346 JACKSON COUNTY. 



the Yazoo Act, this alone should endear him to their remem- 

 brance. Several projects for the sale of large tracts of land 

 had been presented at different times to the Legislature of 

 Georgia. In 1794 and 1795, the General Assembly passed an 

 act conveying to four associations, viz., the Georgia, the Geor- 

 gia Mississippi, the Upper Mississippi, and the Tennessee 

 companies, 35,000,000 acres of land for $500,000, lying be- 

 tween the rivers Mississippi, Tennessee, the Coosa, Alabama, 

 and Mobile. The bill was contested in both Houses. It passed 

 by a majority of ten in the House of Representatives, and 

 two in the Senate. The sale of this land produced much 

 excitement through the State, for it was known that all who 

 voted for the bill, with one or two exceptions, were directly 

 or indirectly bribed. On their return home they were met by 

 their constituents with marked disapprobation, and it is placed 

 beyond all doubt that one member of the Legislature was 

 killed on account of his vote. From the very beginning of 

 this villainous scheme to defraud the State of Georgia of her 

 western territory, Gen. Jackson was indefatigable in his efforts 

 to oppose it. By correspondence with the most eminent citi- 

 zens in the State, and by communications in the papers of the 

 day, he evinced a determination to hold up to public scorn the 

 agents in this wicked transaction. No opportunity was per- 

 mitted to pass in which he did not show himself the uncompro- 

 mising opponent of the scheme, which the Yazoo adventurers 

 had proposed to enrich themselves. In the discussions which 

 he had in public and private, in regard to this matter, he doubt- 

 less allowed his feelings to get the ascendency of his judgment. 

 Naturally excitable, it is admitted that, in the expression of his 

 opinions, he often employed language to which his best friends 

 took exceptions ; but it must be remembered that the Yazoo 

 speculators left no method unemployed to lessen his reputation 

 in Georgia. As early as 1794, when a Senator in Congress, 

 he was, on two distinct occasions, approached by a man 

 exalted in office, who affected to be his personal friend, and 

 was offered any number of acres he could require, even to 

 half of- a million, without paying a dollar, if he would embark 

 his influence against the honour and interest of Geoi-gia. 

 When bribes had no effect upon Mr. Jackson, his enemies 



