"Courier from Boston", News of the Battle of Lexington reaches Charlotte, May, 1775

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A History Lesson by Tom and Barbara Parramore • DID THE AM ERIC AN REVOLUTION BEGIN IN NORTH CARO LINA ?

What was the first day of the American Revol ution? Was it April 19, 1775 when the mi nutemen of Lexington, Massachusetts and t he Redcoats of the King first f ired on each other? That was the beginning of the war between Eng l and and the colonies but it was not the first act of resistance, even of viol ent resistance, on the part of the co l onists. How about December 16, 1773? That was the day col onists dressed like Indians boarded a British ship in Boston harbor and threw overboard its cargo of tea in protest over a new tax on tea. Or how about that day in March 1770 when some Boston youths threw snowballs at Briti sh troops and some were shot dead in the 11 Boston Massacre"? What day will your community or state celebrate as the bi ­ centennial of the American Revol ution, the 200th anniversary of the day it all began? Wil l it be July 4, 1976? That will be two hundred years after the Dec l arati on of Independence but the war was already more than a year old on July 4, 1776 and colonial defiance as we have seen, was older than that. Will your cel ebration be held on the most appropriate date--or at a time which does not really commemorate the beginning of the Revolution? What are your pl ans for May 20, 1975? Have you noticed t hat that will be the 200th anniversary of a date on the flag of ? Do you know why some people thi nk that date is the most important one in the history of the Revolution and the day on which it really al l began? Let's look into this a little further and try to decide what we ought to celebrate and why . After al l, you don't want to be out there watching the parades and the fireworks and the music and the speeches if i t's the wrong day, do you? Let's get it straight.

Copyright, 1973 Raleigh, N. C. l THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Living through the last ten years before the must have been l ike watching the dark clouds gathering before a thunder­ storm. The first faint rumblings were followed by ever-louder cracks of thunder and bursts of lightning until all at once the storm coll111enced in all its fury. As the Revolution approached, one incident after another signalled the approach of warfare between the colonies and the mother country . The colonists in various ways protested the Sugar Act of 1764 , the Stamp Act of 1765 and other such l aws of the British Parliament. They demanded that no new taxes be imposed without their consent. Angry South Carolinians burned the stamps they were told they had to buy . Bos­ tonians in disguise tossed overboard a cargo of tea to protest the tea­ tax. Soldiers in Boston fired on some rioters and killed several of them (including a Negro, Crispus Attucks) . Then came the First Continen­ tal Congress, the first fighting at Lexington and Concord , Massachusetts and , finally, the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The people of North Carol i na were as much upset by events of the day as those of any other colony. In the beginning, very few Tar Heels seriously considered breaking off with Great Br itain but many thought that change in colonial policies was necessary . On October 19, 1765 there were violent demonstrations in Wilmington against the Stamp Act, followed by protests and demonstrations in other North Carol i na towns. On November 16th, the king's stamp-master visited Wilmington and was forced by a mob to resign his office. Meanwhile, widespread armed re­ sistance was developing in the western part of the state against high rents, high taxes, corrupt royal officials, and other ca uses . The pro­ testers formed themselves into a group known as the "Regul ators" whose purpose was to see to it that colonial government was better regulated than it had been in past years. Fighting broke out between Governor Tryon's troops and the rag-tag Regulator army. The cl imax came on May 16, 1771 when Tryon l ed his forces against the Regulators in a battle near Hillsborough . The Regulators were defeated in "The Battle of Alamance", some of the l eaders were tried for treason and six were hanged. Many sympathizers f l ed the co l ony . Even now there were few people in North Carol ina or other colonies who thought independence was the proper solution to the settlement of colo­ nial grievances. But the situati on grew worse from month to month. An indication of the mood of the people was an incident that occurred at Eden­ ton on October 25, 1774. On that day a group of fifty-one prominent women of Edenton and the surrounding co untryside met in Edenton and drew up a resolution which stated that they would not drink any more East Indian tea until the British tax on it was revoked . This is known as the "earliest instance of pol itical activity on the part of women in the American co lo­ ni es" and demonstrated that the women were as upset as the men over royal policies. All of this activity lay in the background of the actions taken in Mecklenburg county in May 1775. Mecklenburg had been one of the count ies concerned in the and the demand for better treatment was as insistent there as anywhere in co l on ial America . 2 HOW THE GREAT DEBATE BEGAN

