254 The Winning of the West 



question to Congress, and urged that the disputants 

 should abide by its decision. He wound up his let 

 ter by some general remarks on the benefits of hav 

 ing a Congress which could act as a judge in such 

 matters. 



While the memorial was being presented to Con 

 gress, Sevier was publishing his counter-manifesto 

 to Governor Martin's in the shape of a letter to 

 Martin's successor in the chair of the chief execu 

 tive of North Carolina. In this letter Sevier justi 

 fied at some length the stand the Franklin people 

 had taken, and commented with lofty severity on 

 Governor Martin's efforts "to stir up sedition and 

 insurrection" in Franklin, and thus destroy the 

 "tranquillity" of its "peaceful citizens." Sevier 

 evidently shared to the full the horror generally felt 

 by the leaders of a rebellion for those who rebel 

 against themselves. 



The new Governor of North Carolina adopted a 

 much more pacific tone than his predecessor, and he 

 and Sevier exchanged some further letters, but with 

 out result. 



One of the main reasons for discontent with the 

 parent State was the delay in striking an advan 

 tageous treaty with the Indians, and the Franklin 

 people hastened to make up for this delay by sum 

 moning the Cherokees to a council. 6 Many of the 

 chiefs, who were already under solemn agreement 

 with the United States and North Carolina, refused 

 to attend ; but, as usual with Indians, they could not 



' Virginia State Papers, IV, 25, 37, etc. 



