The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-09-08

little before, addressed the Chairman as
follows eff you resolve on independence.
how shall we all be absolved from the obi
cations of the oath we took to be true to
King George the Sd about four years ago,
after the Regulation battle, when we were
1 sworn whole militia companies together
: / should be glad to know how gentlemen
| can clear their consciences after taking that
OATH" This speech produced confusion.
The chairman could scarcely preserve or
der, SO many wished to reply. There ap-
peared great indignation and contempt at
the speech of the member. Some said it
was nonsense; others that allegiance and
protection were reciprocal; when protec-
ton was Withdrawn, allegiance ceased :
that the oath was only binding while the
King protected US in the enjoyment of our
rights and liberties as they existed at the
time it was taken; which he had not done,
but now declared US out of his protection !;
therefore was not binding. Any man who
would interpret it otherwise, was fool
By way of illustration, (pointing to a green
tree near the Court House,) stated, if he
was sworn to do any thing as long as the
leaves continued on that tree, it was so
long binding; but when the leaves fell. he
was discharged from its obligation. This
was said to be certainly applicable in the
present case. Out of respect for a worthy
citizen, long since deceased, and his res
pectable connexions, l forbear to mention
names, for, though he was friend to the
cause, suspicion rested on him in the pub
lie mind for some time after.
The sub committee appointed to draft
the resolutions returned, and Doctor Eph-
rain Brevard read their report as near as
| can recollect in the very words we have
seen several times in print. 1t was unani-
mously adopted, and shortly after it was
moved and seconded to have proclamation
made and the people collected, that the
proceedings be read a. the Court House
door, in order that all might hear them
1t was done, and were received with enthu-
siasm. 1t was then proposed by some one
aloud to give three cheers and throw up
their hats. 1t was Immediately adopted,
and the hats thrown. Several of them lit
on the Court House roof. The owners had
some difficulty to reclaim them.
The foregoing is all from personal knowl-
edge. | understood afterwards that Cap
tain James Jack then of Charlotte, under
took, on the request of the committee, to
carry copy of their proceedings to Con-
gress, which then set in Philadelphia and
on his way, at Salisbury, the time Of court
Mr.. Kennon, who was one of the committee
who assisted in drawing the Declaration,
prevailed on Captain Jack to get his pa
pers, and have them read publicly; which
was done, and the proceedings met with
general appreciation. But two of the Law
yers, John Dunn and Mr.. Booth, dissent
ed, and asserted that they were reasonable,
and endeavored to have Captain Jack de-
tanned. He drew his pistols, and threatened
to kill the first man who would interrupt
him, and passed on. The news Of this
reached Charlotte in a short time after, and
the executive Of the committee, whom they
had invested with suitable powers, ordered
party of ten or twelve armed horsemen to
bring said Lawyers from Salisbury when
they were brought, and the case Investigate
| ed before the committee. Dunn, on giving
security and making fair promises, was
permitted to return, and Booth was sentenc
ed to go to Camden, in South Carolina, out
of the sphere of his influence. My brother
George Graham and the late Colonel John
Carruth were of the party that went to
Salisbury and it is distinctly remember
ed that when in Charlotte they came home
at night, in order to provide for their trip to
Camden and that they and two others of
the party took Booth to that place. This
was the first military expedition from Meek
lenburg in the Revolutionary war, and be-
lieved to be the first any where to the South.
Yours respectfully,
j. GRAHAM.
DR.. JOS Mkt Alexander, Mecklenburg.
Following the above is an extract from
the manuscript memoir of the late Rev.
Humphrey Hunter of Lincoln county, who
confirms all that Gen. Graham states, by a
detailed account of the proceedings of the
Goth. He says that on the Goth of May,
1875, he was 20 years and II uays CD
that he heard the Declaration read by Col.
Thos. Polk, and that it was sen; to Phila-
delphia by Capt. Jack-that "on the re-
turn of Capt. Jack he reported that Con-
| gress, individually. manifested their entire
appreciation of the conduct of the Mecklen-
burg citizens, but deemed it premature to
lay them officially before the House." (Mr
Hunter was the father of DR.. G. L. Hunter
who at present resides in Lincoln. He was
an eminent divine, christian and a true
whig; was at the battle of Camden, and by
precept and example did much to sustain
the cause Of freedom in this section.)
We must think that if Mr. jefferson had
been in possession of such testimony as the
above he would have been convinced of the
genuineness of the Mecklenburg Dcclara-
ton.
George Graham, VIM. Hutchinson, Jonas
Clark and Robert Robinson. citizens of
Mecklenburg couaty, certify and upon
their honor declare that they were present
in the town of Charlotte on the 10Th of
May, 1775, "when two persons elected
from each Captains Company in the coun-
ty appeared delegates to take into con-
sideration the state of the country, and to
adopt such measures as to them seem med
best to secure their lives, liberty and prop
erty that the assemblage took place by
order of Col Thos. Polk, commanding Off
Ger of the militia of the county-that Abra
ham Alexander was chosen chairman and
DIR. Ephraim Brevard, secretary-that the
delegates continued in session until in the
night of that day; "that on the goth they