The ordinary books were still school books, books of law, and sermons or theological writings.  The first books, or pamphlets, published in Eastern Tennessee were brought out about this time at the Gazette office, and bore such titles as “A Sermon on Psalmody, by Rev. Hezekiah Balch”; “A Discourse by the Rev. Samuel Carrick”; and a legal essay called “Western Justice.” [Footnote:  Knoxville Gazette, Jan. 30 and May 8, 1794.] There was also a slight effort now and then at literature of a lighter kind.  The little Western papers, like those in the East, had their poets’ corners, often with the heading of “Sacred to the Muses,” the poems ranging from “Lines to Myra” and “An Epitaph on John Topham” to “The Pernicious Consequences of Smoking Cigars.”  In one of the issues of the Knoxville Gazette there is advertised for sale a new song by “a gentleman of Col.  McPherson’s Blues, on a late Expedition against the Pennsylvania Insurgents”; and also, in rather incongruous juxtaposition, “Toplady’s Translation of Zanchi on Predestination.”

    Settlers Throng into Tennessee.

Settlers were thronging into East Tennessee, and many penetrated even to the Indian-harassed western district.  In travelling to the western parts the immigrants generally banded together in large parties, led by some man of note.  Among those who arrived in 1792 was the old North Carolina Indian fighter, General Griffith Rutherford.  He wished to settle on the Cumberland, and to take thither all his company, with a large number of wagons, and he sent to Blount begging that a road might be cut through the wilderness for the wagons; or, if this could not be done, that some man would blaze the route, “in which case,” said he “there would be hands of our own that could cut as fast as wagons could march.” [Footnote:  Blount MSS., Rutherford to Blount, May 25, 1792.]

    Meeting of the Territorial Legislature.

In 1794, there being five thousand free male inhabitants, as provided by law, Tennessee became entitled to a Territorial legislature, and the Governor summoned the Assembly to the meet at Knoxville on August 17th.  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 Legislature 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 Cumberland 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 allowance 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 combination. [Footnote:  Laws of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1803.  First Session of Territorial Legislature, 1794.]