L ‘ O UR D E B T T O C O R N E I US HA R N ETT .

C . A lp h o n s o Sm ith . LL . D .

N 8th ’ 1781 th e w THE 2 of Aprili , there died in to n of

W m t a e fi ft - e m an e il ing on , at the g of y ight , a whos fam e as a c ivic le ader finds a unique attestation in th e ve ry h obsta cles that it h as h ad to surmount . Scholar though e was m a n , we look in vain for a book , a pa phlet , or even i entire speech of his own ind ting . If a funeral oration was pronounced over h im or a n obituary written about h im m . , neither has co e down to us There is not in ex is te n ce a statue or e ven a bust or picture of any sort to

n m a m an w a i dicate to the eye wh at nner of he s . He left neither son nor daugh ter to pe rpetuate his n am e or

in r i to pl e ad with posterity for his fame . The brief sc p tion which he asked to be plac ed upon his modest tom b m e m an a ak s no ention of y service , public or priv te , that w h o e m a he ever rendered . And yet , to one studi s i p r tially the annals of this State during the latt e r h a lf of th e c n m irres is ti eigh teenth century , the convi tio will beco e ble that the mightiest single force in Nor th Carolina his tory during th e whole of the R evolutionary pe riod was

a e N e w e . Cornelius H rn tt , of Hanov r County Me m bers of t h e North Carolina So ciety of the Coloni a l

m m h d a are Da es of A erica , th e onors of this y yours . In

a W beh lf of the city of ilmington , of the County of New

e e c Hanov r , of the Low r Cape Fear se tion , of the State of

l n Ma 1 a d d li r in i mi t n N . 2 90 t A n a dr ess e e ed C . 7 v W g o , , y , , th e un veilin g of th e m o n umen t er ected to Corn elius Harn ett by l f l l D m A i th e N orth Car o in a Society o the Co onia a es of mer ca .

’ “ - Th in scri ti n on Har nett s tom Died A ril 20 1 1 is i e p o b , p , 78 , lain l incorrect His ill written in his own h an d writin is p y . w , g , A ril h Trad ition h as it tha he di d imm ediatel af ter d ated p 28t . t e y makin his ill g w . versit M a az Un i y g ine.

North Carolina , in beh alf of the spirit of liberty in what i t m m ever breast bea ts , I th ank you for your e orial to t he dead and your ince ntive to the living . This monu ’ ment marks a n e w recognition of Harnett s services to his St a te and Nation . It means th a t his fam e enters to I t day upon a nother stage o i its tr iuin ph al progress . procl aims also th at the brave m e n who wrought with h im c m c th e in a p or coun il , the knighthood of Lower

b e r e - re - ackno wl Cape Fear, shall again enthroned and edged . “ On th i s r n ank his s f t s r am g ee b , by t o t e , W e set tod ay a votive ston e ; Th at m m r m a th ir d d r d m e o y y e ee e ee , h n lik ou sir s ur s n s ar n W e e r e , o o e go e .

Spirit th at m ad e th ose h er oes d are To d ie an d lea e their child ren f ree , v , Bid Tim e an d N ature gen tly spar e Th e sh af t w e raise to th em an d th ee .

This is neither the time nor the place to enter upon a detailed biography of Cornelius Harn e tt . Such a biog ra h m a h m e p y is de possible , owever , by the co pl ted publi f l l ’ l * cation o th e Co on ia an d State R eco m s of N o rZ/zCaro in a . There are in these twenty - six volumes m ore th an eigh t hundred references to th e activities of Corn e lius Harnet t . A careful reading of these re ferences will convince any one th at Har ri e tt not only deserves to rank but will yet rank as a n ation a l figure in th e history of the Am erican R c c e R e v evolution . So losely was he conne t d with the o lutio n ar m e c y ovem nt , so a curately did he typify its

e m a ee spirit and purposes , th at th re would see to h ve b n a sort of pre - established h armony betw e en the mind of m Cornelius Harri ett and the popul ar impulses of th e ti e .

“ m hi r M s Th e best pr in ted record s are th o se o f N ew Ha ps e , a sach usetts n n ecticut e n n s l an ia Mar lan d an d N rth Car , Co , P y v , y , o o ” ’ lin r i H i t r l n r ifl s l a . H m a d w ar A e c n s T b o tem a vo . ( t s o y o y C p , II p . Our D ebt to Co l s H i t rn e iu ar r et .

If it be true , as Browning says , that

A people is but th e attem pt of m an y T ris t th m l l f o e o e co p eter i e of on e , then Cornelius Harnett is distinctively th e R evolutionary h ero of North Carolina . L e t me correct at the outset the mistaken idea that

Harnett w as born in England . This view was universal

t an d eliv un il the Honorable George Davis , in address U 8 1855 ered at the niversity of North Carolina , June , , showed that the historians h ad confused Harnett with his father , Cornelius Harnett , Senior , and th at th e son w as h almost certainly born in C owan County , North Car * a an olina . That he was born in North C rolina d in n h probably Ede ton , C owan County, is plainly estab lish ed by the following extract from a lett e r to Har

a e em 1777 net t written by Governor C sw ll , Sept ber 2 , T “ We h ave been alarmed with th e rising of Tories an d form ing of conspira c i e s : the form er among the Highl anders an d R e gulators and in the county in

th e which you h ad honor to draw your first breath , ” 0 M . 2 and in Bertie and artin He was born April ,

1 7 3 s a f e w a 2 , and was thu but mon ths younger th n

m m a m Sa uel Ada s , of Massachusetts , na e that was to be associ a ted with his in l ater y ears by friend and f o e .

‘ The only sketch t h at we h ave of H arn e tt s personal ap e aran ce m c a Mc ain e p is fro the pen of Ar hib ld L Hooper ,

e as th e who was a boy when Harn tt died and who , W m nephew of illia Hooper , signer of the Declaration of m n n e e Independence , had a y opportu ities of s ing th e

’ ’ Lipp i ncott s Pr on ouncing Diction ar y an d Dra ke s Dictio nar y of

e r l A m r ican Biog ap hy both say that Har n ett was bo rn in En g an d . ’ ’ App leton s Cyclop aedia of Amer ican Biograp hy ( 1887) an d " ohn so n s “ Uni versa l Cyclopze di a ( 1894) say bor n pr obably in N or th Car oli ” n Th a ti n ( v i Am r i a n Bi ra h 189 7 an d a . e N o al c lop a d a of e c og p y ( )

D . h B r i l R . t e iog ap hi cal H istgr y of N or th Caroli n a (ar t c e by W . “ C n n r l dd r a l in h an un t vo . a o o , II , p ob b y C ow Co y

" Sta te R ec r ds 603 ( r) o XI , p . . it M Un ivers y ag azin e . man about whom h e was to write in after y ears with “ ”

