By ELMO SCOTT WATSON NE hundred and fifty years ag there came into being an American commonwealth that was in but not of the United States. That was the state of Franklin or Frankland which, during its stormy existence of four years, had the equivocal <> status of being at one and the same time an Independent state, a district in another state and an 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-lived “State of Franklin”—in fact, the very storm center of its turbulent career—was that frontier immortal, John Sevier, "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 projector and hero of King's Mountain; 35 bat- tles—335 victories: His Indian war cry was: ‘Here they are! Come on, boys, come on!'" The immediate incentive for founding the State of Franklin came out of conditions which pre- vailed after the close of the Revolution. On June 2, 1784, the legisiature of the new state of North Carolina ceded to the congress of the United States its lands west of the Alleghenies on the conditions that this territory should be formed Into a separate state or states and that congress should give due notice of its accep 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 a local government which should form the basis for a new state. There were several reasons for thelr haste. North Carolina's delay in sending goods to the Indians, promised under a former treaty, had irritated the tribesmen and the threat of Indian hostility hung heavy over the ploneers If it should burst into flame, they could not look for prompt ald from the home authorities be canse 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 a new state meant high offices to be filled and ambitions for prefer ment to be satisfied, for the frontiersmen were just as politically minded as their Eastern breth- ren, once the wilderness was conquered and its dangers safely past Accordingly, on August 23, 1784, a convention assembled at Jonesborough composed of dele gates from the Western counties of Washington, Sullivan and Greene, who passed a resolution declaring: “We have a 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 a separate government and to frame either a 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 iands 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 17 a second conven tion assembled at Jonesborough. This time sent) ment was somewhat divided. Rumors of the impending repeal of the cession act had reached the settlements and some of the delegates fa- vored continuing as a part of North Carolina rather than as a separate state. One of these was John Sevier, if we are to believe a later statement of his that he was “Draged 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 same reasons which had moved the Colonles to separate from England could be applied to their decision to desert the uncertain protection of North Caro lina and set up a government of their own. His view had enough supporters so that the conven. tion adopted a temporary constitution for six months with provision for a 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 It 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 sovereigoty over the Western settlements. The District of Washington, composed of the four Western coun. ties, was set up with John Haywood as presiding judge, and David Campbell as associate. Both as a diplomatic gesture and for the better reason that his Indian-fighting record made him best fitted for the job, Sevier was made brigadier general of the state militia. Accompanying his commission, which was sent In December, 1784, was an inquiry whether, In view of the repeal of the cession act, he intended to persist In the movement for a new state or to awalt further developments. Sevier replied that: “We shal) pursue no further measures as to a new State” But despite this avowal Governor Martin thought it best to send a personal representative, Col. Samuel Henderson (brother of Judee Rich vy yr O K. Y¥Y. ME Vv -. en te en on eden oie me 0 nn Gov. Alexander Martin ard Henderson, founder of Transylvania and employer f Daniel Boone In the settlement of Kentucky), to investigate conditions in the West, He found that Sevier had siready been elected governor of the new State of Franklin, that William Cocke had been appointed as a delegate to the Continental Congress to urge its accep tance of North Carolina's cession and that the legislature had established an academy named after Governor Martin, Henderson delivered to the Franklin legisia- ture, then in session In Joneshorough, a letter from Governor Martin demanding an “account of the late proceedings of the people In the western country” and in reply received two let. ters, one from the legislature and one from Sevier, which, aithough conciliatory in tone, frankly expressed a doubt as to North Carolina's willingness or ability te protect her borderers or give them a stable form of government and intimated thelr determination to persist In the movement for independence, The result of this was a “manifesto” from Martin In which he denied their right to declare themselves independent of North Carolina and demanded that the “government should still be supported and anarchy prevented" To this manifesto Governor Sevier sent back an equally flery one and