pioneers of the old southwest-第33部分

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fice　and　Was　admitted　to　Practiss　as　an　Attorney　in　the　County　Courts。〃　Jackson　made　no　history　in　old　Watauga　during　that　year。　Next　year　he　moved　to　Nashville；　and　one　year　later；　when　the　Superior　Court　was　established　（1790）；　he　became　prosecuting　attorney。

The　feud　between　Jackson　and　Sevier　began　about　the　time　that　Tennessee　entered　the　Union。　Jackson；　then　twenty…nine；　was　defeated　for　the　post　of　Major　General　of　the　Militia　through　the　influence　which　Sevier　exercised　against　him；　and　it　seems　that　Jackson　never　forgave　this　opposition　to　his　ambitions。　By　the　close　of　Sevier's　third　term；　however；　in　1802；　when　Archibald　Roane　became　Governor；　the　post　of　Major　General　was　again　vacant。　Both　Sevier　and　Jackson　offered　themselves　for　it；　and　Jackson　was　elected　by　the　deciding　vote　of　the　Governor；　the　military　vote　having　resulted　in　a　tie。　A　strong　current　of　influence　had　now　set　in　against　Sevier　and　involved　charges　against　his　honor。　His　old　enemy　Tipton　was　still　active。　The　basis　of　the　charges　was　a　file　of　papers　from　the　entry…taker's　office　which　a　friend　of　Tipton's　had　laid　before　the　Governor；　with　an　affidavit　to　the　effect　that　the　papers　were　fraudulent。　Both　the　Governor　and　Jackson　believed　the　charges。　When　we　consider　what　system　or　lack　of　system　of　land　laws　and　land　entries　obtained　in　Watauga　and　such：　primitive　communitieswhen　a　patch　of　corn　sealed　a　right　and　claims　were　made　by　notching　trees　with　tomahawkswe　may　imagine　that　a　file　from　the　land　office　might　appear　easily　enough　to　smirch　a　landholder's　integrity。　The　scandal　was；　of　course；　used　in　an　attempt　to　ruin　Sevier's　candidacy　for　a　fourth　term　as　Governor　and　to　make　certain　Roane's　reflection。　To　this　end　Jackson　bent　all　his　energies　but　without　success。　Nolichucky　Jack　was　elected；　for　the　fourth　time；　as　Governor　of　Tennessee。

Not　long　after　his　inauguration；　Sevier　met　Jackson　in　Knoxville；　where　Jackson　was　holding　court。　The　charges　against　Sevier　were　then　being　made　the　subject　of　legislative　investigation　instituted　by　Tipton；　and　Jackson　had　published　a　letter　in　the　Knoxville　〃Gazette〃　supporting　them。　At　the　sight　of　Jackson；　Sevier　flew　into　a　rage；　and　a　fiery　altercation　ensued。　The　two　men　were　only　restrained　from　leaping　on　each　other　by　the　intervention　of　friends。　The　next　day　Jackson　sent　Sevier　a　challenge　which　Sevier　accepted；　but　with　the　stipulation　that　the　duel　take　place　outside　the　State。　Jackson　insisted　on　fighting　in　Knoxville；　where　the　insult　had　been　offered。　Sevier　refused。　〃I　have　some　respect；〃　he　wrote；　〃for　the　laws　of　the　State　over　which　I　have　the　honor　to　preside；　although　you；　a　judge；　appear　to　have　none。〃　No　duel　followed；　but；　after　some　further　billets…doux；　Jackson　published　Sevier　as　〃a　base　coward　and　poltroon。　He　will　basely　insult　but　has　not　the　courage　to　repair　the　wound。〃　Again　they　met；　by　accident；　and　Jackson　rushed　upon　Sevier　with　his　cane。　Sevier　dismounted　and　drew　his　pistol　but　made　no　move　to　fire。　Jackson；　thereupon；　also　drew　his　weapon。　Once　more　friends　interfered。　It　is　presumable　that　neither　really　desired　the　duel。　By　killing　Nolichucky　Jack；　Jackson　would　have　ended　his　own　career　in　Tennesseeif　Sevier's　tribe　of　sons　had　not；　by　a　swifter　means；　ended　it　for　him。　At　this　date　Jackson　was　thirty…six。　Sevier　was　fifty…eight；　and　he　had　seventeen　children。

