davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1906-09-14

The later returns from the fall ex-
aminafions for teachers certificates
snow practically AZ many applicants
this year as for last year at the fall
examinations. The total this year be-
ing s2s. while for last year. s7s tried
for the certificates. 1t Is not improb-
able that another examination may be
hsid later In the fall IL there are
enough applications TO warrant such
ACTON, but that matter Is one which
vdn be governed entirely by circum-
stances.
The Washington times., 1906-05-13
The Original Was Burned

Martins History Of North Carolina
written 1871 to 1879. in which the author
cites contemporary documents and
records as authorities for his aocount
OF the Mecklenburg declaration
Major Gardens Anecdotes OF the
American Revolution whose author
personally knew Col Thomas Polk
and other 01eclzlenhurg soldiers.
The sehoolboy's defamation. deliver
ed in 1899 at Sugar Creek Church. three
miles from Charlotte. II begins: "On
the 18th CT May. I775, a day saeredly
exultinE to every BIecklenburg bosom.
two delegates duly authorized from
every militia company in this county
met in Charlotte
The Davie copy. Of the Declaration.
written out from memory BY John Nc
Knit Alexander after the burning Of
the original manuscript n his home.
The Bethania records OF the Moray
Ian Church. preserved al salem. y. c.
These records. written IN German
script, have been carefully kept every
year from 1855 70 1906 A page COW
ering the events OF the year I775 be-
gins as follows.
AT the end OF l775 I cannot omit 20
mention that already IN tie summer of
the same year-that is 20 say. n May.
June. or July-the county Of Meckien-
burg, II North Carolina. did declare
itself free and independent from Eng
land. and did make such disposition
for the administration OF law as later
on the Continental Congress estab-
Iisned for the whole But this pro
ceeding Congress looked upon rs TOO
premature
An account of a Fourth % July cole
hration held IN Charlotte IN 1913 print
81 In the Raleigh Register OF July ..
Is0s. a toast az a banquet was as fol-
lows: by Joseph Pearson-'The pa
trlots Of Mecklenburg. the first 70 de-
clare Independence. May their sons
be the last 10 acknowledge themselver
slaves
The Washington times., 1906-05-13

would not have regarded them or recoE-
n.zed rh,-r presence
Threats to assassinate Mr.. Gladstone
worried him considerably. lie never.
however. had the slightest fcar Of as
sassination- u was the poliSe nrecIC-
tt,rs ttat worried him. T0-y made him
wreJcl Cd and irritable He cn1sd rover
FORGE -oat there were detectives watch
ing over him. He was most courteous
and kindly To those who had the re-
spousihIe duty 70 perform. bur he could
not resist the tcmptation To give them
the sin whenever IL was possible
lie used 10 escape from the room by a
CONVENIENT private door or-at Harvard
en-bv one Of the windows reaching to
the lawn and go of for an hour or SOS
ramble by himself. free from watchers
H:s hat hanging on a neg I'm the hall
was no guarantee that its owner was in
doors That har fooled many a dctec-
tive. while Gladstone was calmly walk
Ing the streets outside ju a hat nc had
secretly smueejcd i.L Al Hawarden he
wnii-ed the detectives thin whose duty
{. We 20 keep him IN sight on his
ra mbles-
sessed OF such fearless courage The
h hsalth or one irish secretary was known
to- have been wrecked by plots made
aEainsJ his lie which were only de
fcated 0y The cleverness OF Scotland
yard. Another home secretary was
driven TO resignation by them
The immense nerve of Napoleon III
is said to lav- been broken by the
threats uf an :taiion secret revolution
svy society 90 take MS life For years
the Emperor lived. as IL were. on the
brink OF volcano. His life was not
worth : months purchase Myriads Of
police :rl,s brought I'm daily reports
of plots assassinate him and he drove
about in "A specially constructed car
riage. the -tdes of which We're secretly
plated with iron. One night as he and
The Empress Eugene We're proceeding
10 the opera house a miscreant threw
"a bomb be.seath The carriage. which
eXpl.ded scattering death and wounds
;sl around
uirlcul0rslN and appeared in ihelr box
az the opera ss c-,llals 40 II nothing
had habpened That night when dil
was stii- al the Tuilleries one of lhe
attelfdants Saw the Emperor Soii
gliding To The room where the prince
imperial Lay asleep The Emperor stood
The Washington times., 1906-05-13