. H f a . a fection and reverence His st ture . says Mr ooper ,

“ " e c . was about five fe t , nine in hes In his person h e was rather slender th a n stout . His h air w as of

a n d az . light brown , his eyes h el Th e contour of n o t his face was striking nor were his features , which

m a m a k a e m m co un te were s ll , re r bl for sy etry ; but his

w as a n d co m nance pleasin g , his figure , though not

m a n e e . E ndi g , was n ither inel g ant nor ungraceful asy

m e a a in his anners , affabl . courteous , with fine t ste for

e m h e a a n letters and a g nius for usic , was alw ys inter

m m e a c m a . c esting , so eti s a f s inatin g co p nion In onver

a . s tion he w as never voluble The tongue , an unruly m m m s m e n w as h im e ber in o t , i n nicely regul ated by a m m sound and discri inating j ud g ent . He paid , never th eles s a c m , his full quot into the o mon stock , for what was wanting in continuity or fullness

e e of expr ssion , was suppli d by the glance of his m m eye , the ove ent of his h and , and th e impres v m t s i en ess . O a of his pause cc sionally , too , he i par ed ani m ation to discourse by a c h a racteristi c sm ile of such p e culiar sweetness and benignity as enlivened every mind and c heered e very bosom within the sphere ” of its radiance . We know comparat ively little of the e a rly years of

’ ‘ e l but 1750 17 81 Harn tt s ife , from to his death in h e h ad filled every position of honor and trust that a grate ful

c and devoted State could bestow upon h im . Justi e of the mm peace for New Hanover , co issioner for the town of

W ilmin to n m em b er e e c m g , of thirt n olonial asse blies under

c m a royal authority , deputy provin ial grand ster of North

i n a c e c m Wilmin America the M soni ord r , hair an of the g

m m a ton and New Hanover co ittees of s fety , president of the provincial council o f s a fety and thus virtually gov e r nor m m c m m of North Carolina , e ber of the o ittee that

See Lif e a nd L etter s of Co r neli us H ar nettb y Hon orable David in i 3 Un versit a azin l F 1 6 1 . 35 ; M . a e vo . eb 8 L Sw ( y g , X , , , pp l B a Oar D ebt to Cor n e ius rn ett.

a dr fted the first constitution of the State , delegate to the — Continent al Congress at Phil ad e lphia these positions m he not only filled but ade illustrious by a courage ,

e c ability , and int grity th at onstitute a priceless asset in

the history of our Stat e .

o ffice - a It is not as an holder , however , but r ther as a leader of m e n that Harnett has m ade his m ost l asting im

R d e press upon our evolution ary history . In crises th at m and ed ud m en t uickn es s c coolness of j g , q of a tion , and fear lessn e ss of consequences the people of th e Lower Cape Fear and later of the whole State turn e d instin c tively to

a i a m an a ce m a H rr ett . There was bout this rtain ster fulne ss both in thought and action that m ade h im natu

a rally and inevitably a le der . As Morley says of Glad “ He a m stone , h ad none of th t detach ent , often found m e m c e a ong sup rior inds , whi h we honor for its disint r ” e d n s te es s even while w e lam ent its im pote nce in result .

‘ Le t us glance now a t som e of th e crises in North Caro ’ li n a history and Har ri ett s re lation to th e m .

e 1 6 6 a a m The y ar 7 w s a critic l one in A erican history . T h e Stam p A c t h ad been passed the year before by th e

m e th e v a British Parlia nt , and th e royal governors in rions coloni e s w e r e finding great diffi culty in m aintain

R a t he col ing their a uthority . epre sent tiv e s of nine of o n ial ass e m bli e s h ad m e t in New Y ork to p ro te st a gainst a th e oppr e ssio ns of the Stam p A c t and to urge i ts re pe l . Nort h C arolin a w as not r epresented at this m e e ting b e c a use Governor Tryon , foreseeing the possibility of

ac e a l a m e united tion , had r fused to c l eting of the North

r e C arolina Assem bly . Had the othe governors b en shrewd enough to t ak e this action there would have b e en

m N e w Y k th e m e no eeting in or , for the delegates to et t ing w e re in eve ry ca se elected by t h e ir asse m blies . Le us con c ede a t once that Tryon was one of the a blest Eng acco m lis hm e n ever s e nt to th e coloni e s . He could

‘ p lis h m ore by the forc efuln e ss of his person ality and the aw e inspire d by his m ere presence than oth e r rulers could

c do by edi ts and armies . it a Un ivers y M g azine .

n 2 1 1 76 6 h ad O the morning of February , , Tryon ever y r e ason to congratulate him self on the result of h is St amp Act diplom a cy and to believe that his n e xt letter to his hom e governm ent would be a victorious re cital of m difficul ties overco e and insubordination curbed . But w as he reckoned without his host . He now to learn th at the House of H anover with al l its prestige was no match

for th e patriot citizens of New Hanover . The letter which he wrote four d ays l ater contained the m ost h u m iliating acknowl e dgm ent of baffl ed pride a nd irre d eem

able failure that Tryon was ever called upo n to pen . * Th e letter follows : “ 10 ’ 1 176 6 It was about o clock [February 2 , ] when I observed a body of men in arm s from four to fi v e hun “ ” dre d move toward the house [ C astle Tryon in Bruns m m e n m wi ck . ) A detach ent of sixty ca e down the ave m ' nue , and the ain body drew up in front in sigh t and

e Mr . e . within three hundr d yards of the hous Harnett ,

e v m W e a r presentati e in the Asse bly for ilmington , cam at the head of th e detach ment and se n t a message to ’ k n spe a with M r . Penningto [his Majesty s Comptroller] .

W e m h n he ca e to the house he told Mr . Pennington the

‘ e : . . gentlemen wan ted h im . I answer d Mr Pennington m Of ca e into my house for refuge , he was a Crown ficer , and as such I would give h im all the prote c tion my roof a n d the dignity of the chara cter I held in this Province ’ could afford him . “ h im Mr . H arnett hoped I would let go , as the peo ple were det e rmined to take h im out of th e house if he

e i should be longer detained , an insult , h e said , th y w sh

f m e a e . ed to avoid o fering to An insult , I repli d , th t would not tend to any great consequence after they h ad

e e c ff already offered v ry in sult they ould o er , by invest ing my h ouse and making me in eff ect a prison e r before anygrievanc e or oppression h ad been first represented to

’ Fr m T r n s etter B k letter to ecretar n a Febru o y o L oo , S y Co w y , ar S l nial R ec rd I I 1 2 - 1 4 y ee Co o o s V , pp . 7 7 . Oa r D ebt to Cor nelius Har n ett.

