To this communication Governor Martin replied courteously but firmly, and at length. He argued the fallacy or insufficiency of the reasons given by the western people for their conduct. He emphasized the facts, that the sovereignty of North Carolina over the ceded territory had been reserved until Congress should accept the gift, and that the Legislature had subsequently repealed the Act of cession. He affirmed that the good will of the State to the disaffected counties, had been shown by its recent ample provision for the regular administration of justice and the authoritative use of the militia. He denied that goods to compensate the Indians for their lands had been stopped by the State on the way and that in consequence murders had been committed by the savages. The goods, he averred, had only been delayed, that should the cession be accepted by Congress, they might go under its regulations. With some eloquence of words he exhorted all loyal citizens of the western counties to be firm in their adherence to the State he represented, and warned all persons concerned in the revolt who “had probably been seduced from their just allegiance by ambitious and designing men,” to refuse obedience any longer to “the self-created power and authority unknown to the Constitution of the State and unsanctioned by the Legislature.” The lessons which history teaches concerning needless revolutions were referred to by him, and the reflection advised that “there is a national pride in all kingdoms and states which inspires every citizen and subject with importance--the grand cement and support of government which must not be insulted.” That insult he felt had been inflicted by the western counties; “the honor of the State had been especially wounded” in their “premature seizure by violence of that independence which in time no doubt would have been granted by consent.” And he besought them “not to tarnish the laurels they had won at King’s Mountain in supporting the independence of the United States, by supporting a black and traitorous revolt.” The circulation of this document strengthened the wills of the friends of North Carolina and increased their number among the western people, but the majority in the new State were unmoved from their previous purpose, and the work of governmental organization went forward. Courts and Magistrates were appointed and new counties formed. Salaries were allotted to State officials, to be paid in current money of Frankland, (six shillings to the dollar) or in specified articles received from the people in payment of taxes and at like rates of value. These miscellaneous articles included “flax and tow linen, woolen and cotton linsey, beaver, otter, raccoon, fox and deer skins, bacon, tallow and bees-wax, rye whisky, peach and apple brandy, home-made sugar and good tobacco.”