemnifying the
honest purchasers, lay out two
states. The cession was duly &C
complished. To old John Randolph,
of Roanoke, came then an opportu-
nifty for making one of his shortest
of speeches. Hordes of claimants
clamored in congress, but carefully
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 va
zoo Fraud" and from it 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 brlbef,
sank into an obscure grave; and now
his dust is given great honor! jack
son, patriot and statesman, sleeps
in an unmarked grave in Arlington,
across the Potomac, but his name is
honored and his fame is safe.
Thus we find the good and sufti-
cient reasons for the oblivion into
which the name of James Wilson
was allowed to sink.