In 1817 William Wirt published a biography of the great Virginia statesman, Patrick Henry . In his book, Wirt raised the question of whether it was to Virginia or Massachusetts that the · honor belonged of having started the American Revolution . A good argument could be made for Virg i nia, where the Declaration of Inde­ pendence was written, and for Massachusetts, where the first shots of the War for Independence were fired. Wirt himself concluded that Virginia should get the credi t, for which Patrick Henry was largely responsible because of his f i ery speeches and other acts of defiance . The controversy over Wirt's cl aims had been going on for more than a year when some people began to hear that neither state should claim the credit but that North Carolina should have it. It was claimed that the citizens of Mecklenburg county, North Carolina had declared their independence over a year before Jefferson wrote his famous Declaration. The claim on behalf of North Carol ina was not taken very seriously until the spring of 1819 when an article in a North Carolina newspaper added new fuel to the flames of the debate and created a sensation in the press . The article was written by Dr. Joseph McKnitt Alexander, a well-known and respected Mecklenburg county physician. He stated that he had copied the facts in the articl e from old papers left by his father. The article included the text of some resolutions which were said to have been adopted by citizens of Mecklenburg on May 20, 1775. The resolutions declared the independence of the people of Mecklenburg from the British ki ng and government . If the details were accurately reported, then North Carolina had strong reason to claim credit for starting the Revolution . If the article was mistaken, then those who believed it woul d seem foolish and the author for the article would be accused of lying. Many people, especial ly i n Virginia and Massachusetts, ridiculed the Meckl enburg Declaration as soon as they heard about it and charged that it was a fake. Such charges led to efforts in North Carol ina to find people who could support the story of the Mecklenburg Declaration. This meant finding and interviewing elderly peopl e who had been living in Mecklenburg in 1775 and could remember the incident. It also meant looking for old diaries, l etters or other papers that might prove the truth of the newspaper article. Dr . Alexander, the author of the article in 1819, was a son of one of the people who signed the Mecklenburg Declaration and it was just about impossible to believe that he would lie about it. Unfortunately, his father's own copy of the Mecklenburg Declaration had been burned in the year 1800 and a new copy was dr awn up by the father from memory soon afterward . Di sbelievers made a lot of the disappearance of the original and made it clear that they would not accept the Decl aration as genuine unless an authentic original could be discovered or some other kind of proof could be found.

3 The debate has never been settled. In 1831 the government of the state of North Carolina appointed a distinguished committee · to look into the matter and find out the truth. The committee put together everything it could find on the matter and issued a report which concluded that the Mecklenburg Declaration was genuine. The date was placed on the flag of North Carol ina in honor of the event and is still there today. Most historians who are not North Carol- inians do not accept the Mecklenburg Declaration as valid and you will probably not even find the document mentioned in your American history textbook. But there will be a great deal of excitement in North Carol ina as May 20, 1975 approaches and many celebrations on that date. Did the textbook slight North Carolina? If you look, you will probably find that in some ways it does. Look for the Edenton Tea Party, or the Wilmington Stamp Act Riots, or the Regu - lators . Are they mentioned? Now look for the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party or the Battl e of Lexington . Chances are your text mentions all three of these latter incidents. Keep that in mind as you read what follows . For you will be your own historian here and try to decide if the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence is a historical fact or a quaint myth. It wi l l take some shrewd detective work on your part and you may well find that other members of your cl ass don't agree with your findings or your conclusion. And that is part of the point here. What is the truth? How do you find it? How do you know when you have it? Is it important to tel l it if you know it? These are some of the questions. The answers are for you to decide.

4 THE MECKLENBURG DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE From the RALEIGH REGISTER, April 30, 1819: In the spring of 1775, the leading characters of Meckl enburg county .. . held several detached meetin9s, in each of which the indi vi dua 1 senti ments were, "that the cause of -Boston was the cause of a 11 ... 11 Colonel T. Polk . .. issued an order .•. directing each militia company to elect two persons, ... to devise ways and means to aid and assist their suffering brethren in Boston, and ... to adopt measures ... to secure un­ impaired their inalienable rights, privileges and liberties, from ... British imposition and tyranny. In conformity to said order, on the 19th day of May 1775, the said delegation met in Charlotte ... at which time official news, by express, arrived of the battle of Lexington ... the preceding month . .•. The universal sentiment was : ... let us act with energy, ... to preserve our property--our l ives--and ... the liberties of America. was then elected Chairman, and John M' Kni tt Alexander, Clerk . After .•. discussion .. . it was unanimously ordained-- I. RESOLVED, That whoever directly or indirectly abetted.•• the .•• dangerous invasion of our rights, as claimed by Great Britain, is an enemy to this country •.. and to the ..• inalienable rights of man.

