244 The Winning of the West 



contracted by the little pioneer communities with the 

 faith that the State would pay them; but the pay 

 ment was made grudgingly or not at all, and no 

 measures were taken to provide for the protection 

 of the frontier in the future. No provisions were 

 made for the extension of the jurisdiction of the 

 State courts over the western counties, and they be 

 came a refuge for outlaws, who could be dealt with 

 only as they were that is, by the settlers acting 

 on their own initiative, without the sanction of law. 

 In short the settlers were left to themselves, to work 

 out their own salvation as they best might, in peace 

 or war ; and as they bore most of the burdens of in 

 dependence, they began to long for the privileges. 



In June, 1784, the State Legislature passed an act 

 ceding to the Continental Congress all the western 

 lands, that is, all of what is now Tennessee. It was 

 provided that the sovereignty of North Carolina 

 over the ceded lands should continue in full effect 

 until the United States accepted the gift; and that 

 the act should lapse and become void unless Con 

 gress accepted within two years. 1 



The western members were present and voted in 

 favor of the cession, and immediately afterward 

 they returned to their homes and told the frontier 

 people what had been done. There was a general 

 feeling that some step should be taken forthwith to 

 prevent the whole district from lapsing into an 

 archy. The frontiersmen did not believe that Con- 



1 Ramsey, 283. He is the best authority for the history of 

 the curious State of Franklin. 