’ m e . . Mr Pennington grew very uneasy , said he would c to m m hoose to go th e gentle en . I again repeated y

ff e o rs of protection , if he chose to stay . He declared ,

u m h e and desired I wo ld re ember , t at what ver oaths m m h im h c ight be i posed upon , he s ould onsider them a c ts of compulsion and not of free will ; and furth er ad d e d that he would rather resign his office th an do any a c t m contrary to his duty . If th at was his deter ination , I h im told he had better resign before he left m e . “ t Mr . Harnett in erposed , with saying he hoped he would not do th at . I en forced the recom mendation for

He . an d resignation consented , paper was brought his d ‘ . a : Mr resignation execute and received I then s id . ’

e . e P nnington , now , sir , you may go Mr . Harnett w nt

h im a m out with ; the det ch ent retired to the town . Mr . Pennington afterwards inform ed m e they got h im in the m m . P a tien ce midst of the when Mr Ward , aster of the asked him to e n ter h is sloop . Mr . Pennington assured

h e c him he could not as h ad resigned his offi e . He was afterwards obliged to take an oath th at he would never h issue any stam ped paper in t is province . The a bove

a m m e o th the Collector infor ed h e was obliged to take , as were all th e clerks of the County Courts an d other public officers . acc t e e m By the last oun s I h ave r ceiv d , the nu ber of this insurre c tion am ounted to 580 m en in arm s and up and w a rds o f 100 un armed . The Mayor Corpor a tion of Wilmington and mos t of all th e gentlemen and planters

c ck of the ounty of Brunswi , New Hanover , Duplin , and

a m m e m Bl den , with so e asters of vess ls , co posed this ” corps . B e fore this incid e nt Harnett h ad been best known as a f ar c a c e . 5 1759 skillful fin n i r As back as De ember , , h d m bot h house s of the Assembly a ade h im c h a irm an . of “ c m m am a n d e a o ittee to ex ine , state , s ttl e the public ” e ac counts of this provinc e . This tangl d business he h ad unraveled with such dispatch and accuracy that to Un iversity M ag azin e. the day of his death his primacy in m atters of finance

a w as never questioned . But after h is defi nce o f Tryon — in 17 6 6 ah act performed ten years before th e Decla ration o f Independence and seven ye ars before the Boston Tea Party—Harnett became in an especial sense the leader of his people and the target of British m alevo h lence and denunciation . Every State boasts its e m m roes of the Sta p Act , but in all the exa ples of resist

h O a ance to t is ppressive act , I find no deed th t equals ’ ord erli Harnett s in its blend of courage , dignity , and ness . He and Tryon h ad looked each other in the eyes , n and the eyes of the E glishman h ad quailed . The year 177 1 witnessed another crisis in North Caro R lina history , the uprising of the egulators , culmin ating 1 M a m on the 6 th of y in the Battle of Ala ance . To one who studies carefully the character of Harnett it occa sions no surprise th at he did not sym pathi ze with the

R egulators . He had neither the mind of a visionary w nor th e temper of an insurrectionist . He kne that the ti m e was not ripe for m easuring swords with the arm ies R of " ing George . He saw clearly also that the eg ula tors were held together not by the c ohesion of principle but merely by a common hatred of governm ent al officials

k e m and a determination to wrea v ngeance upon the . No m an felt m ore keenly than Harnett the di fference between m l iberty and license . To his ind t he R egulators were pl aying with fire ; they were adopting measures that w e re neith er r e medial nor palliat i ve ; they were j eo p ardizing the very existence of free institutions and con

stituted auth ority . W illing always to back his opinions by a generous ex

e nd iture m e p of his eans , Harnett contributed more mon y

to the anti - R egulator movement than any other citi zen m in the colony . At its first eeting after the Battle of Al am a nce the Assembly vot e d un animously to reim burse th Harn ett , but refused to reimburse e Honorable s 1 g V 4 V 1 o U ] 9 n W U d I 1

i t Our D ebt to Cor n elius Har r et .

* Samuel Cornell . The resolution reads . as follows “ This h ouse c a nnot a gre e to the allowanc e proposed m am to be ade to Honorable S uel Cornell , Esq t hough thoroughly convin c ed of his m erit and activity in the

a n T h e a c to . l te expeditio . allow n e Mr Harnett was m ade not only bec aus e his s ervices e ntitled him to th e

notice of this house , but in consideration of his not h av ing be e n in an y office or em ploym ent from which he could possibly d e rive any compens atio n for th e gr e at ex

pense he was at in that expedition . ’ Harnett s attitude tow ard th e R egul a tors was not only

e m c t th e approv d by the Asse bly , but was vindi a ed by W h R m . t e course of events hen great evolution ca e , it

' proved to be in no sense an ou t growth of the m ov em e nt

th e R starte d by th e R egulators . Most of egulators were Tories during the whol e o f the R evolutionary Wan t Th at there were good and p a triotic m en am ong the R egulators in 177 1 no student of our’ history can doub t ; th a t th e B attle of Alam an c e serv e d to turn the minds of though tful m e n to th e imminence of a fin al

a a . Our bre k with England is equally prob ble debt , how

ve i - a e e r , to Harr ett and the other far sighted le d rs of the

m e n h im th e h ti who rallied arou d is none less real . T ey proved to th e world that th e R evolution in North Caro

' lina was to be led by men who knew as by instin c t the

f e e e - m di f r nc between lawlessness and self govern ent , who h ad weighed th e questions at issue in the s c ales of pure

i l n l Re r . a c ds . 205 Co o o IX , p

( f ) Th e Battle of Alam an ce an d th e ch aracter of th ose wh o took

ar t in it ill d u tless b e d iscus sed f or cen tur ies to c m See p w o b o e . ’ r f h B r i l n The R o P o ess or Jo n S . assett s a t c e o egulator s f N orth Ca r o lin a in th e An n ual R epor t of th e Am erican Historical A ss ociation 1 M h ’ f r 1 94 2 1 e als h M . r d " m H o 8 , p . S e o Josep o e ea s a es un ter 189 7 ( ) , ’ Haywood s Gover n or lVi lliam Tr yon a n d his Adm ini s tr ation i n the ’ Provi nce of N or th Car oli n a Wad del l s A Colon ia l Officer an d ’ his Tim es an d Mr s McCo r kle s Wa A am a a . s l n ce the F ir st B t

tle of the R evolution " (in The N or th Car olin a Booklet N o ember , v , s it a Un iv er y M g azin e .

c principle , and who eased to be loyal to England only th at they m igh t pledge undying loyalty to the spirit of

libe rty . Men were still discussing th e Battle of Alam ance when

M a 1775 th e in y , , the news came to North Carolina of

L . m n o w _ Battle of exington The ti es were ripe and the h e m c whole province was ready for t i pending onflict . h w “ ’ e 8 . Harn tt eard the ne s on May For God s sake , “ s an d h e cried , end the man on without th e least delay t n wri e to Mr . Marion to forward it by d ay and ight . During the sam e month Mecklenburg County draws up the first Declar a tion of Indep e ndence and inscribes the n first date on the flag of North Carolina . O the 16 M th of July , Governor Josiah artin begs his home gov * er nm en t to proscr i be at least four North Carolinians “ m ro s crib Hearing of a procla ation of th e kin g, p c k an d m u m M i ng John Hanco Sa el Ada s , of assa c hus etts m m , I hold it y indispensable duty to ention R ob to your lordship Cornelius H arnett , Joh n Ashe ,

a nd ert Howe , Abner Nash as persons who h ave m arked them selves out as proper persons for such dis tinction in this colony by their unrem itting l abours to promote sedition and rebellion here from the beginnings of the discont e n ts in Am e rica to this time ; th at they

stand forem ost am ong th e patrons of revol t and anarchy . On 18th O 1775 the of ctober , , the first meeting of the

new provincial council was held at Johnston cour t house . v The council represen ted e ery district of the province , and no abler body of m en had ever met in North Caro z lina . Bancrofti , with apt phraseology , characteri es three “ e : On of th e l aders in the council , but adds none of these three did the choice of president fall ; th at office of peril and power was bestowed unanim ously on Cornelius Har i z nett , whose dis nterested eal h ad made him honored as ” the Sam u e l Adams of North Carolina . This council

l ial R c r ds 98 . n e . Co o o X , p l Hi t it d ta . 9 s r o the Un e tes vo . 8 o y f S VIII , p . a r b r n l us ar ri ett O D e t to Co e i H .

th e was soon required to sit continuously . It was call ed

e council of safety , and Harnett r mained president and thus the chi e f execu tive of the province until a f e w m onths of the tim e wh e n he w as sent as a del e gate to

th e Continental Congress a t Philadelphia .

