The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-09-04

ven was sent to the moderator OF the Nbfm Caron"a
Congress Mr.. Jobnson) To DO laid before that oouy
and il was accordingly done, appears by usir orr
gnal manuscript journals before me- ~ the Norm
Carolina State Department.
IN reply TO II the North Carolina Congress Re
solpsd (among other thlngs,) that the said paper 1s
buymi by hs common hangma" "-See Journals 2''n
August, lT75.
By this proclamation (the highest sort Of evidence
and genuine document beyond question: II Is clear
Nv established that set Of people IN Mecklenhurg
dseiarsd a ENTIRE DISSOLUTION Of me 90
VER.NahE.N'T," and " set up syslsn. q RoLL 'uo
peysips Of HIS .h.lJESTY'S GOvERNbENI;"' IN
word, DECLARED INDEPENDENCE OJore
9Th August, IT'S y
This Meeklenburg declaration of independence, so
made on the 20h May, l775, was as follow
Abraham Alexander was appointed chairman,
| and John Mcknitt Alexander clerk. The following
| resolutions offered viz
list. Resolved, That whosoever directly or indl-
recty abetted, in any way, form, manner couni
tenanced the unchartered and dangerous invasion o.
our rights, as claimed by Great Britain, is an enemy
to this count y to America and TO the Inherent and
| inalienabe rights Cf man.
"2d Resolved That We the citizens OF Mecklen-
burg county do hereby dissolve he political hands
which have connected us to the mother country, and
hereby absolve ourselves from all allegiance TO the
British Crown and alb ure all political connection
contract, or association, with that nation, who
have wantony trampled our right. and liber-
| 7''~N
triots Lexington.
"3l. Rssoiped, That we do hereby declare our,
selves free and independent people; are, and OF
right ought to be, sovereign aud self governing as
sociation under the control OF power other than
that Of our God and the General Government of the
Congress; to the maintenance of which independence,
we solemnly pledge To each other cur mutual co-ope-
ration, our lives, our fortunes, and our most sacred
honor.
"a 9TH. Resolved That, as we now acknowledge the
Law of law officer civil
or military within this county, do hereby ordan
and adopt rule of life, all each, and every Of our
former aws-wherein, nevertheless the Crown OF
Great Britain never can te considered as holding
rights, privilege, immunlties, authority therein.
" 5ih Resolved, That il is further decreed that all
each and every military officer in this county, Is
hereby reinstated in his former command and autho-
rity, he acting conormably these regulations And
that every member present of this delegation shall
henceforth be civil officer, viz justice Of the
peace, in the character of committee man. to issue
process hear and determine all matters of con rover
sy, according 10 said ad opted laws aud to preserve
peace, union, and harmony said county; and to
every e1eron to spread the love Of country and fire
| Of freedom throughout America until more gene
raj and organized government be established in this
| province.
After discussing the foregoing resolves and ar
ranging bylaws and regulations for the government
of a standing committee of public safety, who were
selected from these delegates the whole proceedings
"FIo duop Gu anu slRneu.'
1t must be admitted that the proclamation of Gov
Martini by ITSELF only proves the single but very i'm
portant TACT, that :" set of people in Mecklenburg'
had In some form other taken this bold and pa
trotic step Their "traitorous solves" though de-
nounced by His Majesty's Governor, like the voice
of past age, reprove the sslsh efforts of party mall
ice IN our own time to fix stigma upon the memory
of " those who took lead" in them No American
heart i'll readily entertain suspicion that such
set Of people" were TORIES. 1T becomes impor-
tan therefore, TO inquire whether this declaration
genuine or not, and also what agency EsekieI PoM
had in its PRONUNCIATION. Although the limits of this
paper do not admit all the evidence enough shall be
exhibited TO establish these facts their order and
any should be found who still question them they
are referred to the proof at large, compiled and pub
lished by the Legislature of 1880, and to Martin,
History Of North Caroina and Jon SIS defence &c
Upon the point whether the ciaration is genuine
.Nckniu made the following certificate and
attached II to the copy Of said declaration, from
which it is now taken viz:
"Ihe foregoing is true copy Of the papers on
the above SUBJECT left in my hands by John McKnitt
Alexander deceased. find il mentioned on file thai
that the original book was burned April, 1900 Thai
copy OF the proceedings was sent to Hugh William
C'rolina, and that copy sent to General nm,
r. Darie
(Sgned) J. McKNITTn
lie also publishes narrative by John McKn
AltAaHdef, OUT III II too long TO
| ,. On the 25ih November 1880 DR. Samuel Hen.
derson slso made the following certificate to which
was annexed cory Of the declaration and fha
copy ~a proved by Governor Stokes TO be in the hard,cr
ting Of JOHN Mcknin Alexander, pi=
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA,
Mecklenburg County:
|, Samuel Henderson, do hereby certify that tho
annexed paper was obtained by me from Major WI.
nam DaVie, IN lis present situation soon after the
death of his father, General William II. DAVE and
gwen TO Dr. Joseph Mcknitt by me. In searching
Tor some particular paper, came across this. and
knowing the handwriting Of John Mcknitt Alexan.
der took il up and examined it,
4" Given under my hand this 25lh of November.
1890 '"'e'
(Signed) SAM'L HENDERSON,
B. And the Hon. .Monttort Stoke, late Governor ol
North Carolina, testified, in 1890 that he knew the
handwriting OF John Mckntt Alexander; that the
pa er iound among General Dawes is in the hand.
writing Of j. Mcknitt Alexander. and no dom, !,
was tie same to VIII CHI j. Mcknin .4Lranders memo
randum ION ths file" referred. Cor S,oL,, alec
Jaw ~ The possession of DIR. Williamson in I7e3 the
copy mat was sent TO hm together with a letter
from Jno MckniH .4ierander, and conyer.ed win m
! w. on the subject "''' ~
! lhough'Dr. Williamson has made no ,Ilusio,
TO thiS document IN his history of North Caroln,
Inc omission IS TO be reasonably sccoup,ed for n,
the TACT That he stopped his narrative at the date Of
intending 10 resume his work and bring il down
TO ,'o afterwards. find, however, upon the orr
g,nH journals Of The North Coroiina Copoy,,, ;a
'fprt 49, Ia month before the Virginia res Ives
resolution ,nsircng our delegates in Philadelphia 10
go for INDEPENDENCE "
ihose resolutions were presented in the National
Congress and the copy of them has been long since
found among the public papers at W,sh,na,dn a;,r
Dr. Williamson says nothing of them IN lie bi.,oyy
oil Nofth oaroilna-sn omission which is. no doubi
10 De accounted Tor on the ground already suggested
| IN regard to The Mecklenburg Declaration 20 ssy
that MS uniting the latter discredlts their au,ben,
ciy' wou'o Involve The absurdity of admitting tina, in
them Yet we have seel that the original record If
the former sun IN existence, and the COPY sent 10
the Congress at Phlade phia was found among H.,