The Indian Wars, 1784-1787 249 



holding commissions under North Carolina being 

 continued in office in almost all cases. The friction 

 caused by the change of government was thus mini 

 mized. Four new counties were created, taxes were 

 levied, and a number of laws enacted. One of the 

 acts was "for the promotion of learning in the county 

 of Washington." Under it the first academy west 

 of the mountains was started ; for some years it was 

 the only high school anywhere in the neighborhood 

 where Latin, or indeed any branch of learning be 

 yond the simplest rudiments, was taught. It is no 

 small credit to the backwoodsmen that in this their 

 first attempt at State-making they should have done 

 what they could to furnish their sons the opportu 

 nity of obtaining a higher education. 



One of the serious problems with which they had 

 to grapple was the money question. All through the 

 United States the finances were in utter disorder, the 

 medium of exchange being a jumble of almost 

 worthless paper currency, and of foreign coin of 

 every kind, while the standard value varied from 

 State to State. But in the backwoods conditions 

 were even worse, for there was hardly any money at 

 all. Transactions were accomplished chiefly by the 

 primeval method of barter. Accordingly, this back 

 woods Legislature legalized the payment of taxes 

 and salaries in kind, and set a standard of values. 

 The dollar was declared equal to six shillings, and 

 a scale of prices was established. Among the ar 

 ticles which were enumerated as being lawfully pay 

 able for taxes were bacon at six pence a pound, rye 



