The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1838-10-05

lofmldaOe pnHlHnx 81 iTTesstlDie proof.
10 me ufiiric ah"sa referred TO, the ser.
Gus inquiry has been raised, g Sow Is ).
possible that this paper, if il reached Con-
gress, was concealed n To this we an.
swer in The language Of the journal, just
mentioned, that "oa the return uf Captain
Jack, he reported that Congress, ind,vid-
ualy, manifested their entire appreciation
Of the conduct Of the Meekenburg citizens,
but deemed II premature to lay them Off
cialy before the house." la other words,
the citizens Of aleckIenbuIg, aud II tho
state generally, were more than one year ia
advance OF The other colonies III deipning-
fioH 10 declare independence. Al ihat pc.
rod Congress had not arrived nj sufficient
maturity of opinion rs To ensure uRaatmitg
OF action on question so nemeploUs, and
on the determination of winch depended
the destiny Of the nation. There were ma
ny distinguished patriots who stllI ardenilY
entertained hopes oian amlchble adjustment
Of difficulties with the mother couuiry but
10 North Carolina pacific measures ~ere
osf Of The queaion--the royal Governor
vas expelled from the province, and tito
people quietly living under trhle e0rern-
seatf Ge7ualuy Of opiHi9a had already
developed Itself 10 Congress, but an az.
proach 10 naoRimty Of opinion was neccs.
sary before au appeal 10 afms-ihe deTRier
resort Of an injured people. IL IS then, IN
all probability, to the premature nature
q tbs DECLARATION, and is consequent IN.
formal reception by Congress, that We are
90 attribute the absence Of any record Of
us presentation OF the journals Of that body.
The question has been k wise asked, Why
II should remain unknown so long after
wards Coihis We answer thai few copies
Of such paper would lie prepared at frst,
aud consequently. stall fewer would esceps
the rasEges Of time. These, throu b ihe
careleSs researches Of historians, have re-
NAMED conreaies until few years past
A noble iusk still deseses on some future
historian, Of compiling from tie must3 re-
cords IN the archives al Raleigh, aud from
other sources, public and private, a fpH
aud complete history Of the state. 10 ex-
enpliy s',i farther the ignorance that has
hitherto prevailed on the colonial history ol
lhr stslie, We wlll barely introduce an isn-
pnriani transaction oi the proWnca Con-
gtess shch convened IN HALIFAX, April 4,
1870. In this Congress, the question at
.nd@ peu5eHrc was moved, discussed ard
unanimously dppr0rtd --a circuus' ance n.
lone calculated 10 petpcluaio its fame. On
the succeeding 18Th, a report vas submit.
i ted, concluding w,th resolution empower
/ ing their delegation ~ the continental Con-
/ gfc>s, 80 concur with the other colonies IA
\ dtclG1Eg independence. These proceed.
/ iags It SIII be seen, preceded the recum-
/ neudaiioa Of tho Nireuia convention on
/ he same subject by more than moBNl,
ond Is the first epai and public declaration,
/ By state authority, 90 record. Th- reso-
uton vas forwarded 10 the continental
/ Congress, aud presented 10 TINT body on
I the 9Th 81 biay. 1876. Although tlns n.
/ usirious movement rejects so much honor
on the state, and cofroberat,s lhe uwnlca
thai tho people v e. fully ripe tor ito peu.
( dcuce vet, Il too, ike lac Mccklenburr
dsclarannn, was dooaird % long ard ai,at
4 teposc. Within few years II has been
/ observed among tho state papers Al " Ssh.
i inginn City, aud has been properly not,rcd
la Mr. Phkln's able and useful wele. y
" Political aud C,yl History Of the iiat, d
States. Again, serious charge has been
4 advanced hy Professor Iuck er in his " %
OF Jefferson" where be SAWS the eompticr
d the Meeklcnburg Declaration borrowed
certain parallel phrases from the National
/ Declaration, and tntcrpolated iborn ln,otbat
/ copy Tbs is o bald charge, but W '+nK
T neither plausible nor tcnRb-- we entttcY
concur in tho f5noWlng Introductory re.
o,ssAs OF the editor on the " Review above
! quoted. We do not adopt Professor
fuckers theory, that the extaut copy Of
the Meckleuburg Declaration ~ so far spu-
rious, that the compiler OF 1t borrowed from
/ Mr.. JrIlersnn's DRAFT these parallel phrases,
and inlerpoated them INTO the MeckIenburg
copy, Weare willing 10 admit the present
/ Mechlenbufg copy 10 be as II was first writ.
ten, aud we entirely dissent from Professor
fuckers account Of the changes and inter.
| pola,ioas which he has assigned 10 that CO.
| Ply There is one circumstance which
ought to settle this matter to the satisiac.
ton OF the candid inquirer, and bar all idea
Of Interpolation. The MeckIenburg DO.
claration OF Independence as published, and
now in the Executive Office Of North Car
olina, was PRESCRIBED by General Doyic,
name &C distinction and worth IN the south,
and iIlustrions in the history Of the state.
A proper appreciation of this fact alone
brings the Professors charge, with all its
improbabiliiy, to the ground. We think
these parallel phrases may be accounted
| lnr n, r,,liAn .lil rnnf md lnr moro char.