Sketches of Western North Carolina, Historical and Biographical: Illustrating Principally the Revolutionary Period of Mecklenburg, Rowan, Lincoln and Adjoining Counties, Accompanied with Miscellaneous Information, Much of It Never before PublishedHunter, C. L.
History
Sketches of Western North Carolina, Historical and Biographical: Illustrating Principally the Revolutionary Period of Mecklenburg, Rowan, Lincoln and Adjoining Counties, Accompanied with Miscellaneous Information, Much of It Never before Published
Hunter, C. L.
Burke County (N.C.) -- History; Cabarrus County (N.C.) -- History; Cleveland County (N.C.) -- History; Gaston County (N.C.) -- History; Iredell County (N.C.) -- History; Lincoln County (N.C.) -- History; Mecklenburg County (N.C.) -- History; North Carolina -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783; Rowan
"_Resolved_, 5 That, it is also further decreed that all, each, and
every military officer in this county is hereby retained in his former
command and authority, he acting conformably to these regulations. And
that every member present of this delegation shall henceforth be a
civil officer, viz.: a justice of the peace, in the character of a
committeeman, to issue process, hear and determine all matters of
controversy, according to said adopted laws; and to preserve peace,
union and harmony in said county; and to use every exertion to spread
the love of country, and fire of freedom throughout America, until a
more general and organized government be established in this
province."
After the reading of these resolutions, a voice from the crowd called
out for "three cheers," and soon the welkin rang with corresponding
shouts of applause. The resolutions were read again and again during
the day to different parties, desirous of retaining in their memories
sentiments of patriotism so congenial to their feelings.
A copy of the proceedings of the convention was then drawn off, and
sent by express to the members of congress from North Carolina, at
that time in session at Philadelphia. Captain James Jack, a worthy and
intelligent citizen of Charlotte, was chosen as the bearer; and in a
few days afterward, set out _on horse-back_ in the performance of his
patriotic mission. Of his journeyings, and _perilous adventures_
through a country, much of it infested with Tories, we know but
little. Having faithfully performed the duties of his important trust,
by delivering the resolutions into the hands of the North Carolina
Delegation at Philadelphia (Caswell, Hooper and Hews,) he returned to
his home in Charlotte. He reported that our own Delegation, and
several members of Congress, manifested their entire approbation of
the earnest zeal and patriotism of the Mecklenburg citizens, but
deemed it premature to lay their resolutions before their body, as
they still entertained some hopes of reconciliation with the mother
country.
A copy of the foregoing resolutions were also transmitted to the
Provincial Congress, at Hillsboro, and laid before that body on the
25th of August, 1775, but for the same prudential reasons as just
stated, they declined taking any immediate action.
It has been deemed proper to present this summarized statement of the
circumstances leading to the Mecklenburg Convention of the 19th and
20th of May, 1775, as a source of reference for those who have no
other history of the transaction before them. For a more extended
account of its proceedings, the reader is referred to the pamphlet
published by State authority in 1831, and to the exhaustive treatise
of the late Ex-Governor Graham on the authenticity of the Mecklenburg
resolutions, with notices of the principal actors and witnesses on
that ever-memorable occasion.
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