The　charges　against　Sevier；　though　pressed　with　all　the　force　that　his　enemies　could　bring　to　bear；　came　to　nothing。　He　remained　the　Governor　of　Tennessee　for　another　six　yearsthe　three　terms　in　eight　years　allowed　by　the　constitution。　In　1811　he　was　sent　to　Congress　for　the　second　time；　as　he　had　represented　the　Territory　there　twenty　years　earlier。　He　was　returned　again　in　1813。　At　the　conclusion　of　his　term　in　1815　he　went　into　the　Creek　country　as　commissioner　to　determine　the　Creek　boundaries；　and　here；　far　from　his　Bonnie　Kate　and　his　tribe；　he　died　of　fever　at　the　age　of　seventy。　His　body　was　buried　with　full　military　honors　at　Tuckabatchee；　one　of　the　Creek　towns。　In　1889；　Sevier's　remains　were　removed　to　Knoxville　and　a　high　marble　spire　was　raised　above　them。

His　Indian　enemies　forgave　the　chastisement　he　had　inflicted　on　them　and　honored　him。　In　times　of　peace　they　would　come　to　him　frequently　for　advice。　And　in　his　latter　days；　the　chiefs　would　make　state　visits　to　his　home　on　the　Nolichucky　River。　〃John　Sevier　is　a　good　man〃so　declared　the　Cherokee；　Old　Tassel；　making　himself　the　spokesman　of　history。　Sevier　had　survived　his　old　friend；　co…founder　with　him　of　Watauga；　by　one　year。　James　Robertson　had　died　in　1814　at　the　age　of　seventy…two；　among　the　Chickasaws；　and　his　body；　like　that　of　his　fellow　pioneer；　was　buried　in　an　Indian　town　and　lay　there　until　1825；　when　it　was　removed　to　Nashville。


What　of　the　red　tribes　who　had　fought　these　great　pioneers　for　the　wide　land　of　the　Old　Southwest　and　who　in　the　end　had　received　their　dust　and　treasured　it　with　honor　in　the　little　soil　remaining　to　them？　Always　the　new　boundary　lines　drew　closer　in；　and　the　red　men's　foothold　narrowed　before　the　pushing　tread　of　the　whites。　The　day　came　soon　when　there　was　no　longer　room　for　them　in　the　land　of　their　fathers。　But　far　off　across　the　great　river　there　was　a　land　the　white　men　did　not　covet　yet。　Thither　at　last　the　tribesCherokee；　Choctaw；　Chickasaw；　and　Creektook　their　way。　With　wives　and　children；　maids　and　youths；　the　old　and　the　young；　with　all　their　goods；　their　cattle　and　horses；　in　the　company　of　a　regiment　of　American　troops；　theylike　the　white　men　who　had　superseded　themturned　westward。　In　their　faces　also　was　the　red　color　of　the　west；　but　not　newly　there。　From　the　beginning　of　their　race；　Destiny　had　painted　them　with　the　hue　of　the　brief　hour　of　the　dying　sun。



Chapter　XI。　Boone's　Last　Days

One　spring　day　in　1799；　there　might　have　been　observed　a　great　stir　through　the　valley　of　the　Kanawha。　With　the　dawn；　men　were　ahorse；　and　women；　too。　Wagons　crowded　with　human　freight　wheeled　over　the　rough　country；　and　boats；　large　and　small；　were　afloat　on　the　streams　which　pour　into　the　Great　Kanawha　and　at　length　mingle　with　the　Ohio　at　Point　Pleasant；　where　the　battle　was　fought　which　opened　the　gates　of　Kentucky。

Some　of　the　travelers　poured　into　the　little　settlement　at　the　junction　of　the　Elk　and　the　Kanawha；　where　Charleston　now　lies。　Others；　who　had　been　later　in　starting　or　had　come　from　a　greater　distance；　gathered　along　the　banks　of　the　Kanawha。　At　last　shouts　from　those　stationed　farthest　up　the　stream　echoed　down　the　valley　and　told　the　rest　that　what　they　had　come　out　to　see　was　at　hand。