2. RESOLVED, That we .•• do hereby ••• absolve ourselves from all allegiance to the British Crown, and abjure all political connection•.• with that nation, who have wantonly trampled on our rights and liberties, and inhumanly shed the innocent blood of American patriots at Lexington.

3. RESOLVED, That we do hereby declare ourselves a free and independent people ••• under the control of no power other than that of our God and the General Government of the Congress; to the maintenance of which independence, we solemnly pledge •.. our mutual co- operation, our lives, our fortunes, and our most sac1·ed honor.

4. RESOLVED, That as we now acknowledge the existence and control of no law or legal officer, civil or military, within this country, we do hereby ordain and adopt ..• all••• of ot1r former laws, wherein, nevertheless, the Crown of Great Britain never can be considered as holding ••• authority therein.

5. RESOLVED, That ••• every military officer in this county, is hereby reinstated to his former command.... And that every member present of this delegation shall hencefortl1 be... a Justice of the Peace, in the character of a' Committee-man', to issue p1·ocess, hear and determine all matters of controversy, according to said adopted l aws, .•• and to use every exertion to spread the love of country and fire of freedom throughout America, until ••• organized government be established in this province. 5 A number of bye laws were also added, merely to protect the association from confusion, and to regulate their general conduct as citizens. After sitting in the Court House all night, neither sleepy, hungry, nor fatiqued, and after discussing every paragraph, they were all passed, ... UNANIMOUSLY, about 2 o'clock, A. M. May 20. In a few days, ... Captain James Jack, of Charlotte, was deputed as express to the Congress at Philadelphia, with a copy of said Resolves and Proceedings, together with a letter addressed to our three repre­ sentatives there, viz. , , and Joseph Hughes-- under express injunction, ... to use all possible means to have said proceedings ... approved by the General Congress. On the return of Captain Jack, the delegation learned that their proceedings were individually approved by the Members of Congress, but that it · was deemed premature to lay them before the House. A joint letter from said three members of Congress was also received, complimentary of the zeal in the common cause .... [The foregoing is a true copy of the papers on the above subject, left in my hands by John M'Knitt Alexander, dec'd. I find it mentioned on file that the original book was burned April, 1800. That a copy of the proceedings was sent to Hugh Williamson, in New York, then writing a History of North Carolina, and that a copy was sent to General W.R. Davie. J. M'Knitt.]* *Actually John McKnitt Alexander.

6 HOLD EVERYTHING!

This is a good place to stop and ask yourself whether the above article seems authentic to you. The author was a very respectable man and so was his father, who left the information on which the article was based. But we have to rely not only on the truthfulness of the two men but the memory of one of them, since the original records were burned. For the good detective, the evidence is not sufficient. How can we find out if the article is true? Well, we can talk to people who lived in Mecklenburg in 1775 and luckily, there are quite a few around 44 years later (in 1819) who can help. We can also look for old records such as letters and diaries which might support or refute the story. We can look especially for newspapers that ought to have carried accounts of the Meck­ lenburg Declaration soon after it was announced . We can look through the records of Congress to see if mention is made of Captain Jack arriving in Philadelphia with a copy of the Declaration. Maybe you can think of other ways of go ing about it. For the moment, however, consider only the document itself. It is, after all, exhibit A in the case. If you are familiar with the language of Jefferson's Declaration of Independence of 1776 (see page 16), note that Resolution number 3 of the Mecklenburg Dec laration contai ns the words "our lives, our fortunes, and our ... sacred honor", which are words Jefferson also used. It seems likely that either Jefferson had read the Mecklenburg Declaration before he wrote his own, or that John M'Knitt Alexander, in trying to recall the words of the Mecklenburg resolution, got it somewhat mixed up with what Jefferson had written. Try to decide which theory is more likely and why you think so . There is other language in the Mecklenburg Declarati on that sounds very much like Jefferson's Declaration. Can you find other examples? What do you make of them? Are you wondering about the copies of the Mecklenburg proceedings wh ich, according to the article, were sent to historian Hugh Wil liamson and to Gen . W.R . Davie? Williamson does not mention it in the history of North Carolina later published by him and no copy was found among his papers after his death. A copy of the Meckl enburg Declaration was, however, found among Gen. Davie's papers and was the subject of much interest and discussion prior to about 1870 when it was l ost. The wording of the Davie copy, which is believed to have been made from the original before the f ire of 1800 is said on good authority to have been almost exactly like the wording that John M'Knitt Alexander composed from memory after the fire. In other words, the Davie copy tended to confirm the accuracy of Alexander's memory and therefore the accuracy of the 1819 newspaper article. Whether all this helps you now or not i s for yo u to decide.