The year 17 76 opened om i n ously f or North Carolina . The Scotc h Highl anders in the Lower Cape Fear section

e m a constituted an el ent of danger . They h ad r ised th e

a an d M cDo n ald royalist st ndard under General Donald , a

e llo d en e a h ro omf , w re e g er to vindicate the confidence I "

reposed in them by " ing George . Should the Highland

e rs a win their first battle , North Carolin would not only b e overrun by English troops but would be used as a r a diatin g center from wh i c h d e vast atin g armies would

an d march into the other Southern c olonies . Harn e tt his c ouncil w ere unremitti n g in their l abors and s e em to

th e m th e W h ave h ad situation well in h and fro start . ith

c m e n m M e R e su h as Ja es oor , ichard Caswell , Al xander

t e am e " e Lilling on , Joh n Ash , and J s nan as leaders of

th e c m olonial troops , Harnett waited i patiently but con fid e n tly for n e ws of the first vi c tory to b e won by Am er

a a m i n a h e R ic n r s pitc d battle of the evolution . The “ offici a l report of th e battle was s e nt by Caswell to Cor ” liu a a n e s . e H rnett , President It is h ardly prob bl that H arn e tt or a ny of the coun c il h ad anti c ipate d so deci

e c c siv and glorious a vi tory as was actually a h ieved . At ’ * e e Moor s Creek Bridg , eighteen miles northwest of

W m e 7 1 776 a il ington , F bruary 2 , , in a battle l sting

ee e but a few minutes , sixt n hundr d Tories had been

e e e a d f at d by one thousand p triots , t he power of

e the Highlanders had be n forever broken , and the first stanza in the battl e hym n of Americ an fre e d o m h ad b e en written on North C arolina soil by the h e

roes of th e L ower Cap e Fear .

’ See the in terestin g paper o n The Ba ttle of Moo r e s Cr eek

Br id r f r M N l in The N r th a r i e b ss . C . B g y P o e o . S ob e o C ol n a ooklet,

March , 1904 . v it M a az n Un i ers y g i e .

’ Moore s Cree k was the R ubicon over which North Car olina passed to independence an d to constitutional self

m 2 6 1774 W a govern ent . As far back as April , , illi m

e N e w a a ec Hoop r , of H nover County , in a str in of proph y anted ating b y a y e ar the like anticipations of Wash * i n to n an d ff e m g Je rson , had written to Ja es Iredell “ th a t the colon i e s are striding fast to ind epen d e e r e an m nce , and lon g will build e pire upon the ruins of Gre at Brit a in ; will adopt its constitution pu rged

m m e of its i purities , and fro its d fects will guard a gainst ” c a e those evils whi h h a ve wasted its vigor . Fortun t ly “ t h e colonies were - not destined to build an em pire upon ” the rui ns o f Great Britain ; but before the close of the 177 6 h er year Nort h Carolina , under the lead of council , ’ Was to fulfill a c cur a tely all the other term s of Hooper s

e m a e r rkable for cast . ’ T h e date of the Battle of Moore s Creek Bridge is not inscribed upon the flag of North Carolina but it is re

a 1 1 776 lated to the second d te on our fl ag , April 2 , , as ’ Ha - cause to eff ect . d there been no Battle of Moore s Cr e ek Bridge or h ad the b a ttle resulted in a defeat for th e a a c coloni l troops , North C rolina ould not so soon h ave procl aim e d her independence . This initial victory

R an d of the evolution , won by Caswell Lillington , kin d le d m the fires of patriotis , brough t ten thousand eager an d soldiers into the field , sent Cornwallis Clinton scur r in e c e y g out of our borders . gav onfidence to our lead rs , th e R nullified threat of Highlander and egulator , fused

m a the state into a unit for independence , and thus de possible and inevitable th e proudest date in North Caro l ina h istory . “ “ c North Carolina , says B an rofti , was the first colony ” Fro th in h am to vote explicit sanction to independence . g I

’ l n A d r ss o Wil S f D r E A . Al r m n u t d e n e 3 o . . d a s e e e p . 8 e oq

liam Ho er d eli er ed ul 4 1894 at th e Guilf rd Battle Groun d . op , v J y , , o

H r l 2 is t o h Un it d a . 35 . t e e St tes vo . ( t ) o y f , VIII , p

R e o th R u li n i d tates . 502 . ( 1) is f e ep b c of t e Un te S , p to rn l u t Our D ebt Co e i s Har net .

“ phrases it m ore accurately : North Carolina was th e ” c a a e e first colony to a t s unit in favor of ind p ndence . But the cl e arest accoun t is given by Henry W illi am E1 * “ U a son . p to April , says he , all the t lk of independence had be e n private talk . This showed th e m n m m drift of popular feeling , but so ethi g ore ust be done to achieve it . North Carolina won the honor of b e ing first to m ake a n offi cial m ove . On th e 12 th of

‘ April that c olony instructed its d e l e gat e s in co n gress to concur with th e deleg a tes of th e oth e r colonies in de ’ n ind e end en d e n ce m clari g p and for ing foreign alliances .

m a m a c w a This was a ove of the gre test i port n e , and it s but a short tim e until R hode Isl a nd an d th e n M ass ach u

m e setts followed the exa pl of their Southern sister . The fourth colony to pronounce for independenc e was Vir

c ginia , wh ich went farther th an the others by instru tin g its deleg ates to propose indepe nd e n c e to the Contineu tal Congress . I n e m e a spite of these pat nt and ad itt d f cts , Lecky says , _ L in a work] still lauded a n d quot e d as an authority on both “ sides of the Atlanti c : The Central and Southern Col

a N e w ouies long hesit ted to follow England . M ass a ch us etts had thrown h e rself with fi e r ce e nergy in to th e ” an d t h e r conflict , soon drew the o her colonies in wake . The m onum ent th at we unveil today is a m on um ent not only to H arnett and the other heroes of th e L ow e r Cape

th e Fear , but to the truth of history and duty of pre serving and defending it . ’ Harnett s sh are in the ach i e vem e nt of April 12 has been ignore d even by the historians who concede m ost

e th e a e a fre ly signific nc of the d te in American history .

e m e t th e 4 th The conv ntion at Halifax on of April . “ On 8 w as r es o lve d a the th of April it I , Th t Mr .

. . Mr . h Harnett , Mr Allen Jones , Mr Burke , Nas , Mr .