Several　pirogues　drifted　into　view　on　the　river；　now　brightening　in　the　sunshine。　In　the　vessels　were　men　and　their　families；　bales　and　bundles　and　pieces　of　household　furnishings；　heaped　to　the　gunwale；　a　few　cattle　and　horses　standing　patiently。　But　it　was　for　one　man　above　all　that　the　eager　eyes　of　the　settlers　were　watching；　and　him　they　saw　clearly　as　his　boat　swung　bya　tall　figure；　erect　and　powerful；　his　keen　friendly　blue　eyes　undimmed　and　his　ruddy　face　unlined　by　time；　though　sixty…five　winters　had　frosted　his　black　hair。

For　a　decade　these　settlers　had　known　Daniel　Boone；　as　storekeeper；　as　surveyor；　as　guide　and　soldier。　They　had　eaten　of　the　game　he　killed　and　lavishly　distributed。　And　they　toolike　the　folk　of　Clinch　Valley　in　the　year　of　Dunmore's　Warhad　petitioned　Virginia　to　bestow　military　rank　upon　their　protector。　〃Lieutenant　Colonel〃　had　been　his　title　among　them；　by　their　demand。　Once　indeed　he　had　represented　them　in　the　Virginia　Assembly　and；　for　that　purpose；　trudged　to　Richmond　with　rifle　and　hunting　dog。　Not　interested　in　the　Legislature's　proceedings；　he　left　early　in　the　session　and　tramped　home　again。

But　not　even　the　esteem　of　friends　and　neighbors　could　hold　the　great　hunter　when　the　deer　had　fled。　So　Daniel　Boone　was　now　on　his　way　westward　to　Missouri；　to　a　new　land　of　fabled　herds　and　wide　spaces；　where　the　hunter's　gun　might　speak　its　one　word　with　authority　and　where　the　soul　of　a　silent　and　fearless　man　might　find　its　true　abode　in　Nature's　solitude。　Waving　his　last　farewells；　he　floated　past　the　little　groupstill　their　shouts　of　good　will　were　long　silenced；　and　his　fleet　swung　out　upon　the　Ohio。

As　Boone　sailed　on　down　the　Beautiful　River　which　forms　the　northern　boundary　of　Kentucky；　old　friends　and　newcomers　who　had　only　heard　his　fame　rode　from　far　and　near　to　greet　and　godspeed　him　on　his　way。　Sometimes　he　paused　for　a　day　with　them。　Once　at　leastthis；　was　in　Cincinnati　where　he　was　taking　on　suppliessome　one　asked　him　why；　at　his　age；　he　was　leaving　the　settled　country　to　dare　the　frontier　once　more。

〃Too　crowded；〃　he　answered；　〃I　want　more　elbow…room！〃

Boone　settled　at　the　Femme　Osage　Creek　on　the　Missouri　River；　twenty…five　miles　above　St。　Charles；　where　the　Missouri　flows　into　the　Mississippi。　There　were　four　other　Kentucky　families　at　La　Charette；　as　the　French　inhabitants　called　the　post；　but　these　were　the　only　Americans。　The　Spanish　authorities　granted　Boone　840　acres　of　land；　and　here　Daniel　built　the　last　cabin　home　he　was　to　erect　for　himself　and　his　Rebecca。

The　region　pleased　him　immensely。　The　governmental　system；　for　instance；　was　wholly　to　his　mind。　Taxes　were　infinitesimal。　There　were　no　elections；　assemblies；　or　the　like。　A　single　magistrate；　or　Syndic；　decided　all　disputes　and　made　the　few　regulations　and　enforced　them。　There　were　no　land　speculators；　no　dry…mouthed　sons　of　the　commercial　Tantalus；　athirst　for　profits。　Boone　used　to　say　that　his　first　years　in　Missouri　were　the　happiest　of　his　life；　with　the　exception　of　his　first　long　hunt　in　Kentucky。

In　1800　he　was　appointed　Syndic　of　the　district　of　Femme　Osage；　which　office　he　filled　for　four　years；　until　Louisiana　became　American　territory。　He　was　held　in　high　esteem　as　a　magistrate　because　of　his　just　and　wise　treatment　of　his　flock；　who　brought　him　all　their　small　bickerings　to　settle。　He　had　no　use　for　legal　procedure；　would　not　listen　to　any　nice　subtleties；　saying　that　he　did　not　care　anything　at　all　about　the　EVIDENCE；　what　he　wanted　was　the　TRUTH。　His　favorite　penalty　for　offenders　was　the　hickory　rod　〃well　laid　on。〃　Often　he　decided　th