TENNESSEE. 



grafs, ftrawbtrrics, and pea vines. On the hills, at the 

 heads of rivers, and in fome high cliffs of Cumberland, aie 

 found majellic red cedars ; many of thelc trees are four feet 

 in dramcter, and forty feet clear of limbs. The commerce 

 of this (late is much facilitated by the rivers TennelTee and 

 Cumberland, and their refpedive branches. Both thefe 

 rivers empty into the Ohio, (horlly after they pafs the north 

 boundar)- of the ilate. As the waters of the Cumberland 

 from Na(hville, and of the Tenncffee from the Mtfcle Shoals 

 to the Ohio, arc navigable to the Ohio and Miffifippi, the 

 people of courfe, who live in this or the adjacent country, 

 have the fame advantages of water conveyance for trade, as 

 thofe who live on the Ohio or MilTifippi, to New Orleans 

 or elfewhere. Befidcs, there is another probable avenue 

 through which trade will be carried on with this and the ad- 

 jacent country, which is from Mobile, up the waters of the 

 Mobile river as far as it is navigable ; thence by a land car- 

 ria<re, of about 50 miles at moil, to Ocoehappo creek, 

 which empties into the Tenneflee at the lower end of the 

 Mufcle ftioals. The mouth of this creek is the centre of a 

 piece of ground, the diameter of which is five miles, ceded 

 by the fouthern Indians at the treaty of Hopewell, on 

 Keeowee, to the United States, for the eftablifhment of 

 trading pods. The iron works of Tenneflee are large and 

 numerous. The minerals of this country are iron-ore, lime- 

 ilone, coal, copperas, alum, nitre, lead, and fome illver. 

 Mineral fprings, ftrongly impregnated with fulphur, are 

 found in various parts of the country. On the waters ot 

 French Broad river is a fine, large, clear, medicinal, warm 

 fpring, the beneficial effedts of which have been experienced 

 by many perfons who have reforted to it from the Carolinas, 

 Georgia, and northern parts of Virginia. Salt is manufac- 

 tured in confiderable quantity, particularly on the north 

 fork of Holfton. Some herds of the bifon are ftill found 

 on the branches of the Cumberland river, though multitudes 

 of them have been wantonly deftroyed. The flag is occa- 

 fionally found among the mountains ; deer are fcarce ; bears, 

 panthers, wild cats, and wolves, IHll remain. Beavers, 

 mu(k-rats, and otters, are plentiful in the upper branches of 

 Cumberland and Kentucky rivers. Racoons, foxes, opof- 

 fums, and fquirrels abound ; as do alfo pheafants, partridges, 

 pigeons, fwans, wild turkies, ducks, and geefe ; as well as 

 bald eagles, parroquets, loons, cranes, and buzzards. The 

 rivers are well flocked with all kinds of frefh-watcr fifii. 



The chief towns of Tenneflee are KnoxviUe, NaJhviHe, 

 and Jonejborough ; which fee refpeftively. 



The prevailing denomination of Chriftians in this ftate is 

 compofed of Prefbyterians, intermixed with Baptifts, Me- 

 thodifts, and Friends. With a view to mental and moral 

 improvement, feveral fchools and colleges are eilabliftied in 

 this ftate. Three colleges are eftablilhed, one in Knox, one 

 in Wafhington, and one in Greene county. 



