Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

CHAPTER VII
GEORGIA IN RATIFYING THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION WAS NOT UNMINDFUL
OF HER RESIDUARY RIGHTS—CLASHES WITH THE GENERAL GOVERN
MENT—THE CASE OF CHISHOLM VERSUS GEORGIA Is FILED IN THE
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT—EDMUND RANDOLPH, OF VIRGINIA,
MAKES A STRONG ARGUMENT AGAINST GEORGIA AND Is SUSTAINED BY
A MAJORITY OF THE BENCH, JUDGE IREDELL DISSENTING—JUDGMENT
Is ENTERED AGAINST GEORGIA BUT REMAINS UNENFORCED—MEAN
WHILE THE ELEVENTH AMENDMENT TO THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION
Is RATIFIED, PUTTING AN END TO ALL LITIGATION AGAINST A SOVER
EIGN STATE—GEORGIA'S VICTORY ONE OF PROFOUND AND FAR-REACH
ING EFFECT—BUT ANOTHER SENSATION Is SPRUNG—THE YAZOO
FRAUD—HISTORY OF A MOST DRAMATIC EPISODE—ALL FACTS CARE
FULLY WEIGHED IN JUSTICE TO BOTH SIDES—COL. N. J. HAMMOND'S
OPINION—PROBABLY AN EXAGGERATED AFFAIR—ONLY A REAL ESTATE
TRANSACTION, TO WHICH SOME OF THE BEST MEN IN THE STATE WERE
PARTIES—GOVERNOR MATHEWS APPROVES THE YAZOO PURCHASE—
How HE CAME TO SIGN THE BILL—How THE VOTE STOOD—JAMES
JACKSON RESIGNS His SEAT IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE TO FIGHT
THE YAZOO SPECULATORS—TAKES His SEAT IN THE LEGISLATURE—
FEELING RUNS HIGH—NUMEROUS DUELS FOUGHT—THE RESCINDING
ACT—SIGNED BY JARED IRWIN AS GOVERNOR—BURNING THE RECORDS
BEFORE THE STATE HOUSE DOOR—FlRE CALLED DOWN PROM HEAVEN
—AN OLD LEGEND—JAMES JACKSON BECOMES GOVERNOR—WATKINS'
DIGEST—GOVERNOR JACKSON'S IRE Is AROUSED BECAUSE THIS DIGEST
CONTAINS THE YAZOO ACT—His VINDICTIVE COURSE—MARBURY AND
CRAWFORD'S DIGEST—YAZOOISTS APPEAL TO CONGRESS FOR REDRESS
—GEORGIA AVOIDS FURTHER TROUBLE BY CEDING HER WESTERN
LANDS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT—TERMS OF THIS CESSION—OUT
OF THESE LANDS ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI ARE CARVED—THE PROB
LEM OF QUIETING THE YAZOO CLAIMS TRANSFERRED TO THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT—JOHN RANDOLPH OBSTRUCTS THE YAZOOISTS—ATTI
TUDE OF JEFFERSON—FINALLY IN 1810 THE YAZOO SALE Is HELD TO
BE VALID—DECISION RENDERED BY CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN MARSHALL
—MEANWHILE JAMES JACKSON DIES IN 1806 WHILE A SENATOR IN
WASHINGTON—His DEATH THE RESULT OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN
DUELS.
When Georgia ratified the Federal Constitution on January 2, 1788,
with a unanimity of sentiment and with a promptness of action far-reach
ing in its effect upon other states, she did not mean to imply by this
attitude that she was careless of her residuary rights. The time was
near at hand for Georgia to show exactly where she stood in this matter
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