The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-05-29
(By Andrew J. Howell. Jr.)

tby AuuEtW j. 11OHCls yI-1
The people of North Carolina feel
a particular pride in the Mecklenburg
Declaration of Independence. 1t is an
episode of their history i'm whose real
ity they have the utmost confidence.
All the doubts that are hurled against
it have little influence with them in
abating the strength of tradition and
what they regard as conclusive histor-
icaI evidence. Tell a North Carolinian
that John Adams. or Thomas Jefferson
said that, as a member of the CONT
mental Congress, he knew nothing Of
the Declaration which was sent up for
the consideration Of the national body,
and he will say that a man Is never
so great that he knows everything that
transpires. If you tell him that lead
ing historians and public men Of our
country have displayed an utter ig-
norance of the event, he will answer
that North Carolina possesses a good
many facts of history hat are not
only unique, but are of prime impor-
lance in their formative character,
which have been strangely sighted by
history.
AS to the sending of a copy of the
Mecklenburg Declaration to the Con-
tinental Congress, it is claimed hat
the North Carolina members deemed
the time of its receipt as too "prema-
ture' to present it for b cOnSldera-
ton Of the congress-; and it seems 20
have been laid aside Indefinitely. AS
to the historic doubts there are prom
inent historians who have the conf
dence of the whole people who have
no share in them.
In Sartain's Magazine of December,
1S49, there is published the following
letter to Hon. D. l.. Swain, then pres
.ident of the University Of North Caro-
lima:
$50, Eaton Square.
London. 4 July, 1913.
MY Dear Sir: 1 hold it of good au-
curry that your letter of The 18th of
June reached me by the Herman, just
in time to be answered this morning.
You may be sure that I have SPAR
ed no pains to discover in the British
Paper Office, a copy of the Resolves
of the County of Mecklenburg; and
with entire success. A glance at the
map will show you that, in those days,
the traffic of that part of North Caro-
lima took a ~sOutherly direction, and
people in Charleston, and sometimes
even in Savannah, knew what was
going on il 'hIrl tie I.,wn' before
Governor Martin. The flst account of
the 'extraor1inl Try Resolves Ivy the
people IN Ch1r:otte Town.. MftE.en-
burg County was sent over to En3i2-'.d
by Sir James Writ; 1T, then $40 Tor
of Georgia, in Il letter of the 2Cth Of
June, 1878. The newspaper thus trans
mitted is still preserved, and is the
number 49S of the South Carolina Ga
Zette and Country Journal, Tuesday,
June Is, 1875. l read the Resolves,
you may be sure, with reverence, n
Immediately obtained a copy Of them;
thinking myself the sole d~iscOverer. I
do not send you the copy, as it is iden-
tically the same with the paper which
you enclosed to me: but / forward to
you a transcript of the entire letter of
Sir James Wright. The newspaper
seems to have reached him after he
had finished his dispatch, for the para
graph relating to it is added in his
own handwriting, the former part of
the letter being written by a secretary
or clerk.
Very truly yours,
GEORGE BANCROFT"
The letter of Sir James Wright re
ferred to by Mr.. Bancroft closes as
follows:
by the enclosed paper, your Lord
ship will see the extraordinary Re-
solves of the people of Charlatte Town,
in Mecklenburg Country; and I should
not be surprised if the same should
be done every where else"
The Resolves" referred to were res
olutions outlining form of government
for the county of Mecklenburg. They
were adopted on May 80, ITS: and as
TO the authenticity of the document
there a be little doubt. In fact, the
Rev. Francis l.. Hawks, D. D., L. S. D.,
in publishing a lecture delivered by
him before the New York Historical
Society at Metropolitan Hall, Deem
Der 16, 1852, was able to print a fac
simile of the subscriptions, made from
the original. These resolutions were