Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-01-05
THE NEW STATE.

In1S6l an attempt was made by the
loyal people Of East Tennessee to erect q
State out of this division of Tennessee
The preliminary step was a Convention
at Greeneville, which done all it could dc
to consummate the separation of fast Ten,
nessee from the other division of the State
and the formation of a State Government
composed of all the counties from the Vir-
ginia line to the Cumberland mountains.
But the project failed because the bayonet
power of the Southern ~Confederacy so
coon afterward threw its deadly shadow
upon all movements and enterprise in the
South, that contemplated allegiance to the
Federal Government. All hostility to
the Southern C~onfederacy paled and be-
came terror-stricken before the uplift-
ed banner of the rebellion, and the people
of our mountains, wales and glens,
though despising the shame of submits
sion, under the force ana power of arms re-
linquished for the time being, their dar-
ling scheme and peacefully submitted to
the expressions chat were. Time drove
on. the gloomy shadows departed from our
land, the wand of Confederate proves
and invincibility, like a reed before the
wind was broken and the proud and glo-
rious ensign of the Union foated from our
mountain heights. A loyal Legislature
assembled at our State Capitol, and in
that body a bill was introduced, the OBJ
ject of which was the consummation of
the design of the Greencville Convention.
1t wa defeated by the Union members of
Middle and West Tennessee, for the pal
pable reason, that they would be depriv-
ed of all protection by legislative enact
ments should they lose the alliance of
their East Tennessee friends. We hold
this as just and not unselish.
During the last session of the Hegisla-
ture, a bill has been introduced by the
member of our county, Hon. VIM. Smith,
for the erection of a State out of East
Tennessee. Having debated the question
in our mind, looking back over the histo-
ry of the past, anticipating the results that
will follow from a separation, we give our
sanction to the bill. Regarding Middle
and West Tennessee as one in interest,
in nature of climate. soil, productions, in
traditions, political beliefs, tendencies,
social ~affinities and all other ideas and no.
tions that make a homogeneous people, and
all so knowing that the people of East
Tennessee are Numerically antagonistic
to them in education, theories, systems,
convictions, predictions and experiences,
We look upon the object of the bill with
favor. Natural barriers divide US. The
blue SUBMITS of the Cumberland look
rn upon different peoples, the one shad-
fed by mountains the others dwelling
upon a plain-one tells that we live amid
the mountain storIn-the others c~linging
with death-like tenacity to an effete prin-
,iple, looking downward when they should
be rising and soaring amid the stars. The
formation of a new State which we urge
n the conclusion of this article will ne
~essliate an Interchange of population to a
reat extent. Those of this section who
.all be aggri, ked by the success of this
ovepent for SEPARATION will seek a po-
zeal kindredship in the other portions
the State and worthy men of those
isionN will seek congenial homes with
e shall have something further to say
this snbiect