The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-06-22
1By Savoyard in Washington Post,

IBy SavOyard IN washington POST
Some ten days Or two weeks 9
the people Of North Carolina hello a
celebration commemorative OF the
Mecklenburg Declaration Of Indepsn-
dence, and Champ Clark went down to
Charlotte and delivered an eloquent,
ornate, and patriotic speech, in which
he took occasion tG discuss the diff
ferent way the North ana the South
dock on history. There is some dis
pute as to the Mecklenburg declara-
tion; but then it is denied that Thorn
as Jefferson was the author Of the
declaration hat the Continental
Congress proclaimed July 4, 1916. It
is claimed that an American school
boy wrote the Charge of the Light
Brigade" and sent it to Tennyson, WHO
stole the sentiment and much Of the
verse. 1t would be impossible to con-
vince a North Carolinian hat there
was no M~ecklenburg declaration, and
for all sentimental purposes the de-
ClaratiOn at M~ecklenburg exists, AMI
is immortal in the Carolinias and the
Southern States that are their daught-
erS.
Mr.. Clark cited in his speech now
careful Massachusetts is to preserve
every little dab of history that can
possibly augment her renOWn, while
at the South there is small DISPOSE
tions to save great big chunks of MIS-
tory that would add to the glory Of
that section. With the possible eX-
ceptiOn of New York, there was moro
blood shed in South Carolina for our
independence than in any other colony
and yet the cOncenSuS of impression
in the United States is that Massachu-
sets conquered Our liberty in two or
three SkirmiShes around Boston, Wnlla
the fact is there was more patriot
blood shed in a single battle in South
Carolina than in all New England
during the entire seven years Of war.
Everybody everywhere has heard Of
Israel Putnam; it is only at the South
that Francis Marion is a hero. Every
survivor of the men Putnam led got
o nthe pension roll; you will not f1nd
there, nor on the roll Secretary OF
War Knox made. the names Of Mar
ions men. Bunker Hill, was an
American defeat, and there is a mOnu-
ment there; Kings Mountain was the
most brilliant American victory OF the
entire a Of Independence, gained by
the militia of Virginia and the Caro-
linas, but who would have the effront-
cry to put Kings Mountain besides
Bunker Hill? A distinguished United
States Senator, from New England,
until late in life. thought George Rog-
erS Clark was the Clark who made the
expedition to the Northwest with
Lewis. Now, George Rogers Clark
was one of the greatest men Il cOun-
try or any other country ever pro
duced. Had he been a New Englander,
his name would have been as historic
as John HancOck's for he was Il greater
man than New England has yet pro
duced. and did more for his country.
/ have heard that it vas with money
gained in the African slave trade tina
Peter Fanueil was enabled TO provide
Boston with The Cradle OF Liberty"
What | am trying to emphasize is
this-the bulk of the American ais
tory that has been written makes tie
impression that New England gained
our independence, founded pOliti-
cal system, and is the jbutt-cutt OF
American character and the upper
crust of American intelligence. :
have no quarrel with New England
because of that impression that she
has created and fostered. | do have
quarrel with that stupidity of Ameri-
can citizenship that accepts it as truth
aad believes it.
Leaving the Mecklenburg dec'ara-
tion out of the account, the first
heart to feel the spirit of indepen-
dence on this hemisphere pulsated in
the bosom of Patrick Henry and his
was the first voice TO proclaim 1t. JEFF
fersOn's pen vitalized the fundamental
truth that Henry's tongue had utter
ed. and W%aShingtOn's sword achieved
it. And then, when the battle was
over, the victory won, independence
gained liberty secured, it was the
thought of Virginia that dominated the
convention that formed the Constjtu-
ton of the United States. Mason
and Madison were the eXemplar> I
Virginia opinion, and their fundomler-
tai ideas prevail in every States con-
stitution between the Appalachian
Chain and the Pacific Ocean. That
rude and hardy population that
vent from Virginia and SEIZED
in Ohio Valley and made Ohio
and eKntucky and their sisters
of what is now come to be called the
Middle West what they are, carried
with them the political politics that
fourished in Virginia and was crys-
tallized into the American SYSTEM
Those adventurous spirits were not
c~ollegiates; they knew nothing OF
Latin and Greek; they could not have
o1nde the prOfundities of an Emer-
son. and they would have condemned
the sentimentalities of a Whittier; but
a estate builders. as constitution
makers, as trustees Of liberty, they
were the salt of the earth, the fore
most race of men this or any other
country oyer saw. They were swift
to the battle, slow to the pension roll.
They or their fathers had gained
Kings Mountain and forced the sur
render at Yorktown, and now they
-oro ~ ,Yv;n~ ryocfuar6 tho STAR Qf