The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-14
VA Firm Belief in the Declarations
of May 30, rs.
o PPO SIN VIEW s.
mir, SpOffOrd Explains Ills Belief in The
Resolves OF The SlSl.
EX-GOVERNOR GRAHAMs LETTER.

10 TIKI Editor OF THE uEkAAD
DEAR SIR received in due course OF mail your
letter OF me 23d ult., requesting, for publication
in the HERALD my views on the subject OF the
Decllrauon OF independence in Meeklenburg
county, n. e., IN May, l51a, and desiring to have
my opinion on this topic A. some length Tor AIS
Nomination through your widely circulated Jour.
mai. out regret that nave not found leisure for
the Task.
Tns disappointment however. gives me the less
concern, because nave not long since AZ mass
meeting OF the people OF MecGlen0urg prepare
tory to their Centennial celebration, made 90
them address upon the questions IN dispute
touching this Declaration, which has been pub
iisned IN the numbers of weekly paper In char
,lotte, ana is now In course OF puOIca-
ton By Messrs E. c. Hale 4 son, in New
York ii a form better suited for pres
ervatlon. 10 this address, the issue OF
WATCH presume, may De daily expected
! beg eave 70 refer you Tor the ul discussion OF
the themes ana should be gratlned TO the sub
stance ii ii presented In the HERALD, though its
lengtn may preclude the whole publication.
But since my opinions are called Tor Dy YOU |
cannot omit here 60 proclaim nv belief ia she
authenticity Of tue Declaration OF indie pendence by
lie committee Of the people or MecSlenbIrg on
the @otd d May. 1878. am a native OF the al oln
ing county Of Lincoln, and sprung RON AecKisn-
AMI sundry otner Revolutionary characters whom
knew in my youth among them the Rev.
Humphrey Hunter, long pastor OF a congregation
81 winch my parents were memoerS, when most
ol shem we're ofno greater age tnan | have now
attained, gave their testimony OF this event az
Transaction at whica they were personally pres
ent. detailing time, place and circumstances. In
TINS saey were corroboTatea by the tradition or
the people OF the county then is Inhabitants, and
by ia emigrants In georgia Tennessee
asd elsewhere. This testimony was al
taken And given by laymen, most Of them
widely separated ron each other and not mar.
shaded aud shaped By advocates to support The
polnn p dispute. Governor stokes, . Reve.u.
u0aary of1cer himself not a resident or o. To any
way connected VITA Mecklsnburg in 1880, ten
years slter he 1rst Newspaper publication on the
snnlect. testified that ne had seen q copy Of rsls
declaration in the handwriting Of John McKliss
AiexGuarr il tie possession Q! Dr. Hugh titan
u nc year I7aS. Williamson, PeGnsylva-
nisa, came % the STATE during tne var and about
srIs time emiErated AGd settled in the city of
Eer York. BE published work emitted History
81 North Carolina III 1872, the narrative o. which
term aates y It'll sayiag "a tae preface mat he mad
seslgnsd % BRING Il down 10 100. ana u Inc uds
tae even or the Revolution. and that with tnis
view b. nld collected much material from ancient
c!tzeas o. he state: but be found me task ardu-
GUS ana treated only OF the colonial history 10 the
period above stated. Ana. 90 show nov careiessy
tbs topic o. the Mecksenourg declaration has been
considered oy those who have called Il 10 ques-
gOn, well Informed 3 person a N. Jerers0n. In
his letter % Mr.. Adams in 1919 mentions az = rea-
why is should he discred tEed, ihat ~. william.
son forgot this event loi lT,5l Ia the MS
tory a. wrote OF North CarouHa. II should a.
well nave been looked for IL L2Ws0n's so-c4ned
lila Or suckeus In lssl, q Ia Wll.i4nsSns, which
eDded with III.
The history cf the Revolution ID snls state a.
tractcd attention Tom the pr0fe-sea writers or.
history prior 70 the drst publication % tbis SUB
isct % isI9. Even tue Instruction 70 her deie1ates
IN the Continental Congress TO vote f0r lndeDen-
dence en- me 18th Of April 1870 10 advance o. the
other ponies had faded rom recollection IN re-
vved aooG. tbs time, ana ne most lmpor.
tart nlassry events 10 Tue region around
Charlotte sad never found cnIoHicier untl tie
imguss ZlycR to historical inquiry about that
t.ue Even yet mol 81 tnem Asye failed 10 r.
iCeivs cstlce rom tre pen q history. Inis dec.
iarsuCn a. vel authenticated - to action IN
Charlotte aHa the re.rcat % the SALISBURY road
between Dawes and Isrirtpn's cavalry on the
4sta o. september, i7so. " nave ne accounts
rom those WHO saw 00ln. ant bertsf mn those
81 Rock Mount, Rowson's hiu aul toWan's FOTo.
they Al rested 10 a common neglecf ana obscurity
until Inter day tnaR ne MecA enUurg Doe ara
tl0n Of independence.
The resolutions o. tRe Committee 81 Necklen-
burg. or inc 3lst 81 MAJ 1875 were not discovered
Or known - any one living, - ~ ~ are Ia
formed. tni ls3s. u ms Invariably been asserted
thst there we're numerous meetings 81 thc peop.e
Of thar county on the momentous Issues pending
III the spring Of I77s, and these resolutions f1r