The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-12-06

vri+I FTIUNFU 40
""h taserness to assume the functi, IN
seii-sovernment. Doubtless also
80 vista or public honors in a sana-
ave ana Independent commonwealth
,aaa pIeasant and alluring to aspiring
aSauers n Quickened them Ia action
mere was some objection. bnt ~.
soites OF those who doubted were
uto"heu III the genera, commotion
ooSn NOS authorized under the act
" the Legislature. a movement was
nuMlaue % mold a popular convention.
Sl.nout He!ay the counties OF Wash
ED who assembled at Joncsboro
III August 1884.
1t IS the first step that costs This
Irregular action. not Anticipated nor
~autnorlzed by North Carolina. was the
Dss'nnins OF events that led TO griev-
oo' disappointment, and deplorabIe
anarchy. The idea Of Independence
mao be@a urged with great zeal and
Had taken strong hold on the public
mind, The proceedings of the CON
'ehoon We're opened by read
ing the Declaration Of Inde
~pehdence: the act OF cession
was approved; and initial steps were
taken 10 establish a new
aho an association vas adopted and
asned TO maintain independence. John
sewer presided over the convention
and gave direction to affairs. One Of
the heroes OF Kings Mountain he had
long peen the most important person
age IN that region, and was esteemed
TOT MS capacity, no less than for his
bravery and vigorous action. Under
MS direction it was determined 10 call
a second convention for the purpose
OF framing a Constitutions and IN the
interim It was resolved that the new
state should establish q government
similar 40 that OF North Carolina.
IN August the election was held for
Assembiy1nen in North Carolina and
IN October the Assembly met at New
Bern. AS Governor Martins term was
to expire III the spring, a successor
was now to be chosen. caSWell and
Nash were the aspirands, the former
becoming the victor by twertv votes.
The people had o generally APP
proved the act Of cession. Davie and
his followers had been sustained al
the election, and the new Assembly
was in sympathy with that faction.
Besides, d new cause nT dissatisfaction
was now brought TO the attention
Of the members.
Virginia and New York had in De
cember, 1883, agreed 80 convey TO Con
gress the unsettled territory beyond
the Ohio. but MaSS3c hiisetts and Con
necticutt had set up a claim for a
part OF that region for themselves:
and these and other States were max
ing demands on Congress for the re-
payment to them OF bounties paid &c
thei@ troops, and were presenting
claims for other military expenses in
Cured for local purposes. These de
mands, SO at variance with North
Cardinals iiberality, excited DISCUS
land rouse in6ignatiOn.-The Assem-
bly, directed the Governor to make ur
North E~arclina'S expenditures and tc
insist on payment; ard, 1t appearing
ig,~4 g.hnr Statau had not ~ ScaH act
levying taxes for the Union similar &c
those passed By North Carolina, money
collected under these acts was direct
ed to be turned into the State Treas
ury; and further. since Congress had
not yet accepted the gift Of the West
ern territory, the Assembly repealed
the act OF c%essiOn. the vote in the
House being 81 to g. So within six
months after the offer was made. 1t
was Withdrawn. Having determined
to retain the territory, the Assembly
created a new judicial district called
the District OF Washington. covering
the four Western counties, and ap-
pointed John Haywood to preside, and
David Campbell an associate judge
and John Sewer was appointed Bri-
gadier-General Of the district.
Sewer had been the central figure
in the movement to establish a new
State, but on learning Of this action
of the North Carolina Assembly he
was satisfied with il II urged that
no further steps ought TO be taken
looking to separation. \ majority Of
the Inhabitants, however, determined
to persist, and Sewers advice was
disregarded. Nevertheless he exerted
his influence to such good puTpose AS
70 prevent the election Of delegates
to the approaching convention in two
OF the counties, Elsewhere ms OPP
position was Intellectual. and finding
he ~oDuiar current for separation too
strong 10 be sternmed, he at length
Welded to it and became a member
Of the new convention and presided
oyar II That body framed a Con
stitutiou similar to that of North Caro-
lima. which was submitted to the Deo-
pie for their consideration, to be re-
iected or ratified by a convention 10
assemble thereafter: and it ordered an
| election for members OF Assembly.
The Assembly so elected convened in
March. 1856. At its first session 1t
$780,. ri, (.n-,aTnn p IF tho State