beside the sleeping boy and bent over
him. while the tears CourScC down MS
face as he looked AT the child, then he
slipped back 10 his own room as sotJlN
he had come. From that day the
terror of sudden death lay on him
heavily
Gordon.s lie was often IN the direst
peril from murderOus hands in different
parts of the world He sCOrued all ideas
OF protecting himself and declared that
" hen Providence ceased 70 protect him
one occasion persons who sought 10
murder him were completely disarmed
by the noble presence and wonderful
calm Of the man
Burke. the Irish under secretary at
Dublin castle. who met his death with
Lord Frederick Cavendish IN Phoenix
Park under the daggers OF Carey : IS
ssssius. was a man who was doSged oy
death for long time He laughed at
all threats. absolutely refused L. be
guarded and would carry nothing but
slight walking cane
James Carey. the man who orEanizsd
ths murders Of Burke and Cavend-sh.
and then sought 20 secure safety oy
turning iUf0Tmer against ms less guilty
and deluded associates, was terrified
nearly 10 ma dness when he learned that
he was marked Cor death by some OF
Scotland Yard faithfully fulfilled its
pccyrise TO do all IL could TO secure his
safety. He was kept IN hiding. rs
guised guarded. smuggled out of the
country on q steamer The detectives
watched over their lOathSOme charge
with IVnX-eyed vigilance but Carey 81 u
death in every shadow. rrembled at rhe
apnroaCh Of innocent strangers and
hr01n into parOXySms OF ah1ect. terror
Wis nreSeBtimentS proved 70 be cor
.ect There was one passenger on board
-he vessel that conveyed Carey away.
OF whom alone he had no fear That
was tho man who. when the vessel one
dav drew near its destination. sudden
Is leve1ed his revolver and shot Carey
dead. They bad just before been play
in~ a game Of cards together
The SOvereiC en- who IS most mtsera ble
through q dread Of assassination TODAY
is the sultan No one perhaps knows
what good cause he NAV have Tor fNar.
People who have come face 20 face
with him have noted the strange terror
I'm his ewes which tells the story Of
how he is haunted. he appears like
one gazing at some unknown horror
He does not know what stealthy thing
NAV come upon him Yet in actual
danger ~ Is brave enough When his
palace was shaken by m ear hama ke
tnat sent the cOurtiers living IN all d.
r-ctf0us To escape from the walls that
threatened 60 crush him ann them tie
sultan sat calmly iu his chair 1nd be-
-r1vad NOT the slightest fear-indeed a
smile Iit M the dark Somber face a.
30 noted the fright OF his companions
He was amused
The Washington times., 1906-05-13
AFTER
MaU


each other our lives. our fortunes. and
our sacred honor" are lifted" bodily
from the Mecklenburs 20 the Phpadel-
phia document.
In the absence OF actual documents
historians have given scant attention
to the assertions OF the Mecklenhurg
people, but some evidence which has
recently been discL- erred particularly
the record IN the M0ravian Church az
Salem. \. c.. makes Il appear that
to MecklenburE must 90 all the credit
It's people claim.
For The last i've years Prof Alex
ander Graham. DR.. George Graham
and r. o. Alexander. three Charlotte
citizens. have been collecting evidence
to prove that the convention Was held
at Charlotte and that declaration
The Washington times., 1906-05-13

