The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-06-03

| Correspondence Richmond Times Dispatch.
Editor Times Dispatch:-In today's
edition OF your paper notice an ex-
tract from the New York World,
which would tend, to establish a
doubt, if nothing more, as to the
authenticity of the Mecklenburg
Declaration of Independence.
Despite the fact that the New York
World refers to eminent authority,
| think students OF history will agree
with me that it is possiblefor "Homer
to nod"
Bancroft, for example, revised his
American history when the discovery
o! hitherto unknown details proved
the inaccuracy of his original state
ments. Other historians have done
the same, and it would show poor
reasoning power on the part OF crit
les to contend that, since eminent
authority has produced sufficient
evidence toprove the proceedings OF
May 20, 1775, IL myth, no DECLARE
ton of Independence was made at
any time by the inhabitants OF Meek
lenburg county, N. c.
/ shall not attempt here to show
how the idea of May 20 has per-
sisted in pushing it's way into many
minds, although the reasons therefor
are at my command, but | do wish
to state and append evidence to sub
stantiate my information that on
May 81, 1875, more than one year
before the Declaration of Independ-
ence by the Continental Congress, a
Committee of Safety, representing
the citizens of Mecklenburg county,
N. c., met and declared themselves
no longer subject to the laws of
Great Britain.
A summary at this point of some
Of the resolves, which [ shall repro
duce below, is introduced for the
purpose of fixing firmly certain facts.
First, That all laws emanating
from King or Parliament were null
and void.
Secondly, That the government OF
Mecklenburg county was to be con-
Quoted under rules and regulations
of the committee until the Provincial
congress provinces OUuefS.
Thirdly, That whatever person at
tempts to enforce any law, or laws,
of the crown was to be considered an
enemy to his country.
AS it is not probable that q major
ity of the doubters are able to put
their hands on a copy of the North
Carolina Gazette, l suggest for each
Of CIT -
reputable library (here in Richmond
the Virginia State Library will sup
ply the materially, where the inter-
ested individuals, by a careful peru
sal of chapter twenty-six, in Vol. [.
of S. A. Ashes History OF North
Carolina" will find on page $50 the
beginning of the resolves of May 81.
From the North Carolina Gazette,
published at Newbern, June 16,
1875:
'.Charlotte Town.
"Mecklsnburg county, May 81.
"This day the committee met and
passed the following resolves:
"WHEREAs. By All address pre-
sented to His Majesty by both
Houses of Parliament in February
last, the American colonies are de- |
declared to be in al state OF actual !
rebellion, we conceive that all laws
and commissions confirmed by, or
derived from, the authority OF the
King or Parliament are annulled and
vacated, and the former civil Consti-
tuition of these colonies for the pres
ent wholly suspended. To provide |
in some degree for the exigencies of
this county in the present alarming
period, We deem it proper and neces-
sary to pass the following resolves,
viz:
81. That all commissions, civil
and military, heretofore granted by
the crown to be exercised in these
colonies, are null and void, and the
Constitution of each particular colo
ny wholly suspended.
Ill That the Provincial Congress
of each province, under the direction
of the great Continental Congress, is
invested with all legislative and
executive powers within their re~ppc-
tive provinces, and that no other
Legislative or executive power does
VI can eAlSu III TINS time III any OF
these colonies.
iii As all former laws are now
suspended i'll this province, and the
Congress has not yet provided Others,
we Judge it necessary for the better
preservation of good order to form
certain rules and regulations for the
Government of this county until laws
shall be provided for us by the Con-
greSS.
"AEI That whatever person shall |
hereafter receive a commission from
the crown or attempt to exercise any
such commission heretofore received,
shall be deemed an enemy to his
country"
The New York World is kind
enough to admit that certain tame
resolves were passed in Mecklenburg
county on May 81, 1915, by the
Committee of Safety.
Josiah Martin, the royal Governor
of North Carolina at the outbreak OF
the Revolution, evidently did not
think the resolves of a feeble nature
and unworthy of notice. He sent Il
copy to England.
My readers can verify this by con
sulting Ashes History, page 453.
Extract from report of Historical
MANUSCRIPTS Commission Fourteenth