7 MORE EVIDENCE

Between 1819 and 1831, researchers located a number of people who had been living in Mecklenburg in 1775 and who remembered the events of May that started the controversy. All of them were requested to state in writing their recollections of the event in as much detail as they could and all of them did so. What they said is important to the detective pursuing the truth of the Mecklenburg Declaration. But you need to use these statements very cautiously and carefully. Some are very thorough and emphatic. Others are brief and vague. They do J not agree in all details. Some members of your class will believe certain statements and not others. You should study them carefully and try to form a conclusion based on the statements you think best. You can debate the issue of the validity of the Mecklenburg Declaration with some of your classmates. During the debate, pay careful attention to what was said in the statements. Decide which statements are the most reliable and which support the fact of the Declaration the most. Try to decide why there is such a difference between some of the statements.

STATEMENT OF FRANCIS CUMMINS (Letter to Hon. Nathaniel Macon) Dear Sir,--... you ... desire to know something particularly of the proceedings of the citizens of Mecklenburg county, in North Carolina, about the beginning of our War . ... In the year 1775, after our Revolution began, the principal characters of Mecklenburg county met on two sundry days, in Queen's Museum in Charlotte, to digest Articles for a State Constitution, in anticipation that the Province would proceed to do so .... Many men, and young men, (myself one) before magistrates abjured allegiance to George III, or any other foreign power. At length, in the same year, 1775, I think at least positively before July 5th, 1776, the males generally of that county, met on a certain day in Charlotte, and from the head of the court-house stairs proclaimed Independence of English Government, by their herald Col. . I was present, and saw and heard it, and as a young man, and then a student in Queen's Museum, was an agent in these things. I did not then take and keep the dates, and cannot, as to date, be so particular as I could wish. Capt. James Jack ... was sent with the account of these proceedings to Congress, then in Philadelphia--and brought back to the county, the thanks of Congress for their zeal--and the advice of Congress to be a little more patient, until Congress should take the measures thought to be best .... I am perfectly sure, being present ... , they were before our National Declaration of Independence ... . (Lexington, Georgia, November 16, 1819.)

8 STATEMENT OF JOHN VAVIVSON ..• As I am, perhaps, the only person living, who was a member of that Convention, and being far advanced in years, and not having my mind frequently directed to that circumstance for some years, I can give you but a very succinct history of that transaction. There were two men chosen from each Captain's company, to meet in Charlotte, to take the subject into consideration. John M'Knitt Alexander and myself were chosen from one company; and many other members were there that I now recollect, whose names I deem unnecessary to mention. . When the members met, and were perfectly organized for business, a l motion was made to declare ourselves independent of the Crown of • Great Britain, which was carried by a large majority. Dr. Ephraim Brevard was then appointed to give us a sketch of the Declaration of Independence, which he did. James Jack was appointed to take it on to the American Congress, then sitting in Philadelphia, with particular instructions to deliver it to the North Carolina Delegation in Congress, (Hooper and Caswell). When Jack returned, he stated that the Declaration was presented to Congress, and the reply was, that they highly esteemed the patriotism of the citizens of Mecklenburg; but they thought the measure too premature. I am confident that the Declaration of Independence by the people of Mecklenburg was made public at least twelve months before that of the Congress of the United States. (Beaver Dam, October 5, 1830.)

STATEMENT OF CAPTAIN JAMES JACK Having seen in the newspapers some pieces respecting the Declar­ ation of Independence by the people of Mecklenburg ... , in May, 1775, and being solicited to state what I know of that transaction; I would observe, that for some time previous to, and at the time those resolutions were agreed upon, I resided in the town of Charlotte ... ; was privy to a number of meetings of some of the ... leading characters of that county on the subject before the final adoption of the resol­ utions--and at the time they were adopted; among those who appeared to take the lead, may be mentioned Hezekiah Alexander who generally acted as Chairman, John M'Knitt Alexander, as Secretary, ... Col. Thomas Polk, Ezekiel Polk, Dr. Ephraim Brevard ... [et al.] When the resolutions were finally agreed on, they were publicly proclaimed from the court-house door in the town of Charlotte, and received with every demonstration of joy by the inhabitants. I was then solicited to be the bearer of the proceedings to Congress. I set out the following month, say June, and in passing through Salisbury, the General Court was sitting--at the request of the court I handed a copy of the resolutions to Col. Kennon, an Attorney, and they were read aloud in open court ...•

9 Captain James Jack, continued. I then proceeded on to Philadelphia, and delivered the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence of May, 1775, to Richard Caswell and William Hooper, the Delegates to Congress from ... North Carolina . ... I am now in the eighty-eighth year of my age ... . (Elbert, Georgia, December 7, 1819.)

