The American state of Georgia began her existence as a State with doubtful claims to the territory west of her present area, but she did not hesitate to pass laws regulating their disposal. In 1795 four land companies were formed and combined, in their operations in bribing the Georgia Legislature, under the name of the Yazoo Companies. By successfully bribing every member of the Legislature, except one, Robert Watkins, they induced that body to grant the companies, for a nominal consideration of $500,000, a tract of land containing 35,000,000 acres. These frauds aroused great indignation through the State. The act was declared unconstitutional and void by the grand jury of every county except two. On February the 13th, 1796, the Anti-Yazoo party, having the majority in the Legislature, revoked the sale as a violation of the State Constitution. Immediately numerous claims sprang up, which had to be decided by Congress. Madison, Gallatin and Lincoln were appointed commissioners to investigate the claims. In 1803 Georgia ceded her western claims to the United States. The claims arising from the Yazoo Frauds were not decided until 1814. Research Yazoo Frauds
John Randolph was an American politician. He was born in 1773 and died in 1833. He was a near relative of Edmund Randolph and was educated at Princeton and Columbia. In 1799 entered the National House of Representatives from Virginia. Though very young, he soon became a leader on the Democratic side. His strict constructionism, however, was of the most thorough-going stamp, and he was frequently at variance with Jefferson and other party chiefs. Randolph was renowned for an eloquent satire of a peculiarly bitter kind, whose effect was enhanced by his personal eccentricities. He was foremost in the conflict against the Yazoo frauds and the Embargo. He also opposed Madison and the War of 1812. His career in the House lasted until 1825, with a break from 1813 to 1815. From 1825 to 1827 he was US Senator. He invented the epithet 'dough-faces' for Northern sympathizers with slavery, and styled the union of Adams and Clay a 'coalition between the blackleg and the Puritan', which remark led to a duel with Clay. President Jackson sent him in 1830 as US Minister to Russia, but his stay abroad was brief. Research John Randolph
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