The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-05-21
MECKLENBURG'S HISTORIC DAY.
Continued from pugo 1.

graduate you especially that there is
something else which the tooth of time
has wholly spared. 1 congratulate you
that after all the researches of thrir con-
Temperatures, their historians, and their
critics, here, too, you can hold fast and
kesp forever updisturb.d your vencra
ton for tho gray forefathers Of the
State, and all your pride in the authentic
precursors of American independence.
Fellow citizens of North Carolina, it
Is not quite enough to say that the
Mechlenburg patriots Of 1915 won and
wear the unilue famo Of the precursors
of American independence. The North
Ca DINA Koh-i-noor blazes from Il
broader facet with IL finer light. Tho
Meckenburg patriots &C l7T5 also car
ried onward the worry evangel of Dcmoc-
racy!
81 peruse these authentic, unques-
toned resolutions, tho tcxt undisputcd,
the record contemporary and continuous
and clear, and care not what went be-
sore or came after, for l say, severance
from and Independence of the parent
State are hoe. But also every mark
OF the highest style of 'solf-government
is here.
Shall wo find in the immortal Dec
laratlon OF Independence which Jeffer-
son penned surer, Grmer grasp of
government by tho people, OF tho pco-
pie, for tho people than that?
1T will never be found, except by
those who could make the mistake
which your forefathcrs never made
tho installing Of Mecklcnburg county
for North Carolina, the MISLEADING of
North Carolina for tho United Colonies
of North America.
This great decision of tho Mecklen-
burg forcfathers, | say, bears every
mark of the highest style of self-gov-
ernment. OF pure Democracy there is
no finer type. No orders came thunder
ing down from the seat of centralized
power. They converscd with one an
other and determined their course in
this county Of Mecklenburg, and then
staked the fortunes and the lives Of
frcomcn as of less value than their Ito
erty.
Liberty to do what? Liberty 20 es-
tabiish justice and maintain it: liberty
70 surround and guard their own social
order with all their united force; liberty
To keep CIT the entertainments of the
officers Of Government, by keeping in
hand tho sum and methods Of taxation,
and holding the tenure of the officer at
The pleasure OF his constituents Such
is the attitut c of frcrmen. Such is the
mind Of the Democrat Democrat in the
breadest sense. mean. And then,
what courage Of the patriot
Can you conceive Of servility in souls
like theirs? Can YOU conceive Of en-
agogue making Roadway in that com
pany?
The M,cklenbnrg patriots. in their
parish or county council, struck for
self-governnent instantly resolved to
risk poverty, defeat, outlawry, danger,
imprisonment and death Well did
they know their undertaking was no
holiday AFT Air. 1t meant privation,
tanEruD tcy, separation from home and
from friends, protracted military ser
vice. sickness, suffering and every peril
incident to hazardous rebellion. De-
feat did not dismay thom, trsachery
did not destroy their confidence, ieal-
ousies did not divide their c0un-
ellis, blunders did not cast them
down, and success dill not un-
duly exalt them. They were
plain people -honest, earnest, stead
fast and true. They fought for prin-
ciplcs, and not for spois: for their
country, and not for power; for pros.
perity, and not for themselves alone
They commended against the injustice of
taxation without duo representation,
against the inequality of governmental
burdens, againsS the rXacUions OF arbi-
lrary power. against the imposition of
standing armies to harass the people
and eat out heir substance, against
non resident otliceholders, and against
attempt - max. the military superior
TO civil authority. 4 holier cause never
enlisted the efforts Of frecmen; nobler
type Of freemcn mover walked this
earth
"The Mecklenburg declaration was
momen,ous in it's consequences because
IL was the inception Of "a successful re-
volution. IL was never rctracted IL
WAS unique. 1t was SO startling in its
boldness, so grand in it's conception so
potent in It's influence tor the good of
mankind, and so securely intrenched in
those eternal principles which it con-
cisely embodied, that it stands forth
conspicuous as an unprecedented event,
wholly American page in the history
OF tho worlds progress. That it largely
influenced the subsequent similar action
of the united colonies cannot stand in
need of proof. 1t kindlcd the fires of
liberty everywhere. 1t encouraged the
dream and hope Of separate govern
ment. 1t cheered the weak hearted and
the wavering, invigorated the just de.
mands OF the people, and quarried the
corner stone OF the foundations of all
our future greatness.
The great central and important
thought Of the Mecklenburg declaration
was the idea of self-government which
it boldly embodied. 1t was a protest
against oppression 1t was also dis
tinct Reputation Of the divine right of
kings. The wisdom OF the convict
then embodied in the Mecklenburg as
sumption of self-governmenth swe been
vindicated by over a hundred years.suc-
cessful administration of this repub bile
We may safely assert that our form of