STATEMENT OF GRAHAM, HUTCHINSON, CLARK ANO ROBINSON • We, the undersigned ... do certify, and on our honor declare, that we were present in the town of Charlotte, ... on the 19th day of May, 1775, when two persons elected from each Captain's Company ... appeared as Delegates ... and to adopt such measures as to them seemed best, to secure their lives, liberty, and property, from the storm which was gathering, and had burst upon their fellow-citizens to the Eastward, by a British Army, under the authority of the ... King and Parliament ...... that to the best of our recollection and belief, the delegation was complete from every company, and that the meeting took place in the Court-House, about 12 o'clock on the said 19th day of May, 1775, when Abraham Alexander was chosen Chairman, and Dr. Ephraim Brevard Secretary. That the Delegates continued in session until in the night of that day; that on the 20th they again met, with a conmittee, under the direction of the Delegates, had formed several resolves, which were read, and which went to declare themselves, and the people of Mecklenburg county, Free and Independent of the King and Parliament of Great Britain--and that, from that day thenceforth, all allegiance and political relation was absolved between the good people of Mecklenburg, and the King of Great Britain; which Declaration was signed by every member of the Delegation, under the shouts and huzzas of a very large assembly of the people of the county, who had come to know the issue of the meeting. We further believe, that the Declaration of Independence was drawn up by the Secretary, Dr. Ephra im Brevard, and that it was conceived and brought about through the instrumentality and popularity of Col. Thomas Polk, Abraham Alexander, John M'Knit Alexander, Adam Alexander, Ephraim Brevard, ... with some others . .•. that in a few days after the Delegates adjourned, Captain James Jack ... was engaged to carry the resolves to the President of the Congress, and to our Representatives--one copy for each; and that his expenses were paid by a voluntary subscription. And we do know that Captain Jack executed the trust, and returned with answers, both from the President and our Delegates in Congress, expressive of their entire approbation of the course that had been adopted, recorrmending a continu­ ance of the same; and that the time would soon be, when the whole Continent would follow our example. (By Geo Graham, Wm. Hutchinson, Jonas Clark, and Robert Robinson, published in Raleigh Register, February 18, 1820.) 10 STATEMENT OF JOSEPH GRAHAM . . • I will give you the details of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence ..• as well as I can recollect after ••. fifty-five years. I was then a lad half grown, was present on that occasion a looker on. On the 20th of May, 1775, besides two persons elected from each militia company .•• a much larger number of citizens attended in Charlotte than at any former meeting--perhaps half the men in the county. The news of the battle of Lexington ••• had arrived. There appeared among the people much excitement. The comnittee were organized in the court house by appointing Abraham Alexander, Esq • • Chairman, and John M'Knitt Alexander, Esq. Clerk or Secretary •••. After reading a number of papers . •. , and much animated discussion, •.. they resolved to declare themselves independent. One among other reasons offered, that the King or Ministry had, by proclamation ••• declared the Colonies out of the protection of the British Crown; they ought, therefore, to declare themselves out of his protection, and resolve on independence .••. a sub-committee, consisting of Doctor Ephraim Brevard, a Mr. Kennon, an attorney, and a third person, whom I do not recollect, were appointed to draft their Declaration. They retired from the court house for some time; but the comnittee continued in session in it. One circumstance occurred I distinctly remember: A member of the corrmittee ••• addressed the Chairman as follows: 11 If you resolve on independence, how shall we all be absolved from the obligations of the oath we took to be true to King George ..