The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-03-09
CAPT. ASHES BOOK.

owes a deb Oh Bra{1tuOo \dpt. f1SiAC
for writing a History Of North Caro-
lima that is so good that it will live.
He did his work with ability and love
OF the history OF a State. In which a
ma bearing the honorable name to
which he has ADDED lustre,
has been a leader IN every
crisis Of the States history. n
debate in the House yesterday over
the bill to authorize the purchase OF
this work showed how tenacious the
people Of North Carolina are to the
faith once Delivered" as to the Neck
lenburg Declaration OF independence.
was a desire on the part OF
nearly every member to authorize the
purchase of a work that cannot be
too highly commended. but the sug-
gestion that it might give legislative
sanction TO the doubt about the Neck
,enburg Declaration, caused its de-
feat. Those who supported it proper
lv took h ground that authority 10
purchase that excellent and
history did not carry with it any be-
lief in Capt. Ashes conclusions about
the Mecklenburg Declaration. Indeed,
IN the book Capt. Ashe gives the teS-
timony ia support Of the Declaration
and the testimony against it, showing
that. while he believes the Resolves
of May o1st constitute the action OF
the people Of Mecklenburg, he gives
the reader the evidence 50 he can
make up his own mind. He does this
conscientiously, ana authority to pur-
chase the book would not have prop
ely been regarded as implying doubt
about the Mecklenburg Declaration
But the House thought 1t
might be SO construed. and denied
itself what would otherwise have been
q pleasure to every member Of voting
for the measure.
Bunker Hill is sacred in Massachu-
setts. SO is the Twentieth Of May in
North Carolina. +
FREQUENT elections and changes in
office has been obtained by most wise
Raleigh.
Raleigh is to have a new municipal
building, a new auditorium. q new
market house. A new broom sweeps
clean and Raleigh also needs q new
city administration.
The hornets nest was the emblem
of M~ecklenburg in 1775. 1t is the
the May Twentieth Declaration IS
called in question.
The Mecklenburg Declaration Of
independence was adopted on May
10th. 171J. in Charlotte. Anybody
may doubt this who chooses, but they
cannot do 50 without flying in the
face Of the law and the testimony.
Contemporary opinion is worth
more than century IL skepticism.
Therefore the Mecklenburg Declara-
ton Of Independence was signed on
May Twentieth and Nathaniel Macon
was the greatest MAJ North Carolina
has produced.
Nobody knew until yesterday thai
Representative Cary Dowd, OF Neck
lenburg, had kept the Mecklenburg
Hornet nest concealed in his desk
during the entire session He turned
the hornet loose Yesterday, and my!
how it did sting. It did not content
itself with just sting.
Their are some institutions that
North Carolina will not permit to be
seriously questioned. They are: the
Mecklenburg Declaration, the Battle
OF Alamance. the patriotic War Of the
Regulators, and the historical facts
put in granite on the C~Onfederate
monument at Raleigh.
II the supporters OF the measure to
authorize the purchase IF Ashes His
tory had put in their bill ~"provided.
however, such purchase. shall not be
construed as casting any doubt upon
] the historical foot tiaa+ H. r