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Mr. Smith,
WHEN Solon gave laws to the Athenian?, he
ordained that if any dispute happened in the com
monwealth, every citizen should take an aftive part;
consequently no person could remain neuter; by
which it was instantly known on which fide the
majority hung, and thereby difeovered the voice of
the ] eople, which always mult govern in a tree coun
try.—The citizens of Georgia with refpeft to the
Yazoo fain, and its repeal, conduct themselves as
if this ancient cuitom was now aAally inexifiencc:
For I believe, there are very few (if any) but are
advocates for or againll the fide ot our weltern coun
try; and as the Itrength of both parties was feffi
ciently tried in chooting the last legHlatute, and
they positively inftrufted which fide to take by their
conftitocnts, the repeal of the law for dis ofing of
said lands, may with propriety be coniidered the
aft of the people. 1 would therefore recommend
it to those gentlemen who are so liberal in calling
aspersions on the last aflembly, to quit them for a
season, and vent the remainder of their spleen and
malignity, if it be not already exhausted, against
the great body of the people- ; who are properly the
source, dr fountain from whence their disappoint
ment originated. The on y charge that I conceive
can with propriety be brought againlt the last legis
lature is, that they did not betray the trust reposed
in them, and consequently afting in a different line
from their predecefiors—Thnfe Yazoo gentlemen
tell us, “ that our property is not fecurc since the
assembly does not scruple to break grants, and that
they had as well break the grant by which we hold
out plantations as the Yazoo grants” To which I
reply; that were they tounded on illegallity, fraud,
corruption and bribery; the case would be the fame,
and common justice would call aloud to our legisla
ture to declare them null and void—But happily
this is not the case and we Hand on a much firmer
basis; our grants are legally obtained, exclusive of
a few, with “poor auld George’s” signature af
fixed tJ them. But happy for Georgia, our late
legislature have brought forth to light, the diabo
lical proceedingsof that infernaKonto, as Hercules
is fairl to have done the triple headed monster from
his gloomy cavern, and have revealed to our view
its hideous train of horrid appendages.
Laws were instituted to protest the innocent; pu
ntlh guilt, and detest fraud, and to render justice
to every private as well as public contrast ; and as
it is the constant practice of every court of judica
ture, in this as well as other free countries, to ad
here to those maxims, fureiy none will dispute the
power of the legislature being greatest in authority
to do the fame, except the groans of the Yazoo
pig—As to the insecurity of property it is a meer
sophism, and that of the most obvious kind ; for the
man who might defraud me of my property, after
I had recovered it by a jury of my countrymen,
may equally and with as much reason make use df
the fame language—l conceive property more se
cure thanever; for the infernal paws of the beajl and
her numerous offspring, with all their diabolical
machinations, are brought forth to light, and I
trust that justice will yet find away to avenge her
felf on those usurpers of their country’s fights.
“ Is there not forne hidden curse, some chosen
thunder, in the flores
“ Os Heaven, red with uncommon wrath to blast
the man, who owes
* ‘ His greatness to his country’s ruin ? ”
Is it not extraordinary that those men will very
candidly agree that the falc of the Yazoo lands
was a ridiculous piece of business, but liiil are ear
neflly solicitous to partake of the profits—-They
will acknowledge that the falc was scandalous, and
even go as far as to fay it was fradulently obtained;
but they must hold the land at all events and that
we should punish our servants if they took bribes ;
intimating thereby that now they had got the. booty,
the Devil might take the inllruments—But the
main drift of so many publications is to prejudice
the people against the last legislature; but I hope
the community at large are too sensible of the mo
tive from whence they spring, to be imposed on
by a set of disappointed charafters—Tim Sharp
and others have endeavoured to exhibit the go
vernor in as dark colours as their disappointment
and malice can invent; they are well convinced that
they have nothing to expeft from him but justice,
and having so long been strangers to that noble
jvifiion, that the very name is grating to their feel
ing. The details given by those venders of Han
der bear some affinity to the window which Momus
wiihed Jupiter to have placed in the bread of mor
tals through which their thoughts might be seen ;
the envy of those fulmenator9 of fcurrillity answers
the fame purpose, by giving us a glimpse of their
inside—But O ! if we could have a view of Tim
Sharp’s, the fight would, if pofiible, exceed the
fitnation of Milton’s devils in their greatel! extre
mity then you might behold pale faced envy
knawing his liver like Prometheus’ crow, writhed
and tortured by black malignity, c-anvulfed with
his late disappointment, ve: ring forth poison from
every avenue, which so eclipses his understanding
*hat every objeft is seen by him on the dark fide,
and even prevents him from confide ring,, that the
governor has supported the cnaTSfteF, and that
juftlv, of a refyeftable citizen; and in the course
of a long fervitudeas a member of the legislature,
never once forfeited the trust reposed in him—ls
his early years were obfeute, the greater liis me
rit in attaining to po£s of honor, when he had no
thing to recommend him, but his good conduct
and the faithful discharge of those duties belong
ing to the employments he hath been honoured
wfth But lam not at al! surprised that Tim (hould
aft the part he has. Mr. Garrick has long fincc
given us his character, and beg leave to introduce
him to the public a* the renowned Timothy Sharp,
‘fquire to the knights of rueful countenances,
schemer general and a common retailer ofialfe
hoods.
