On November the 28th, 1795, Governor Blount ordered an election to be held in each county on the 18th and 19th of the following month for the purpose of electing five delegates from each county to a constitutional convention which was to meet in Knoxville on January 11, 1796. The convention met on the day appointed. Governor Blount was elected president of the convention, and William Maclin was elected secretary. On the first day of the convention a motion was made and carried that the convention on the next day commence its work with prayer and a sermon to be delivered by Reverend Carrick. This convention adopted the first constitution of Tennessee, and ordered an election to be held on the 6th of February of that year for the election of a legislature and a governor. The election was held and John Sevier was elected the first governor of Tennessee. The legislature met on the 28th of March and began its work of completing the state government of Tennessee. William Blount*

*William Blount was born in North Carolina and was living in this state at the time he was appointed territorial governor of Tennessee. He was very popular in Tennessee as territorial governor, and was honored by being elected one of the first United States senators from the new state. He was expelled from the United States senate one year after his election on account of a letter he had written which seemed to indicate that he had in some way entered into conspiracy against the Spanish in Louisiana and Florida. Next to Sevier he was the most popular man in Tennessee, and the people did not regard the charge against him as at all serious. When he returned to Tennessee he was elected to the state senate from Knox County soon after his arrival, and was made speaker of the senate when it met. He died soon after this.

and William Cocke* were elected to represent Tennessee in the United States senate. The state at this time was entitled to one representative in the lower house of Congress, and Andrew Jackson of Davidson County was elected to this office.

John Sevier was elected governor for three successive terms. Under the constitution he was not eligible for a fourth successive term. Governor Sevier was succeeded by Archibald Roane, who was elected governor of Tennessee in 1801 and served until 1803. He was a candidate for reëlection, but Sevier was now eligible again to election, and he became a candidate against Roane. Sevier was elected for the fourth time by a large majority. During Governor Roane's term of office, the election for the office of major general of the militia was held. In this election only the field officers of the

*William Cocke was born in Eastern Virginia in 1748. He was of English stock. He was a descendant of the fourth generation of Richard Cocke who came to Virginia from Devonshire, England, in 1632. It is said that when twenty-seven years of age, the Revolution being imminent, he was offered by Lord Dunmore, the colonial governor of Virginia, any office in the army below that of commanderin-chief, provided he would espouse the cause of the crown against the colonists. In the establishment of the State of Franklin he was one of the leaders, and was nearly the equal of John Sevier and William Blount in prominence and influence. He was one of the most active advocates of the establishment of Blount College and was a zealous supporter of every movement in the interest of education. Cocke, together with Sevier and William Blount, was a leader in the formation of the new state. He served twelve years in the United States senate, and was later elected judge of the supreme court in Tennessee. Late in life he moved to Mississippi, and died in that state. Cocke County was named for Senator Cocke.

militia could vote. When the vote was counted it was found that John Sevier and Andrew Jackson had received the same number of votes. Under the law it became necessary for the governor to cast the deciding vote in case of a tie. Governor Roane

voted for Jackson.

It was at this time that serious charges were made against Sevier with reference to certain fraudulent land transactions. He was charged with making false entries; and a committee of the legislature brought in a report adverse to him. "In the absence of more conclusive evidence," says Phelan, "his character, his popularity, the love his neighbors bore him, his achievements during long years of service, are of themselves sufficient to overthrow the most conscientious skepticism. But joined to this, that he was twice elected, even after the investigation, to the same high office, that at the end of his last gubernatorial term he was elected to the State Senate, that in 1811 he was chosen a representative in Congress and served as a member of that body until his death, and he should be acquitted, even in the eyes of those prone to accept the most sinister interpretations of all complex human transactions." Sevier had very bitter political and personal enemies. His great popularity with the masses was in all probability largely responsible for much of the bitter antagonism against him.

Soon after Sevier defeated Roane for governor, he met Andrew Jackson on the streets of Knoxville. Jackson was judge at this time, and was holding

court in Knoxville. Sevier accused Jackson of having been responsible, in large measure, for the serious charges that had been brought against him, and denounced Jackson violently. He was the more bitter against Jackson because it was through him that Jackson got the office of judge. As a result he and Jackson came near engaging in a "personal difficulty." But they were separated by their friends. For some time a duel was discussed between them, but finally through the efforts of their friends peace was restored.

After Sevier served a third successive term as governor for the second time, he again became ineligible to reëlection. After serving one term in the state senate he was elected to Congress in 1811, and remained a member of Congress until his death in 1815. In 1815, he was appointed by the president of the United States to determine the boundary lines in a section of Alabama occupied by the Indians. While engaged in this work he died, and was buried in Alabama. But later his body was moved to Knoxville.

John Sevier was born and received his education in Virginia. He belonged to a prominent family. He had both English and French blood in his veins. His grandfather was a Frenchman, but his grandmother was an English woman. His father lived in England before he moved to America. He was preeminently the builder of the State of Tennessee.

CHAPTER VIII

THE RISE OF ANDREW JACKSON AS A
SOLDIER

Andrew Jackson was twenty years younger than John Sevier. This was fortunate for Tennessee. Tennessee was not big enough at that time to furnish adequate opportunities for the full development of two such characters. Sevier had a hold on Tennessee people that could not be broken by any power or influence. While he was in his prime, he was conspicuously first citizen of the state, and no living man was strong enough to dislodge him from this distinguished position. Jackson came up as the infirmities of age compelled Sevier to decline. Sevier's field of activity was the State of Tennessee. Jackson's activities were almost from the beginning in the sphere of national politics. Sevier had the capacity for a much broader field of activity; but he did not have an opportunity to use his capacity in the larger field.

Andrew Jackson was born in Union County, North Carolina, on March the 15th, 1767. His father had come to this country from Ireland just two years before he was born. His father was very poor. Not being able to buy any land, though land was very cheap at this time, he built a cabin on another man's land and went to work. But he died a short