The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1903-10-22


to her commander. As the sloop rounds
to her anchor there stands upon the
shore Colonel John Ashe and Colonel |
Hugh WaddeIl with two companies |
OF friends and gallant women at their |
backs. BY threats Of violence they in |
timidate the commander of the sloop. |
and he promises not to land the |
stamps. They seize the vessels boat. |
and hoisting a mast and flag mount 1t |
upon a cart and march IN triumph TO |
Wilmington. Upon their arrival the |
town is illuminated Next day with |
Colonel Ashe at their head the peoDla |
go in crowds TO the Cover eor's house |
and demand of him James Houston,
the stamp master Upon refusal to
deliver him up forthwith they set
head. Terrified the Governor at length
complies and Houston Is conducted to
the market house where, in the pres
ence Of the assembled people, he Is
made to take a solemn oath never to
execute the duties OF his office"
Il shall pronounce no eulogium' on
North Carolina. She needs none
There she stands. Behold her. and
judge for yourselves. Mark you, this
was more than ten years before the
Declaration Of dependence: more
than nine years before the Battle OF
Lexington. and nearly eight before
the Boston Tea Party. You will not
fail to remember that it was on the
18th day Of April. 1776, that the Prov
incial Congress in session at Halifax,
instructed her delegates to the Con
tinental Congress to concur with the
other colonies in a Declaration Of In
dependence. This was more than a
month before action was taken by Vir-
ginia, the home Of Washington and
jefferson. the zeal of whose people
had been innamed by the words of
living fire that lept from the impas
| stoned lips Of Henry With these
facts Of authentic history. known and
admitted Of all men. it should oc-
casiOn no surprise anywhere to hear
that it was this State, which on the
Goth Of May. ITS, at Charlotte, In
the county CT Mecklenburg, issued the
first Declaration of independence. Men
may doubt that the patriots of Meek
! lenburg used the very words which
have been handed down to us, but GER
tain it is that Governor Martin, whose
| seat Of government at that time for
reasons of safety, was aboard snip
in the Cape Fear, knew that they had
severed the bands which bound them
to Great Britain, for in proclamation
which he issued in August, 1775, he
used these words: I have also seen
most Infamous publication in The
Cape Fear. Mercury, importing to be
resolves Of a set of people styling
themselves a committee for the coun-
ty CT Mecklenburg most traitoroGsly
declaring the entire dissolution of the
laws. government and constitution Of
| hi frxy tyC q
Of rule and regulation repugnant to
the laws and subversive Of His Majes-
tvs government
cit was another great day for lib
erty when the patriots of this State,
Oh the 9th of February, 1776. gained
the signal victory at Moores Creek
over the Tories who were seeking to
unite their forces with those of Sir
Henry Clinton. The result of that early
victory for American arms broke the
backbone of Toryism and gave to the
patriots a zeal and confidence which
stood them in stead in the darkest
hours of the war for independence. II
was your ancestors who in this very
county fought the great fight OF Gull
ford Court House, and while suffering
a defeat, so cripped CORVALLIS that he
.. was compelled to yield his sword tt
Washington at Yorktown. When she
, had won her independence. North Car
olina set such store by it that she de
cilned to join the American UnioI
until the sovereignty Of the State, an;
the liberty of the individual had beer
+ provided for by the proposal Of th
; first ten amendments to the constltu
, ton of the United States. But once Ii
he Union this State loved it. The gov
, ernment was one of our own formatlol
: and our people have ever been Wlllln
, to yield obedience to the laws OF tnel
own enactment. Even when the peop.
thought the constitution had been vic
f dated and their rights infringed, thel
o .Cve for the Union was OgTeat ina
J. with singular unanimity they deter
i mined to remain in it and secure,
h possible. under the Stars and Stripe
g that protection to which they re-
4 themselves entitled. But when IN
t other Southern States went out OF tn
a Union, and we were brought lace
e face with the necessity of taking slde
u then our people, in convention aSsen
10 bied. without a single dissenting Vot
" | went OUT vi luc OAioA anu oo~S"o
a every cost to secure again that lnd
~ pendence which our father had Wo
; Late in going out, this State onere
p, the first life on the altar of the Souti
q. ern Confederacy. Having MADE up ~
N mind to fight for independence, 81
sent to the front more soldiers ths
. there we're voters within her borde
~ She lost more men in killed al
in wounded than any other Southel
n State; charged fartherest at Getty
4 | burg: laid down the greatest NUMB
., of guns at Appomatox, and quit q
~ fight with as deep regret as any OF
. sisters. l care not on which SIDE O.
fought in that great contest; t
~ achievements of North Carolina 81
nd diers were too great to excite brtte
do ness in any breast that loves nero
" sacrifice and daring deeds. Her N
On won for humanity still higher pia
"a for stubborn courage than had thei
M tofore been gained. They went into t
Inv fight reluctantly because OF their de
ri. love for the Union which their 1atne
On had cemented with their 5lood. In
ee went to the front well-clothed, we
all fed, in high spirits, certain OF succe
v They left at the end in tatters ana "a
os. foot-sore and hungry, but their LEI
,s' yatared the ground where the great
ne leader OF soldiers, the highest type
on Christian manhood, the purest ana [
-, est and the best of men, General no
he E. Lee, surrendered his SWORD. IL
IA came back to the State weary, w
They fcnnd the DO