Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 391
tering charges of corruption were made against every one connected
with the transaction. To show what a citadel of entrenched wealth
and influence Senator Jackson opposed, it is only necessary to cite a
few names. Some of the prominent citizens who held • stock in the
Yazoo companies and who helped to finance the deal were: James
Gunn, Senator Jackson's colleague in the United States Senate; Judge
McAllister, Judge Nathaniel Pendleton, Thomas Glascock, Thomas
Gumming, Ambrose Gordon, John B. Scott, John C. Nightingale, Wade
Hampton, Zach Coxe, and a Mr. Maher. These names are all given in
Watkins' Digest.
Patrick Henry, of Virginia, and James Wilson, of Pennsylvania,
were both connected with similar transactions.
Some of the unsuccessful bidders who made an effort to buy these
lands were: Gen. John Twiggs, ex-Governor John Wereat, Col. Wil
liam Few and Hon. William Gibbons. These were all men of the high
est character. In consequence of the feudal enmities engendered by
this campaign, Senator Jackson was forced repeatedly into the field of
honor. He fought duels with Robert Watkins, with William Gibbons,
with a United States commissioner by the name of James Seagrove
and with perhaps a number of others. Let us investigate the records to
see how the vote stood in the Georgia Legislature. After a heated
debate in both branches, the Yazoo Act passed the House by a vote of
19 to 9 and the Senate by a vote of 10 to 8.*
Those voting for the bill in the House were: T. P. Games, Mr.
Longstreet, Mr. Gindrat, Mr. Lachlan Mclntosh (not the General),
Mr. Gresham, of Greene, Mr. Mowbray, Mr. Gilbert, Mr. Moore, Mr.
Howell, Mr. Musgrove, Mr. Hardin, Mr. Watkins, Stephen Heard, Mr.
Worsham, Thomas Heard, Mr. Wilkinson, Mr. King, Mr. Rabun, and
George AValker. Total, 19.
Opposed to the bill in the House were: George Jones, David B.
Mitchell, John Jones, Mr. McNeal, Clement Lanier, Mr. Shepherd.
J. B. Maxwell, and two others. Total, 9.
Those voting for the bill in the Senate were: Mr. King, Mr. Wright,
Mr. O'Neal, Mr. Wylie, Mr. Walton, Mr. Hampton, Mr. Cauthon, Mr.
Gresham, Mr. Thomas and Mr. Mann. Total, 10.
Opposed to the bill in the Senate were: Mr. Milledge, Mr. Lanier,
Mr. Morrison, Mr. Irwin, Mr. Blackburn, Mr. Pope, Mr. Mitchell, and
Mr. Wood. Total, 8.
Every member of the Legislature who voted for the bill was charged
with bribery. To quote Dr. George G. Smith, not only a distinguished
antiquarian but a devout Methodist preacher: "There was a color of
truth to this .charge when it was found that all who voted for the sale
did have shares of stock in the land company, except one man, Robert
Watkins." But he further adds that the governor who signed the bill
was never accused of being a participant in the profits. Nor was it ever
proved, according to Doctor Smith, that a. single member of the Legis
lature voting for the bill had not paid a fair price for his stock.
Feeling ran high. Governor Gilmer narrates an occurrence which
shows how bent the people were upon punishing the offenders. An indig-
* Ibid., p. 172.