military into the neighborhood coUnues
to arrest suspected persons.
In the early days Of the nineteenth
century: Notwithstanding the fact that
there were men living who attended as
delegates. It was denied tha. agv s1i,-;.-
meeting as shat at Charlotte had beea
held. and there were many Jerso,.S
who sconed al the ment }n OF the
MecRlenburg Declaration. Thtse who
testified TO being at the meeting then
found themselves in rather awk-
ward position. because there was no
documentary evidence TO support III I'm.
This was because all the records ue--
tsining to the meeting and the org
nal copy. Of the declaration were burn
ed with the home Of the secretary.
John McKnitt Alexander. in April. 1900
The opposition 10 the belief in the
au:henticitv OF the MecI5leuburE Decla-
ration was led by Jefferson IN 1919
duplicate Of what is known as "the
Davie copy" OF the resolutions was
printed in The Raleigh *. % Register.
II was widely copied and commented
upon by The spapers or the land.
WHO expressed Salpri-s tina, il had. not
been more eidely heralded Among
fise papers that copied it was the Es-
sex t9dass3 Register. an issue Of which
fen into the hands Of Jehn Adams, lie
The Washington times., 1906-05-13
Made jefferson INDIGNANT

Jefferson IS said TO have been not a
little nettied at the comments through
out the country regarding the re-
markabIe similarity in phraselogy
between the Mecklenburg Declaration
and the Fourth Of July Declaration
a year later. OF which he was the
author. In fact. some went 50 raV as
to accuse jefferson OF plagiarism
on the face Of II the charge seems
reasonable Not that there are any
actual sentences from the Mecklen-
burg Declaration reproduced in the
The Washington times., 1906-05-13
gHOMAS JSFFgR son.
AUTHOP OF THS J6UO1D HID3
ACGSPEU DSCkARAfTCN

and the general congress: to the main
tenance or which Independence We
solemnly pledge 20 each other our
mutual cooperation. our lives. our
fortunes and our most sacred honor.
Nv. Resolved. That we hereby or
dain and adopt as rules OF conduct
all and each OF our FORMER laws. and
that the crown OF Great Britain can
not be considered hereafter as holding
any rights. privileges or immunites
amongst us
~. Resolved. That all Officers. both
civil and military. IN this county. be
untitled to exercise the same powers
and authorities as heretofore; that
every member * this delegation shall
hence9orth be a civil officer and exer-
else the powers Of a Justice Of the
peace. issue process. hzar and deter
mine controversies according 10 the
law. preserve peace. union and har-
mony in the county. and use every en-
deavor to spread the love OF liberty
and OF country until a more general
and better organized system Of gov
eminent be established.
vi Resolved. That q copy Of these
resolutions be transmitted by express
to the President OF the Contir tai
Congress assembled in Philadelphia
to be laid before that body"
These resolutions were unanimously
adopted and subscribed BY all the dele
gates present at ? a M. May %. 15i5
They were tSen read to the crowds
assembled in the village. who vel
coined them with hurrahs and enthusi-
astic shouts. which Is why the good
people Of Charlotte get together every
year and celebrate on May % the an
niversary OF the first American Decla-
ration Of Independence.
Captain Jack. a hotel keeper IN Char
lotte. few days later was dispatched
on horseback 10 Philadelphia, where a
copy OF the resolutions was placed IN
the hands Of the President of Congress
and copies were delivered to the three
delegates in Congress from North Caro-
lima Congress cautiously approved OF
the resolutions. but deemed the action
a little premature" Congress was
conservative. It was going very slow.
It was not at all sure that Il wanted
10 break with the mother country Il
was. according TO Martins History. ''ac-
tuaHy preparing a petition 10 King
George III. which was subse-
ouently subscribed by every member
on July s. E775. declaring. We have
not raised armies with the ambitious
design Of separating from Great Brit
ain and establishing independent
States -
The Washington times., 1906-05-13

