The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-09
The Mecklenburg Declaration Of indie
pendence.

There was meeting at Charlotte. Neck
lenburg county. N. c.. on May 81. 1775. which
passed twenty revolutionary resolutions.
but without a word to parallel the Declare
ton OF July 4. 1776. These resolutions were
printed in the South Carolina Gazette Of
June 49, l775. On the Soth Of June Governor
MARTIN transmitted copy to the Secre-
tary of State in London. saying:
"The minutes OF the conncil held at this place tho
other day will make tho impotence Of government
here as apparent to your lordshp as anything can
set before you. Tho resolves of tho committee of
MecklenburR which your iordship will ind In the
closed newspaper surpsss all the horrid and treason
able publications that the nhammatory spirits of the
continent have yet produced Acopy Of these resolves
was sent OF. am informed by express to tho Con-
gress of Philadelphia as soon as they were passed"
The Governor was rightly informed that
a copy Of the resolves was sent by express
to the Congress Mt Philadelphia. Further
more. the resolutions Of May 81. 1775. SINH
lar to those adopted in other colonies. were
printed. in part. at least. in several North
ern newspapers Of that period.
Whatever impression may have been
made upon the Congress by these resou-
tions. it does not appear to have been en-
during. In June. 1919. JOHN ADAMS was
dumfounded to see in the Essen Register an
article entitled " Raleigh Register Declara-
ton OF Independence" embodying five
resolutions purporting to have been adopt
ed at Charlotte on May 20. ITS. the first
three OF which were as follows:
"Re.oyrei. That whoever directly or indirectly
abetted or in way form. or manner countenanced
the uncharerei and dangerous invasion Of rights
as claimed by Great Britain il an enemy to this cou
man
"Roso's,d. That NO. the citizens of Mscklenbu:g
county. do hereby dissrs Gs political ban Sieh haze
eo"nsrs us to the mother country. and hereby dL.oe
ourselves n, all aisjanet to tie Brish Croon and ah
jure all po'tio connection contract or association with
that nation who have wantonly trnupsd rights
and liberties and inhumhny she'd the blood OF Ameri.
| can patriots at Lexington
"R''o'rri That we do hereby dsenre ourselves T,e
and dp,nten people; arr. and right ought 3, h.
eRn and sefsovernng association under tho control
OF no power other than that OF and general
government of the Cong',": to the maintenance of
which independence ee soemny Tsdge treh other
mwId cooperation. our Urea Jiruae md our most
| Saered Lonof."
| The italicized words occur also in the
Declaration OF July 4. 1776. The word lin
herent" was stricken out OF tho original
draft of the Declaration. The words Brit
ish Crown" and "are and OF right ought
to be" were inserted by amendment made
| in Congress. being taken from resolution
| OF June 7. offered by RICHARD HENRY LEE.
How Is it possible" said JOHN ADAMS
| In his letter to THOMAS JEFFERSON, THAT
| this paper should have been concealed from
| me to this day? Had 1t been communicated
to me In the time OF it. I know. II you do
not. that it would have been printed In
every Wing newspaper upon this continent.
| You know that il had possessed it. l would
have made the hall Of Congress echo and
reGcho with 1t fifteen [fourteenl months be-
fore your Declaration OF Independence.
In reply. JEFFERSON said on July .. 1919:
| And you seem to think It genuine. I believe It
spurious deem to be very uujustihable quiz Ike
that OF the volcano infinitely related to having
| broken out In North Carolina half dozen years
burnt to Mr.. ALEXANDER who Is dead to Joint letter
| from cAswxLL- HuGHEs. and HooPER members OF the
Congress Of l775 ali dead to copy sent to the dead
cAswELl- and another sent to Or. WILLIAMSON. now
probably dead whose memory did not reooect In the
history he has written OF North Carolina Qsl2) this
gigantic step OF the county OF Mecklsnburg HosRr.
too 10 silent in his history of tGen.l MAHos, whose
scene of action was the country bordering Meek.
enburg; RAMSAY. MARSHALL JONES, GIRARDs. wIRL his
tor.ans of the adjacent States all silent When Mr.
PAraiokl HySRrs resolutions far short OF indepen.
dencs new like lightning through every paper. aud
kindlsd both sides OF the Atlantic. this flaming dec
| iaraton OF the same date Of the indspen dsncs Of