Hi st r o the United States o Am r i 1 e ca 904 . 25 o 2 . y f f , p ,

Hi s t r o the E i h teen th en tur vol o . . 386 . y f g C y, III , p

lonial Recor 04 ds . . ( t) Co X , p 5 s l

iv sit M a azin e U n er y g .

m Mr . m " Mr . e inchen , Tho as Person , and Tho as Jon s be a select comm ittee to t ake into consideration th e usurpations and viol e nces attempted and co m m it ted by the " ing and Parl ia ment of Britain against

ca th e m Ameri , and further easures to be taken for frustra ” m th e c ting the sa e, an d for e better d fen e of this Province . As chairm a n‘ of this select com mittee Harnett wrote the

m 1 th th e fa ous report , and on the 2 of April re ad it to " m m a m convention . It was i edi tely and un ani ously adopted .

c In rin ging senten es , not unworthy of Burke or Pitt , the report set forth in a short preamble th e usurpations of the British Ministry and “ the moderation hitherto ” e m m anifested by the United Colonies . Th n ca e the decl aratio n whi c h to those who m ade it m eant lon g ye ars

n war m m e of desolati g , s oking ho steads , widowed moth e rs i e e , and fatherless ch ldr n , but to us and our desc nd “ * a m : R ants heritage of i perishable glory esolved , That the delegat e s for this Colony in the Co n tin e n t al Congress be empowere d to concur with the del e g ates of the other Colonies in declaring I nd ep e nd

m a ency , and for ing foreign lliances , reserving to this Colo ny th e sole and exclusiv e right of forming a t a n d a Cons itution l ws for this Colon y , and of appoin t ing delegate s from tim e to t im e ( u nder the direction of

e a m a general r present tion thereof , ) to eet the delegates of the ot her Colonies for such purposes as shall be here ” after pointed out . Had Harnett done nothing else th an

- a write these words , the most memorable and far re ching

v m ever uttered in a st ate con ention , he would h ave a ply deserved the granite shaft w h ich tod ay we uncover to m m his e ory . A few months later the little town of Halifax was to witness another h istoric scene , H arnett again being

e m the central figure . L ate in July the n ws h ad co e th at the exam ple of North Carolina had been followed

l nial Rec rds 5 1 . Co o o X , p . 2 H a a l Our D ebt to Co r n elius rn i .

e 4th by all the other coloni s , that on the of July the e b h m Declaration of Independence , prepar d y T o as Jef

‘ f e rso n all , had been adopted and signed by the delegates

' c of th e thir teen c olonies . The ouncil of safety for North "< “ m m e e a Carolina i ediat ly r solved That Tuesd y , the first

s e t a c m day of August next , be part for pro lai in g the said De claration at the Court House in the Town of Hal if ax a 1 m It is needless to say th t when August ca e , no question was raised as to who should read the great document . There was one man and only one whose name in e very haml e t in North Carol ina stood as the supreme em bodiment of independen ce . Hardly four m onths had passed since he had read his own i mm ortal w as decl aration , and the declaration which he now to read was but the enactment by a Co n tin e n tal Congress of what he h ad proposed to a provin c ial congress . It is no “ t wonder that when Harnet concluded the reading , the soldiers bore h im on their shoulders t hrough the s t reets

th e him as e of town , applauding th ir champion and L swearing allegi anc e to the instrum ent h e h ad read] The year 1 776 was to close with ano t her m emorable

c event whi h took plac e also at Halifax . This was the adoption on the 18th of Dece m ber of the first co n s titu a m m tion for North C rolina . For ore than a year , fro

O 18 1775 m e 18 1776 ctober , , to Dece b r , , the colony had been gove rned by the council of s afety with Cornelius

Harnett as President . During all this time no ch arge

m e th e c was ever brough t against any emb r of coun il , no

w as c protest made against any of their de isions , no rivalry or intrigue from within m arred the force of their

c e authority , and no fa tion or insurr ction from without a arm h st yed the of t eir power . But the Continental Congress had urged the States to

m ed form constitutions , many of them had already co pli ,

R r d s ec . 6 88. o X , p

‘ -r) See Def en ce of the R evolution ary Histor y of N orth Car olin a 1834 b ose h S a ll on s n a s 6 e a e a d l ni l R ec rd 71 . ( ) y J p w J , Co o o X , p . n ivers t Ma U i y g azin e. and th e council of safety for North Carolina h ad itself “ broached the question of a tempor ary civil co ns titu * ” a f 1 tion the d ay ter the declaration of April 2 . The convention at H a lifax did its work so well that the con stitutio n ther e form ed con t inued in use without the 1 sligh test ch a n ge until 835 .

R c a a i h rd C swell , a native of Maryl and but one of the ’ e e e k e heroes of Moor s Cr Bridge , presid d over the con ven tio n and be c am e the first gov e rnor of North Carolina

a e - under the n e w c onstitution . H rn tt was vi ce president of the conve ntion and was chosen first councilor of

W a e a e k state . h t parts these two l d rs too in the discus ’ m e sions of the convention it is i possibl to say . Harnett s position as vice - president was doubtless desi gned to give h im greater freedom of debate and thus to enable th e convention to dr a w upon his unequaled stores of civic

an d c wisdom politi al experience . Tradition m a intains that H a rnett caused the insertion “ of section XXX I VT: T h at there shall be no Establish m ent of any one religious Church or Denomination in

c this State in Preferen e to any other , neither shall any

e m e e person , on any pretence whatso ver , be co p ll d to a ttend any Pl ace of worsh ip contrary to his own fait h

m e and Judg ent , or be oblig d to pay for the purchase of an W any Glebe , or th e building of y House of orship , or a an M t for the m inten ance of y inis er or Ministry , con tr ar h e y to wh at believes right . or h as voluntarily and a m personally eng ged to perfor , but all persons sh all be ” e at Liberty to xercise their own mode of Worship . It m ay be rem arked in th is connec tion t h at the Bill of R e m f V eli gious Fr edo , prepared by Je ferson for irginia , 179 9 ff did not pass until , and th at Je erson j ustly con s id ere d the authorship of this Bill worthy of co m m emo m ration o u his to b . The most difficult task before the constitutional con

S l n ia R e rd 5 1 ee l c s . 5 . Co o o X , p

ol nial R ec rds . 1011 C o o X , p .

u

’ n iversit M a azzn U y g e. one of his letters the ridiculous j ealousy between North and He speaks of himsel f as an old m an no w W m and longs to be again in ilmington . His ind was never m ore active but his body was tortured with the gout . He was inocul ated on his way to Philadelphia and was t h us un able to attend th e first few m eetings of the Con gress held after his arrival . The universal dread L of sm allpox is indicated in a le tterl th at h e wrote from h 20 1777 Philadelp ia , July , , to his friend and business “

W l . W m t : associate , il iam Wilkinson . Esq , of il ing on I was inoculated at Port Tobacco and had the disorder M arm in very favorably . y continues very sore and m fla ed , indeed so bad th at I cannot wear a coat , and has m prevented y attending Congress , though I arrived here

18 . the th Inclosed is a letter for Mrs . Harnett wh ich I m ust beg th e favor of you to have well smoked w ith m m bri stone , as she is very fearful of the s allpox . I put 11 m m y letters in th e sun for an hour before I seal the , n d am very certain the infection cannot be conveyed in ” a letter so far , but it is best to be cautious .