By the conllitution of this ftate, which was formed and 

 ratified at Knoxville, February 6, 1796, the legiflative au- 

 thority is vefted in a general aflembly, confifting of a fenate 

 and houfe of reprefentatives. The number of reprefeatatives 

 is to be fixed once in feven years, by the legiflature, ac- 

 cording to the number of taxable inhabitants, who are to be 

 numbered feptennially ; the number of reprefentatives not 

 to exceed twenty-fix, until the taxable inhabitants ftiall be 

 40,000. The fenators are never to be lefs than one third, 

 nor more than one half the number of the reprefentatives, 

 and are to be chofen upon principles fimilar to thofe for the 

 choice of reprefentatives. The eledion for members of 

 both houfcs is biennial. The executive power of the ftate 

 it »efted in a governor, chofen by the elecftors of the mem- 

 bers of the legiflature: he is appointed biennially, and is 



commander-in-chief of the army and navy, except in the 

 fer\ice of the United States. Every freeman of zi years 

 of age, poflefling a freehold in the county, and liaving been 

 an inhabitant of the ftate for fix months preceding, may 

 vote for the members of the legiflature. The houfe of re- 

 prefentatives has the fole power of impeaching, and the 

 fenate of trying impeachments. The judicial power is vefted 

 in courts of law and equity. County ofiicers are flieriffs, 

 coroners, truftees, and conftables. Military officers are to 

 be elefted by perfons fubject to military duty. Minifters of 

 the gofpel are not eligible to a feat in the legiflature. No 

 perfon who denies the exiftence of God, or a future ftate, 

 can hold any civil ofRce. The oath of allegiance and of 

 office is to be taken by perfons holding any office of truft 

 or profit. 



In the charaAer of the inhabitants there is nothing pe- 

 culiarly difcriminating ; but, in general, a great fimplicity 

 of maimers prevails. Among the curiofities of the country 

 we may reckon its numerous caves ; and on the Enchanted 

 mountain there are on feveral rocks impreflions rcfembling 

 the tracks of turkies, bears, horfes, and human beings, the 

 latter having uniformly fix toes each. Befides thefe, there 

 are many other fanciful figures. The Indian tribes within 

 and in the vicinity of this ftate are the Cherokee: and 

 Chukafaivs ; which fee refpeftively. 



The country now called Tenneflee was included in the 

 fecond charter granted by king Charles II. to the pro- 

 prietors of Carolina ; and in a fubfequent divifion, it confti- 

 tuted a part of North Carolina. In 1 754, at the commence- 

 ment of the French war, not more than fifty families had 

 fettled here, who were either deftroyed, or driven away by 

 the Indians before the clofe of the following year. It re- 

 mained uninhabited till 1765, when the fettlement of it com- 

 menced; and in 1773, (fuch was the rapid accefGon of 

 emigrants,) the country as far weftward as the long ifland 

 of Holfton, an extent of more than 120 miles in length from 

 eaft to weft, was well peopled. In 1789, after fome pre- 

 paratory meafures, the territory was ceded by the North 

 Carolina legiflature, on certain conditions, to the United 

 States. In 1790, February 25, congrefs pafled an aft, 

 accepting this ceflion ; and, by another aft, pafled May 26, 

 1790, provided for its government under the title of " The 

 Territory of the United States of America fouth of the 

 River Ohio." On the 8tli of June following, the prefident 

 of the United States, by and with the advice and confent of 

 the fenate, appointed the Hon. William Blount, efq. a 

 citizen of North Carolina, governor in and over the faid ter- 

 ritory ; in which office he continued during the territorial 

 government, and was prefident of the convention that formed 

 the conftitution under the title of " The Conftitution of the 

 State of Tenneflee," of which we have given an abftraft. 

 The peace of the citizens of this territorj' has been difturbed 

 many years paft, by Indian wars, or incurfions from the 

 favages for the purpofes of murder and plunder : they are 

 now at peace. In the year 1796, this territory' was in due 

 form erefted into an independent ftate, making the fixteenth 

 in the Union. Morfe. Meh'fli. 



Tennessee Ridge, the moil confiderable range of moun- 

 tains in the ilate of Tenneflee, fepai-atiiig the ftreams which 

 run to the Cumberland and Tenneflee rivers. In fome parts 

 it rifes into abrupt hills, but in others admits of good roads. 

 See Cumberland Mountain. 



Tennessee, called by the French Cherokee, and ab- 

 furdly by others the Hogohege river, is die largeft branch 

 of the Ohio : it is 600 yards wide at its mouth. It rifes in 

 the mountains of Virgioia, N. lat. 37°; and purfues a 

 courfe of about 1000 miles fouth and fouth-weft, nearly to 

 2 N. lat. 



