The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1910-04-14
A new LEGAL HOLIDAY.
April Twelve, l776, The Halifax Con.
VentlOn Declared for Independence.


This is legal holiday in North Car
olina, the Twelfth of April, the ami
versary of the resolution Of indepen-
dence Of the committee Of the North
Carolina Congress of 1776, which, ex-
cept for the Mecklenburg Declaration
stands as the first expression of the
colonies Of their independence of
British rule. The North Carolina
General Assembly, because of the
resolution in Halifax on April II, IT.
76, has set the day aside as a legal
holiday. 1t will be observed IN Raj
eigh as a holiday and the banks will
be closed, while the same will be done
in other parts of the State.
It was on April 4, 1776, that there
met in Halifax, N. c., the fourth pro-
vincial congress, the Revolutionary
war having been in progress for a
year. The British had been driven
from Boston by Gen. George Wash
;ngton, and the Carolinas stood firm,
The attempts to disrupt them by the
British failing. The people were
aroused, from the Scotch, the Scoth-
Irish and other settlements coming
calls for declaration of independ-
ence from Great Britain. King
George III was unyielding towards
the colonies in their demands Of equal
rights with those in the mother coun-
try The temper of the liberty-lov-
ing colonists was strained to the
breaking point. Hooper and Jones,
and the men of Mecklenburg were
calling for independence, and there
was little semblance of government.
Harnett and the others Of the Pro-
vincial Congress, issued commissions
and military orders. Not a court
house in Carolina was open for busi-
ness. The public demand was for in
dependence and a State government.
In such state of affairs Moderator
Samuel Johnson, of Chowan, issued
a call for the fourth Provincial Cen
gress and it met at Halifax, April A,
1776. 1t was an assenb,age of dis
tinguished men and independence
was the matter discussed. On April
s committee was appoint e coz
slider and report upon the conduct of
the King and the British Parliament
towards the colonies. The committee
was composed Of Cornelius Harnett,
Thomas Jones, Abner Nash, Thomas
Burke, John Kirchen and Thomas
Person. On April IL the report was
through Chairman Corne-
lius Harnett in the form Of a resolu-
ton, this written by the chairman,
which read:
THE HALIFAX RESOLUTION.
'It appears to your committee
that pursuant to the plan concerted
by the British ministry for subjugat-
ing America, the King and Parla
ment of Great Britain have usurped
a power over the persons and prop
critics of the peolle unlimited and
uncontrolled and disregarding their
petitions for personal liberty
and safety, have made divers legis-
lative acts. denouncing war, famine
and every species OF calamity against
the continent in general. The Brit
ish fleets and armies have been, and
still are, daily employed in destroy
ing the people and committing the
most horrible devastations on the
country. The Governors in different
colonies have declared protection to
slaves " 40 should imbrue their hands
in the blood Of their masters The
ships belonging to America are de-
clared prizes Of war AMI many Of
them have been violently seized and
In consequence of all
of which, multitudes of the people
have been destroyed, or from easy
reduced to the most
distress. And, whereas,
the moderation hitherto manifested
by the United Colonies, and their
sincere desire to be reconciled to the
mother country on constitutional
principles, have secured no mitiga-
ton of the aforesaid wrongs and
and no hopes remain of
securing redress by those means
alone which have hitherto been tried
your committee are Of the opinion
that the House should enter into the
following resolves, to-wit:
Resolved, That the delegates of
this colony in the Continental Con-
gress be empowered to concur with
the delegates Of other colonies in de-
claring independence. and forming
foreign alliances, reserving to this
the sole and exclusive right for form
ing a constitution and laws for this
colony and the appointing Of dele
gates from time to time (under the
IF roporo1 TO