Immediately mailed it 10 Jefferson.
with the following remarks:
Ycu know that II l had possessed it
I would have made the halls OF Con
g-ess 10 echo and re-echc with Il
fifteen months before your Declaration
Of Independence. What a poor. igno~-
ant. malicious. crapulous mass IS Tom
Paine's Common Sense IN compari-
son with this paper Had known 81.
would have commented upon 1t from
the day you entered Congress until
the Fourth of July. 1776."
Jenerson's reply was; You seem
TO think It genuine. believe 1t spu-
rtous. 1 deem it to be a very unJusti-
fable quiz"
The Washington times., 1906-05-13

xv ILLIANSON. the head Of Scot
AN/ land Yard. once declared that
" v the most nerve-racking test
man could be put 10 was ire
dread Of assassination Some men who
were the braVest u war aud in meet
iuE an open fee were tortured almost
20 the point Of breaking down by the
dread of secret lurking. sudden death.
During his eXperieUCe az Scotland Yard
it was some tir,es his d:sacreeable duty
10 convey 10 certain pcrsonages the in
timation that their ljves were in danger
and 20 take steps to insure their safety.
At the present time. perhaps. the most
Interesting person whose life Is IN dan
ger from the assassin is Count Witte.
tie great Russian statesman The blow
IS dreaded from a secret source, not
from the ordinary quarter from which
have enanated so many Russian mur-
ders Of high persouaees. The count is
surrounded by faithful servants. who
guard him wherever he goes: his rooms
are searched for hidden irtruders and
his food is carefSny tested for poison
The count himself laughs at all pvecau-
tions and refuses 10 take any for him
self. Injured 10 dangers. he seems not 10
care what happens 10 him.
"Pah, ! do my best and viii take
what comes. he exclaimed To one WHO
expostulated with bim on his rashness.
The nOnchalauce Of Count W!tte has
had its counterpart in many OF our own
modern statesmen, who have az times
had the disagreeable experience or
knowing their lives were threatened
AR Balfour. when chief secretary for
ireland made himself so obnoxious 70
a small section Of desperate couspir-
ators that his life was in danger for
several months. Scotland Yard looked
after him most viSilantlv Detectives
hovered around him. secured the streets
In front of h,m and followed him a.
distance ready for any ev~ptuaiity. lie
uersisted in maintaining that the both
err was quite unnecessary and after a
first protest asain:f II s"a,Ge1 20 DIS
miss all thought OF IL from h'@ raird-
As 10 giving any intim@iion - the &C.
t-ctfves as TO where he was going When
hs would ~ or what iie was about such
an idea I-ever apleared 90 occur 20 htf's
fIe would walk out of his 1ifice wraot
in deep thouel5 and uroceed CALMLY
,i.rouLn Jht streets. ttnsi- s.su- 81 eNctN
one near him A dozea desperate 5Hgn
might have been at his elbow and he
The Washington times., 1906-05-13
KnoWn to Lafayette

That Lafayette had heard OF the
NIscklenburE declaration. and believed
thoroughly that & antedated that
adopted IN Philadelphia was evident
from the toast he offered when enter
tained at a public dinner IN the COVER
nor's mansion at Raleigh. the capital
Of North Carolina. on March ,. ISz5.
The state OF North Carolina. its
metropolis. and the 10Th OF May. I775.
when a generous people called for IN
dependence and freedom. OF which may
they more and more forever cherish
the principles and enjoy the blessings"
It seems probable that future histor-
fans VIII give more space 70 the Meek
lenburs claims than they have been
wont 70 receive. and more credence
than Jefferson was willing 20 allow
them. Roosevelts action In sending
United States troops 70 take rart in
the celebration. which IS practically
an official recognition OF the truth
OF 8Iecklenburg' contention. was fore
shadowed IN a speech delivered at Raj
elEh during the Presidents Southern
trip last fall He said then:
1T was IN North Carolina that the
Necllenburg Declaration OF Indepen-
dence foreshadowed the course taken
IN a few short months by the rePresen-
tatIves or the thirteen colonies as
seu7bIed IN Philadelphia North Caro-
lima can rightfuily say that she point
cd Us the way which led Us to Cha
formation Of the rev nation
HIS action now IS merely additional
evidence Of the Presidential habit OF
standing by his beliefs.
The Washington times., 1906-05-13
Sci Up Lndependent eouernment

