The Coolidge examiner., 1934-11-30

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- ~ which during It's stormy existence
of four years. had the equivocal
= - = status OF being at one and the
TEHA'| same time independent state. a
NxAoQl district In another state and an
E&=@~S@ uuorEnnired federal territory. and
which nnaIly came into the Union as 4 part o,
q state Of an entirely different name
Closely associated with the history OF the
short-llved ~state of Frnnkiin"-lu fact. the very
storm center OF It's turbulent earecr-was that
frontier immortal John SEWER "Nolichucky
Jack whose record is Inscribed upon the tall
shaft In Knoxville. Tenn. as follows: Governor
of the state of Franklin: sir terms governor of
Tennessee: -Four times elected 20 congress: A
protector and hero of Kings Mountain. 20 bat.
tles-a5 victories: His Indian war cry was: Here
they arei Come on. boys come on"
The immediate Incentive Tor founding the State
os Franklin came out OF conditions which pre-
vailed after the close of the Revolution on
June 2. 1854. the legislature % the new state
of North Carolina ceded 10 the congress of the
United States It's lands west % the Aleghenies
on the conditions that this territory should be
formed into a separate state or states and that
congress should Elve due notice OF It's aeeep-
tance Of the lands within two years. otherwise
they would revert TO North Carolina.
No sooner had this news reached the settle
ments beyond the mountains than the Western.
ers began making plans FOR setting up local
government which should form the basis for n
new state. There were several reasons for their
haste. North Carollna's delay In sending goods
20 the Indians promised under former treaty.
had irrltated the iribesmen and the threat Of
Indian hostility hung heavy over the pioneers
II u should burst into fame they could not look
for prompt aid from the home authorities be-
cause OF the long intervening distance and the
ha
fac, that North Carolina was 50 occupied with
its poss-Revolution civil problems that II could
give little thought 10 the needs OF Its remote
frontier settlements Another reason. doubt.
was that the formation OF a new state meant
high Offices 20 be- filed and ambitions for prefer
rnent 10 be satisfied. for the froufiersmen were
Just as politically minded as their Eastern breth-
ren. once the wilderness was conquered and It's
dangers safely past
Accordingly. on August 23 1854. a convention
assembled AZ JonesborouEh composed OF dele
gates from the Western counties OF Washington.
Sullivan and Greene. who passed a resolution
declaring: I'VE have just and undeniable right
10 petition Congress 10 accept the eession made
by North Carolina. and for that body TO counie-
nance us for forming ourselves into a separate
government and to frame either a permanent or
temporary constitution. agreeaby t0 a resolve OF
Congress ." In the meantime Gov. Alexander
Martin OF North Carolina had decided that his
state had acted too hastily In ceding valuable
lands to the federal government and be used
his influence 10 get the state assembly 10 repeal
the cession act late In November.
But the Wcsterners were going ahead with
their plans and on December Il q second conven-
tion assembled at Jonesborough This time senti-
nent was somewhat divided. Rumors OF the
impending repeal OF the eesslon act had reached
the settlements and some OF the delegates IA
vored continuing a part OF North Carolina
rather than a separate state One OF these
John Sewer. II we are 10 believe later
statement of his that be was dragged into the
Franklin measures by a large number OF the
people OF this country"
One delegate. after reading the Declaration OF
Independence declared that the siu,e reasons
which had moved the Colonies 10 separate from
England could be applied TO their decision to
desert the uncertain protection OF North Caro-
lima and set up government OF their own. His
view had enough supporters that the conven-
ton adopted a temporary constitution for six
months with provision for a convention to be
held within a year. the end of which time this
constitution should he altered adopted as the
permanent charter 81 the new state To II was
given the name ~ "Frankand"-the Land OF the
Free. Later. for reasons Of policy. the name
Franklin was chosen In honor OF the sage OF
Philadelphia. benjamin Franklin
Back In North Carolina Martin and his assem-
bly, were taking steps 10 reasseri sovereignty
over the Western settlements The District OF
Washington. composed OF the four Western coun-
ties was set up with John Haywood ms presiding
Judge. and David Campbell associate. Both
as a diplomatic gesture and for the better reason
that his lndian-hghting recorIl made him bes,
fitted for the Job. Sewer was made brigadier-
general of the state militia Accompanying his
commission. which was sent In December. 1854
was an inquiry whether. In view OF the repeal
Of the cession act. he Intended TO persist In the
movement for a new state to await further
deyesoLnents. Sewer replied that: I'VE shall
pursue no further measures as to a new State -
But despite this avowal. Governor Martin
thought X best TO send a personal representative
Col Samuel Henderson (brother Of Judge Rich