144 The Winning of the West 



on August 1 7th. So great was the danger from the 

 Indians that a military company had to accompany 

 the Cumberland legislators to and from the seat of 

 government. For the same reason the judges on 

 their circuits had to go accompanied by a military 

 guard. 



Among the first acts of this Territorial Legisla- 

 ture was that to establish higher institutions of 

 learning; John Sevier was made a trustee in both 

 Blount and Greeneville Colleges. A lottery was 

 established for the purpose of building the Cumber- 

 land road to Nashville, and another one to build a 

 jail and stocks in Nashville. A pension act was 

 passed for disabled soldiers and for widows and 

 orphans, who were to be given an adequate allow- 

 ance at the discretion of the county court. A poll 

 tax of twenty-five cents on all taxable white polls 

 was laid, and on every taxable negro poll fifty cents. 

 Land was taxed at the rate of twenty-five cents a 

 hundred acres, town lots one dollar; while a stud 

 horse was taxed four dollars. Thus, taxes were laid 

 exclusively upon free males, upon slaves, lands, 

 town lots and stud horses, a rather queer combina- 

 tion. 12 



Various industries were started, as the people be- 

 gan to demand not only the necessaries of life but the 

 comforts, and even occasionally the luxuries. There 

 were plenty of blacksmith shops; and a goldsmith 

 and jeweler set up his establishment. In his adver- 



18 Laws of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1803. First Session of 

 Territorial Legislature, 1794. 



