Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1857-01-07
Local Matters-The Town we Live In
Its First Settlement.
(oaNTTNUEDO

(ooxrNUsD)
After the settlers had entered into the
compact of government of May, 1880, the
watchfulness and labor Of each one was so
necessarily required day and night, that
no regular record can be found, and it is
presumed that none was ever kept Of trans
actions and affairs under that government,
during the remainder of that year, nor Of
1871 and 1882. A few memoranda on
scraps Of paper and torn letters are all that
have escaped the ravages of time and the
desolations of that period. That the set
Elements on the Cumberland were not to-
tally abandoned, was not that the perils Of
removal were equal to or greater than
what had to be encountered here F; but as
much or more to the undaunted spirit and
eloquent persuasion Of very few, who came
here to encounter dangers-to meet and
conquer difficulties-to cut their way in the
wilderness-to whip the Indians-to chase
the game, and O1on the lands. They came
to stag.
A majority of the early emigrants did
eave-a small but Tesolute minority re-
NAMED. We love to read the Record, as
we find it in the well-known handwriting
of that remarkable writer or clerk, Andrew
Ewin-the worthy ancestor of many good
is easy to distinguish by its very senten-
tious style, whatsoever emanated from bis
mind. And, after the almost unprecedent-
ed and yet unrecorded difficulties Of ISL
'82, it is exciting to find in that unmiStaka-
BILE penmanship such record as the fol-
lowing. We make no excuse for giving it
entire here, and again in the appendix:
'NoRrH CAROLINA, Cumberland Rirr,
Jan'y. 18th, 1888.
'The manifold snfferings and distresseS,
that the settlers here, have from time to
time undergone almost from our
first settlng;-with the desertlon OF the
Greater number of the first Adventures.
Being so dscouraging to the remaining
Fe1o:-that all administration of Justice
seemed to cease from amongst us:--Which,
however weak,-whether in constitution,
administration, or Execution; Yet has been
construed in our favor,-against those
whose malice or interest, would insinuate
us-'a People fed to Hiding Place from
Justice:'-And the Revival of them again
earnestly recommended
"And now having little Respite Grant
ed: and numbers returning to us: 1t APP
pears necessary, that for the common Veal
of the Whole; the securing of the peace;
the performance of contract between man
and man; together with the suppression of
vice;
"A gain to Rerirc our former manner of
proceedings, pursuant to the Plan agreed
upo,i at our first settling here: And to pro-
coed accordingly; until such times as it
shall please the Legislature to grant US the
salutary benefit of the Law duly admins
tered amongst us by their authority.
''To this End:-Preyious Notice having
been given to the several stations to elect
Twelve men of their several Stations, whom
they thought most proper for the business,
and. being elected, to meet at NaShbo-
rough the 18th day of Jan'y, 1888: Accord
ingiy there met at the time afores'd,
/ "Col. Jas. Robertson, Heydon Wells,
/ Cant. Geo. Freeland, james Maulding,
Thomas Molloy, Ebenezer Titus,
! Isaac Linsey, Saml. Barton,
| David Rounsevall, Andrew Ewin,
| Constituting themselves into Committee
for the purpose afores'd-by voluntarily Ia
king the following oath, viz:
81. A. B. do solemnly swear that as a
nember of Committee, | will do equal right
and Justice according to the best of my
skill and Judgment in all the decisions OF
all cases that shall be laid before me, with
out fear, favor or Partially: SO help me
God"
This remarkable tribunal, being thus or
gained, proceeded to business, holding
regular monthly MISUNDERSTANDING
many cases-important, curious, amusing
and quite interesting. We shall here cite
but few of these, referring the reader to
more full record in the Appendix to this
History of Nashville.
On the 4th March, 1888, a very vel
written address was presented to Com
mittee, among other matters stating, thai
some evil-minded persons were disposed to
disturb the relations of peace which the Pc
titioners were DESTROYS to establish and
maintain with the savages around them
as also by "traducing the character of the
people settled here, us being inimical to the
cause of Liberty and as such, fed to hid
ing place from justice; and being willing, as
Ear as in us heth, to give all possible salts
faction to the contrary"-they recommend
ed "that the oath of a5jaratiOH and of e
doliss be administered, first to the members
of Committee, and after rising of Commit
tee, to every male inhabitant above the
age Of sixteen, at every fort or station OF
the waters Of Cumberland"
This was adopted; and the old papers
with the oath and signatures of such a
could write, and names of those who coulC
not write-as also of those who gave salts
factory proof that they had already take
the oath. arc in good and legible condition
at this day, in possession Of the writer.
These and other papers show that tn
population was increasing. and new sci
Elements and stations were being made
The return from lLaal3ia's Station, 10
head waters Of Red River in the norther
part Sumner couaty,) with thirty-one sit