Martin countered with the appointment of Evan Shelby in Sevier's place as brigadier-general of the militia and of Jonathan Tipton as colonel of his county. In Jone, 1785, Richard Caswell succeeded Martin as governor of North Carolina and the new ex- ecutive proceeded In a conciliatory but at the same time firm manner to assert his state's sov- ereignty over the disputed territory. Meanwhile Sevier and his legislature were continuing to function as state authorities. The legislature passed various scts dealing with the property rights of the citizens of the new state, eduention, currency, militia, elections, organiza. tion of new counties, taxes, etc. In connection with the currency there arvse a problem which was solved In a manner characteristic of the genius of the American frontlersman for adapt- ing himself readily to circumstances, With no facilities for Issuing either currency or hard money, skins of animals wére made legal tender. Late in 1785 the legislature met at Greeneville and there a committee, headed by Rev. Samuel Houston of Washington county, presented for adoption a constitution which is an oddity In American jurisprudence. It provided for a legis Inture of a single house and from this were to be excluded not only “ministers of the gospel, attorneys at law and doctors of physics” but also those who were “of immoral character or gulity of such flagrant enormities as drunkenness, gam ing, profane swearing, lewdness, Sabbath-break- ing and such like, or who shall deny the existence of God, of heaven, and of hell, the Inspiration of the Scriptures, or the existence of the Trin. ity.” Although full religious liberty was guaran teed, only the strictly orthodox might hold of- fice but it was barred to anyone who was “not a scholar to do the business.” “This remarkable document, which provided for many other curious innovations in govern ment, was the work of ploneer doctrinalires— Houston, Campbell, Cocke and Tipton—and de serves study as a bizarre reflection of the spirk and genius of the western frontlersman"” says Dr. Archibald Henderson in his “Conguest of the Old Southwest.” However, it was rejected in favor of the North Carolina constitution and this rejection was to have an important effect on the later fortunes of the State of Franklin, For North Carolina's quiet and persistent as sertion of its authority was beginning to create a schism In the new commonweniih, Henderson says that the “considerate policy” of Governor Unswell, “coupled with the defection from Sevier's eanse of men of the stamp of Houston and Tipton after the blunderiog and cavalier rejection of thelr singular constitution, under mined the foundations of Franklin® North Carolina began sending its officers into 1 “iy ” 3 “GHlesplos Vax on, : y &. mt 0, Githert Town A River DECLARATION or RIGHTS CONSTITUTION FORM or COVERNMENT Agreed ®, ond relideed then, » Favivie of the Fre “A amin omen of the STATE or» Fp ANRLAND » Elefled wad choten for yy on alembled uy ¢ rh oF Krwemior, 1305, ~ SN pete, in Bavtviiie de PHILA 8 14," Pristed by Prone Barer, a id © Tolls Bos, Franklin to exercise her authority over the citl zens of what It considered an vutlaw state Hay wood's History of Tennessee, printed during the early part of the last century, gives a vivid ple ture of the state of affairs existing: “In the early part of the year 1786 was pre sented the strange spectacle of two empires ex- ercised at one and the same time over one and the same people County courts were held in the same counties, under both governments; the militia were called out by officers appointed by both; laws were passed by both assemblies, and taxes were lald by the authorities of both states “The judges commissioned by the state of Franklin held supreme courts, twice In each year, in Joneshora Colonel Tipton openly re fused obedience to the new government There arose a deadly hatred between him and Gov. ernor Sevier and each endeavoured. by all the means In his power, to strengthen his party.” Bo Involved and desperate had become the sit uation that Cocke and Sevier in turn appealed to wise old Ben Franklin, for whom their state had been named, for ald and advice. In 1788 Franklin advised Oocke to submit the points in dispute between North Carolina and its (llegitl- mate offspring to congress for a decision and to abide by its decision. But a year Iater his views had changed and he advised Sevier to try to bring about some satisfactory compromise with the mother state In September, 17587, the Franklin legisiiture met for the last time and conditions were so unsettled and uncertain that no attempt was made to hold another election. In February, 1788, adherents of Tipton and Sevier had an armed collision In which two men were killed and several wounded “Soon afterward Sevier sent word to Tipton that on condition his life be spared he would submit to North Carolina™ writes Henderson. “On this note of tragi-comedy the State of Franklin appeared quietly to ex- pire.” It drew its final breath the following month, March, 17588, when Sevier's term as gov. ernor ended. At that time he was a fugitive In the distant settlements because, through the action of Gov. ernor Johnson of North Carolina, he had been by Tipton on the treason charge, handcuffed