The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-22

A QUESTION OF STATE PRIDE-NoRTH CARO-
LIMA vs.. VIRGIN1A-DR. HAWKES. VS.. GEN
BEALE.-We publish elsewhere in the columns
of the HERALD, this morning an interesting let
ter from the Hon. j. NJ. H. Beale, representative
from the fourteenth district Of Virginia, in Con-
gress on the subject of American independence.
The immediate provocation to this letter was
the lecture ofDr. Hawkes., before the New York
Historical Society, on the 18th of December last,
based upon the assumption that the county of
Mecklenburg, N. c., is entitled to the honor of
the first decisive movement in the cause of
American independence. Gen. Beale takes up
the gauntlet thus thrown down, and produces
conclusive evidence of somewhat similar
movement, year before, in Dunmore county,
Virginia, now Shenandoah. the heart of the
present democratic "Tenth Legion" of that
State.
We apprehend, however, that Gen. Beale has
mistaken the specific character of the claim put
in by DR.. Hawkes. in behalf of North Carolina.
1t was not, as Gen. B. supposes claim of the
first movement towards a declaration of Ameri-
can independence y but, in his own words, as
reported and published in the HERALD, DR..
Hawkes. claims that
First-it was on the shores of North Carolina that
the first English colony was planted in America !;
secondlyhe first blood shed in battle with the troops
of the English government in support OF the princi-
Piles Of the American revolution, was the blood of
North Caroinians, and the first battle was the soil
OF that State; and thirdly the first declaration of in
dependence ever promulgated in any of those colonies
came from North Carolina, more than year before
Nak;o ~ T,l,,
This is the issue-the first absolute declara-
ton" of independence. as claimed by Dr.
Hawkes. in behalf of North Carolina. and as
referred to by the Hon. W. A. Graham. in his
very interesting lecture before the same society.
on Thursday night last. True, the Virginia
movement was year in advance of that in Neck
lenburg. and the former may have suggested
the latter; but still the first was contingent
and not an absolute declaration of indepen-
dence like the last. Admitting the premises
of General Beale, his case is made OUT but
having mistaken the real ISSUE the claim of
North Carolina remains intact which is this:
that the citizens Of Mecklenburg county. in that
State. promulg gated the first absolute decara-
ton of American independence.
We cheerfully give place, however. to the
letter of Gen. Beale, on account of its interest
ing historical information. which will doubtless
be as acceptable to DR.. Hawkes., and the New
York Historical Society, as to the patriotic
people of the old Tenth Legion of Virginia,
and of the country at large
TAMNANY HALL AND CoNcoRD-THE Sort
& HAp GurI hprp uyaS sor4o IF
revolution in the 'coal-hole" of Tammany Hall
last Friday night; and the soft shells, or that
branch of the unterrifieI and hungry democracy
disposed to take the repenting free sellers into
good communion, came off completely victori-
Gus. Whether the defeated hard shells will
knock under, or forswear hereafter the councils
Of the "coal-hole," and set up new church Of
their own. remains yet to be determined. In
the meantime, according to our telegraphic adj
vices from Concord published yesterday. a
strong detachment of hard shells in favor of
Dickinson's appointment to the cabinet, were
on the way to Concord, but had been switched
OFF, somewhere near Boston; while dcputa-
ton of leading soft shells consisting Of such men
as Church, Wright Chatield WEIGH and Peter
Cagger had arrived safely at the end Of their
pilgrimage their object being to defeat the APP
pointment of Dickinson. This il a very pretty
quarrel as it stands' and if it is not settled in
some satisfactory compromise we may antici-
pate fuss in the family. General Pierce was
at home. and we trust that both patches of pill
grims. ere this. have been heard, and sent pack
ing back again. If there is nothing but dscord
in Tammany Hall what can they gain Of Con
cord in New Hampshire2.
The Minnesota Pioneer states that there arc IN THAI
vicinity vast bodies % beautiful white sand, from
which superior article OF glass may I've manufactured