A SPECTATOR.
———■ii
PHILADELPHI A, April 4.
What a contrail between the Spanilh and En
glifli treaties! By the former free veflels make free
goods—contraband articles are properly rclhifted,
the free navigation of the Midillippi is fecured*--
our boundary line advantageously fettled—a con
liderable privilege secured on our citizens at New
Orleans—our Blips and seamen treated with pro
per refpeft at sea—our citizens permitted to engage
in the land or sea service of the enemies of Spain,
with the lingie exception of not arming privateers,
and all this and much more without a lingle facti
lice on our part. Ts we turn to the infamous Bri
tilh treaty, we look in vain for similar dipulations
.—all there is facrificed; not an advantage is secur
ed without the basest surrender of the moll impor
tant rights; and yet who would believe that Mr.
Jay, that profound negociator, made the one, and
that Thomas Pinckney, who was fuperceded by
this very man, negociated the other? It may also
be remarked, that Mr. Jay spent 3 years in trying
to make a treaty with Spain, and that Mr, Pinck
ney concluded his inlefs than two months!
Extract of a letter, Norfolk, March 24.
I can only repeat, that if the Hcufe of Represen
tatives yield to the Prelident and Senate and seal the
death warrant of our liberties, there is not a spot on
the face of the earth, which would not, to me, be
more definable than my own native country, thus
degraded, thus fallen, and thus wretchedly 1011. My
ideas on government are few and simple. What
ever is hetetogenious Ideteft; then give me, either
genuine liberty , or Jlerling despotism. The former
I take to be the will of the people exprelßd
through the medium of a jull and equal reprefeota
tion,—the latter is the pleasure of the ty
rant proclaimed by his nod. Give me one of th fe
if it mull be so, but not a limited monarchy: for of
all the cuffcs which the wrath of Heaven ever in
flifted on a devoted people, I take a mixed form, of
government to be the molt calamitous; because in
its operation it not only proves fatal to liberty, but
deltroys ■e'ety principle ofhonor, virtue aud mora
lity. In a despotism the dread inspired by the pow
er of the tyrant fupercedes the neceflity of decep
tion, and commands fubmillion. But in a limited
monarchy the authority of the king mull be main
tained by inftotrxt, which not only def lives the in
dividual of freedom, but viciatcs and deftreys all
hisgood qualities. Ccmfcious power gives to the
despot an air of candor, which at lead, has no bane
ful effeft upon the morals of his people. But the pro
found hypocrisy prafticed by the Jlate jugghr or
limited king mutt inttruft his lubjetts in all the evils
of dilfimulation, and familiarize them to every spe
cies of knavery aud fraud. Under a defpotif;n, net
a germ of freedom remains; opportunities however
frequently offer, when the feeds of liberty may be
planted and cultivated with success. But under a
limited monarchy, liberty is prodtated with the
dull, and her re-eftablilhmcnt becomes hopeless,
because injluevce creates and perpetuates a general
conspiracy againd her. The one form of govern
ment enslaves the body, tut the otherdebafes the
Foul. Under defpotilm the man of virtue may, in
retirement, preserve his principles uncontaminated;
but under a system of influence , the foul contagion
pervades every part of the body politic and renders
the mod fequedered dation in life insecure.
Therefore, fltould the House of Representatives
be disposed to surrender our rights, tor Heaven’s
fake let the new government be not a limited mo
narchy, but ditve to make it a despotism at once,
as being, molt deary (of the two) the lefferevil.
Now in Confinement,
IN the jail of Hancock county, a Negro Fellow,
who calls himfelf JOE, between 43 and 60 years
of age, 3 feet two or three inches high, with a large
fear over his right breafl , j,aid to be occasioned by a
whip-saw ; also a fear on his right arm a Little above
his elbow, and fom'what marked on the back by whip
ping, and a f mall bUmifh in his right eye—He was
fold as a f ive in tins county by a certain William
Brafwell, of Wijhington county. He fays he was
born in the fund of Antigua, and was Jet free by
the will of Gwrge G.t’phin, c eceafed. The right owner
may obtain him by applying to the fubferiber , and
paying all lawful charges.
