Petition
of the inhabitants of the Western Country, December 1787
The
Honourable, The General Assembly of North Carolina now sitting--
The
Inhabitants of the Western Country Humbly Sheweth:
That it is with sincere concern we lament the unhappy disputes
that have long subsisted between us and our Brethren on the
Eastern side of the Mountains, respecting the Erecting a new
Government. We beg leave to represent to your Honourable body,
that from Acts passed in June 1784, ceding to Congress your
Western territory, with the reservations and Conditions therein
contained. Also from a clause in your Wise and Mild Constitution,
setting forth that there might be a State or States, erected
in the West whenever your Legislature should give consent
for same; and from our local situation, numberless advantages,
bountifully given to us by nature to propagate & promote
a Government with us. Being influenced by your Acts and Constitution,
and at the same time considering that it is our undeniable
right to obtain for ourselves and posterity a proportionable
and adequate share of the blessings, rights, privileges, and
immunities allotted with the rest of mankind, have thought
that the erecting a new Government would greatly contribute
to our welfare and convenience and that the same could not
militate against your interest and future welfare as a Government.
Hoping that mutual & reciprocal advantages would attend
each party, & that cordiality and unanimity would permanently
subsist between us ever after, We earnestly request that an
impartial view of our remoteness be taken into consideration.
The great inconveniency attending your seat of Government,
and also the great difficulty in ruling well & giving
protection to so remote a people. To say nothing of the almost
impassable mountains, Nature has placed between us, which
renders it impracticable for us to furnish ourselves with
a bare load of the necessaries of life, except we in the first
instance travel from one to two hundred & more miles through
some other State 'ere we can reach your government. Every
tax paid you from this county would render us that sum the
poorer, as it is impossible from the nature of our situation,
that any part could return into circulation, having nothing
that could bear the carriage, or encourage purchasers to come
so great a distance for which reasons were we to continue
under your Government a few years, the people here must pay
a greater sum than the whole of the medium now in circulation
for the Exigencies and support of your Government which would
be a sum impossible for us to procure, would we be willing
to give you our all, & of course, must be beholden to
other States for any part we could raise; and by these means
our property would gradually diminish, and we at last reduced
to mere poverty and want by not being able equally, to participate
with the benefits and advantages of your Government. We hope
that having settled West of the Appalachian Mountains ought
not to deprive us of the natural advantages designed by the
bountiful Providence for the conveniency & comfort of
all those who have Spirit and sagacity enough to seek after
them. When we reflect on our past and indefatigable Struggles,
both with savages and our other Enemies during our late war,
and the great difficulty we had to obtain and withhold this
Country from those Enemies at the expense of the lives and
fortunes of many of our dearest friends and relations, and
the happy conclusion of peace have arrived, North Carolina
has derived great advantages from our alertness in taking
& securing a Country from which she has been able to draw
into her Treasury immense sums of money, and thereby become
enabled to pay off, if not wholly, yet a great part, and sink
her national debt. We therefore humbly conceive you will liberally
think that it will be nothing more than paying a debt in full
to us for only to grant what God, Nature & our locality
entitles us to receive. Trusting that your magnanimity and
justice will not consider it a crime in any people to pray
their rights and privileges, we call the world to testify
our conduct and exertion in behalf of American Independency,
and the same to judge whether we ask more than free people
ought to claim, agreeable to Republican principles, the great
foundation whereon our American fabric now stands. Impressed
with the hope of your great goodness & benevolent disposition
that you will utterly abhor and disclaim all ideas of Involving
into innumerable, disagreeable and irksome Contentions a people
who have so faithfully aided & supported in the time of
imminent and perilous Dangers; that you will be graciously
pleased to consent to a Separation; that from your paternal
tenderness and greatness of mind, you will let your stipulations
& conditions be consistent with honour, equity & Reason,
all which will be cheerfully submitted to; and we, your Petitioners,
shall always feel an interest in whatsoever may concern your
honour and prosperity. Lastly, we hope to be enabled by the
concurrence of your State to participate in the fruits of
the Revolution; and enjoy the essential benefits of Civil
Society under a form of Government which ourselves alone,
can only calculate for such a purpose. It will be a subject
of regret that so much blood and treasure have been lavished
away for no purpose to us, that so many sufferings have been
encountered without Compensation, and that so many sacrifices
have been made in vain. Many other considerations might be
here adduced, but we hope what hath been mentioned will be
sufficient for our purpose, adding only that Congress hath
from time to time explained their ideas so fully and with
so much dignity & Energy that if their Arguments and Requisitions
will not Produce conviction, we know of nothing that will
have a greater influence, especially when we recollect that
the system referred to is the result of the Collected wisdom
of the United States and should it not be considered as perfect,
must be esteemed as the least Objectionable.
