YAZOO FRAUD. 53 



rescinding the sale, drawn by General Jackson, was passed by 

 large majorities in both houses. Governor Irwin, an excellent 

 man and patriot, with pride completed the good work by his 

 signature. It is not necessary to inquire here into its consti- 

 tutionality. This is left to men of cold and meditative minds, 

 whose breasts are not fired with a love of country ; not indig- 

 nant against corruption in all its manifestations. The re- 

 scinding law was an act of the people, a movement of the 

 State ; self-preservation demanded, authorized, and sanctioned 

 it ; and its obligatory character, independently of aid from 

 statutes, or common law principles, rested on virtue, justice, 

 and honour. The people approved it. Virtuous spirits all the 

 world over applauded the Assembly that passed it, and Georgia 

 has ever since continued to hold in veneration the memories 

 of her public servants who advocated it. 



Having determined that the sale was corrupt and the act 

 of 1795 usurped, it was considered rightful that the records 

 and documents pertaining to the sale should forthwith be de- 

 stroyed, that no monument of its wickedness should remain in 

 the public offices to give flattering assurance to the speculators 

 that their vile machinations might yet be gratified. It was 

 necessary to prove to all by decided conduct, that Georgia 

 loathed the corruption, loathed the speculation, loathed the 

 evidence of fraud, and would never abandon her ground. By 

 order of the two houses, a fire was kindled in the square, and 

 the records and documents burned. The Secretary of State 

 produced from the archives the enrolled bill and " usurped 

 act." These were delivered to the President of the Senate 

 for e:xamination. By him they were passed to the Speaker of 

 the House, who handed them, after inspection, to the Clerk. 

 He read aloud their titles, and gave them to the messenger, 

 who, committing them to the flames, cried out with a loud 

 and decisive voice, " God save the State, and long preserve her 

 rights, and may every attempt to injure them perish, as these 

 wicked and corrupt acts now do /" 



Let us not forget the patriots who laboured for this happy 

 issue. Some of them (members of the Legislature) were, 

 from the interior, James McNiel, James Sims, David Merri- 



