The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-06-03

y
listing around them. A knowledge oil these
will show ,chy the clause was inserted, and
what it meant and will demonstrate the
perfect consistency Of the actors. What
were the factsl Briefly these: The British
Parliament had short time before declared
these men to be IN rebellion, out OF the
kings protection. They conceived. that
the effect Of this was to leave them without
officers, civil or military. without law to
govern them. and without courts TO admin
lister law, even if they had it. There was
consequently. in their view, nothing to
oppose any restraint to the widest anarchy.
But they saw this would very soon destroy
the peace and quiet Of the whole country,
and accordingly, at their first meeting on
the 2oth Of May, in the memorable docu-
ment OF that date, made primarily for another
purpose, they attempted to provide remedy,
SO far as their own county was concerneds
by declaring in their fourth resolution, that
as there was no law or legal officer in the
county who could be recognised by men oil
any political opinion. loyalist or wing, dor
the whole country was proclaimed in rebel
+ lion,) they would ordain and adopt as a r,ae
ofife, each and every Of their former laws
already existing and known to all, saving
, only that they did not thereby mean to
acknowledge the rights Of the power that had
thus wantonly and deliberately put them out
side of the protection of those laws. They
!: thas alT;..ucd llir general principle OF ad-
! herring to their existing and we'll known
laws, not because the crown had once sane
i toned them, but simply because they chose
, to adopt them "as a rule OF life" And
i they further declared that all existing OH
+ GERS in the county who chose to adopt the
. principles asserted on the 20th OF May,
! might continue to exercise their Office under
this temporary arrangement untii--when r
"until lsay they a more general AMI organ
! lied government il established in the pro-
!. vince" And having done this, they appoint
il committee Of delegates to hold future
i meetings aud arrange the details which
would carry out these general principles.
: Well, ten DAYS afterward, the delegates
!. convene to promulgate those details which
!, they had by that time arranged and on the
!. sOth, this work was done and sent to Will
!, mington to be printed, because il was to be
j rule OF life" Tor every man in that county,
. that peace and order might be preserved"
II In arranging these details, the delegates
pf had no difficulty in declaring for Themselves
! and all other confirmed wings, that they re-
/. cognised the provincial Congress, and in
= shaping for themselves ordinances in har-
II mony with such a recognition; but there
Il were others in the county, WIN, though mol
], very numerous, were still influential, who-e
n sympathies were not with the wings, who
:. rather inclined 10 the crown. These inen
m we're however to be brought under the iniiu.
!, ence Of the temporary laws, but They were
n not prepared TO Admit that these laws should
ii cease upon the action Of a provincial Con.
+. grcss, for they recognized no authority il
cr such 4 Congress. And the existence and
!. opinions Of these men form mist important
\. historical fact which has been entirely over.
r, looked by those who have undertaken 10 in
\. terpret the document of the 5Oth. "What
!, was To be done with those menf" was
IL question presented 10 the minds Of the dele
er gates. To have insisted on their obeying
~ the temporary laws and tr.osnioiHg the pro
y rinciai Congress, would, al once. have pro.
/. duced furcible contest; civil strife would
"a probably have then commenced. But thi,
i. on every account was to be avoided, and moi
,e the least Of the reasons why IL should be
IL avoided was, that many men who then wa.
at sered. would tas events afterwards proved
!. they did find that their loyal hopes in the
he Justice of the crown were doomed to dsap.
il pointnent, and that they must cast in their
d, lot with the mass Of their rountrymen, o. be
y the victims Of misplaced and unrequited
!. LOYALTY.
II While, therefore. il was declared that fol
the preservation Of peace and order, thcs,
u men, like all others. must submit to III,
N temporary ordinances 81 the 3Oth vet fOl
IL - fE.2 II.
i, moment the British legislature should fant
n the language is remarkably guardedl ere
Of sign is unjust and arbitrary pretension,
Of with respect 10 America that j.. re,ok,
j their rdict Of pretended rebellion which
in nulliied all law; thus resising the ancient
T. laws Of the colony that then. these mer
ne might obey these revived colonial laws. ami
n. no longer consider themselves hound bs III,
!. temporary ordinances of the 5Dth NAV
II This they could assent 10 with their ex
N i.ting LOYALTY unimpeached, for they dit
Ii recognize the authority Vf the British lcgis
= lature and this the delegates also c6uls
ri permit in perfect harmony with. their owl
ii declaration Of the 10Th, because in that the,
n adopted aud ordained" these very sam,
Al laws "as rule Of lile." In framing IN
n. clause, therefore, which made The resolves o
~ the 3Oth obligatory on al, except on III,
of happening 81 one or two contingencies, III,
10 delegates took care 20 TO frame the contingen
ie cies a. 70 suit the prejudices Or conscience
:; Of both classes IN the community. and thu
e. insure peace and order by the Temporal,
i. obedience Of all.
As 10 the delegates themselves. they ha,
/, already declared in the instrument itsel
"a that the only contingency which should re-
III lease them, was tire action Of provincial
10 Congress. The other contingency was in
IL serted 70 serve the srruples IL wayering an,
Z LI.n.axIa.I. NJ. 81 $500 I...I..4.