The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-20
MECKLENBURG DECLARATION
TO-DAY THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY
or ITS ADOPTION.


Bosom of the .'Tarheel" Wherever
He Is, to swell With Pride-The
story of the Famous Declaration
and Its Defense by North CAROLYN
ians-The Unwilling of the Shipp
Monument at Charlotte TO-mOr-
row in Honor of a Hero of san
Juan Hill.
To-day is date which causes the
bosom of every true "Tar-heel' TO swell
with pride, for it is the one hundred
and twenty-seventh anniversary of the
s.Mecklenburg Declaration of Independ-
ence. The Scotch-Irish settled large
" in the interior of the old North
state" and early showed opposition to
the claims of Parliament to impose
taxes and regulate the internal policy of
the colonies" To ascertain what were
the wishes of the people Col. Thos. Polk
issued an order directing each captain
of militia" to call a meeting of his
company for the express purpose of
cecting two delegates from his COM
pany to meet in Charlottetown on the
18th day of May, giving them ample
power to adopt such measures as SEEM
ed best calculated to promote the rights
of the colonies and to aid their breth-
rem in Massachusetts.
At the appointed time the delegates
met and We're addressed by Rev. Heze-
kiah Balch, Ephraim Brevard and Will
liam Kennon, lawyer. On this par
e
of the battle of Lexington was re-
ceived and no doubt had it's influence
on the events that shortly followed.
Let Is BE independents"
a large concourse of people had as
sembled to witness the proceedings, and
these. as well as the delegates, catch
ing the spirit of the occasion, cried
out Let US be independent, Let us
declare our independence and defend
it with our lives and our fortunesl' A
committee was appointed to draw up
resolutions. A set which DR.. Brevard
had already prepared was reported
with amendments as follows:
First. Resolved, That whatsoever
directly, or indirectly, abets or in any
way, for or manner countenances the
invasion of our rights, as attempted by
the Parliament of Great Britain, is an
TO the rights of men.
Second. Resolved, That we. the cit
liens of Meckenburg county do here
by dissolve the political bonds which
have connected US with the mother
country and absolVe ourselves from
all allegiance to the British crown, alb.
juring all political connection with a
nation that has wantonly trampled on
our rights and liberties and inhuman-
" shed iOnoeaDt blood of Apnarinaps
at Lexington and Concord
Third. Resolved, That we do here
by declare ourselves a free and indie
pendent people; that we are, and of
right ought to be- a sovereign and
lt-governing people under the power
of God and the General Congress; to
the maintenance of which Independence
we solemnly pledge to each other our
mutual cooperation, our lives, our
fortunes. and our most sacred honor.
Fourth. Resolved, That we hereby
ordain and adopt as rules of conduct
all and each of our former laws, and
that the crown of Great Britain cam
not be considered hereafter as hold
ing any. rights. privileges, or immuni-
ties amongst us.
Fifth. Resolved. That all officers,
both civil and military. in this county
be entitled to exercise the same pow
ers and authorities as heretofore; that
every member of this delega ton shall
henceforth be a civil officer and exer-
else the powers of a justice of the
peace, issue process, hear and deter
mine controversies according to law,
preserve peace. union and harmony in
the county, and use every exertion to
spread the love of liberty and coun-
try until a more general and better
organized system Of government be es-
Ia blished
sixth Resolved That copy of
these resolutions be transmitted by ex-
press to the president of the continent
tai congress, assembled in Philadel-
phia, to be laid before that BODY
These resolutions were unanimously
adopted and subscribed to by the dele
gates, as follows: Abraham Alexan-
der. chairman; John McKnitt Alexan-
der, secretary; Ephriam Brevard Hez-
ekiah J. Balch. Charles Alexander.
Zacheus Wilson, SEN. John Phifer,
James Harris, William Kennon, John
Ford, Richard Barry, Henry Downs,
Ezra Alexander, William Graham, John
Queary. Hezekiah Alexander Waight-
still Avery, Benjamin Patton, Matthew
Mcclure, Neil Morrison. Robert Irwin
John Flenniken. David Reese, John
Davidson, Richard Harris. Sen, Thorn
as Polk.
Cap. James Jack was dispatched as
a special messenger, bearing a copy OF
the resolutions and a letter of explana-
ton to the President of the Continental
Congress then sitting in Philadelphia
The President returned a polite an
swer to the address which accompanied
the resolutions, in which he highly ap.
proved of the measures adopted by the
delegates of Mecklenburg, but deemed
the subject of the resolutions prema.
ture to be laid before Congress"
The Records Burned.
The records of the proceedings OF
May 1920 were intrusted to John Nc.
Knit Alexander, secretary of the
General Committee" and, unfortu.
nately. were burned in April, 1900 II
September, 1900 the secretary wrote
from memory a copy of the declaration
which is known to historians as the
'Davie Copy (since it was done at the
instance of Gen. Davis).
Judge Martin. in his history of NORTH
Carolina, chapter XI, Vol. II, quotes
the declaration as presented above
giving the VI section. which is omit.
ted from the Davis Copy" Judge
Martin informs us on page 397, Vol
II, that he procured copies of the pro.
ceedings of the General Committee
from the records. magazines and ga.
zettes" of that time.
The gazette that contained the pro