The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-22

cavalry under Tarleton ed out a colony OF
forty families and settled near the present
city OF Nashville, then called Robertson's
Station. Numerous colonists entered this
re,' on after the conclusion OF peace from
North Ca. Dina and Georgia. Especially
rks the population Of the Cumberland VAL
Icy was increased by The arrival OF Revolu-
lonary soldiers. so that in 1874 the popula-
ton OF the district numbered not less than
5000
A chapter Of our national history with
which many readers are unfamiliar Ia that
which depicts the political situation In the
West before 1885, For some interesting
experiments in self-government We have
to go to the region beyond the Alleghanies.
Take for instance, the Watauga Settle
ment, which comprised some little villa ges
on the Watauga River and In some neighbor-
ing valleys. The fact Is recalled by DR..
Geer that in l7Gg, by a treaty with the
Indians, Virginia extended it's western boun-
dairy TO what is now the eastern line OF Ken
lucky. II was believed at the time that the
Watauga district was by this extension
included within the bounds OF Virginia,
and 40. when the settlers went there, they
supposed that they were under the rule OF
the Virginia colony. When the land was
surveyed. however, II turned out that
watauga, Nolchucky and Carters Valley
were in North Carolina. The settlers were
not pleased at the discovery, because many
of them had sought TO escape the turbu-
lence and misrule in North Carolina, and
they we're aware, moreover, that this colony
\ 70 rCfa
SUCH distant territory, because it would
involve an obligation to protect the remote
settlements from Indian attacks. Under
the circumstances. the Watauga ana nel8h-
boring settlers were forced TO govern them
selves az If they were independent. In
order TO protect themselves, the three settle
ments of Carter's Valley, Nollichucky and
Watauga entered into association. and
articles OF agreement were drawn up ana
adopted.
Thus was formed the first civil govern
ment by Anglo-SaIons beyond the noun
tains and thus the first written constitu-
ton was framed by American freemen.
Watauga, however, did not originally claim
absolute independence, and before the
close OF the Revolutionary War became
nominally a part Of the State OF North
Carolina under the name OF Washington
county. Subsequently however, the set
tiers in the eastern part Of the State OF
Tennessee became irritated at the terms OF
the act by which. in l7sb. North Carolina
had ceded 10 the United States her western
lands The pioneers beyond the noun
tains foresaw that, under the terms OF the
cession. a period of at least two years OF
anarchy lay before them, during which
they were sure that North Carolina would
not exert herself to defend an outlying
section Of her territory which she had
agreed to forfeit. The only way out OF the
difficulty seemed to be the formation Of an
independent government. and this step
was resolved upon by three counties, WASH
ington, Greene and Sullivan. In order to
have a representative assembly, delegates
were elected from each village community
in the three counties. A constitutional
convention was held at Greenevile in
November. 1855, and FARMLAND was sug-
Rested as the name Of the new State, which,
later. however. was changed TO Franklin.
The Constitution OF North Carolina, with
some few changes. was eventually adopted
for the State of Franklin. The independent
Commonwealth was shortlived, The Frank
lin Legislature met for the last time in 1887.
By March. 1913. the last vestige Of indie
pendent authority had vanished. and North
Carolina took undisputed possession Of the
territory. Or. Geer is doubtless right in
deeming 1t fortunate that this experiment
in independent Statehood failed.
There we're other communities beyond the
mountains which little later would gladly
have followed Franklin's example had the
first effort been successful. The bond be-
tween even the Atlantic States in the critical
period before the adoption OF the Consti-
tuition was n weak one and still weaker
tie held the Western country 10 the East
The existence of independent trans-Alle-
ghany States and the recognition OF the
right Of sections OF a State 10 declare them
selves independent OF the rest Of the State
might have produced such condition as
that which exists in Central America to-day
A greater danger would have come from
Spain trying at this time and later TO bring
the overmountain section into political
connection with the Spanish power at New
Orleans The Mississippi and its con-
fluents constituted the natural outlet for
the surplus products Of the whole vast tract
between the Alleghanies and the Rockies.
A mountain barrier and tho remoteness
from the Atlantic coast rlGde intercourse
with the East matter OF great difficulty
for the denizens Of the Mississippi Valley.
The miscarriage Of the State Of Franklin,
however, made 1t easier for the United
States 10 defeat the separatist movement,
which was already becoming strong
Kentucky grew rapidly in population
during the ninth decade Of the eighteenth
century. Our author. as we have seen,
computes that in 1884 there were some
30. 900 settlers. and three years later, when
settlements began in what is now Ohio,
Kentucky already had population Of about
$4,000 The rapidly increasing population
was not satisfied with its subordinate reid
ton to Virginia. Originally. it's settlements
had been regarded as belonging TO Fincas-
tie county. Va. but in 1879 Kentucky county
had been created. The district being found
too large for proper administration as q ain
gle county. the so-called District OF Ken
lucky was in 1881 divided into three ooun-
ties nv an act Of the Virginia Legislature A