and taken first to Jonesborough, then to Morganton. There the sheriff, who had fought with him at King's Mountain, knocked the irons from his wrists and released him on parole. When some of his devoted friends heard .of the arrest of their beloved “Nolichucky Jack.” they rode swift. Iy across the mountains to Morganton and bore him away to a place of safety. In November, 1788, the Nerth Carolina legis regard to the State of Franklin which automat. feally cleared Sevier of the charge of treason and removed any stigma there might have been upon the citizenship of any others. Thus the State of Franklin's turbulent existence of four years came to a close The iater career of Sevier Is too well known fina legisiature a brigadier-general Carolina ratified the Federal Constitution and became one of the United States of America under that document, Sevier was elected con. gressman from the North Carolina district be yond the mountains In 1790 North Carolina coded her western lands again to the federal govern. ment and on April 2 of that year the cession was accepted. On May 26 the Southwest tere] tory was organized snd Sevier made general of its militia. Nix years Inter this territory became the state of Tennessee and he was her first gov. ernor. So John Sevier entered the roll of “unique Americans” In that he was the only man who ever beeame governor of two states, even though one of them was an outlaw commonwealth, a state which existed in fact if not In official form. @ by Western Newspaper Unlon, GIRL IS DUG UP | Speculations Over - Skull of | Days Before Noah. her teeth flashed in the sun. Her! mouth was red and full and when | frowned and the young before the flood, children. where a man named Noah sailed a ship. Her name is known to no one and there is none who cares, except for scientists who dig and burrow and measure, striving to possess the John W, Vance writes, in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Her fate is mystery. Perhaps she foray of a hostile gocrets of GOOD years, died In some swift tribe. Per side the llage and a ups she walked alone be was waiting. Perhaps a | out of the violent east, she died and was Recently Dr, W, the h foundation laboratory and } She Is a one of sReielnl no tartar on them. “Her head Is ilely associated Mn ype, 1h from her skull the teeth, great deal gritty sul anything alx “We do know that the site of pied since her time, except, of course, during the flood, which is usually placed at about 2000 B. C. Indi dentally a layer «¢ the bones fare missing. The skull doesn't show any cause of death from a blow or anything of that sort.” The skull was exhumed along with other relies found, by H. H. Von der University of Chicago. No More Freckles; Weather-Beaten Skin Tt is so easy now to have a lovely skin of satinlike texture; to have smooth, white, flawless new beauty. Just begin tonight - re m— famous § Neadinola Bleaching | & Cream, tested pe trusted for over a | generation, The min. you smooth it on, Gis begins to 7 whiten, smooth and clear your skin, Tan § and freckles; muddy, § sallow color vanish quickly. 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Do not be blinded by the eflortz of a few unethical deslers wo moy suse You biven right to E.besusplied youon ference . the world’s Pb great blood medicine Indicated as an Alterative in | the Treatment of REEUMATIC FEVER, GOUT, Simple Neuralgia, Muscular Aches and Pains At All Druggists Jes. Baily & Sea, Wholesale Distributor § Baltimore, M 4. life, in that layer. occupied. we don't know. because there was water there, Per haps it was a hill which was easy to defend from enemies or animals, “We don't know how tall she was, Taught Weed Cultivation Weeds are encouraged to gfow in a gurden which is beautifully kept at an elementary school near Bel fast, Ireland. Under the guldance of the ministry of education, 20 teach ers are being taught how to teach horticulture to the pupils in the rural area. Every sort of weed is grown in orderly fashion. There are neat little rows of regular garden pests which drive the amateur gardener to despair. They are fostered and tend. ed as if they were orchids. By care ful examination of the specimens, the students get to know a lot about weeds, and there will be a great slaughter when they reture to thelr awn school gardens, WATCH YOUR KIDNEYS! Be Sure They Properly Cleanse the Blood OUR kidneys are constantly il. tering impurities from the blood stream. But kidneys get function. ally disturbed—lag in their work— fail to remove the poisonous body wastes, Then you may suffer nagging backache, attacks of dizziness, burning, scanty or too frequent urination, getting up at night, swollen feet and ankles, rheumatic pains; feel “all worn out™ Don't delay! For the quicker you get rid of these polsons, the better your chances of good health. Use Doan's Pills, Docn’s are for the kidneys only. They tend to pro- mote normal functioning of the kidneys: should help them pass’off the irritating poisons. Doan's are recommended by users the countcy over. Get them from any druggist. DOAN'S PILLS Why Suffer with Cuticura and warm water, dry ment. It is rising how Itching, Burning y, and anoint with the Oint-
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers