The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-02-03
The Original DeeI.r.,,e, Of I.depenAene.

The Original DeeIarasica OF Inde dependence.
Most persons are. probably. aware that
North Carolina has claimed The honor Of
issuing the first declaration of independence,
more than year before that celebrated dec
laration drafted by Jefferson, made its ap-
pearance The Mecklenberg Declaration
OF independence was said to have been is
sued in May, IT'S, but was not made no.
torious ill 1879.
There was a striking similarity in sent.
ment and PhraseolOgy in the two Declare
tons, which caused many to infer, that the
last ore was copy Of the first. with amend
ments only. Mr.. John Adams, in 1779,
enclosed copy Of the Mecklenbefg Dec
larat.on to Mr.. jefferson, and MIR. Jefferson
in his answer, regarded the document as
spurious, and characterised the preteRce that
such paper was in existence previous to
the drafting OF his famous 'Fourth OF Jaly
Declaration" as "rery u,Gustifable
quiz"
The public mind determined, but very
enormously il seems, that the North Caro-
lima Declaration Of May, IT'S, was spuri-
Gus; but it is now proved authentic beyond
all doubt. MIR. Bancroft, our Minister to
England, by his researches in the British
State Paper Office, has established the
claim Of the old NorIh State, Of having
made the first move in colonial emancipa-
ton.
He has found the copy Of the resolves oil
the Committee Of Mecklenberg. sent over
TO England by the Colonial Governor oil
Georgia, which establishes the fact that In
dependence was first proclaimed in North
Carolina in May, 1779.
The following letter Of Mr.. Bancroft
was recently communicated to the Legisla
ture Of North Carolina:
80, EATON SQUARE, .
LONDON, 4th July, 1S4S.
Ny DEAR SIR hold it Of good auguu
that your letter Of the 18th Of June reached
me by the Hermann. Just in time to be an
swered this morning.
You may be sure that have spared nj
pains to discover, in the British State Papel
Office, copy Of the resolves at the com
mittee Of Mecklenberg, and with entir,
success. A glance at the map will show
you that, in those days, the traffic Of tina
part OF North Carolina took southerly di
rection, and people in Charleston, and some
+ times even in Havana, knew what wa
going on in Charlotte Town" before Gov
ernor Martin. The first account Of eth,
: extraordinary resolve by the people in Char
lotie Town." Mecklenberg county," wa
sent over to England by Sir James Wright
then Governor Of Georgia, in a letter Of tn,
10Th Of June, IT'S.
The newspaper thus transmitted is still
, preserved, and is the number 49S Of tn
South Carolina Gazette and Country Jour
nal, Tuesday, June 13. ITS. | read tn
r resolves, you may be sure, with reverence
and Immediately obtained a copy Of them
thinking myself the sole discoverer. i d
. not send you the copy, as it is identicallI
the same with the paper which you enclose'
to me: but forward TO you a transcript o
D the entire letter Of Sir James Wright. Tn
. newspaper seems to have reached him ate
' he had finished his despatch; for the para
; graph relating to it is added in his owl
0 hand writing, the former part Of the lette
: being written by secretary or clerk.
have read a great many papers relatin
7 to the regulators, and am having copie
D made of large number. Your own Stat
D ought to have them all, and the expens
would be for the State insignificant, if
$ does not send an agent on purpose. A fe'
g hundred dollars would copy all you nee
e from the State Paper Office, on all Mort
. Carolina topics. Their complaints wer
b well founded. and were SO acknowledge
. although thei oppressors were only nomiI
+ ally punished. They form the connectin
e link between resistance to the stamp act an
81 the movement OF TVS; and they also pla,
eel glorious part in taking possession
a. the Mississippi valley, toward which the
1t were carried irresistibly by their love Of il
D. dependence. i is mistake il any has
o. supposed that the regulators were cove
Of down by their defeat at the Allemsnce.-
D. Like the mammoth, they shook the bo
O. from their brow and crossed the mountain
ID shall always be glad to hear from 20
ID and to be Of use to you, or your State.
W Very truly yours.
G. GEORGE BANCROFT.
II. L. SWAIN. Esq,
"a, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.