|
John
Cosson |
Joseph Blair |
James English |
Thomas Williams |
William Hannah |
Henry Styers |
Peter McNamee |
his
|
James Shanks |
Thomas X Tadlock |
David Robinson |
mark
|
Robert Callison |
William McPick |
Isaac Davis |
Botholmu Odeneal |
James Mitchell |
his
|
David Gemel |
Shadrack X Hale Jr. |
Thomas Bell |
mark
|
Thomas Rodgers |
Daniel Dunny Jr. |
Anthony Kelly |
John Wear |
Thos. McMackin |
Asahel Rawlings |
George Davies |
Henry Earnest |
Nathaniel Davies |
James Patterson |
Samuel Davies |
Francis Hughes |
John Lowe |
Robert Hood |
Joseph Willson |
his
|
David Brown |
Wm. X Francis |
William Brown |
mark
|
Jas. Henney |
his
|
Alexr Petter |
Patrick X Kirkpat-[rick] |
William Reynolds |
mark
|
David Reynolds |
John Tadlock |
Aaron Been |
James Davis |
William Wilson |
Benn Brumbly |
Thos. Thompson |
Mary Webster (?) |
David Rankin |
George Kirkpatrick |
John Lee |
Thomas Jones |
Sam'l Vance |
William Jones |
Rd. Kerr |
Reuben Simmon |
Archibel Alexander |
Moses Kelsay |
Samuel McPherson |
Robert McCall |
Matthew Rue |
Joseph Alexander |
Joseph Lusk |
Wm. Cocke |
Andrew Jackson |
Archibald Roan |
Jos. Gest |
Elias Witt |
Jos. Newberry |
Thomas Witt |
Alex. Lowry |
Nathaniel Witt |
Jno. McClelland |
Rich'd Dunn |
Solomon Reed |
Wm. Dunn |
Uriah McClellennon |
Thomas Call |
James Stinson |
H. Call |
Alexander Street |
Joseph N. Newport |
James McPherson |
Wm. W. Newport |
John Prim |
John Greer |
Jacob Smelser |
Absolom Greer |
Joshua Kidwell |
Thomas Springer |
Samuel Jameson |
Levy Springer |
John Brumley |
Thomas Wolf |
William Davidson |
Conrad Wolf |
Wm. Boyd |
Phillip Gnibb |
Benja. Gist |
Henry Easter |
Thos. Bromley |
William Eats |
Hugh Beard |
Simeon Crains |
Samuel Beard |
Harmon Nowel |
James Millikin |
James Patton |
Robert Orr |
Robert Patton |
Searling Bowman |
John Fout |
Rich'd Woods |
Peter Fout |
Robert McCall |
Harman Kenedy |
John Galbreath |
Moses Long |
(illegible) (?) |
Coonnas Miller |
James Watson |
Thomas McKee |
(illegible) (?) |
Wm. Goings |
James Hays |
Henry Brumly |
David Carr |
And. Wray |
Joseph Garrison |
Wm. Wood |
William Gillehan |
Gordon Potter |
Stephen Strorge |
Wm. Peck |
Michael Rawlings |
Thomas Mosely |
Donnell Cremor |
Henry Mosely |
Nath. McMeno |
Phillip Rudolf |
William La*** (?) |
Wm. Stublefield |
(illegible) (?) |
Thomas Baits |
Wm. Morow |
John Keller |
Charles Ramsey |
Moses Keller |
(illegible) (?) |
William Fergoson |
John R. *** (?) |
Adam Fergoson |
Peter Nowels |
Ralph Hogan |
James Millikan |
William Hogan |
Thomas Millikan |
Richard Wabb |
Thomas Dicson |
Josiah Epperson |
Redman McDanel |
Humph'y Montgomery |
Samul MacDanel |
Carmach George |
Samul Gilberts |
Charles Wilson |
Joseph McMinty |
John Johnston |
Auborn Mon*** (?) |