Charlotte. according 10 the same au-
thority. Immediately set up a provis-
ional government The delegates at
Charlotte being empowered 10 adopt
such measures as in their opinion would
host promote the common cause. estab-
lshed variety OF regulations for
managing the concerns Of the county.
Courts OF Justice were held under
direction Of the delegates. For some
months these courts were neld at
Charlotte: but for the convenience Of
the people-for at that time Cabarrus
formed ua,t OF MecBlenburg- other
places were selected. ana the courts
We're held at each ga rotation. The
delegates appointed a committee OF
thsIr body who Wt.re called "a commlt-
t-e Of safety. and they were empower
ed 20 examine am persons brought he
fore them charged with being insmical
TO the cammcu cause and To send the
The Washington times., 1906-05-13

Philadelphia Declaration. But there
are several places where the senti-
ments and phrasing Of the two are 50
absolutely Identical as 10 suggest to
the Impartial reader that whoever
wrote the later of the two had certain
" seen the former: and that while not
consciously plagiarizing perhaps. GER
tain telling and weIl-turned phrases
fingered IN his memory
In the second OF the NIecKenburg
resolutions occur the words dissolve
the political bonds. which have con
nected ms with the mother country -
almost Identical with phrase In the
famous preamble 70 the Philadelphia
Declaration And certain familiar
phrase In the Jefferson document. that
these United Colonies are and OF right
The Washington times., 1906-05-13
ECKLENRURG cn1rNTY

TN
North Carolina. begins
next Sunday the annual
~ celebration oS It's inde-
| II pendence. To the rest Of
the United States July
may be Independence Day-and Meek
icnburg county joins good-naturedly in
the celebration. But for Itself Meek
ienburg claims-and with some show Of
reason-to have been independent OF
Great Britain for over a year longer
than any other part OF the United
States. basing her contention on the
much-discussed but never officially
recognized Mecklenburg declaration Of
independence.
This year It is of1cial1y recognized
for the first time. President Roose-
Welt has ordered a company OF cav
airy from Fort Myer. a company OF
marines and the famous Marine Band
from Washington. and two companies
Of infantry from Atlanta. to go 10
Charlotte TO take part IN the celebra-
tion OF the 1S1st anniversary OF Neck
lenburg's declaration OF independence.
Next July the rest OF the country wiz
celebrate the 1sOth anniversary Of the
Declaration OF independence.
In thus giving the Mecklenburg dec
lsratlon Official recognition. Roosevelt
comes very near 10 accusing Thomas
Jefferson Of plagiarism. For more
than century the NeckIenburg de-
laration has been in dispute, and
Thomas Jefferson was. when the oues-
ton first arose. most vehement IN de-
nouncinE its authenticity. There ap-
pears To have been good reason why
he should take this position. FOR the
Declaration OF Independence OF which
he was the author was the same IN
part as that OF MecklenburE. and as
the Mecklenburg document antedated
the Philadelphia one by more than a
year. Jefferson would be shown 10 be
a copyist and not the originator OF
some OF the most stirring sentences IN
the Philadelphia declaration Il ne ad-
mitted what was claimed by the Neck
lenburg advocates.
The Washington times., 1906-05-13

of independence vas signed. The evi-
dence they discovered is as follows;
a poem or piece Of doEgereI written
ir l777. which refers 20 "Mecklenburg'
fantastic rabbIe
"In Charlotte In gIddy council"
The deeds stul IN the Necklenburg
county courthouse. dated from the
MecklenburC declaration. For instance:
This 'iudenture made the 18Th day Of
The Washington times., 1906-05-13
The NeokLenbura DeoLnrntion

