The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-08


their wurls' ana could not nave been the inaexl
PIE heroes that ali OF Us believe them 10 have
hecn.
srIRtOUsNEss OF THE DOCUMENT ESTABLISHED.
But why assume, even for arguments sake, that
me declaration or May 20 Is genuine when It's
author certhes that It Is not genuine His GER
inca.e has been before the people 81 North caro-
ina for nearly twenty-two years, and yet not one
Of the defenders OF the "McKnittn invention has
ever motto q it. II was published IN the North
Carolina University Magazine in May, 1858, and -
embraced Ia an able ana impartial review OF the
controversy understood to be from the pen OF
Professor Charles Philips then or the University,
ana now or Davidson College, situated IN Meek
lenburg county, Ex-Governor swain was in
1853, Prcsiden. OF the University. No man In the
State, or out OF H. perhaps, nad given more at
tenton TO the history OF this Mecklenburg move
ment; and, while Governor from 1882 TO 1885, he
vas in charge or the "Davie copyn 70 which
Mr.. Alexanders certificate was appended. II was
iirecuy from Governor SWAN, therefore, the Gus
odian or the document. that MS colleague In the
faculty OF the University derived the certificate.
viii add that Professor Philips Is at once dis
singulshed a Presbyterian divine OF the highest
character and as a mathematician. In the ReUfeto
referred 70 he says
"The Oldest edition OF the Davie copy was fur
nished BY John McKnltt Alexander 10 General
age ana degree OF TO be gwen its con-
teats are unanswerably paid by the conclusion to
the manuscript be then gives the certificate a.
foiloWs:-
II may be worthy OF notice here 20 observe
that the foregoing statement lembfacing lhe
Declaration and proceedings OF Nay 20. l7I5,
though fundamentally correct yet may not literally
correspond with the original record oil the trans
actions OF SAID delegation anu Court OF Inquiry as
all those records and papers were burnt with the
house on April q, 1900; out previous 10 that time
q AAl
DR.. Hugh Williamson, then OF New YORK, but
state, was forwarded 10 him BY Colonel william
Polk in order that those early transactions might
~ ther proper place "a a. nSi0ry y snl ~ a
Certified to the best OF nv recollection and be-
lie, this so day or september, $500, by
j. NICK. ALEXANDER,
Meckenb1rg county, n. Z.
DR.. Phillips remarks upon this certificate, at Is
clear that Mr.. Alexander never intended to set
ortn the Davie copy as containing any more
than the substance OF what was resolved in Char
lotte IN May, 1715." In the same connection he
remarks that "Judge Martins history OF North
Carolina was published in 1929, and his copy Is
evidently polished edition OF the 'Davie COPY
polished because its guardians knew that this
was not an extract from original records, and
therefore iet no particular reverence Tor it."
Or. Philips might have added-and no particular
reverence for the truth OF history. To the mind
rank confession OF Mr.. Alexander must settle the
controversy. For no man OF ordinary intelligence
Will pretend TO say that Mr.. Alexander's memory
was infalhble-and nothing short OF infauibillty OF
memory would enable him 70 reproduce the pro.
ceedings OF public meeting, containing mani
lesto or series OF resolutions, with the clrcrn.
stances attending their adoption twenty-five
years after the event took place.
AN ANALYSIS OF Mr. ALExANDER's MEMORY.
a. AZ furf fro IN
possessed an ordinarily good memory, his
Of proceedings SHOWS him to have been for
ofwnat most men would have remembered,
10 names OF all except two OF the many
tent citizens who participated In them.
James we derive from other sources. AT
ne time he was so forgetful OF the part he
iylng as q narrator OF events, which tran
May 10 and 20, ITS, that he Is betrayed into
Us OF what occurred during the whole
OF the war. and even refers to the war II
d Its incidents as things long passed away.
MS report OF proceedings In the usual
North Carolina Meckenourg county, May
- o. II ne wrote on that day, he begins Of
that I'm the spring Of IT'S, the leading
ers OF Mecklenburg county. sumIated,"
.held several detached meetings."
- At length Colonel I. POLK. Though
ton, issued an order TO each cap
company,n &C.. 20 elect delegates.
I'm conformity TO said order. on the 19tn
1875, the said delegation met in Charlotte,
with unlimited powers, at which time on
IS by express arrived OF the battle OF Lex
on that day OF the preceding month" &C.
49, aaer will at once recognize this as the style
Or the historian, chronicer, and not that OF the
reporter. In ike manner the Declaration" itself
u written in the past tense, and declares that
whoever "abetted," &c. The absurdity OF this
pnraseology was so manifest that Martin took the
49, fnU a n
noticed and his emendations have been generally
accepted Dy It's defenders IL is TIMING anachron-
ism that Mr. Alexander undertakes TO state the
result OF Captain Jacks mission TO Philadelphia,
waither ne was SEM. lin few days. as an ex-
press messenger, 10 bear the resolutions, ana
must have been gone quite month The report
next gives several important acts or which the
Journal oil Congress furnishes corresponding
proof, aud In regard TO which the memories Of
Jefferson, Adams, and all their living colleagues
IN 1919 we're 81 fault--sucn that, ION the return
OF Captain Jack the delegation learned that
their proceedings were individually approved
~ the members OF Congress, but that
10 was deemed premature 10 lay them before the
House. and that "a joint letter from said three
members Of Congress-Casweu Hooper and
HeWes-was also received lout OF wnica no trace
can be iound) complimentary or the zeal IN the
common cause. and recommending perseverance,,
order and snergyn IL Is due to Captain Jack 10 say
shat bis ceruncate which Is one Of those procured
aud published By the Legislature, In support OF the
'Declaraonn Is entirely silent tnese fruits OF
his MISSION. lie merely says that ne delivered the
Declaration OF Independence OF May, l775. 10
Richard Caswell and william Hooper. the dele
gates TO Congress from the state or North Caro-
nna.u This report, dated May 20, 1875. concludes
vita the statements that "the suDseq 7ent har-
mony unanimity ana exerton In the cause OF
liberty and Independence, evidently resulting
rom these regulations, and the continued exer-
ton Of said delegation, apparently irsnquiiized
tina section or the state ana met with the concur.
renee and high appreciation or the Council OF
safety, VINO held their sessions at Newbern and
Niiml n1fon- alfernafalK. and VINO confirmed the