The followin g letter"; to Mr . Wilkinson carries its own m m Y bri stone . I t is written fro ork , Pennsylvania , “ m 8 1777 : Dece ber 2 , Tell Mrs . Harnett ( for I forgot to mention it to her) that two or three gallons of pickled oysters would be th e g reatest rarity sh e could send me . I have not tasted one since I left home—also a few dried z s fish of any kind , a do en or two ; even if they tank they m would be pleasing . I a h eartily tired of eating the

- m We flesh of four footed ani als . can get very little else in this plen tiful country that you have so often

m e m praised and even bragged of . Believe it is the ost inhospitable scandalous plac e I ever was in . If I once m m m ore can return to y fa ily , all the devils in hell shall not separate us ’

tat R d S e ec r s . 826 . o XI , p ” State R ecords . 41 ( r) XI , p 7 .

5 State Rec rds . ( 5) o XI , p 827 . Our D ebt to Cor n elzzts Harn ett.

* h e w rites M 20 1778 To Governor Caswell , arch , , that “ h e does not desire re- appoi n tment but adds : I think it is my duty to serve my country to the best of my poor ” abilities , either with or without pay . The extent of his financial sacrifices is touched upon in a letterTfrom “ O 9 1779 : Philadelphia to Thomas Burke , ctober , I sh al l m 6 000 return indebted to y country at least pounds , and m you know very well how we lived . Do not ention this m m co plaint to any person . I a content to sit down with ” m e m or . this loss and much , if y country requires it letter e I n th e following urgent I to Thomas Burk , 16 177 7 written December , , the l ast that I sh all quote , the ch aracteristic determ in ation and unsh aken confidence of Harnett stand clearly revealed . His ruling desire is that North Carolina may prove worthy of the resp o n “ s ibility laid upon h er : I beg you will inform me of the d temper you find our Assembly in . Are they incline to pursue spirited measures " For God ’s sake fill up your e battalions , l ay taxes , put a stop to the sordid and avari ious spirit which infected all ranks and conditions of men . All our foreign intelligence indicates that Europe will soon be in a flame . Le t us not depend upon this .

If we h ave virtue , we certainly have power to work out ”

t . our own salvation , I hope wi hout fear and tremblin g 1780 In the winter of , having signed t he Articles of 1778 Confederation in the summer of , Harnett jour W m n ey ed for the l ast time back to il ington . The trip ’ ver was a severe one and Harnett s health , never v robust , was ill able to stand the strain to which it was now sub j ected . The tide of battle h ad turned sout hward and m H a rnett knew h is danger . Every procla ation of Brit ish am nesty had expressly exce pted h im from its provis

an d W m ions , when at last il ington fell into the hands of 9 1781 the enemy , January 2 , , their every effort was bent

tate R ec rds I I 385 . S o X I , p .

t R c rds XI . ( t) Sta e e o V, p . 348 9 ( t) State Records XI , p . 6 6 . ‘ w him toward his capture . Harnett h ad ith a large sum of m oney * for the purch ase of clothi n g and munitions of m war for the North Carolina troops . This su he man aged to convey beyond the reach of danger and would hi m self h ave escaped had not a paroxysm of gout ren

- him . O m dered helpless I n nslow County , thirty two iles m m n fro Wil ingto , at the home of his friend , Colonel Wilmin Spicer , h e was captured and carried at once to g Sn fi erin s ton . His g were intense , but he is said to h ave declined the advice of physicians though grateful for m their kind attentions . The end probably ca e on th e

h f e w h 28t of April . A hours before his death e wrote ’ his will and di c tated a' co uple t from Pope s E ssay o n M an to serve as his epitaph . If it be true th at

Th e sun set o f lif e gives us m ystical lore m in n h An d co g eve ts cas t. their s ad ows bef ore let us believe that though he did not live to see th e con m o f a sum ation his labors , there yet p ssed before his dying e y es the vision of a great and grateful comm on wealth and that through the vista of the years he saw him self a cclaim ed as its foremost builder and its m ost m illustrious artyr .

Harnett had been dead nearly fifty years wh en in 1825 a book was published in Boston entitled 7 ize Mem o ir of

til e L i e o osia/z uin c un . f f j Q y , f , by his son Josiah Quincy m Josiah Quincy , Jun . , one of the fore ost orators and atr io ts R m ad p Tof Boston during evolutionary ti es , was vised by his physi c ians i n 17 73 to m ake a sea voyage to On Charleston , South Carolina , for his health . his

See N otes by A rchibald McLain e Hooper in Un iversity Maga zin e l vo . 234 , X , p . (f ) His best kn own work is his Obser vation s on the A ct of Par lia ment common ly ca lled the Boston Port Bill Our D ebt to Co rn elius [I arn ett

e r V r turn trip he traveled th ough North Carol ina , ir i i Y m g n a , Maryland , Pennsylvania , and New ork , aking not e s in his di a ry of the m ost int e resting persons and

n . On s0th M 1773 h thi gs that he saw the of arch , , e visited Wil mington and made th e f ollowing entry in his “ diary Dined with about twenty at Mr . William ’ — Hooper s fi n d him apparently in the Whig interest — , h as t a ken their side in the House is caressed by the W higs , and is now passing his election through the influence of that party . Spent th e night at Mr . Har ’ e m m n tt s , the Sa uel Ada s of North Carol ina ( except in f R o . point obert Howe , Esq , Harnett , and

c m myself made the so ial triu virate of the evening . The plan of continental correspondence highly relished , mu c h

‘ ” wished for , and resolved upon as proper to be pursued . When this comparison was made between Harnett and m Ada s , the latter was at the height of his fame , and ’ such was Quincy s ad miration for the N e w Engl a nd e r 6 17 75 that when dying at sea ( April 2 , ) Quincy was heard “ mur mur : o n e to T I h ave but desire and one prayer , that I m ay live long enough to have an interview with

m W a e Samuel Ada s or Joseph arren ; th t grant d , I sh all ” die c ontent . Though Quincy talked with the leadin g a h men in all the colonies th t he visited , he now ere else

- m m likens any one to his beau ideal , Sa uel Ada s . 18 5 t From 2 , when this tribute to Harne t was first

c k h as made publi , the recognition of his wor grown m steadily until the present ti e . If it be true th at in the c areer of H a rnett can be trac ed the h istory of North

a R C rolina during the evolutionary period , it is no l e ss ’ true that in the growing recognition of H a rnett s servi

H rn tt as r h a s th rich est m an in N r th l a e w pe p e o Car o in a .

’ “ Ad am s s cir cum stan ces wer e such th at wh en h e w as sen t as a d ele gate to th e fi rst C on tin en tal C on gr ess in Ph ilad elphia his f r ien d s r esen ted him i th a wi hat c at an d air of sh es th at h e p w g , , o , p o ’ m i h m k r di l a ar ance Se H sm r s amu l m g t a e a c e tab e ppe . e o e S e Ada s p . 308.

