The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-11-30

~ state of Franklin FARMLAND
- y which, during its stormy existence
Of four years, had the eQuiTocaI
= - a status Of being at and the
lETAN same time an independent state,
ESoSN district in another state and
60 unorganized federal territory, and
which finally came into the Union as a part Of
a state Of an entirely different name.
Closely associated with the history Of the
short-li7ed "State Of Franklin"-in fact the very
storm center Of its turbulent career-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; six terms governor Of
Tennessee; Four times elected to congress; A
protector and hero of Kings Mountain; 35 bat
tles-35 victories; His Indian war cry was: Here
they are! Come on, boys, come onr"
The state of Franklin" had its genesis in the
Watauga settlement made by North Carolinians
after the Regulator rebellion against the British
Governor Tryon had ended disastrously at the
battle of the Alamance in III. The following
year under the leadership of James Robertson
and John SEWER the Watauga Association was
organized and became 1.-The first free and indie
pendent government, democratic in spirit, repre-
sentative in form, ever organized upon the Amer
lean continent" Such is the Characterization Of
DR.. Archibald Henderson in his Conquest Of the
Old Southwest" in which he further declares
mimic republics in the Old Southwest, gradually
tending toward higher forms of organization,
with larger measure Of individual liberty. Wa
tauga, Pennsylvania, Cumberland Franklin rep
resent the evolving political genius of a free
people under the creative leadership Of three
constructive minds - James Robertson. John
Sewer, and Richard Henderson"
The immediate incentive for founding the State
of Franklin came out of conditions which pre-
cd flor he NJ
June 2, 1884, the legislature Of the new state
of North Carolina ceded to the congress Of the
United States it's lands west of the Alleghenies
on the conditions that this territory should be
formed into separate state or states and that
congress should give due notice of its accep-
lance 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 a
new state There were several reasons for their
haste. North Cardinals delay in sending goods
to the Indians promised under former treaty,
had irritated the tribesmen and the threat OF
Indian hostility hung heavy over the pioneers
If 1t should burst into fame, they could not look
for prompt aid from the home authorities be-
cause of the long intervening distance and the
lack of quick communication, not to mention the
fact that North Carolina was so occupied with
its post-Revolution civil problems that it could
give little thought to the needs of its remote
frontier settlements Another reason, no doubt
was that the formation of new state meant
high Offices to be filed and ambitions for prefer
ment to be satisfied, for the frontiersmen were
inst as politically minded as their Eastern breth-
rem once the wilderness was conquered and its
dangers safely past
Accordingly, on August %, 1854, convention
assembled at Jonesborough 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
to petition Congress to accept the cession made
by North Carolina, and for that body to counte-
nance US for forming ourselves into separate
government and to frame either permanent or
temporary constitution, agreeably to 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 he used
his influence to get the state assembly to repeal
the cession act late in November.
But the Westerners were going ahead with
their plans and on December IL second conVen-
ton assembled at Jonesborough This time senu-
ment was somewhat divided. Rumors Of the
impending repeal Of the cession act had reached
the settlements and some of the delegates IA
vored continuing as a part of North Carolina
rather than separate state. One Of these
was John Sewer, II we are TO bei1eye later
statement Of his that he was dragged into the
Franklin measures by large number Of the
people Of this country"
One delegate, after reading the Declaration Of
Independence, declared that the same reasons
which had moved the Colonies to separate from
England could be applied to their decision to
desert the uncertain protection Of North Caro-
lima and set up a government Of their own. His
view had enough supporters so that the conVen-
ton adopted a temporary constitution for six
months with provision for convention TO be
held within a year, at the end Of which time this
constitution should be altered or adopted as the
permanent charter of the new state. To II was
given the name Of "Frankland"-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 to reassert sovereignty
over the Western settlements. The District Of
Washington composed of the four Western coun-
ties was set up with John Haywood as presiding
iudge and David Campbell as associate. Both
as diplomatic gesture and for the better reason
that his Indian-hghting record made him best
fitted for the Job Sewer was made brigadier-
general of the state militia. Accompanying his
commission which was sent In December, 1884
was an inquiry whether. In view Of the repeal
of the cession act, he intended to persist In the