The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-06-27
THE REGULATORS.
BY ANNIE HOOVER


truths. History both ancient and
modern is but roll OF fame upon
which is inscribed the daring deeds OF
daring men in all OF the ages past.
MANY Of these heroes OF ancient days
seem 10 US as monsters OF cruelty, ana
yet notwithstanding the earth through
their acts has been from time to time
drenched with the blood Of the slain,
careful investigation OF the nations
of the world shows US that God has
used all these acts for the progress OF
humanity. 1t is only from this stand
point that we can look with any
degree Of complacence upon many OF
the bloody details Of history. With
this view we can understand some
thing of the rise and fall Of kingdoms
| and empires. The Orient, with It's
dvnasties of despots, gave way TO
a higher field of intellectual thought
on the plains of Marithon. Alexander
| buried for ever Asiatic supremacy on
! the fields Of Arbela and dissemlna-
| ted Greek thought and Greek Gull
| ture from his Macedonian home to
the Indus and Euphrates. Upon the
fall Of the Greek Empire Roman
| arms became victorious over the then
| civilized world. Like Greece, Rome
had her heroes whom they honored
with arches of triumph, and the high
est position within their gift. Upon
the breaking up OF the Roman En-
pire the nations of Europe had given
US long role Of mighty men Of
mighty deeds
Germany had her Armenous and
Charlemagne, Franco her Napoleon,
England her Wellington, to whom
they have raised shafts OF honor.
Nor is our own country behind in
giving the world those still greater and
illustrious characters whose names
have become household words tc
every American, whose memories are
venerated and almost wOrshlped by
Us who are beneficiaries of their noble
acts and self-sacriticing deeds. " {
mention with love the names OF Wash
ington, Putnam, Marion, and host
Of others. But there was band o.
men that was formed in North Caro-,
lima vino were first to resist the OPP
preston OF their mother country, ano
who shed the first blood for liberty IL
the battle Of Alamance.
North Carolina in its colonial days
had many Governors appointed by The
mother country to govern the colony
Each of these in succession seemed t(
vie with each other rs to which ohOul'
become the greatest tyrant.
nj = f.
minated in the commission OF Gov
TryOn in his administration which
had been growing worse for many
years came TO head. 1t was largely
due to his oppressive methods tina
North Carolina was driven t" war fol
liberty. Our colony mad never ha'
equal opportunities with our siSte'
colony. Our people were not allowed
to buy other than English goods from
English merchants Trade was in
terdicted and embarg0ed by act:
that gave the colony of Nirgini;
advantage Of our market. Added t
this was taxation without representa-
tion until the final passage Of The
stamp act. TO this may be added th'
appointment in many OF the district
of men to fill the various Offices wh'
were thoroughly corrupt and avari
cious. Among them the infamou
Tanning. of Orange, stood the mos
prominent. This man proved to be
worthy confederate of an unscrupu
lous tvrant. The acts Of oppression
committed by him drove the people 0
his district to arms. Herman Hus
bands, Il Quaker preacher, Il man o
talent and patriotism, was the leade
of this organized movement. Peti
ton after petition for the redress 0
their wrongs and the removal of Fan
ming had been sent to the Governor
To all these deaf ear had been turn
ed. Not only this, but the peOpl
had appealed to the courts for Justice
all Of which was denied. Husbands
who had been elected to the Legisla
ture which met in New Berne, wa
arrested, but made his escape. Thi
famed the flame of revolt and led tn
Regulators to attack the court in ses
sion at Hillsboro. This court wa
broken up, the Judge fled for safct
and the Regulators then took tn
docket of the court upon which the
: made many entries. This docket
still preserved in the court house {
: | Hillsboro.
, To overawe the patriots Governo
Tryon marched to Ilillsboro at tn
, head of the Loyalists.
Three thousand Regulators ha
been encamped near HilIsboro. Upo
the arrival of Governor Tryon the
fell back to Alamance Creek Trvo
pursued them to the banks OF tn
Alamance and here was fought tn
r | first battle for liberty in North Caro-
lima. The Regulators were var
quished, their leaders captured an
carried back to Hillsboro, tried b
drumhcad court martial. Seven {
these patriots were condemned to h
hung. On the morning Of their exc
cution Tryon himself was presen
directing the affair, This spot
4 still shown and the trees from whic
these brave men were hung still live
L in Cameron Park. This ended tn
Regulator war, but the seeds of libert
I which they had sown soon sprang "
4 few years more and the cause of tn
n Regulators was the cause OF the State
, and the cause of the State was tn
IL cause Of the American colony.
Truly the blood of these martyrs
{, liberty became the seed of freedom
Some historians have sought to di.
credit the action of the Regulator
during the war that followed. claim
! ing that they were Tories In som
instances this was true. but there
no reason to doubt that all of thos
who had not been compelled to TAX
the oath OF allegiance to the Trvo
government became ardent Whio
and fought with Light Horse Harr
Lee in his famous charge on Tarlton
cavalry at Wilson's Mill. in Orang,
Thus while other nations boast {
their heroes and raise granite shaft
to their memory, we can point wit
pride to Herman Husbands. jaime