‘ Mem ir 345 (i ) o p . . ces m ay be tra ced the deepening realization of our d e bt

i - not only to h m but to all of his co work e rs . I sh all

m e mention , therefore , in chronological order the ore not ’ e m worthy tribut s to Harnett s emory , tributes that cul m inate today in the permanent memorial which we h ave j ust unveiled . In 1834 the Boston press of Charl es Bowen published

l n a o . c o i by J seph Seawell Jones In this work , whi h was ’ m widely circulated , Q uincy s reference to his Wil ington ’ e visit was cited in full , and Harnett s servic s as presi dent of the council of safety received a just appraisal . 1844 Wi lmin ton Clzr on icle 2 1 In , in the g for August , there appeared an appreciative mem oir of Harnett which was reproduced in the R a lezglz R eg ister of August 30 and which gave Lossing t he only m aterial that he had

’ for the sketch of Harnett in his fam ous P icto r ia l Field

B o ole o tlze R evolution m f ( volu e II , 1 185 . e b In Dr Calvin H . Wil y pu lished in London , ill h m "< m o f . W o u b fro the press g y and Co pany , a novel called l e Adven tur e s of Old D a n Tucker a n d ltis Walter : A a l a lin a R Son T e of N o rtlz C ro . It is a evo lutio n ar e y story and went through several ditions , Har “ nett figuring as one of the ch aracters . Here at all

'

. the o w er e times , says Dr Wiley , speaking of L Cap “ m m Fear , have lived so e of the brigh test orna ents of t he State ; and in the R evolution there were m en who would have been giants anywhere . Cornelius Harnett , who was one of the guests of Col . Ashe , cut a distin g uish ed figure in the councils of North Carolina during R e m the war of the evolution . He was a gen tl an of for e tune and education , fitted by nature and study to shin

e m e m in any soci ty ; and yet , fond of retire nt , odest and

c m c tro ub un ere onious , he was not conspi uous except in ” - m . lous times , and then he was the aster spirit

’ Th e stor as r n i n Ma azi n e Ph iladel y w begun in Sa tain s U o g , hia r h p , Ma c , 1849 . distinguished man , whose life was offered up to h is

e country , is not known . It is hoped that this f eble notice [it is full of errors] will excite some friend of the State to collect and collate the full biography of this worthy citi zen . L ast Session of our General Assembly ” e a proposition was made to n ame a county Harn tt . I n 1854 m m , however , the otion which , fro ignorance of

a 185 1 North Carolin history , failed to pass in was car m ried unani ously , and Harnett County , with the appro riate m L m p na e of illington for its county seat , arked the first recognition by th e State at large of its indebt n ed es s to the hero of th e Lower Cape Fear . The year 1855 witnessed a greatly in c reased int e res t a W m m in H rnett . The il ington Historical Society deter ”< ined to erect suitable m onum ents not only to H arnett to — a but Lillington , Moore , and Howe determination

e which , however , was not carri d out . Mr . Griffith

McR ee m l/Vilni in to n , of Wil ington , contributed to the g 7 D ail li era la i n y a eulogy of Harnett , which was copied m Un ivers it Ma zi the April nu ber of the y g a n e . Th e annual address before the literary societie s of th e Uni 8 w as . e e a versi ty delivered , June , by the Hon G org D vis ,

W m A Sbetclz o til e E ar l of il ington , h is topic being f y 7 “ Tim e n a M w er a e F w s a en of tire L o C p ear . There as ” “ a one , said the speaker , who shone like a st r in the e a h arly troubles of the St te , of pure and exalted c arac

e c m ter , of unsurpass d influen e with his country en , and the value of whose services was only equalled by the e xtent of his sufferings and sacrifices in th e c ause of k liberty . And yet so little is h e nown that I doubt not , e m m a e m e d g ntle en , any of you h ve not ven so uch as h ar m his na e . I speak of Cornelius Harnett , the pride of

n i Ma azin l I 1 See U versit e vo . . 36 y g V, p , Un iversity Mag azin e.

m m the Cape Fear , th e S a uel Ada s of North Carolina Extracts from this eloquen t address were afterwards sent to all the public schools in the State to be used in the r m 1 1 c 8 9 03 . elebration of North Ca olina day , Dece ber ,

186 1 . . In the Hon David L Swain , President of the U niver niversity of North Carolina , published in the U sity Mag a zin e for February a study of Tbe L ife an d L et ters of Co rn eli us H arn ett. I n this article Presiden t

‘ ’ Swain quotes liberally from the Hon . George Davis s

a address but adds little of his own . The rticle owes its chief value , however , to the part contributed by Mc in Archibald L a e Hooper . His manuscript entitled N o tes R elative to Cor n elius [I ar n ett h ad come into the possession of President Swain and was now published

m e for the first ti e . As Hooper in his boyhood kn w Har N otes m nett , the are of great value , though so e of th e ’ statements , especially in regard to H arnett s religious * beliefs , must be accepted with reservation .

Utterly un war ran ted in f eren ces h ave been dr awn f rom th e c ouplet wh ich Harnett asked to b e placed on his tomb

la e to n o sect h e took no ri ate r ad S v , p v o , ’ But looked th rough N atur e up to N ature s God

l - E ssa on Man E istl I in es 33 1 332 . ( y , p e V,

Th e h le assa e one of th e m ost s len did in ei h teen th cen tur w o p g , p g y literatur e is as f ollo s : , w

“ ’ See th e sole bliss Heav n could on all bestow " hich wh o but f eels can taste b ut thinks can kn o W , w Y et oor i th f ortune an d ith learn in lin d p w , w g b , Th e bad m us t m iss th e o d un tau h t ill fin d ; g o , g , w ; la e to no sect wh o takes n o ri ate r ad S v , p v o , ’ But looks thr ough N atur e up to N ature s God ; ’ Pur sues hat Ch ain hich lin ks th im m en se d esi n t w g , ’ oin s Heav n an d ear th an d m or tal an d di in e J , v ; ees that no Bein an liss can kn o S g y b w , But t uches om e a o e an d s m e el o s b v , o b ow ear n s f r m this union of th e r isin h ole L , o g W , Th firs l h n l e t, ast pur pose of t e huma sou ; An d kn o s h ere Faith Law M rals all e an w , w , , o , b g , All en d in o e of God an d o an L v L ve Of M .

' * Clza l tte bs rver articles on Harnett to the r o O e . These articl e s bor e furth e r fruit in the sketches of Harnett wh ich Tb i a lzi a l Hi t Mr . Connor published in e B og r p c s o ry of N t a o lin a 1 5 7 /z N o rtlz a l or lz C r . 9 0 e C ro in a (vol II , ) and in l t B o ok e 1906 . 19 03 for January , I t was also in th at Hon l m W o rab e . Tho as E atson , of Georgia , published his

L e an d Times o T om as so n if f b j ef er . In speaking of ff the Declaration of Independence , written by Je erson , “ r W t : M . a son says Already Cornelius Harnett h ad led

th e w a e e y to Indep nd nce in North Carolina . The fact th at North Carolina h ad given the first tap to th e drum in m the grand arch of Independence was , indeed , long disputed ; and the nam e of Co rnelius Harnett was un , r known to histo ians . He was serving as president of a R O evolutionary government in ctober ,

