Attempt At Statehood
On May 16, 1785, a delegation submitted a petition for statehood to Congress. Seven states voted to admit what would have been the 14th federal state under the proposed name of "Frankland". This was less than the two-thirds majority required under the Articles of Confederation. The following month, the Franklin government convened to address their options and to replace the vacancy at Speaker of the House, which had been held by William Cage. They elected Joseph Hardin to the position of Speaker of the House. In an attempt to curry favor for their cause, delegation leaders changed the "official" name of the area to "Franklin" (ostensibly after Benjamin Franklin). Sevier even tried to persuade Franklin to support their cause, but he declined, writing:
...I am sensible of the honor which your Excellency and your council thereby do me. But being in Europe when your State was formed, I am too little acquainted with the circumstances to be able to offer you anything just now that may be of importance, since everything material that regards your welfare will doubtless have occurred to yourselves. ...I will endeavor to inform myself more perfectly of your affairs by inquiry and searching the records of Congress and if anything should occur to me that I think may be useful to you, you shall hear from me thereupon. —Benjamin Franklin, Letter to Governor John Sevier, 1787Read more about this topic: State Of Franklin
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