Wm. Magill |
Anson Rit |
Oton Clack |
Nuness Pottor |
John Gibson |
John Noman (?) |
Reuben Gibson |
Peter Nuless |
William Adkins |
James W. Begses (?) |
Thos. Fryar |
Dalton Ridgs |
John Lyon |
James Jack |
William Brownin |
John Adkins |
Rich'd Wood |
Adword Adword |
James Pickens |
Robert Bettey |
Reuben Riggs |
Geo. Black |
George Hayes |
Simon Ridgs |
William Hill |
Joseph Donn |
Henry Richardson |
Allen Bellew |
Shiffell Goodlop |
Rows Potter |
John Sham |
John Norton |
Miller Doget |
Aaron Norton |
Christy Miers |
Aaron Rider |
John Mears |
John Jameson |
William Owins |
Dan'l Rawlings |
Thomas Owins |
William Jinkins |
John Jarrott |
Robert Smith |
Thomas Pinckny |
Wm. Howard |
James Stump |
Joshua Tadlock |
Leonard Hopkins |
Robert Hayes |
Martha Gahee |
Thomas Johnson |
Patrick Gahee |
Francis Johnson |
Jeremiah Smith |
his
|
Robert Sample |
Js. X Hust |
Anthony Moore |
mark |
James McCammis |
his
|
Thomas McCammis |
John X Huson |
William McCammis |
mark |
Adam McCammis |
Lanty Armstrong |
Henry Hohammer |
William Hennidge |
Franses Castel |
John Armstrong |
Jacob Meek |
Andrew English |
Thomas Miller |
Nathaniel Hayes |
Robert Pain |
Daniel Leming |
Joseph Hamilton |
John Williams |
Robert Kerr |
his
|
John Sellars |
Robert X Miller |
Benj. Wray |
mark |
(Illegible) (?) |
his |
Moses Moore |
William X Hust |
Wm. Moore |
mark |
Joseph Ray |
his
|
Joseph Lachlen, Sen. |
Thomas X Bailey |
Joseph Lachlen, Jur. |
mark |
Edward Crunt (?) |
|
James Crunt |
On
the reverse side of the petition:
|
Nicholas Hayes |
William Wilson |
Sam'l Hayes |
Moses Kennedy |
Jno. Mitchel |
Hermon King |
James Ranner |
Joseph Screat |
Henry Hokimer |
Lewis Tadlock |
Geo. Martin |
Thomas Tadlock |
David Moore |
Joshuaway Tadlock |
Henry Winterberger |
William Padfield |
Jos. Winterberger |
his
|
Sam'l Winterberger |
Thomas X Benet |
Joseph Lusk |
mark
|
Thos. Wood |
Moses Kelsay |
Joseph Geest |
John Anderson |
William Gest |
James Richardson |
Joshua Kidwell |
David Taylor |
Thomas Davie |
Benja. Gist |
John Kidwell |
Joseph Huson |
Charles Kidwell |
Mikill Borders |
Whaley Newby |
Alx. Pethrow |
Henry W. Newby |
Oystan Hewtower |
Craven Dunear |
Wm. Daves |
Alexr. Lowrey |
John Noris |
James Stitson |
Robert Hays |
Adam Guthery |
James Hays |
Wm. Craige |
Wm. Sippard |
Benjamin Henslee |
Allexander Cavitt |
Abel Morgan |
Moses Cavitt |
Thomas Vincent |
Jacob Jobe |
Jno. Chester |
Nathan Jobe |
Patrick Morrison |
Joseph Birdwell |
Stephen Easley |
Geo. Birdwell |
Jackel Light |
Jas. Smith |
Robert Easley |
Moses Russel |
Henry Sullavan |
Conrad Shelply |
John Light |
John Comin |
Moses Robinson |
Walker Barren |
William Light |
John Bell |
William Light, Sr. |
William Carson |
Thomas Easley |
