Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-04-21
North Caror,a. Centennial.

The hi story of North Carolina Is SO
rich in the record of patriotic move
ments, and her people in these day,
of centennial celebrations lave been
called upon to recur to SO many hun
dredtll anniversaries of glorious deeds
of their ancestors, that they may be
pardoned for having omitted that of
the twelfth of April, which was the
centennial of the resolution passed by
the Provincial Congress of North
Carolina, empowering her delegates
in the Continental Congress to vote
for the Philadelphia Declaration of
Independence. The Philadelphia
North Amcrican acknowledges that
1t tried IN vain to fud documentary
evidence to disprove the fact of the
Mecklenburg declaration. But whilst
looking for this proof, the editor of
that paper seems to have been agree
ably surprisrd at finding the reco"d of
the resolution above alluded to. I'll.
-4ncrican thus comments on the sub
ject of It's discovery
Forced by very care fui * M. Il
tiou of ali the dncutn2uts to ;!!-t.r. dit
the patriotic ci4Im North Caro- ! IN
long 'nsINt Il upon, IF havI = tutIc:-
plted the Dec trttIOn mad At Pnila-
d"Iphia one hVnlrei years ago by an
earlier one at 81 ckie, burg, ther,- IS e.
reclal satisfatlou in recognizing @ne
act of the old North State III that mo-
meutOus time that WAS original, aud
formulated the result finally attained
The action was not directly related TO
similar Onesln other States as cause and
effect. The causes operating were
common; the spirit they awakened or
exhibited was one, and it was the
union of sentiment i'll all the colonies
that created the Independence through
which the Union had its genesis
North Carolina has the honor of first
formula ing this sentiment in au
official manner, and she did 20 in her
Provincial Congress, April twelfth
The situation then vas critical and |
anXlonS. Lexington had been fol- |
lowed by Bunker's HILL The Cont |
mental Congress had been elected, and |
appointed Washington rummunder-
ln-chIef. Independence had brcn de !
Dated and advocated and opposed. |
1nert WAS more general conviction !
IN all the colonies and among all |
classes that the only redress of |
grievances pg ssIble was to be sought |
by Independence; ana this conviction |
was accompanied by iiveliet sense of |
the expenses and difficulties of the |
act. The newspapers, tn" correspond |
ehce, the debates and the memoirs OF |
that period show this clearly. It is to |
the honor of North Carolina that on |
the 18th day of April her provincial |
congress unanimously ResOLred, |
that the delegates from his colony in
'he Coulnentat Congress be empow-
ered to coucur with the delegates of |
the other colonies in declaring inGe-
Pehdenence and forming foreign aIh-
ahces. Before the month had closed |
TWO Virginia counties instructed their |
delegates III the provincial Convention |
10 DO al hat they could to dissolve the |
connection between the colonies and |
Ureat Britain totally. finally and IT,
revOcabiv"
=, We celebrate the anniversary Of |
that Carolina heroism, and gi it full |
weight and honor. The act itself was
small. Is Influence, fell upon the |
congress assembled and deliberating |
~ ~ thls city, and encouraged the reeo-
Iu'9 ana lnvigorated the doubling. |
ana 1t contributed its share to the |
great decision expressed three months
-A'9f' and armed the south to join
mi.n me north in the attempt whose
mighty success is now soon to be com
mtLtAor"ted. tLt May the memory of
tnlS early concert bind closer the
oohds that reunite all the States