The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-01-02

Written to the Committee Of fse
Fayetteville CeDtenalaI. .--No-
Die Sentiments ami f5fgi
Prai5e 30 North Caro-
tiu;lUg.

u. Rah VIC AcDpGfje, Com.
GENTLEMES: Your letter in
viting me to attend North Car
Olina's Centennial, to be held al
Fayetteville or the 2Ist Of No
vember next. was duly receiv.
ed, bat this a:koowie 1ganeut
has been delayed undec Jic
hope that an improvement III
my health would enable me to
be present aa invited. As the
time approaches / find that
cherisben hope nnrealized and
that | must regretfuuy confess
my inability to join you in the
commemorative celebration 1t
has been my sincere wish to
meet with the people of the
| 'Old North State on the 0cca-
sion which will naturally causa,
them with just pride to trace
the historic river OF their years
to its source in the colony Of
Albemarle.
All along that river stand
monuments Of fidelity to the
inalienable rights Of the people
even when an infant resisting
successfully executive usurpa-
ton and in the offence Of the
privileges guaranteed by chart
er boldly defying king, lords
and commons. Alw ays self re-
liant, yet not vainlY self assert
i've, she provided for her own
defence while giving material
aid to her neigbors, as she re
garded all the British colonies
Of America. Thus she sent
troops armed and equipped for
service in both Virginia and
South Carolina; also dispatched
q ship from the port Of VIII
mington with food for tho suf-
erers in EostOn after the closing
of that por3 by Great Britain.
In her declaration that the
cause Of Boston was the canse
of all there was not only the as
sertion Of community Of rights
and purpose to defend them,
but self abnegatiOn Of the COM
mercial advantages which
wonld probably accrue from
| the closing of q rival port.
Without Gimlnution Of regard
for the great and good men of
other colonies, ! have been led
to special veneration Of the men
of North Carolina, as the first
to ditinctIy declare for state in
dependence and from first to
last to uphold the right Of d
J people to govern themselves. ]
do not propose to discuss the
vexed. question Of tbs Mecklen-
burg resolutions of May, I775,
which, from the similarity of
expression to the great Declara-
tion Of independence Of July,
1776, have created much conten-
tion. because the claim Of North
Carolina rests on d broader
foundation than the resolve Of
the meeting at Mecklenburg,
: which deserves to be preserved
as the outburst Of 8 brave, lib
erty loving people, on the re
eipt Of news Of the combat at
Concord between British and
citizens of Massachusetts,.
The broader foundations re-
ferred to are the records of E.
vents preceding and succeedig
the meeting at Mecklenburg
/. and the proceedings of the pro-
vincial Congress which met at
Hillsboro in August, 1775. Be-
fore the Congress- convened
North Carolina in disregard Of
opposition by the Gov. had sent
delegates to represent her in the
General Congress to be held in
a Philadelphia, and had denoun-
ced the attack OF Boston and
had appointed committees of
= safety with such far reaching
l functions as belong to revo!u-
y tionary times only. The fam
a Gus Stamp Act of Parliament
was openly resisted by men of
the highest reputation, a vessel
bringing the stamps was seized
n and the commander bound not
to permit them to be landed
8 These things were done in open
: day by men who were not dis
guised and stunned no qestion
Before the Congress of the
0 province had assembled the
! last royal Governor of North
4 Carolina had fed to escape the
indignation Of a people who
;, burdened but not bent by op-
y preston, had resolved to live
r or die as free men. The Con.
n gress at Hillsboro went earnest
4 ly to work not merely to de
9 clare independence, but to pro
vide the means of maintaining
g it. The Congress feeling quite
II equal to the occasion, proceed
i ed to make laws for laising anC
It organizing troops, for supplyin=
: money and to meet the contin
gency of blockade of her sea
Il ports, and offered bounties t.
74;,,,,1o 10 IN ,.,oIno+:a,o Df a