Robert Christian |
William Goad |
Abraham Titsworth |
Jesey Holland |
Benjamin Walb *** (?) |
James Walb *** (?) |
Green Chote |
John Goard, Jr. |
Shadrach Haile |
Geoge Vincent |
Forrester Mercer |
Henry Heckey |
Bryce Russell, Sr. |
Owen Atkin |
Bryce Russell, Jr. |
Nicholas Mercer |
James Pickens |
Richard Mercer, Sr. |
Phl. Grafford Pearce |
Arch'd McHaughan |
William Gewil |
Edward Mercer |
Charles Parker |
John Black |
Antony Agee |
John Hunt, Jr. |
John Sawyer |
Baset Hunt |
JosephMoor |
Reuben Hunt |
John Yancey |
Thomas Tinton |
Richard Shipley |
Jonathan Hunt |
W. Cage |
James Cooper |
Timothy Heuff |
Isaiah Waldrew |
George Christian |
Lewis Hunt |
Deness Murfee |
James Smart |
Isaac Thomas |
James Smith |
William Nasengill |
Gabriel Gode |
John Tulley |
Joseph Smith |
Thos. Easterlin |
John Duncan |
William Copeland |
Wm. Berry |
Ric'd Garnon |
Isaac White |
John Spurgin |
Samuel Cox |
Thos. King |
James Wheeler |
Roger Gibson |
John Cottrell |
James Adam |
Hugh Gentry |
Geo. Gabriel (black) |
Vallentine Rose |
John Yokley |
Eli Shipley |
John Woolsey |
Thomis Shipley |
James Arbutton (?) |
William Childress |
Martin Roller, Jr. |
Joshway Hameton |
Joseph Blair |
Christurpher Croff |
David Arwin |
Benjamen Aze |
William *** (?) |
Reuben Hunt |
Thos. Taylor |
Ellecander More |
Adam Stoaks |
Martin Roller |
Joseph Waldrap |
John A. Caft |
Mattw. Carithers |
D. Wright |
Gilbert Christian |
Adam Stake |
John Prior |
Wm. Shewmaker |
Moses Looney |
Gabriel Goad |
Macajah Adams |
Peter Easley |
James McLern |
Jacob Cox |
Alexander Carith |
William Bucknell |
Benj. Burdwell |
Haley Bucknell |
John Dean |
Preley Bucknell |
Charles Bacon |
William Holland |
John French |
William Morroson |
John Bilensy |
John Morroson |
William Combs |
James Morroson |
William Combs, Jr. |
Samuel Bofman |
Henery Combs |
David Merryon |
William Stacey |
Richard Morell |
Addam Coumb |
Dudly Betherford |
Daniel Agee |
John Braford |
John Comay |
Peter Fin |
James Peterson |
John Hunt |
Jeremiah Taylor |
William Baily |
Joseph Taylor |
George Smith |
Stephen Taylor |
Jacob Joab |
Isaac Taylor |
William Cooper |
John Chisolm |
Wm. Jaction |
Edward Tule |
Ephraim Joab |
Nathaniel Tule |
William Mehallm |
|
Endorsement:
Petition
of the inhabitants of the Western Country, December 1787
In
Senate, December 1787. Read and referred to Court on Public
Bills
|
____________ |
From
the joint balloting for a commissioner to present the resolves
of the Assembly of this State to the Assembly of the State
of North Carolina, Mr. Thomas Stuart, was duly elected for
that purpose.
|
|
James White, S.S. |
Test: |
|
R. Mitchel, C.S. |
|
Test: |
Stockley Donelson, S.C. |
T.A.
Ramsey, C.C. |
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