In 1784,
North Carolina ceded her western lands to the
United States.
The people of
east Tennessee, piqued at being thus disposed of, and feeling the burdens of State taxation, alleging that no provision was made for their defence or the administration of justice, assembled in convention at
Jonesboro, to take measures for organizing a new and independent State.
The North Carolina Assembly, willing to compromise, repealed the act of cession the same year, made the
Tennessee counties a separate military district, with
John Sevier as brigadier-general, and also a separate judicial district, with proper officers.
But ambitious men urged the people forward, and at a second convention, at the same place, Dec. 14, 1784, they resolved to form an independent State, under the name of
Frankland.
A provisional government was formed;
Sevier was chosen governor (March, 1785); the machinery of an independent State was put in motion, and the governor of
North Carolina (
Martin) was informed that the counties of
Sullivan,
Washington, and
Greene were no longer a part of the
State of North Carolina.
Martin issued a proclamation, exhorting all engaged in the movement to return to their duty; and the Assembly passed an act of oblivion as to all who should submit.
But the provisional constitution of
Frankland, based upon that of
North Carolina, was adopted (November, 1785) as a permanent one, and the new State entered upon an independent career.
Very soon rivalries and jealousies appeared.
Parties arose and divided the people, and at length a third party, favoring adherence to
North Carolina, led by
Colonel Tipton, showed much and increasing strength.
The new State sent
William Cocke as a delegate to the
Congress, but he was not received, while the
North Carolina party sent a delegate to the legislature of that State.
Party spirit ran high.
Frankland had two sets of officers, and civil war was threatened.
Collisions became frequent.
The inhabitants of
southwestern Virginia sympathized with the revolutionists, and were inclined to secede from their own State.
Finally an armed collision between men under
Tipton and
Sevier took place.
The latter were defeated, and finally arrested, and taken to prison in irons.
Frankland had received its death-blow.
The Assembly of North Carolina passed an act of oblivion, and offered pardon for all offenders in
Frankland in 1788, and the trouble ceased.
Virginia, alarmed by the movement, hastened to pass a law subjecting to the penalties of treason any person who should attempt to erect a new State in any part of her territory without previous permission obtained of her Assembly.
Franklin,
Benjamin