Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-09-01

Revolutionary War. The State groaneC
! under her share of the debt growing
out of the war, which, being appor
toned according to her population
amounted to one ninth of the entire
obligation. People then, as now, loath.
ed taxation, and North Carolina shifted
this onorous burden from her shoulders
in manner that was picturesquely
unique in its originality, if short sight
ed in its results.
The Tarboro Legislature passed law
in 1884 which ceded to the General
Government the whole of what is now
the State of Tennessee in payment OF
her share of the National debt.
The tall Watauga boys" were al
once angered and disgusted with the
State Government. There were then
10000 loyal citizens west of the noun.
tains, not one of whom had been con-
suited. There was no National Consti-
tuition at that time, and distant Con-
gress, knowing little Of them and car
ing less, would afford them no protec-
tion. Times had changed since the
rendezvous at Sycamore Shoals. There
was a lawless class among them, COM
posed mostly of exTories, and the hon
est yeomany was especially goaded by
the fact that North Carolina had cast
them off while there was pending be-
fore her Legislature a petition asking
for court at Jonesboro, afterward the
capital of Franklin, to deal with the
disturbing element of society, and for
authority to organize an adequate mill
tia to resist Cherokee encroachments
on the outposts.
In reply to their petition they were
thrown away with all the conditions
favorable to anarchysurrounding them
No wonder that there is to this day a
barrier between the people of East Ten
nessee and North Carolina, social bar
rier no less distinctly defined than are
the towering mountain ranges that sep
arate them geographically.
The men who left their homes on the
frontier in charge of their Spartan
wives and half grown boys to march
over the miserable North Carolina
roads, climbing the heights of Kings
Mountain and completely rout train
ed body of British regulars and its To-
ry cohorts under the dashing English
General Ferguson, were equal to the
demand upon them when threatened
with anarchy and disorder
The writer in discussing the same sub
ject year ago said:
'At this crisis the voice crying in the
wilderness was one for man broad
enough and brave enough to meet the
issue. The history of the world shows
that the arrival of the hour and the ar
rival of the man have always been CO.
incident when the generation is big
with history making"
This man was John Sewer. Through
his efforts a delegate convention was
called. 1t met at Jonesboro, now the
county seat of Washington County,
Tennessee. There were forty members
of this convention, of which Sewer
was the President.
He called the body to order August
90, 1874, and its deliberations resulted
in the organization of provisional
government for Washington District,
or rather what had been Washington
District of North Carolina, q section
that comprised what is now the whole
of the State of Tennessee. An election
was ordered for the following Deem
Der, when fifteen deputies were chosen
to frame constitution. Of this body
Sewer was also President, and being a
man of more than ordinary learning,
he probably drafted the instrument
which, with few notifications is the
present organic law of Tennessee. That
State has not changed her constitution,
except by an occasional amendment,
since her admission into the Union.
Sewer naturally was chosen Govern
or of the new State, which he himself
named for his personal friend, Benja-
min Franklin. March 1, 1885, he took
the oath of Office.
His executive capacity amounted to
genius. He showed himself an accom-
plished diplomat by treating with the
Cherokee King. and with the Spanish
Government to protect his western from
tier without bloodshed he created a
currency and provided facilities for ed
ucation that would have done credit to
New England; he established courts
and he organized and disciplined a mi
litia that was living barrier against
Indian encroachments.
The currency Of Franklin was the
unique outgrowth of necessity and sur
roundings. In the tax law the follow
lowing clause was inserted
"Be it enacted that it shall and may
be lawful for the aforesaid land tax
and all free polls to be paid in the fol-
lowing manner: Good fax linen at 8
shillings and Spence per yard A.; tow lin
en- 1 shilling pence linsey shillings
good, clean beaver skin 6 shillings
cased otter skins 6 shillings; uncased
do. shillings; raccoon and fox skins
1 shilling and pence woolen cloth 10
shillings per yard bacon, well cured,