The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-02
Long Lost Copy of Cape
Fear Mercury.
COMM ENT BY COMMON
He Writes of the Finding BY DR.. Miller
of the MeckIenburg Declaration
Published in Collier. S and Gives
Interesting Historical Details
in This Connection.
BY II. ID. W. CONNOR.

| l have read with a great deal OF
interest the article in Golfers Weekly
of July /, entitled THE True Cradle
of American Liberty" in which the
writer claims TO have discovered the
long lost copy of the Cape Fear Mer-
curry Of June 3, 1875, sent by Gov
ernor Josiah Martin to Lord Dart
mouth and containing a copy Of the
Mecklenburg Declaration OF Indepen-
dence of May 20, 1175. Before we
accept this document as genuine and
as settling beyond all doubt the con-
troversy in regard TO the Declaration
II is well to note a few things about il.
There are three alleged copies of
the Mecklenburg Declaration of May
20 l. G., the Martin Copy the Gard
ner Copy and the Davie Copy. The
Martin Copy and the Gardner copy
are practically similar. differing only
in one case-the former using the
expression innocent blood Of Amer
leans, the later emitting the word
innocent" There is considerable diff
ference between these two copies and
the "Dayie Copy" The Martin Copy
is the copy published in Martins His
tory Of North Carolina. (yoI. II, p.
313.) Martin says that he took it from
the records, magazines and gaZettes"
prior to 1900. 1t is as follows:
Resolved, That whatsoever directly
or indirectly abets. or in any way,
form or manner cOuntenances the in
vaSion OF our rights as attempted by
the parliament Of Great Britain. is an
enemy to his country, to America and
the rights Of man.
Resolved, That we, the citizens OF
Mecklenburg county do hereby dis
solve the political bonds which have
connected Us with the mother coun>
try: 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 in
humanity shed the innocent blood of
Americans al Lexington.
Resolved, That We do hereby de-
clare ourselves free and independent
people, thai We are and Of right ought
10 be a sovereign and self-governing
people. under the power of God and
the general congress; to the mainte-
rance Of which independence We sol
EMMY pledge to each other. our mu>
Iual cooperation. our lives our for
tunes and our most sRcred honor
Resolved. That we do hereby or
dain and adopt IS rules Of conduct, all
and each of our former laws. and the
sidered hereafter as holding any rights
privileges or immunities amongst US.
Resolved That all officers civil and
military, in this country. be entitled 10
exercise the same powers and author
tiles as heretofore: that every men,
Der Of this delegation shall henceforth
be a civil officer and exercise the
powers Of a justice OF the peace. is
sue process, hear and determine con-
troyersies according to law, preserve
peace. union, and harmony in the
country. and use every exertion TO
spread the love Of liberty and of
country, until a more general and bet
ter organized system Of government
be established.
Resolved. That a copy of these res
olutions be transmitted. by express. to
the president Of the continental con-
gress. assembled in Philadelphia, To
be laid before that body
This is what the supporters Of the
Meeklenburg declaration Of May 20,
claim TO be a genuine copy of the
authentic declaration. Mr.. d. A.
Tompkins. in his History of Meek
lenbuTg County" (vol. II. p. 32,) says
of il. 'As it would have been virtually
impossible for an incorrect copy TO
have cO-existed with the original.
which was destroyed in 1900. this is
obviously a genuine reproduction.
DR.. George w. Graham Of Charlotte
in his most interesting address entitled
why North Carolinians Believe i'm
the Mecklenburg Declaration of Inde-
pendence of May 20. 1775,''' quotes
this copy from Martins history, giving
due credit, and accepts it as a copy
Of the genuine declaration Opp. Cd.