The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-03
The MeckIenbuFW DeeIAratien-A His-
toTical "Hornet's Nest"


at least on the North Carolina side. To doubt
the genuineness of the document in question
gives such offence that residents who believe
it apocryphal dare not say SO openly, lest
they be injured in their business and put
under ban Of social ostracism. Instances
of this local intolerance are recited by our
correspondent, who states that some OF the
best informed men in the State have no faith
in the document This is one Of the disputed
points in our Revolutionary history which
must be settled in connection with the ap-
preaching centennial celebration at Charlotte
But it must be settled by argument, not pas
sion. The interest which the occasion excites
will secure universal attention to the discus
sion, and, let this question be de-
cided as it may, the general public
will be instructed by examples of keen
and able historical criticism by some of the
most accomplished writers of the country.
erudition among us will be valuable contri-
button to our centennial exhibitions, not less
important than proofs of our arts, industry
and physical resources.
Our Raleigh correspondent gives . faithful
summary of the arguments on both sides OF
this controversy in its present state. But o
great deal remains to be said. We do not wish
to PREJUDICE the question, and we advise the
public to reserve its Judgment until the argu-
ments are all in. We have some reason to fear
that the Mecklenburg side will not be quite as
fully set forth as the other, and we will, there
FORE state it as strongly as we can, not as pre-
senting our own final conclusion, but as ex-
hibiting some points we think it incumbent
on the historical sceptics to meet and confute
if they expect . verdict for their side We
shall put the case against them in
somewhat new light, and, perhaps
satisfy some readers that the victory
of the sceptics will not be quite so easy as
they imagine. We call attention to the phrase
'hornet's nest" employed by our correspond
ent as illustrating the feeling this controversy
excites in North Carolina He thinks the
stings will be exceedingly sharp and vicious
on this occasion. This phrase, 'hornets
nest" is historical Irving quotes it in his
Life of Washington" and attributes il to
Lord CORVALLIS, whose army was once post ed
at Charlotte, in Mecklenburg county, and who
called it ''the hornets nest of North Carolina"
Irving also accepts the tradition that Mecklen-
burg is the ''heady, high-minded county where
the first Declaration of Independence had been
made" THIS soubriquet of "hornet's nest
has an important historical bearing on this
controversy, rs indicating the character and
temper of the people and enabling us to judge
what they would be likely to do in an emer-
gency. They were of Scotch-Irish descent and
combined the impulsiveness of Irishmen with
the strength Of conviction of the old Scottish
Covenanters. This element Of character has
not been duly weighed by the disputsnts on
either side, and we offer it as a possible solu-
ton Of the conflict in this historical evidence.
1t supplies plausible explanation of all the
difficulties raised by the historical sceptics, as
we proceed to show.
We. who celebrate these centennials, are
better qualified to judge Of the physiognomy
Of great political changes than any other
generation of Americans since the Revolution.
The Emancipation Proclamation may be taken
as a parallel TO the Declaration Of Indepen-
dence. There were ardent abolitionists who
spoke out boldly for emancipation at the very
beginning Of our civil war; and even before
it commenced But the republican party as
a BODY discountenanced and belittled them,
because, although the party thought the con-
test might ultimately come to that it knew
that to make that issue in the outset would
disunite the North and defeat its cause. In
the same manner the Mecklenburg Declara-
ton, assuming il 70 be genuine, was in adj
vance Of the general sentiment OF the country,
and would have fatally injured the cause Of the
colonies had il been generally published and
approved There was no printing press in
Mecklenburg county nor within two hundred
miles Of it, and the editors Of distant news
papers ignored and suppressed the Declara-
I ton, because they saw that it would strengthen
the tories and repel vaclllating wings
This seems q sufficient reply to the
argument that il appeared in none of
the newspapers Of the time. The milder
resolutions passed at the same place
eleven days later were hurried into print as a
means Of counteracting the rumor Of the
\ Declaration which was deemed so rash and
unreasonable. If this hypothesis be accepted
as tenable it viii parry all the arguments and
account for all the difficulties raised By the
historical critics. Had it been in the power
Y Of President Lincoln to prevent the publica-
ton Of the premature emancipation orders Of
General Fremont in Missouri and General
Hunter in South Carolina he would undoubt-
edly have done 50; but as the activity Of the
press rendered that impossible he could only
countermand them. The Mecklenburg Declar-
alton was felt to be premature and damaging,
and for that reason it was kept out Of print
and not allowed to get abroad in the colonies
Unless this hypothesis can be refuted by legit-
innate historical reasoning all the arguments
-....,-. tho Maolforbrr1, nacla rat;ov rvStI fari