Wilmington journal., 1875-08-06
NORTH CAROLINA CONVEN-
VIONS


delegates formally elected by the
people, ever held in North Carolina,
met in Newbern on the 25th of August,
1774. a brief sketch of this ConVen-
ton, and the ten others that followed
it, in the succeeding century, Will, we
trust, be not uninterestlng to our
readers.
In the year 1773, the dissensions
that for some time had existed be-
the Royal Governor on one side and
the ColouiaILeg islature and the peo-
pie on the other, grew SO serious as
to produce general anarchy and
confusion. The courts were
closed, and the colony was without
laws or judges. SO greivous were the
burdens upon the people and so de-
termined were they to throw them OFT
and so bold about it withal, that a
Congress or Convention to consist of
delegates from all the towns and
counties in the colony was agreed to
be held at the very place in which the
to this Assembly, or Congress as it was
then called. were formally elected and
in despite of the Governors proclama-
tion, met inNewbern on the 25 August,
1774 The Royal Governor summoned
has council to advise what should be
done but only to be told that nothl ng
could be done. The Convention
while protesting allegiance TO the
British crown asserted boldly that
allegiance and protection, taxation and
representation, must go together; de-
nounced as unconstitutional, the Bos-
ton Port bill, and the sending Of per
sons to England for trial for offences
committed in North Carolina, and
bound themselves not to trade with
England either in buying or selling
after the coming new year. JOHN
HARVEY, who was also President OF
the Colonial Legislature, and who had
been mainly Instrumental in getting
up the election of delegates, was the
President of the Convention. And
this was THE FIRST CONVENTION ever
held in North Carolina.
The Colonial Legislature was order
ed by the Governor to meet in New
bern in April, 1775, and thereupon JOHN
HARVEY in February of that year is
sued notice to the people to elect
delegates to represent each town an d
county in another Convention to be
held at the same time and place, by
virtue of authority vested in him by
the first Convention. The Colonial
Legislature and the Convention both
met in Newbern on 4th of April, 1775,
and each body chose John Harvey as
it's presiding officer. The Legislature
proved so inpracticable, being compos
edvery largely of deIegates..to the Con-
vention, that the Governor dismissed it
after a session of only four days. Very
soon thereafter the Governor left his
palace at Newbern and went aboard
ship off Smithville, down at the mouth
of the Cape Fear River, and thus
ended British Royal Government in
North Carolina The Convention ap-
pointed a council of safety, upon
whom devolved the Government, and
from that time North Carolina was
governed by North Carolinians and
this was THE SECOND CONVENTION ever
held in North Carolina.
The next Convention was held IN
Hillsboro, on the 2lst of August, 1775.
As heretofore, delegates had been
elected under the call of the president
of the preceding Convention, one
hundred and eighty-four of whom
ook their seats. Samuel Johnston
was made President. The emergency
was now very great. The Royal Gov
ernor had abandoned his post, and all
hope of reconciliation was at
an end. The Convention promptly
accepted the situation, and proceeded
to provide Il new government, and to
raise troops to support it. The civil
power was vested in a aPRovINCIAL COUN-
Gil for the whole State, com nittee OF
safety for each district, and one for
each county and town. Samuel John
son was chairman of the provincial
council, and thereby became de .fdcto
the Governor Of North Carolina. And
this was THE THIRD CONVENTION.
on the 9TH of April, 1776. The dele
gates were elected in the usual way
and one hundred and ffty-two OF
them took their seats. Samuel John
ston was again chosen president. 1t was
this body that first declared in favor
of absolute American Independence
by adopting, on the 18th of April, l776
the following:
RESOLVED, That the delegates from
this colony, in the Continental Con
gress. be Empowered to concur will
the delegates from the other colonies
in declaring Independence and framing
foreign alliances; reservlng to this col
Ony the sole and exclusive right o
forming a Constitution and laws TO
this colony.
And this was the FOURTH CoNvEN
TIoN
The next Convention met in Halifa
on the 18th of November, 1776, tn
delegates having been elected on th
18th of October upon the call of th
PRoTNCIAL CoUNCIL. These delegates
one hundred and sixty-nine of whom
took their seats, were instr tIucted, mo
only to make laws, but to form Con
stitutiOu which was to be the cOrne
stone of all law" How we'll they pei
formed that duty, the Constitution
under which the people lived anG
prospered SO long affords a ready an
swer, for it was that body that framed
and adopted the first Constitution OF
their own making under which the
people of North Carolina ever lived
Richard Caswell was the President,
With the successful Inauguration ot
the government under the new Con
5stitution the transfer of the govern
ment ftom the British crown to the
people of North Carolina was complete
and this was THE FIFTH CONVENTION.
The next Convention met in Hills
boro on the 21st July, 1888. It was
called by act of Assembly, although
no authority for such act appears in
express terms in the Constitution then
in force. It was to this body that the
Federal Constitution was first submit
ted for ratification and bv which