Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-10-05
The Lost State.
A CHAPTER OF HISTORY CONCERNIN
THE STATE OF FRANKLIN"

Inc LOSt 0t0tC.
A CHAPTER OF HISTORY CONCERNING
THE STATE OF FRANKLIN.
Greenville. Tennessee. is 3 quaint and
historic old village. If it could be trans
ported to a worlds fair, rooted in. and
placed under the charge of a capable bust
ness manager. it would prove a most
profitable ard popular museum. Almost
every block of ground within its corporate
limits is rendolent with memories OF
events OF national interest or importance.
The town of Greenville was laid off in
the year 1885, and was promptly settled
by band of hardy and progressive pion-
GERS from North Carolina. They came
down the Notachucky river prospecting.
and upon the edge of vast cane brake,
discovered bold and beautiful spring
swelling from a bed of solid rock.
Around this splendid spring and upon the
| inclines and summit of the adjacent knobs
they planted the new town and named it
in honor OF Gen. Greene of Revolutionary
fame. The settlement of the town, it
will be noted. was only two years after
the cessation of the war of the Revolution.
The country now called East Tennessee,
was then the Washington district of North
Carolina, and was at the time under
the operation OF an act of cessiOn OF
the United States from the mother State.
But the brave and independent pioneers,
the sons of the men who promul gated the
Mecklenburg "Declaration of lndepen-
dence," were not pleased with this manner
Of disinheritance and of gift to the general
government. They resolved, as relief
from their chaotic condition. to establish a
commonwealth unto themselves, and to
rely upon their own wisdom and resources
for internal prosperity and protection
against their Indian enemies. Thus was
born that i'll fated and now almost forgot
ten State of Franklin" How few peo-
Estate" ever existed within the lurisdic-
ton of the United States of America And
fewer still are those who are familiar with
its ausplcious birth, its struggles for ex-
istence, and its untimely death from what
might be properly called political chol-
era infantum." Under the leadership of
John Sewer and his colleagues, of Kings
Mountain battle fame, the scheme of the
new State was formulate at JonesborOugh,
in the winter of 1884, and a convention of
the people of this district, then embracing
four great counties, was held in the new
town of Greenville in November. 1885,
to adopt a constitution. The con-
stitution proposed was then adopted. and
Greenville was made the capital of the
new commonwealth. Some of the peo-
pie wished the State to be named Frank
land" or free land" but this Galiclsm
did not sit well upon the stOmachs eff the
majority of this convention, and the name
of "Franklin," in honor of Benjamin
Franklin, was adopted by a heavy MAORI
ty. Citizen John Server" was elected
governor and full corps of administra-
tive and judicial officerr were chosen and
indicted into power.
Upon the opening of these decisive acts
upon the part of the people of Franklin,
North Carolina renigged and repealed the
act ceding that territory to Congress be-
fore that body could accept the donation.
The state of Franklin resisted the efforts
OF North Carolina to resume authority,
and for more than two years there was
constant conflict of authority between the
officials of the two governments. The re-
suit was inevitable. The weaker was
forced at last to succumb and the estate
of Franklin disappeared from among the
commonwealth of the world. One of the
lamentable. and yet ludicrous. causes OF
the demise OF the new state-doubtless the
fatal complaint that ended its brief career
was novel system of counterfeiting that
resulted in bankrupting its public treasu-
~.
The salaries of the officers of the state
were fixed as follows: governor, f200 per
annum; judges. ESQ per annum; treas
urer. $40 per annum. snd it was specified
that these sums were to be paid in the
"circulating medium" the taxes due the
slate were to be collected. More proper
" speaking. the circulating media" of
the state were announced officially to be
Good fax linen, ten hundred 3s. 3D.
Good clean beaver skins 6s. 3D.
Raccoon and fox skins Is. 3d.
Deer skins Is. Cd
Tallow and bacon, per pound 0s Cd.
Good Whisky, per gallon 2s Cd
These taxes were collected, where the
people could be induced to pay, by SUBJ
collectors of the treasury. The treasurer
was foreigner, who was not we'll posted
in peltry, and it is historical fact that
number of his deputies taking advantage
of his ignorance, cut off the tails from the
coon skins, sewed them on 'possum skins,
that had no official value. and passed the
bogus peltry upon the treasurer as genuine
par value coon skins. This gigantic
fraud upon the exchequer paralyzed the
finances of the new state. and fastened the
downfall Governor Sewer bravcly resisted
the fates, and appealed to old Ben Frank
lin. to Governor Matthews. of Georgia,
and to the governor of Virginia to aid him
in his efforts to save his state. but they
would not or could not help him. The
result was the failure of his scheme He
was indicted tor treason. but was finally
pardoned. A few years later the territory
in question became the state of tennessee,
and Sewer was elected its first governor.
thus having enjoyed the rare distinction of
being the chief magistrate to the same
people organized under two different state
names. -Grecnutlle Tenn. Cor. Pihsburq
Post
Rub the painful points" thoroughly, when