• about four years ago, after the Regulation battle. . . . I should be glad to know how gentlemen can clear their consciences after taking that oath." T-his speech produced confusion. The Chairman could scarcely preserve order, so many wished to reply. There appeared great indignation and contempt at the speech of the member. Some said it was nonsense; others that allegiance and protection were reciprocal; when protection was withdrawn, allegiance ceased ...• The sub-corrmittee appointed to draft the resolutions returned, and Doctor Ephraim Brevard read the report, as near as I can recollect, in the very words we have since seen them ... several times in print. It was unanimously adopted, and shortly after it was moved and seconded to have ..• the people collected, that the proceedings be read at the court house door ••.• It was done, and they were received with enthusiasm. It was then proposed •.• to give three cheers and throw up their hats. It was immediately adopted, and the hats thrown. Several of them lit on the court house roof. The owners had some difficulty to reclaim them. The foregoing is from personal knowledge. I understood afterwards that Captain James Jack .•• undertook .•• to carry a copy . .• to Congress .•• and on his way, at Salisbury, the time of court, Mr. Kennon, who was one of the committee who assisted in drawing the Declaration prevailed on Captain Jack to •.• have them read publicly; which was done, and the proceedings met with general approbation .... (Vesuvius Furnace, October 4, 1830.) 11 STATEMENT OF HUMPHREY HUNTER . .. Orders were presently issued by Col . Thos . Polk to the several militia companies , that two men , selected from each corps , sho uld meet at the Court- House on the 19th of May, 1775 , in order to consult with each other upon such measures as might be thought best .. . . Accordingly, on said day a far l arger number than two out of each company were present .... The following were selected , and styled Delegates, and are here given, according to my best recollection , as they were placed on roll : Abraham Alexander, sen'r. , Thomas Polk, ... John M'Knit Alexander, . .. , Hezekiah Alexander , •. . Ephraim Brevard, .. . [et al .] Abram Alexander was nominated, and unanimously voted to the Chair. • Joh n M' Knit Alexander and Ephraim Brevard were chosen Secretaries, ... Then a ful l , a free , and dispassionate discussion obtained on the various subjects for which the delegation had been convened, and the followi ng resolutions were unanimously ordained: [l i sts five resolutions in same words as in the 1819 articl e. ] Those resolves having been concurred in bye- laws and regulations for the governme nt of a standi ng Committee of Public Safety were enacted and acknowl edged . Then a select committee was appointed, to report on the ensui ng day a full and definite statement of grievances , together with a more correct and formal draft of the Dec laration of Independence . The proceedings having been thus arranged and somewhat in readi ness for promulgation, the De legation then adjourned unti l to-morrow, at 12 o'clock. The 20th of May, at 12 o'clock, the Delegation .. . had convened. The select corrmittee were also present, and reported agreeably to instructions , viz. a statement of grievances and formal draft of the Declaration of Independence , written by Ephra im Brevard, chair­ man of said committee, and read by him to the delegation. The resolves, bye- laws and reg ulations were read by John M'Knitt Alexander. It was then anno unced f rom the Chair, are you all ag reed? There was not a dissenting voice. Finally, the whole proceedi ngs were read distinctly and audibly, at the Court-House door, by Col . Thomas Polk, to a large, respectable and approving assemblage· of the day. A copy of those transactions were then drawn off, and given in charge to Capt . James Jack , t hen of Charlotte, that he should present them to Congress , then in session in Philadelphia. On t hat memo rable day , I was 20 yea rs and 14 days of age, a very deeply interested spectator, recollecting the dire hand of oppression that had driven me from my native clime, now pursuing me in this happy asylum, and seeking to bind aga i n in the fetters of bondage . • On the return of Capt . Jack, he reported that Congress , individually, manifested their ent i re approbation of the conduct of the Mecklenburg citizens; but deemed it premature to lay them officially before the House. (Hunter was a native of Ireland. ) 12 THE ARGUMENT AGAINST THE MECKLENBURG DECLARATION

