Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-18
. ,nnEw IAoKsoMs pRoPaEsY
the Historic Mine Revealed in RRmsey's
Records.
Fro,n ne NashoIJe 4 merld9N.


Fran the Rashoif5e AiaericTn.
ftis hardly sacrilege to justify this pub
rcation bv the example set forth IN holy
.scrament. Besides, part OF the follow
~, record now goes TO print the first time;
VII NAV Tennesseeans and Americans
s,,,,or the memory of DR.. j. G, NJ, Ram
-og for many years acknowledged as
.To,nessee,s historian" HOnored be his
.,ithful wife and widow. 10 her are we
.r indebted for the careful preservation
m much that is Indispensable to complete
sstory. By and by the Historical soci-
.tv will have a least in large collection
~ ve,l-preserved manuscripts. Even the
narsoual letters of her husband, that have
beon kept through three scores Of years,
lprtng his absence from home, in behslf
4 toe nubllc good, contain data OF much
public concern.
lis INV purpose in this connection,
however. TO furnish from original papers
IN mart. assertions that should thrill our
ne0ple with resolves to right a wrong
NAT has long existed-a wrong acknowl-
odged and deplOred by "Old Hickory, ana
whose prophetic words were that lts truth
would stand ''while our revolutionary
Consideration Of the facts should tend
"a n conservative view of those who justi-
n, ahhorrence Of the last rebellion. 1t will
s,rp1.ise some that Thomas Jefferson
write to john Randolph such assertions
a. thefOllowing, dated Aug. 20, l715: y
II would rather be in dependence
on Great Britain, properly limited, than
any nation ON earth or than on no ma
uon.v Remember, he took his seat on
The 10Th Of May previous IN the second
Continental Congress as successor to Pey.
ton Randolph. The next year MIR. Jetfer-
son won renOwn, that CLOVIS on and on, as
me author of the famous resolutions
adopted July 4, 1776. F0rty-three years
atterward, July 8, 1919, he wrote 10 John
Adams at length, in which letter he
states:
- But what has attracted my
peculiar notice is the paper from Meek
ienbHrg county, OF North Carolina, pub
lisned in the Essex Register.
And YOU seem to think II genuine. | be-
heve it spurious. l deem it a very justi-
liable quiz, like that of the volcano so NIL
nutely related to us as having broken out
IN North Carolina some nall a dozen
years ago, in that part of the country, and
perhaps 10 Rthat very county.
10 appeals, too, to an original book, which
is burnt, to MIR. Alexander, who is dead.
When Mr.. Henry's resolutions,
far short OF independence, flew like light
ming through every paper, and kindled
both sides Of the Atlantic, this flaming
declaration Of the independence Of Neck
lenburg county ofNOrth Carolina is never
heard Of" After much more OF inVective
lie saws: 81 must not be understood as
suggesting any doubttulness In the StaJe
of North Carolina. No State was more
fixed or forward. Nor do / affirm posi-
lively the paper is a fabrication, because
the proof of negative can only be as
sumptive. But ! shall believe it such
until positive and solemn proof Of its
authenticity shall be produced. And il
the name of McKnitt be real and not a
part OF the fabrication it needs vindica-
tion by the production of such proof. For
the present must be a disbeliever in the
apocryphal gospel.
s'THoMAs JEFFERSON"
In these Ramsey records, though the
paper is all dingy with age the writing is
feIIlarkat,r lid, and TWO letters are
from men We very existence is doubt
ed by Mr.. Jefferson. j. Mcknltt AleXan-
der. the grandfather of DR.. Ramsey, is the
author OF one OF them. The closing lines
of this letter will convince all men as to
his capability OF Misrepresentation. 1t is
dated Jan. IS, 1907:
Il am now IA. / am growing more
frail aud weakly. o that that my faith
may not stagger at the promises, but be
made strong Ia the hopes of a glorious en-
trance into the heavenly kingdom, when
ever God may please to remove me- May
God in his rich mercy take you all as a
family into his holy keeping and prepare
and d you all for the enjoyments OF heav-
en-, is the prayer OF your aged father. To
Francis A. Ramsey, his wife. children
and servants"
The other letter is from j. Mcknight,
dated Alexandrlana, N. c. Dec. 10, 1927,
and is addressed to DR.. Ramsey, on the
subject of the declaration. He copies from
"Mr. Hunters manuscript, which has just
been RETURNED" the following proceed
ings;
abraham Alexander was appointed
chairman; John NICK. Alexander and
Ephraim Brevard, clerks. After the re-
solves, as we have them, had been sepa-
rately read and cOncurrcd IN, bylaws and
regulations were made and confirmed to
govern a standing committee OF public
safety, select committee was then ap-
pointed to report, oD>the next day, a fun
anddehRite statement Of grievances, to-
gabber with full and 10 NAL draft Of a
declaration Of Independence. After all
the necessary arrangements were made
and instructions given as to this commit
lee, the Delegation adjourned. May 20,
met, etc, the select committee made re-
port by their chairman, 4. Brevard, who
read a t1tl aBd formal statement OF our
grievances and a tull and formal declara-
ton Of independence, which, being ap-
proved, j. Nick. Alexander read ali
lhe proceedings Of the previous day.
when finalyote was taken. The
delegation then signed individually, when
mociamation was made at the court
house door. AS soon as the citizens had
e0nvened the whole proceedings were read
to them by Col. Thomas Polk-and APP
proved by them--all sent on by Capt.
JACK. Mr. Hunter was then between 20
ana Il, and ATTENDED closely through the
whole time.
.Dr. Ramsey was Jealous to establish
.ne truth OF history" and correspond
ga with Gen. Jackson on the subject.
. me jackson letter before us is as fol-
lows
HERMITAGE, Jan. -, 1S21.-DEAR
SIR Your favor OF Jan. s, presenting me
WIN print commemorative Oftne Meek
enourg Convention, is received. J beg
YOU sir, IN token Of your regard for me
accept my sincere thanks, with the
athes expression OF my hopes that your
patriotic intentions may be crowned with
success. That declaration ought not 20
oetQrt, nor will 10 be while there are any
|9tF revolutionary patriots aliye to at
wy lts ELECTS upon our revolution. lam
Wy respectfully, sir, your obedient ser
'anl ANDREW JACKSON"
n me le ter Is ranked, seen. Jackson.
,ee.' Would 1t not be fitting to give so