Samuel Hall, Jailer.
May 4, 1796.
Wanted to pu re ha fe,
A good Saddle Horse,
For which Cafii will be given. En
quire of the Printer.
COLLECTOR’S SALES.
On the 3 1 11 day of May next, at the court-house
in Montgomery county,
IV I L L BE SOLD ,
The following trafts of land, for the taxes due
thereon up to the year 1796, inclusive, viz.
287-- acres on the waters of the Alata
maha river, surveyed in the name of Wm. Kelly.
287 1-2 acres, in the name of Jof. Cobby joining
the above.
287 1-2 acres , in the name of David Shaw, join
ing Kelly and Lip ham’s land.
287 1-2 name Moses Lipham, joining Shaw’s
land.
287 1-2, John Bitgfsy on Ohocpie.
573 name Samuel Stirk.
573 name Charles Odingfellsy Ohoopecy vacant
or. ail [ides.
287 1-2 acres, in the name of Ezekiel Cobb, O
gechee.
287 2-1 name George Powell, joining Cobb’s land.
287 1-2 acres, name of Thomas Brown, vacant
land on all fdes.
287 1-2 acres, name of Henry Wood.
287 1-2 name Jof ah Powell.
■575 acres, name Nicholas Miller, waters Willi
amson’s swamp.
287 1-2 acres, name William More, Ogechee,
joining Cone and Henry Harile’s land.
287 1-2 acres, waters Oge+hee, joining Cones*
land.
287 1-2 acres, name William Mitchell, joining
More’s land. ,
287 1-2 name William Cone, joining Garrett’s
and vacant land.
James Turk 287 1-2 acres, joining the above.
287 1-2 acres, name Benjamin Davis, joining
the above.
287 1-2 acres, name John Garrett. And
287 1-2 acres in the name of James Rocquemore,
joining Garrett and Cone’s land.
SAMUEL SANDFORD, T. C. M. C.
April 2-7, 1795.
ThERIF F’s sal, e.
On the ftrfl Tuefday in June next , at the court-house
in Franklin county, between the hours of ten and
two o’clock,
IV ILL BE SOLD ,
70,000 acres of land in said county,
lying on the waters of Oconee river, executed as
the property of John Dimond, to fatisfy an exe
cution of Richard Wilson, formerly executed by
George f lening, Esq. the then IherifF of Franklin
county, and advertised for sale by him the said
Hcning, and podponed by affidavit of Philip Mo
ses, and adjudged to be fold by the lad Superior
Court held in Franklin county. Terms Calh.
MAL. JONES, S. F. C.
April 2-7, 1796.
SITE RTF F’s SALE S.
On the firft Tuefday in June next, at the court
house in Columbia county,
W ILL B L SOLD,
The following property ;
FIVE hundred and twenty-eight acres of land,
fir{l quality, Columbia county, on Green brier ,
joining lands of Thomas Cobbs and Jones, xchereon
John Cobbs , junior now lives ; taken as theproper.
ty of said John Cobbs, junior, at tktinfance of the
executors of B. Andrews, by execution.
200 acres in Columbia county , joining the place
whereon William Barnett now lives ; 500 acres in
Richmond county, joining lands of Anderfn Craw
ford j taken by execution as the property of said
Barnett, at the in fiance of the executors of J. Mor
ton and John Talbott , & Co.
Also, one negro zoeneft named Sarah j taken by
execution as the property of Joseph M l Cormick, at
the in/lance of the executors of B. Andrews.
200 acres in Columbia county, whtreon John
Collier now lives, joining lands of Waiflcoal and
Wereat, on Savannah river, with good improve
ments j taken by execution as the property of said
Collier, at the inflavcc of Juhn Fojicr.
200 acres in Columbia county , whereon Richard
P. White now lives ; also 100 acres near the fume
place, joining lands of Robert Flournoy and Ri
chard Meriwether, on the the waters of Lloyd’s
creek ; taken by execution as the properiy cj said
Richard P. White , to fatisfy Samuel Grafton and
John Talbott, surviving co-partners of James Barnes
& Co.
Conditions cajh.
W. Drane, S. C. C.
May 7, 1796.
MARSHALL’S SALE.
On Monday the 23d of May next, at the Market
houfe in Augulia, between the hours of ten and
two o’clock,
WILL BE SOLD,
A TRACT of land in Wilkes county, containing
700 acres, whereon Nathaniel Durkee, Esq.
now resides , and on which there is a grifl mill, two
Jaw nulls and a cotton machine ; taken under exe
cution as the properly of said Durkee.
Conditions Casi.
THOMAS GLASCOCK, M. D. G.
April 16, 2 796.