Ten days ago Dr . Joh n Lesslie Hall , of the College of

e H a - o urs in So ul/z William and Mary , p ublish d his lf H

er n Histo ryT. In this book he speaks of Harnett as fol lows : “ n Not all the heroes can serve o the field of battle . m m A ong civic heroes and artyrs , Cornelius Harnett ‘ call e d by Josiah Quincy the Sam uel Adams of North ’ - m a a . C rolina , st nds pre eminent He ade his first repu ta tio n as an opponent of the Stamp Act ; then he served on the Intercolonial Comm ittee of Correspondence ; sat in the Provincial Congress of North Carol ina ; was for

a while acting - governor of the State ; exerted great i nfluence in inducing North Carolina to declare for inde p e nd e n ce ; was branded by Sir Henry Clinton as a rebel 5 1776 a . O n 2 beyond the p le of forgiveness July , , after he had read the De c laration of Independence to a great thron g at Halifax they bore him on their shoulders i n

f n r 1 F r uar 1 an d 15 March 8 See issues o Ja ua y 4 an d 8, eb y , il M 1 1 1 n d 2 ul Au st 9 an d 30 Se tem Apr 5 a Jun e 2 a 8, J 26 , u , p , y , y g

b er 13 Octo er 25 N em er 22 an d Decem er 10 . , b , ov b , b

F m h r s h B F hn n u lishin Co . Rich ( i ) ro t e p e s of t e . . Jo so P b g , m nd o . Our D ebt to Co r n elius Harn ett.

triumph through the town . In the drafting of the State

177 6 c m e Constitution in , h e be a the father of religious

n e th e liberty in North Caroli a . He f arlessly dared dun

th th e geon and the scaffold . When e British captured

a w C pe Fear region , Harnett was thro n into prison , and ” died in captivity .

Though these tribut e s to Harnett show th at he h as

e e m not b en forgott n , they show also th at his na e does

a m c m m e not ppear in the A eri an States en Series , the A r

c m c e i an Men of Energy Series . the A eri an Cris s Biog r a h ies an p , or in y other series of historic lives . He is mentioned here and there by spe c ial inv e stigators in R e v o lutio n ary history but his nam e is not to b e found in the

c a index to any re ent history of the United States . Th t he deserves a pl ac e in United Stat e s history and in Am erican biography is proved by the m ere r e cital of m what h e did . Th e o ission is not due to Northern prejudice or insul arity but to the fact that no Nort h

Carolinian h as yet written a life of Harn e tt . It is not to ‘ our c redit that the hope e xpressed by N h eeler more th an a h alf century ag o in the first volum e of his Histo ry o f N or t/i Ca o li a m a v r n re ins as yet unfulfill e d . If th e R e o lutio n ary history of North Carolin a is ever to be given

m m c its eed of recognition by A eri an historians , that history m ust be woven about the lives of our R evo lu n ar tio y heroes . Two w e eks a go the last volume of the Colon ia l and

State R ecord s o N o r t/z Car o lin a f cam e from the pre ss . Th e se volum es h av e rece ive d th e unstinted pr aise of

c h r every s ool of historians , No th and South . The first du ty th a t we now owe to H arnett is to s e e that his life is e ad quately written . He must b e portr ayed not m erely as a

a a as m c North C rolini n but an A eri an , and documentary e ce viden must be cited rather than individual opinion . W hen this is done , Harnett will rank as one of the Un iversity Mag azine.

of R national figures the American evolution , and th e history of North Carolina will no longer seem an iso lated fragment but an organic part of a larger whole . One other thought in conclusion : It is not the pains taking biograph er alone who contributes to h istory .

T h e i finer work of giving color , coherence , and v tality m m h m m ust co e fro t e l iterary artist . For al biographies an d text - books of h istory can never carry as far as his m tory transl ated into literature . Samuel Ada s is not m k M ore widely nown than Paul R evere . arlborough said th at he le arned all of his English h istory from the

am dr as of Shakes peare . The world knows Scottish h is tory not fromBurton ’ s learned volumes but from the W pages of alter Scott and R obert Burns .

A n d h at f or this f rail orld ere all w w , w h at m ortals d r suff r T o o e , Did n o r es on si e har n o en p v p , p , ” Mem orial tribute off er "

r m a z th e Th e histo ian y galvani e the past , but poet vitali zes it . Enshrine history in literature and you give m it both currency and per anency . ’ ’ The m ost suggestive though t in R os tan d s L A zg' lon is th at expressed by an old soldier in speakin g of his mm dead co ander , Napoleon Bonaparte

“ ’ ’ C est main tenan t qu il f ait ses plus belles con quetes ’ I l n a lus d e soldats m ais il a l s o s p , e p ete . * m I n a recent address , the Honorable Henry Sher an “ Boutell used the following striking words : Poets make M many of our national heroes ; and assachusetts , my native State , h as furnished t he nation with most of our R evolutionary heroes ; not because North Carolina and Old the other States of the Thirteen h ad no heroes , but

c be ause Massachusetts h ad the poets .

But M assachusetts did not al w ays have the poets . When R ufus Choate in 1833 m ade his memorable appe alT

D eli ered at th e Uni ersit of N orth Car olina Ma 31 1905 . v v y , y ,

Se Old uth ea et 110 (1) e So L fl s N o . . t Our D ebt to Corn elius Harn et .

for the illustration of New Engl and history by a series m enco ur of poems and romances , the outlook was far fro

' d is tin ctive lite rature aging . New England h ad then no ;

n or h ad a single poet or prose - writer touched with the wand of his genius any event or locality in New England

m . history . But in less than ten years from the ti e of Mr ’ Choate s address Emerson h ad written his great Co n co rd To ld Ta les Hymn and Hawthorne his Twice . The m M osses move ent was now on , and in rapid succession , r o m an Old M an s e Tbe Scar let L etter Y be H o use o f , , f

tbe Seven Gables Yke Co urts/ti o M i les Stan dislz , p f , and ’ Paul R evere s R id e completed a cyc le th at has don e m ore to populari ze the history of Massachusetts than all m the historians from Willia Bradford to Joh n Fiske . We hear much today of N orth Carolina ’s undeveloped

' —o f m resources , her hidden ores , her tu bling waters , and

her unscarred forests . But greater th an all these , more m potent by far in their essage to h eart and brain , are the resources of a history rich in rom antic appeal and d v l resplen ent in civic heroisms . These are the un d e e oped resources that are waiting to become a part of th e spiritual heritage of every child born within our bor

ders . There may be l isten ing to me today some m an or l woman , some boy or girl , whose heart A mighty God h as dowered with

Th e li ht that n e er was on sea or lan d g v , , ’ ” Th on r i n d h dr m e c sec at o an t e poet s ea , and who will yet transmute the base metal of our his t h e m tory into pure gold of poetry and romance . If y voice could reach into every home and schoolroom in

n o n North Carolina , I would say , There is higher call tha

this , no opportunity for service more exalted and b en efi

cent . When our history shall h ave been thus written , the heroes of the Lower Cape Fear will rise to a new ’ immortality ; they will have become a part of a nation s song and story ; they will have joined the choir invisible

“ Of th ose imm or tal d ead wh o live again ” I n min d s m ad e better by their pr esen ce and the monum ent which we unveil today will be a mon um en t dead but to ever living and the ever loved .