316 The Winning of the West 



State and provide for its admission to the Union. 

 When news of this act, with its requirement of need 

 less and tedious delay, reached the Kentucky con 

 vention, it adjourned for good, with much chagrin. 



Wilkinson and the other separatist leaders took 

 advantage of this very natural chagrin to inflame 

 the minds of the people against both Virginia and 

 Congress. It was at this time that the Westerners 

 became deeply stirred by exaggerated reports of the 

 willingness of Congress to yield the right to navi 

 gate the Mississippi ; and the separatist chiefs fanned 

 their discontent by painting the danger as real and 

 imminent, although they must speedily have learned 

 that it had already ceased to exist. Moreover, 

 there was much friction between the Federal and 

 Virginian authorities and the Kentucky militia offi 

 cers in reference to the Indian raids. The Ken- 

 tuckians showed a disposition to include all Indians, 

 good and bad alike, in the category of foes. On 

 the other hand the home authorities were inclined to 

 forbid the Kentuckians to make the offensive re 

 turn-forays which could alone render successful 

 their defensive warfare against the savages. All 

 these causes combined to produce much irritation, 

 and the separatists began to talk rebellion. One of 

 their leaders, Innes, in a letter to the Governor of 

 Virginia, threatened that Kentucky would revolt 

 not only from the parent State but from the Union, 

 if heed were not paid to her wishes and needs. 18 



However, at this time Wilkinson started on his 



Green, 83. 



