The State of Franklin
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during its brief career if underwent some
hecfie experiences, sneli as Mr. Moore
describee In Ibis article.
HOW many Tar Heels of the
present day and time know
that shortly after the Revo¬
lutionary War. there were two
separate and independent govern¬
ments functioning within the ac¬
credited boundaries of one State?
These were the States of North
Carolina, and the State of Frank¬
lin. or Krankland, as it also has
been spelled. For several years the
latter body functioned as an inde¬
pendent political unit, until finally
when money and resources disap¬
peared. bids to come home to the
original mother state were ac¬
cepted. The facts behind the life
and short existence of the embryo
state involve a fascinating study of
the will and determination of a
dissatisfied people, and may be of
interest to present day citizens
who are unfamiliar with the de¬
tails.
The close of the Revolutionary
War found the United States in¬
volved with heavy responsibilities
and burdened with debts. A sug¬
gestion for help was that states
owning vacant lands throw them
into a common lot and deed them
to the national government. Pur¬
suant thereto, in 1784 the General
Assembly in session at Hillsboro,
ceded the western lands of the
state and authorized our Congres¬
sional delegation to execute a deed,
provided Congress accepted the
->ffer within a period of two years.
Terrible Hardships
Pioneers of the west had under¬
gone terrible hardships in settling
the territory. While they favored
cession of the lands, they viewed
the act of the Legislature with
suspicion. On August 23. 1784 a
convention was held at Jonesboro.
John Sevier was chosen president
and Langdon Carter, clerk. They
decided to send a representative
to Washington to urge that the
original offer be accepted. To their
chagrin and disapproval, they
were astonished and angered when
the General Assembly of North
Carolina met at New Bern on
October 22. 1784, and hurriedly
repealed the act of cession of va-
By IOIIS T. MOO ICK
cant lands, as passed at the former
session.
On December 14. 1784. at another
meeting at Jonesboro. John Sevier
read a letter which informed them
that the Legislature of North Caro¬
lina. had granted to the people
of western North Carolina a gen¬
eral court, had formed their militia
into a brigade, appointed Sevier
a brigadier general and had re¬
voked the act of cession of lands.
Those present were infuriated.
Immediately they proceeded to
draft a constitution for the State
of Franklin, which was to be ac¬
cepted or rejected at a subsequent
meeting.
When this session was held the
Constitution was ratified. Langdon
Carter was made Speaker of the
Senate and William Cage. Speaker
of the House of Commons. John
Sevier was chosen Governor of
the State of Franklin. David
Campbell. Joshua Gist and John
Henderson were selected as Judges
of the Superior Court. Other offi¬
cers. military and civil, were also
appointed. Following this organi¬
zation. the General Assembly of
the State of Franklin, in a com¬
munication signed by both Speak¬
ers. informed Richard Caswell.
Governor of North Carolina, that
the citizens of the counties of
Washington. Sullivan, and Greene,
had declared themselves sovereign,
and independent of the State of
North Carolina.
Caswell’s Proclamation
Caswell was both a fearless
soldier and artful statesman, and
he had neither spirit nor purpose
to accept such defiance as had been
outlined. On April 25, 1785, he
issued a proclamation "against this
lawless thirst for power." In this
declaration he said that the act of
cession had been repealed, and that
the repeal had been voted for by
some of those now participating
in the insurrection; that the au¬
thority of North Carolina — execu¬
tive, legislative and judicial — had
carefully considered and preserved
the rights of the western part of
the State: had given them judges
to decide on their rights and
properties and military officers to
protect them. He said the revenues
of North Carolina had been seized,
and the authority of law defied.
Such measures would bring dis¬
honor to those responsible and
would also bring disgrace to the
country. He warned all persons
participating in the revolt to return
to their duty and allegiance to the
State, and to pay no obedience to
the self-created authority of Frank¬
lin. He ended by saying the Legis¬
lature of North Carolina would
soon be in session, before which
all unlawful acts would be laid.
He advised them to bring forward
their grievances. If this advice
were not heeded, “they might be
assured that the spirit of North
Carolina was not so damped, or her
resources so exhausted, that means,
even to blood, would be resorted
to, to reclaim her refractory citi¬
zens and preserve her dignity."
The State of Franklin did not
heed this warning however. It
proceeded to form new counties,
levy taxes, appropriate money,
negotiate treaties with the Indians,
and exercise all the powers of a
Sovereign State. Representatives
were appointed to carry their case
to the Congress of the United
States.
Lack of money was a severe
handicap to the new State. The
salary of the Governor was fixed
at 200 pounds, annually, a judge
150 pounds, the treasurer 40
pounds, all to be paid from the
treasury. The taxes were to be paid
in the circulating media of Frank¬
lin. such as they had: namely —
"Good flax linen, ten hundred, at
three shillings and six pence per
yard; good clean beaver skins, six
shillings each; raccoon and fox
skins, at one shilling and three
pence: deer skins, six shillings:
bacon, at six pence per pound: tal¬
low at six pence; good whiskey, at
( Continued on page 18)
THE STATE. MARCH IS. 1946
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