ia, and the transaction gave rise to much
discussion and considerable bad feeling.

In ten years, from 1790 to 1800, the population in Georgia had increased
more than eighty thousand. During the next ten years the increase in the
population was more than ninety thousand. This increase meant a still
greater demand for farm lands. Westward the Territory of Georgia
extended to the Mississippi River. The agitation which began over this
rich possession when the Yazoo Fraud was attempted, was kept up until
1800, when Georgia appointed four of her most prominent citizens to
meet with commissioners appointed by the United States; and settle all
questions that had arisen. The result was, that Georgia ceded to the
General Government all her lands belonging to the State, south of
Tennessee and west of the Chattahoochee River. These lands were to be
sold, and out of the proceeds the State was to receive $1,250,-000. It
was also provided that the United States, at its own expense, should
extinguish the Indian titles to the lands held by the Creeks between
the forks of the Oconee and Ocmulgee rivers, and that in like manner the
General Government should extinguish the Indian title to all the other
lands within the State of Georgia. Under this agreement, and the Indian
treaty based upon it, nearly all of the lands lying between the Oconee
and Ocmulgee rivers were opened up for occupation and cultivation.

All the Territory of Georgia was looked upon by the people as a public
domain, belonging to the State for distribution among the citizens. The
lands east of the Oconee were divided among the people under the plan
known as the "Head Right System." By this system every citizen was
allowed to choose, and survey to suit himself, a body of unoccupied
land. This done, he received a title called a "head right land warrant,"
which was issued to him when he paid a small fee and a nominal price
for the land. If no one had previously appropriated the same land, the
warrant was his title. But much confusion arose in the distribution of
titles, and serious disputes grew out of it. The poorer sections of land
were neglected, and only the most fertile sections surveyed.

When the lands west of the Oconee were acquired, the clumsy Head Right
System was given up for what is known as the "Land Lottery System." "All
free white males, twenty-one years of age or older, every married man
with children under age, widows with children, and all families of