The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-07-09
CRAVEN COUNTY IN
THE REVOLUTION
OF the Part Taken by Graz
ven County Men in the Struggle
for independence.
W u. 7. CRUMPLER. New Bern,
~. c,

,.rtant part in the Revolutionary
ttrjod and is entitled to much more
mention in the state histories than
nc been given this section. A brief
seminary Of the part taken by this
comfy follows. 1t is authentic in
very detail and shows exactly what
transpired.
Arer the French and Indian war, |
ireland began to tax the ~colonistS.
a. as 70 help pay the heavy expenses
~ carrying on her wars. Up to this
tnne the colonists were on friendly
rms with her. but after she began
- rax them without representation,
ihey soon found it advisable to pro-
i.rt themselves. Although they dis
}ttd to declare war against their
mother country. after trying every
ohcr method to obtain peace and fail
irr 10 do so, they finally decided that
MS was the only course. This was
.Aactly the case Of Craven county,
which at that time held the Capitol
III the State.
The first provision mad by Eng
and was the Stamp Act. 1t was pass
I'd on March %. 1865, and required
THAI all Colonial documents, such as
n,cds. bonds, and notes. should be
written only upon stamped papers,
Otherwise they would not be binding.
me paper was prepared by England
a. he sold to the colonists at a heavy
,aX Of one an two dollars on each
sheet. In addition to this. the act
contained a great variety Of other
fYinous exactiOns. Newspapers and
pamphlets were taxed more than any
s.ch publication at present would
cost. An advertisement in a news
paper paid the government fifty cents
ana in almanacs eight cents. A col
leee diploma paid ten dollars tax,
while the fee charged for a marriage
license was sometimes as high as fiji
teen dollars.
At the time this act was passed the
General Assembly was in session at
New Bern. Governor TryOn asked
John Ashe, then Speaker Of the House
of Assembly. what the House would
dc in regard to the new law: After
being informed that they would re-
set it to the utmost. ne Immediately
dissolved the Assembly, and in this
manner prevented Craven county as
well as North Carolina as a whole
from sending representatives to the
continental Congress which met in
New York in 1865 to organize an op-
pcsition TO this oppressive measure.
a little later a ship loaded with
stamps arrived at Wilmington. Gov
trnor Tryon issued a proclamation
announcing hat the stamps were
ready for distribution: but armed
troops would not let them land. and
everywhere in Craven county the peo-
ole rose against the enforcement or
the Stamp Act. After receiving a
stout resistance from all the colonists.
this act was repealed on June 10,
1866. This was the first tax levied by
England upon the Colonists. although
she later levied other taxes, causing
the hatred OF the Colonists to grad
nally increase. later the outburst OF
the war in which they won their in
dependence.
Soon after the repeal Of the Stamp
Act, Governor Tryon gave up his Of
nee as Governor Of North Carolina and
left New Bern in June. 1771. to &C
rept an Office in New York. Josiah
Martin soon came from England az
our next Governor. He was q mar
Of rare ability who in any dispute
always upheld the kinR and PaFila.
ment. On account OF the latter nj
could never agree with h Assemblies
which were held in New Bern, anG
which always wanted to discuss Their
rights contrary to his wishes.
not long after Governor Martins
arrival. the British Parliament begar
70 levy tax on certain goods. bough
bN the Colonists from England. Al
assembly which met at New Bern II
January, 1913. did nothing but dis
'uSS their rights. and Wnen GoVeFno
Martin saw that he could not max
them take sides with Parliament. b.
became disguised and at he end 0
three months dismissed it, declar1n1
il had deserted its duty and had in
suited the dignity and authority OF tn
English government.
During the month Of June. 177A
each colony. through it's Commute
Of Correspondence. was invited T.
send "a Ha1o~ato m u Cnnfin0HfQ1 (NOn
Eress to be held at Philadelphia. il
order to discuss their rights in unison
Governor Martin considered this a re
%bellion, and he was determined no
to permit representatives to 20 from
North Carolina. In order to do this
be decided not to call a Legislator
TO meet in New Bern until the Con
'lnental Congress at Philadelphia ha
been held. But his plan was reveale
through his private secretary to job: