The sun., 1909-05-19
THE MECKLENBUR9 DECLARE
TION.H
Harsh Words for that Fondly Cherished
Tar Heel Delusion Tradition.

Harsh Words for that Fondly Cherished
Tar Heel Dclusion Tradition.
To THE EpIroR OF TEE sus-Sir: Since
the announcement OF Mr.. Tdts Visit TO
Charlotte, n. c., this week to take part In
the annual celebration Of the so.called
Mecklenburs Declaration Of Indepsnd dence
TIE SuN has publishsd a letter from Dr.
Stephen b. Weeks. one Of the sblest histori-
cal writer's Of North Carolina, which ex-
pressss the wish OF nearly all students OF
the history Of that State. DR.. Weeks Gays:
Help " set Mr.. Taft right. Let him under
stand that the declaration Of May 10 ts
delusfon and q snare, fraud and myth.
that seems to be maintained now mainly
for the Glorifcation Of the descendants OF
the sisners." But TIE Sun merely con-
tinues to Jest with Elder Caldwell OF the
Charlotte Observer and Deacon Hemphnl
Of the Charleston Ners and Courier. who
nsht merry wars over the Mecklenburg
declaration. the birthplace OF Andrew
jackson, the merits OF North and South
Carolina near poetry. the Honekong gander
and the ten best things to eat.
In the meantime DR.. George W. Graham
Of Charlotte has come forward with some
Of the reasons why the people OF North
Carolina believe a declaration Of inde-
1920. 1775." His whole argument In based
on the language used by the royal Cover
nor Martin in describing certain proceed
ings In Mecklenburg county In ITS. DR..
Graham completely Ignores newly discov-
cred and conclusive evidence on this point
contained In my book on the Mecklenburg
declaration. published In 1907. and be has
repeated almost verbatim what he said In
his own work two years earlier.
The opponents Of the authenticity Of the
Meoklenburg resolutions OF May 20. I77s.
maintain that all the evidence adduoed to
support them should be understood as re-
lating to resolutions of similar import
passed by tho Meoklenburg Committee Of
Safety on May 81. 1878. The paper Of May
81 declared British authority TO be wholly
suspended In the Colonies. " provided that
until Parliament, should resign It's unjust
and arbitrary pretensions with respect to
America" Mecklenburg county should oe
governed by men OF the peoples choice
exercising their authority Independent
Of the Crown Of Great Britain and former
Constitution Of this province" As the
British Ministry never changed It's attitude.
there was nothing after the historic Fourth
OF July. 1910. to remind the Mecklenburgers
OF the provisional character Of their bold
declaration. This was the foundation OF
the Mecklenburg myth. In the light Of
contemporaneous testimony the story told
by the old wit nesses half century after
ward 10 impossible. and khe most significant
facts and circumstances In It are peculiar
to the resolves OF May 81, which were not
discovered until all these men had passed
away.
The aged witnesses testified that tho paper
they remembered was carried by Captain
James Jack to tho Continental Congress
sitting at Philadelphia. Governor Martin
says In 4 despatch to England Of juno 80.
I77S. thst he had seen certain reasonable
resolutions Of the Mecklenburg committee
which had been sent to the Continental Con-
gress. No one tells US that two sets OF reso-
lutions adopted eleven days apart. OF like
character yet inconsistent with each other.
we're forwarded to Philadelphia All the
letters and papers Of the royal Governor
cited by DR.. Graham clearly refer to the
same Mooklenburg manifesto: and In his
letter Of juno 80. ITS. to Lord Dartmouth.
Martin sent newspaper containing 1t. The
fact that this newspaper was borrowed from
the British State Paper once in the name Of
Andrew Stevenson. the American Minister.
In 1897. when Thomas Jefferson WAS first
openly charged with plagiarism. and mover
returned, led Dr.. Graham to assert In his
book that Jenerson's defenders thus de-
stroyed evidence Of the Mecklenburg dec
laration. But the question Of which resolu-
tions were soon by the Governor is now set
tied by the discovery Of duplicate Of his
letter In the possession Of the present Earl
Of Dartmouth. In which the Governor en-
closed. instead Of the newspaper. manu-
script copy OF the resolves Of May 81.
These are some Of the reasons why the
historical students OF North Carolina do not
believe that Q declaration OF Independence
was adopted at Charlotte on May 1890. i775.
W. HENRY HoYT. 4
Harvard Law SCHOOL. May II.