Two key arguments were raised against the validity of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence in the years after 1819. The first was raised by former President Jefferson, living in ' retirement at his home in Virginia and has to do with the lack of evidence from the year 1775 itself, such as newspapers, and so on. The second objection is based on the discovery in the 1830's of another document composed in Mecklenburg in May, 1775. This document, which is very similar to the Declaration published in 1819, is known as the and gives the details of some action taken by the people of Mecklenburg on May 31, 1775. The question raised by the Mecklenburg Resolves is whether it was this document, rather than the Declaration of May 20th, that people were actually recalling when they made their statements in the years between 1819 and 1831. In other words, was there ever really a Declaration of Independence at all, or merely a set of resolves hostile to the British government. Read carefully the statements by and (page 14) and the text of the Mecklenburg Resolves of May 31, 1775 (page 15). When you finish these you will find a set of questions about them which may help you to decide what importance the documents have in the issue before us.

13 Letter from Thomas Jefferson to John Adams:

Monticello, July 9, 1819. Dear Sir, .•. what has attracted my peculiar notice, is the paper from Mecklenburg County ..• which you were so kind as to enclose in your last of June the 22nd. And you seem to think it genuine. I believe it spurious. . .. It appeals •.. to an original book, which is burnt, to Mr. Alexander, who is dead, to a joint letter from Caswell, Hughes, and Hooper, all dead, • to a copy sent to the dead Caswell, and another sent to Doctor Williamson, now probably dead, whose memory did not recollect, in the history of North Carolina, this gigantic step of its county of Mecklenburg . .•. When Mr. [Patrick] Henry 's resolutions, far short of independence, flew like lightning through every paper, and kindled both sides of the Atlantic, this flaming declaration of the same date, of the independence of Mecklenburg county ... absolving it from the British allegiance, and abjuring all political connection with that nation, although sent to Congress, too, is never heard of . ..• I must not be understood as suggesting any doubtfulness in the State of North Carolina. No State was more fixed or forward. Nor do I affirm positively that this paper is a fabrication .•.. But I shall believe it such until positive and solemn proof of its authenticity shall be produced .... For the present I must be an unbeliever in the aprocryphal gospel.

Letter from John Adams to Thomas Jefferson in Reply:

It [letter of July 9] has entirely convinced me that the Mecklenburg Resolutions are a fiction. When I first read them ... I was struck with astonishment. It appeared to me utterly incredible that they should be genuine; but there were so many circumstances calculated to impose on the public that I thought it my duty to take measures for the detection of the imposture . ... as they are unknown to you, they must have been unknown to all mankind.

14 THE MECKLENBURG RESOLVES

From the Charleston SOUTH-CAROLINA GAZETTE, June 13, 1775:

CHARLOTTE-TOWN, MECKLENBURG COUNTY, MAY 31, 1775. This day the Conmittee of this county met, and passed the following Resolves:

WHEREAS BY AN AVVRESS PRESEWTEV TO HIS MAJESTY BY BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT •.• THE AMERICAN COLONIES ARE VECLAREV TO BE IN ••• REBELLION, WE CONCEIVE, THAT ALL LAWS ANV COMMISSIONS ••• VERIVEV FROM THE AUTHORITY OF THE KING OR PARLIAMENT, ARE ANNULLEV ANV VACATEV, ANO THE FORMER CIVIL CONSTITUTION OF THESE COLONIES, FOR THE PRESENT, WHOLLY SUSPENVEV. TO PROVIVE .•• FOR THE EXIGENCIES OF THIS COUNTY •. • WE VEEM TT PROPER •.. TO PASS THE FOLLOWING RESOLVES, vi.z.

1. THAT ALL COMMISSIONS, CIVIL ANV MILITARY, HERETOFORE GRANTEV BY THE CROWN, TO BE EXERCISEV IN THESE COLONIES, ARE NULL ANV VOIV, ANV THE CONSTITUTION OF EACH PARTICULAR COLONY WHOLLY SUSPENVEV. 11. THAT THE PROVINCIAL CONGRESS OF EACH PROVINCE, UNVER THE VTRECTION OF THE GREAT , TS INVESTEV WITH ALL LEGISLATIVE ANV EXECUTIVE POWERS WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE PROVINCES; ..• 111. AS ALL FORMER LAWS ARE NOW SUSPENVEV IN THIS PROVINCE, ANV THE CONGRESS HAVE NOT YET PROVTVEV OTHERS, WE JUVGE IT NECESSARY, ••• TO FORM CERTAIN RULES ANV REGULATIONS FOR THE INTERNAL GOVERNMENT OF THIS COUNTY, UNTIL LAWS SHALL BE PROVIVEV FOR US BY THE CONGRESS. IV. THAT THE INHABITANTS OF THIS COUNTY VO MEE1 .•• ANV .•. CHUSE A COLONEL ANV OTHER MILITARY OFFICERS, WHO SHALL HOLV ANV EXERCISE THEIR SEVERAL POWERS •.• INVEPENVENT OF THE CROWN OF GREAT 13R.1TATN .•.. XVIII. THAT THESE RESOLVES BE IN FULL FORCE ANV VIRTUE, UNTIL INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PROVINCIAL CONGRESS, REGULATING THE JURISPRUVENCE OF THE PROVINCE, SHALL PROVIVE OTHERWISE, OR THE LEGISLATIVE BOVY OF GREAT-13R.ITAIN, RESIGN ITS UNJUST ANV ARBITRARY PRETENTIONS WITH RESPECT TO AMERICA •••• Signed by order of the Conmittee , Eph. Brevard, Clerk of the Corrmittee.

