The daily gazette., 1875-05-05


RICHMOND, Va, April 9th, 1875.
The Old North State Is aroused, and
considers that all the good people of
all the States of the Union are looking
with interest to the demonstration to
take place at Charlotte, on the Goth of
next month. The celebration is to be
held In honor of the centennial of the
first American Declaration of Indepen-
dence, which was made by the patriots
of Mecklenburg county, in convention
assembled, on May Goth, 1775-over n
year preceding that made in behalf of
all the colonies by the Continental Con-
gress, at Philadelphia.
SOME THINGS NORTH CAROLINA CLAIMS
To BE FIRST IN,
North Carolina has just claims to be
first in many other things besides the
Declaration oil Independence, 1t is no
recent pretence that the coast of what
is now North Carolina was the first por-
ton of the mainland of America ever
discovered, as far as we can have any
, Trustworthy account. Erick, of Nor
way, over one thousand years ago, has
left record of having sailed southwest
and westward, across the great ocean
until he came to land whose descrip-
tion, as he gives it, tallies more with
the coast of North Carolina than with
any other part of America. His story
tells of grapes aboundIng even to the
waves, insomuch that he called the
country Vineland; an account almost
precisely reproduced by Sir Walter
Raleigh's commanders in their pic
lures Of Wohsckon and Roanoke Is
lands, which they discovered on the
9TH of July, 1854. The following year
on the goth of July, the first British
colony in America was planted on Roa-
noke Island by Raleigh, and although
this colony afterwards either, aban.
doned that island or persisted on it, II
existed there long enough for Roanoke
to be the scene of the birth of Virginia
Dare-the first child of British parent
age born in Amcrica-on the 18th OF
August, 1857. When one considers
thai North Carolina thus was in fact
the first British colony, giving birth to
the first British child in America, there
seems to be peculiar fitness to the fact
that she was the first to assert British
freedom through American Independ
ence. There are other things the State
is proud of. Mount Mitchell, in the
western portion of the State, is the
highest mountain east OF the Mlsslsslp
pi. From North Carolina, Raleigh
got his first tobacco and his first pota
toes for Ireland; and last, but not least
there Andy johnson drew his nata
breath!
AsTIFE. .NEcKED STATE AND PEOPLE.
The first colony or colonies planted
on Roanoke Island perished, as WI
! have seen but consequently Massachu
: setts and Virginia both contributed
: immigrants to populate the country
, When it was thought worthy of
: government, no less man than Johr
r locke. the philosopher, wrote her frs
: constitution. From that moment re
bellion began in North Carolina, ant
from that day to this her people hav'
shown themselves exceedingly jealou
: of their liberties. If 1t be fault, 1t Il
one that leans to virtues side.
THE RISING IN 1859.
Tn 1863 the Regulators Of Norti
> Carolina arose in organized wrath ant
Q nower agrinst the stamp act and tn
a tax on teas. &C., also including anon!
Q their grievances the excessive and ini
Q ou;tons court fees then exacted. The,
4 nod already had furious and sangui
nary revolt against deprecated papc
currency. .zoo
g bled In large armed masses at Hillsbol
!, ough where, on the first occasion, the
seized the sheriff, recaptured hors
from him upon which he had levied
/. abused the Judges, lawyers, and othe
officers of the courts, besides othel
wise acting in most determined mar
ner apainst "leagued oppression" ~
!. But on the 2Sd Of October 1853, th
" Assembly of the State Joined in th
movement by unanimously passing th
following resolutions.
"That the sole right of imposin
:, taxes on the inhabitants OF Mort
70 Carolina has ever beeG vested in til
House of Assembly.
That the inhabitrnts have the ur
q doubted right of petitioning Tor n
- redress of grievances; and
" That trials of treason, committed l
s' the COLONY; ought to be had here; an
removing suspected persons to be trie
beyond the sea is derogatory to th
rights of a British subject"
The Assembly at the same time doi
ted petition of like effect to thek INF
Governor Tryon at once dissolved In
n contumucious Assembly. Meanwhil
Of the Regulators had prevented the 81
e e perior Court from meeting at Hlilbor
oy ough, intimidating the judges an
ne mercilessly beating several lawyers,
az ~ notably, Col. Tanning, who naa rea mat mac
n n, himself very obnoxious. In l766 whe
ed a British sloop of war brought over IL
u stamped paper to be used In the colon
e e the peopie few to arms, and would N