Here. briefly is the history OF the
''Niecklenburg declaration which
takes It's ranne from the fact that
Charlotte. where the convention which
promulgated it was held. IS IN Afecklen-
burg county-a county which was. in
No. Inhabited almost entirely by peo-
pie Of scotch-Irish blood. descendants
q pioneers Of independent spirit who
emigrated to America in the Eight
ecnth Century and drifted down
through New Jersey, Pennsylvania.
Delaware. and Maryland TIL they ar
rived in the rich Piedmont section Of
North Carolina. the county seat. now a
prosperous little city OF 2O.00O inhabi-
tants. was then a scattered village OF
perhaps twenty houses. IN en- agricuI-
rural community, simple IN its tastes
land plain IN its living. but which had
in 1t men OF considerable intellect and
polisl,
In the months Of March and April,
1T75. the country was IN e generally
disturbed condition. The excavations
Of the British crown were becoming
exasperatinK. Meetings were held in
which the leading men OF the com
munity voiced their opposition TO the
alleged right OF Parliament 20 impose
taxes and regulate the internal policy
Of the colonies. At one OF these meet
inFs Col. Thomas Polk, commandant of
the county militia, was instructed 20
send message TO each captain Of
militia asking that two men be elected
from each company to be delegates 10
a general meeting 70 be held Mt Char
II te on the 18th OF May. They met
upon the day appointed. They were
addressed by prominent citizens. who
spoke Of the purpose OF the meeting
snd recited a list OF the wrongs they
had suffered at the hands OF the
crown. While this meeting was in ses-
sion the news OF the battle OF Lex
inEton. which had taken place IN
Massachusetts on April 19. arrived
The impression this news created was
profound The thronE OF spectators
who had gathered from all ove- the
surrounding country Immediately be-
came widely excited and there we're
loud cries Of Independence Let Us
declare our independencet' This news
OF the spilling OF blood at Lexington.
served to confirm the intention OF the
dn1nu7
things left to do
Abraham Alexander and John Nc
KNIT Alexander. both men Of standing.
were elected respectively chairman and
clerk Dr Ephraim Brevard. a grad
uate OF Princeton College, had drawn
up resolutions some time before. He
now presented them to the meeting.
with amendments. as follows:
I Resolved. That whosoever direct
" or indirectly abets or IN any wav.
form or manner countenances the in
vasion OF our rights. as attempted by
the parliament of Great Britain, is IN
enemy TO his country. to America. and
10 the rights Of man.
II. Resolved. That we. the citizens
OF Mccklenburg county. do hereby dis
solve the political bonds which have
connected Us with The mother country.
aud sbsolve ourselves from all allegi-
Hrce 70 the British crown. abjuring
AL political connection with nation
that has wantonly trampled on our
shed innocent blood OF Americans at
The Washington times., 1906-05-13

ought 70 be free and independent
States" rings reminiscent or the third
of Dr. Brevard-s resolutions: while the
closing words. we mutually pledge TO
The Washington times., 1906-05-13

"ArA and of Right Ought to Be %
IN NResolved, That We 10 hereby
declare ourselves a free and !ndepeud-
ent peopleA that We are. and OF right
ought to be\a soyereign and -self-eov-
erniHs people under the power Of Cod
The Washington times., 1906-05-13

February. 177s and in the fourth yesg
Of our Independence
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-12-24
FUNERAL OF ERNEST THOMPSON

The funeral of Ernest. son OF Mr.
and Mrs. Geo. w. Thompson, took
place this morning at the family res
idence in North Durango. Rev. Grace
preaching very touching sermon.
There was a large attendance of
friends and a profusion of flowers.
both cut and in pieces. 1t was a sad,
sad scene, and many tear was shed
A long line of carriages followed the
remains to Greenmount cemetery,
where the body was laid to rest In
this their hour of grief, Mr.. and Mrs
Thompson and family can rest assur-
ed of the united sympathy of the COM
munity. The daughter. who was ex-
pected from Denver last evening, will
not arrive till tonight, the telegram
not reaching her in time. and the
poor girl will find her loved brother
hidden from earthly sight and 1t will
be for her to see him in the next
world, where all is sunshine and hap
piness.