15 EXCERPT FROM JEFFERSON'S DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ' J U LY 4, 1776 •

WE THEREFORE, THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITEV STATES OF AMERICA, IN GENERAL CONGRESS, ASSEMBLEV, .•. SOLEMNLY PUBLISH AW VECLARE, THAT THESE UNITEV COLONIES ARE, ANV OF RIGHT OUGHT TO BE FREE ANV 1/.JVEPEWENT STATES; THAT THEY ARE ABSOLVEV FROM ALL ALLEGIANCE TO THE BRITISH CROWN, ANV THAT ALL POLITICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THEM AW THE STATE OF GREAT BRITAIN, TS AW OUGHT TO BE TOTALLY VISSOLVEV; AWV THAT AS FREE AWV IWEPENVENT STATES, THEY HAVE FULL POWER TO LEVY WAR, CONCLUDE PEACE, CONTRACT ALLIANCES, ESTABLISH COMMERCE, AW TO VO ALL OTHER ACTS ANV THINGS WHICH IWVEPEWENT STATES MAY OF RIGHT VO. AWV FOR THE SUPPORT OF THIS VECLARATION, WITH A FIRM RELIANCE ON THE PROTECTION OF VEVINE PROVIVENCE, WE MUTUALLY PLEVGE TO EACH OTHER OUR LIVES, OUR FORTUNES AND OUR SACREV HONOR.

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16 SO ME THINGS TO THINK AND TALK ABOUT 1. Do you feel that the Mecklenburg Resolves are less forceful and final than the Mecklenburg Declaration? How do you interpret number XVIII of the Resolves? 2. After reading carefully both the Declaration of May 20th and the Resolutions of May 31st, does i t seem likely to you that el derly men half a century later might have confused the two--i . e. that it was in trying to recall the action of May 31st that they imagined the action of May 20th? 3. If your answer to question number 2 is yes, how woul d you account for the broad agreement among sotne of the witnesses in support of the Declaration that it was written on May 20th and was, in fact, an out­ and-out Declaration of Independence? 4. Do you think it is significant that none of the witnesses (pages 8- 12) makes any reference to the Mecklenburg action of May 31st? How would you account for this? Is it significant that neither the editor of the South Carolina paper which carried the May 31st Resolves nor those who drew them up and sent them to the paper , referred to any action of May 20th? 5. Does it seem probable to you that the people who drew up the Resolves of May 31st thought they were declaring their independence from Great Britain and would recall it as such in later years? 6. Do you attach much importance to Jefferson's objections (page 14) con­ cerning the Mecklenburg Declaration? How would a defender of the Declaration answer his objections? 7. Do you have any reason to question Jefferson's motives in denying validity to the Mecklenburg Declaration? T,Jould it have hurt him in any way if the Mecklenburg Declaration had been proved to be genuine? 8. Is it significant that John Adams was inclined to accept the Mecklen­ burg Declaration as genuine until be heard differently from Jefferson? 9. If you have a dictionary good enough to look them up, try applying the "law of parsimony" and "Occam' s razor" to this problem. Do they help in unraveling the mystery? 10. Changing the date on the flag of North Carolina would involve many changes in laws and publications. However , if it isn't correct should we admit the error and correct it? Should we celebrate May 20, 1975? May 31, 1975? 11. Does being a North affect your judgement in this case? 12. Is telling the whole truth, whatever it turns out to be, important enough to run the risk of upsetting some people by it? Why or why not? 13. Do you think that people who had declared their unqualified independence from Britain on May 20th would have stated on May 31st that the Resolves would remain in effect "until .•• the legislative body of Great Britain, (should) resign its unjust and arbitrary pretentions with respect to America"? 14. What does your history text say about the Mecklenburg Declaration? How do you account for wh.at it says or fails to say? 15. Has this assignment taught you anything about the writing and under­ standing of history? If so, what? ------·------Published by the Office of Publications, School of Education, NCSU Poe Hall, Raleigh, 27607. Costs, including postage and handling, are 50 cents for a single copy and $10. 00 for a classroom set of 35 copies with a teacher's guide. Payment should accompany orders. •

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