The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-12-05
THE HAsKIN LETTER
LAND TITLES. The CaroIinas
BY Frederic K ]. Haskin.

caciques, were to be granted manors.
The plan was drawn up by Locke In
1868 and the remainder of the CEN
fury was to be allowed for expert
ments and for the election of prop
persons to become Brogenitors OF 4
long line of hereditary nobility. Az
ter 1900, the persons then in pos
session OF the lands and titles were
not to be permitted to ALLEVIATE them,
but were to be required to retain
them intact for the benefit of their
posterity. 1t was contemplated that
one person might. by descent, ac-
Quire more than one honor or body
Of land during his lifetime and this
plurality was to be corrected by al
most important, the remainder going
to the heirs in order.
The size of fee simple holdings
was limited TO 5000 acres. and at
least one-third OF the land held with
title could not be leased. but must
be held to support the dignity Of the
position. The remainder could be
leased, but only for a limited period.
The logic of the plan would seem
to involve its arbitrary imposition OH
the settlers of the Carolinas. 1t was
impossible, however, so to confer
this philosophical benefit on them as
the charter provided for the consent
of the people to the plan Of govern
ment and the adoption of Locke's
scheme was made conditional on its
adoption by the Carolinas. AL
though it was strongly urged upon
them. and although f1onors and
grants were distributed in advance
to secure adherence, they were I'M
able to appreciate its advantages
and refused to adopt this and several
notifications of the plan, finally
adopting laws of their own, suited to
their condition.
The colony of Georgia, which is
unique among the colonies of North
America, was implanted on portion
! of the Carolinas which because of its
proximity to the Spanish possessions,
had not been settled. The colony
was not chartered until 1882 in the
reign of George II and was an at
tempt to create home for the Eng
fish poor. The charter created cor
I poration for twenty-one years, tho
lands included in the Georgia grant
reverted to the crown which, after
affirming the titles which had vested
during the time of the corporation,
established crown land Office ami
issued titles upon first payment and
Quit rents after the plan of the 9th
or crown colonies. The crown lands
were taken over by the people of
the state in the revolutionary period
and, as there were large amounts OF
unoccupied lands, efforts were made
to attract new settlers. Free grants
were made on condition of settle
ment and legislation was passed re-
quiring former grantees to occupy
lands as a condition of continued IT,
tie.
AS the lands were taken up the
cXtinguishment of the title OF tho
Cherokees and other Indians who
have since come to be known as the
civilized tribes. was a serious prob
lem and it was finally necessary to
invoke the aid of the United States
with the result that the tribes Were
ultimately removed west of the Mis-
sissippi river.
The lands south of the Ohio, now
Tennessee, and the Mississippi terri
tory, now included in the states of
Mississippi and Alabama, were parts
OF the colonies of North Carolina and
Georgia, respectively and were coded
with the remainder Of western lands
to the United States to form part of
the common stock of public lands
with which the federal overnment
began it's operations.
Tomorrow Land Titles. VIII
Louisiana and Florida.