Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1879-09-04
A LOST STATE.
The Rise and Fall of the State
of Franklin.
HISTORY OF THE COMMONWEALTH THAT
PRECEDED THE STATE OF TENNES-
sEE-NoRTH CAROLINA con-
VENTION.

thirty States and that originally
there were thirteen colonies, and most
people can repeat the names of these
States and colonies as glibly as the
alphabet; but we venture to say that
very few have ever heard of State
called the State of Franklin. And
yet history recognizes the existence
of such a State, and one that in its
day enjoyed no small degree of ce-
lebrity.
1t is we'll known that after the rev
olution most of the original thirteen
Stotes claimed jurisdiction among
themselves over the territory stretch
ing indefinitely TO the westward. The
separate jurisdiction of each State
was. i'll defined, and to avoid all trouble,
to give the general government what
seemed its due, and to assist it in
throwing off the debt incurred by the
war of independence, the Congress of
the Confederation requested the va
rious States to cede their claims to
the general government. The matter
was not definitely settled until after
the adoption of the constitution but
the State of North Carolina attempted
10 cede, in compliance with the re-
quest of Congress, its western lands,
which now form the State of reDnes-
see; and it was this attempt at cas-
sion which brought about the compli-
cations that shortly afterward resulted
in the brief existence of the State of
Franklin.
North Carolina ceded, but Con-
gress, vacilating and vigorless, hesi-
tated about accepting the cession.
Having made the cession, North Car
olina gave up all interest in her bor-
der settlements, and Congress refused
to accept the charge which North Car
DINA had thrown off. The conse-
quences were serious for the fortunes
and happiness Of the Tennessee set
tiers. Their borders were overrun
with criminals and fugitives from JUS
tice, such as always infest a pioneer
community, and yet the action of the
mother State left them without courts
TO assert justice and inflict punish
ment. They had at all times to be on
their guard against marauding bands
of Indians, and yet they were without
! regularly constituted militia for the
defense. They were, in fact, cast
offs, and did what one would natur
ally expect them to do under the Cir
cumstances. The three Northeastern
counties of the Terrltory-W Washing
ton, Greene and Sullivan-lying in
the. northern part of what is now
Eastern Tennessee, then the only
we'll settled portion of the States met
in convention at Jonesboro, Wash
ington county, in August, 1884, anc
after long discussion, in which the
Declaration of Independence was reat
and cited as fit example fer them tt
follow, they declared themselves indie
pendent OF North Carolina. After Q
variety of fortunes the little State
was organized, and, in honor of Ben
iamih Franklin, was called the Statt
of Franklin,
The State capital (GreenvilleJ wa
hamlet of perhaps a dozen los
buildings. Probably it contained :
store. We know that it had tayerl
and courthouse. What the genera
character Of the buildings was ma,
be inferred from a description Of tn
courthouse, in which the Legislature
of the State of Franklin was wont t.
assemble. It was built of unhewl
logs, and had neither floors nor win
dows. Between the logs were fey
cracks where the logs fitted badly
and these, it was thought, woul
serve we'll enough for ventilation an
light. It is almost unnecessary {
say that the State had no printin
press, and the only knowledge whic
the freeman of Franklin got of IL
> laws of his government was throug
. common report and their annual pre-
! mitigation on the militia field or frol
!. the steps of the courthouse.
e The chief interest which the Stat
S of Franklin has tor US to-day come
t from two or three striking charactel
a a which its history brought into prom
neucc. The principal of these. JoL