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THE YAZOO LAND SALES: SLAVERY, SPECULATION, AND CAPITALISM IN THE EARLY AMERICAN REPUBLIC By BRENDEN EDWARD KENNEDY A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2015 © 2015 Brenden Edward Kennedy To my parents ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would be remiss if I did not thank Eugene Huskey, Erik Kurlander, and Kimberly Reiter for introducing me to history and political science at Stetson University. Many institutions and people have provided the necessary financial support to complete this dissertation. I thank the History Department, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Graduate School at the University of Florida. Thanks as well to the Library Company of Philadelphia and Historical Society of Pennsylvania for a wonderful month in residence. At the University of Florida, the Milbauer Chair provided funding at critical moments in my research. I thank the archivists, librarians, and staff at the Alabama Department of Archives and History, Duke’s Rubenstein Special Collections, Georgia Historical Society, University of Georgia’s Special Collection, Georgia State Archives, Harvard’s Baker Library, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Library Company of Philadelphia, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives at College Park, The Library of Virginia, and the University of Florida Special Collections. This project is as much yours as mine. Several scholars outside the University of Florida greatly improved this project with insightful comments. At conferences, Mark R. Cheathem, Tom Coens, Dan Dupre, and Harry L. Watson all provided advice that strengthened my work. Special thanks to Tom Coens who provided me with copies of several Andrew Jackson letters. I had the pleasure of meeting Ed C. Bridges at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. He helped me navigate the archives and gave me much needed encouragement regarding my project. At the Business History Conference Dissertation Colloquium in Miami, Edward J. Balleisen and Margaret Graham helped me to conceptualize exactly 4 what this project is about. I would also like to thank Sharon Ann Murphy, who graciously conversed with me about my project and offered helpful suggestions. Benjamin Fagan, Jessica Linker, Leila Mansouri, Amy Sopcak-Joseph, and Rachel Walker all made my time at the Library Company of Philadelphia enjoyable and intellectually stimulating. Thank you all. These people contributed to this project in myriad ways, but any factual errors or wayward interpretations are my fault alone. At the University of Florida, I thank William A. Link for teaching me much about Southern history in the classroom and over coffee. For conversations in the halls that they may not remember, but that shaped my project nonetheless, I thank Sheryl Kroen and Joseph Spillane. To Steve Noll, thanks for all the times you burst into the grad lounge, put history and life in perspective, and, most importantly, for your unending support of graduate students. I owe a special thanks to my committee for all their support and encouragement. Daniel A. Smith gave me much to think about moving forward after qualifying exams: productive thoughts all. Jon Sensbach gave sage advice that I returned to again and again. Jessica Harland-Jacobs generously spent time making me a sharper thinker and clearer writer. I strive to think and write as clearly as she does. Elizabeth Dale proved unwavering in listening to my musings on an (almost?) daily basis. She saved me from many, many errors. I will miss our frequent conversations. I cannot imagine a better advisor than Sean Patrick Adams. He let me find my own way while offering guidance and suggestions when I felt stuck. I thank him whole-heartedly for the time and commitment he put into helping me understand what it takes to become a historian and helping me along that path. 5 My fellow graduate students at the University of Florida made my time there memorable and enriching. From Friday afternoon dissertation reading groups to Saturday tailgates (Go Gators!) to conversations in the graduate lounge about theory and history, I learned more with you there than I could have possible learned alone. My cohort, Mike Brandon, Nicole Cox, Andrea Ferreira, Jess Lancia, Ralph Patrello, and Chris Ruehlen, got me through seminars in one piece. I will miss the grad lounge and the conversations that happened there with Aurelia Aubert, Amanda Beyer-Purvis, Clay Cooper, Sterling Davenport, Rebecca Devlin, Danny Fernandez, Nick Foreman, Scott Huffard, Brandon Jett, Matt Koval, Bryan Kozik, Alana Lord, Matt Saionz, Alex Tepperman, and Chris Woolley. Though we did not hit the links as much as we would like, thanks to Michael Gennaro, Andy Pilder, and Chris Ruehlen for being my golfing partners. To the Friday afternoon dissertation group—Rebecca Devlin, Tim Fritz, Michael Gennaro, Alana Lord, Ralph Patrello, Mallory Szymanksi, Rob Taber, Andrew Welton, and Chris Woolley—thank you for providing me with the opportunity to write several chapters and then helping me figure out what I was actually saying. For reasons too many to list, I could not imagine my time at UF without Joe and Melissa Beatty, Tim Fritz, Andrea Ferreira, Allen Kent, Amanda Thomforde Kent, Ralph Patrello, Chris Ruehlen, and Chris Woolley. My family provided me with both emotional and financial support: without either I would not have finished. My experience in graduate school took me away from my family in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. EJ, Vicky, Kyle, Kayla, Debbie, Mark, Derek, Christa, Camden, and Maclaine, I miss you all. The Florida crew—Gram, Grump, Coco, Peter, Shannon, Megan, Molly, Robert, and Pierce—eased the burden of 6 graduate school with frequent visits, words of encouragement, and home-cooked meals. Megan and Molly, I am so happy my time at UF overlapped with yours. I miss our football Sundays at Mother’s (remember the Taco Bell!). My grandfather, Edward, and uncle, Jeffrey, both passed away unexpectedly while I wrote this dissertation. If I could tell stories half as well as these two men, my dissertation would be fascinating indeed. My sister Abbie, and her husband, Matt, provided a place to visit, helped me put everything in perspective, and kept me grounded. My parents, Michael and Gaila, are still two of the most impressive people I have ever met. Thank you for teaching me the joy of learning and for all your support throughout my life. Words fail me. Erin Elizabeth Zavitz is an amazing scholar and teacher. More impressively, she is that rare kind of person who makes the people around her better. She has certainly made me a better person. Thanks for all your love. 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................. 4 LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................ 10 ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... 11 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 13 The 1789 and 1795 Yazoo Land Sales ................................................................... 18 Chapter Summaries ................................................................................................ 39 2 ‘NOT WORTH A PINCH OF SNUFF’: THE 1789 YAZOO SALE AND SOVEREIGNTY IN THE EARLY REPUBLIC SOUTHEAST ................................... 46 White Georgians Try to Extend Their State’s Sovereignty Westward ..................... 50 Federal Officials React to the 1789 Yazoo Sale ..................................................... 64 Spain Reacts to the 1789 Yazoo Sale .................................................................... 72 Southeastern Native Americans Prevent the Yazoo Sale ....................................... 74 3 ‘THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY ARE ALMOST RUNNING MAD FOR THEM’: THE 1795 YAZOO LAND SALE................................................................. 83 The Lead up to the 1795 Sale ................................................................................. 86 The 1795 Yazoo Sale ............................................................................................. 97 Yazoo Companies ................................................................................................ 104 Reactions and Debates in Georgia ....................................................................... 108 Federal Officials and Native Americans Respond to the Sale ............................... 128 Yazoo Company Men and Investors ..................................................................... 134 Rescinding Act ...................................................................................................... 140 The New England Mississippi Land Company ...................................................... 145 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 146 4 ‘TOTALLY UNACQUAINTED WITH THE SUBJECT BUT THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF NEWSPAPERS’: AMERICANS LEARN ABOUT THE 1795 YAZOO SALE ....................................................................................................... 149 The Pro- and Anti-Yazoo Narratives in Newspapers and Fiction .......................... 153 The 1795 Yazoo Sale’s Pamphlet War ................................................................