USA > North Carolina > The history of North Carolina from the earliest period, Volume II > Part 25
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The address of the late delegates to the continental congress was next noticed. The governor observed, "the preposterous enormity of it could not be ade- quately described and abhorred ; it marked that assem- bly as the genuine source of those foul streams of sedi- · tion, which, through the channel of committees, had overflown a once happy land, and now threatened it with every species of misery, ruin and desolation." From this, the proclamation passed to " the treasonable pro- ceedings of an infamons committee, in the town of New-
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bern, at the head of a body of armed men, in seizing and carrying off six pieces of artillery, the property of the king, that lay behind the palace; the repeated insults. and violences, offered to the king's subjects, by those little, tyrannical and arbitrary combinations, and, among others, to some of the governor's servants, who had been stopped, searched and forcibly detained, when em- ployed upon his business, the unremitted assiduity of those engines of sedition, to sow discontent and disaf- fection, and the base artifices they employed, to preju- dice and alienate the minds of the king's subjects, by confidently and traitorously propagating the most base, scandalous and monstrous falsehoods of the king's reli- gious and political principles, and the ill designs of his ministry, daring thus to defame, and even to traduce the character of the best of princes."
He alluded to the summons, lately issued by Samuel Johnston, " by which the people were invited to elect delegates to a provincial congress, in the town of Hills- borough, as a measure, subversive of the constitution of the province, and evidently calculated to seduce the king's loyal and faithful subjects, in the interior and west- ern counties, whose steady duty to their king and coun- try had hitherto resisted all the black artifices of false- hood and sedition, and had already, on his representa- tion, the king's most gracious acceptance and approba- tion, which he was authorised to signify to the loyal people of the province, particularly in the counties of Dobbs, Cumberland, Anson, Orange, Guilford, Chat- ham, Rowan and Surry, who had given more special and public testimonies of their loyalty, fidelity and duty ;" he gave them assurances of the king's most firm support, and expressed his confidence, that they
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would not only confirm the good disposition of those people, but strengthen and enable them to baffle and de- feat every effort of sedition and treason, prompt them also to resist their first approaches, by withstand- ing the now meditated, seditious attempt of the proposed provincial congress, to steal in upon them the spirit, and erect among them the standard of rebellion, under the pretence of meeting for solemn deliberation on the public welfare.
He forewarned the people to forbear making any choice of delegates, to represent them in the proposed provincial congress, as they would avoid the guilt of giving sanction to an illegal assembly, acting upon prin -. ciples, subversive of the happy constitution of this coun- try, and, by every means in their power, to discourage so dangerous and unconstitutional an assembly, and resist its baneful influence.
He offered the king's gracious pardon, for all outrages done or hitherto committed, to all such as would return to their duty, the king and obedience to the laws of their country, with ample encouragement and rewards, to such persons, as might deliver up to him the few un- principled individuals, who had seduced the people to those treasonable outrages.
He denounced John Ashe of the county of New Hanover, and Robert Howe of the county of Bruns- wick, who, having been elected, by the people, colonels of the militia of their respective counties, had called the men out to be trained to arms, and forewarned the people from electing any military offices, or the per- sons thus chosen, from arraying the militia, without his commission or authority, in contempt and invasion of the king's prerogative.
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Delegates to the provincial congress, were chosen in every county and chief town in the province ; most of them met on Sunday, the 20th August; a house was not, however, formed till the next day ; one hundred and eighty-four members took their seats.
It being represented to the congress, that endeavors had been made, by the enemies of the liberties of Ame- rica, to persuade several of the inhabitants of the pro- vince, who had been engaged in the insurrections in the years 1770 and 1771, that they remained still liable to be punished, unless pardoned by the king, and that par- dons could only be obtained, on condition, that they should, when required, take arms against such persons as should be devoted to destruction, for having taken an active part in the defence of American liberty, the con- gress came to a resolution, that they would, to the ut- most of their power, protect such persons from any in- jury which may be attempted, on the pretence of punish- ing them, for any thing done by them, during the in- surrection, or in consequence of it.
The congress appointed thirteen of their members to confer with such of the inhabitants of the province, as entertained any religious or political scruples, with res- pect to associating in the common cause of America, not to receive any ill impressions, that might have been . made upon them, by the artful devices of the enemies of America, and to induce them, by any influence and persuasion, heartily to unite for the protection of the constitutional rights and privileges of the people.
The congress expressed their high approbation of the association, entered into by the continental congress, -at their first meeting, agreed to adhere to it and recom- inended it to their constituents.
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The members subscribed a test, professing their alle- giance to the king, acknowledging the constitutional executive power of government, and solemnly declaring their absolute belief, that neither the parliament of Great Britain, nor any member, or constituent branch of it, had a right to impose taxes upon the colonies, or to regulate their internal police, and that all attempts by force or fraud to establish and exercise such claim and power, were violations of the peace and security of the people, and ought to be resisted to the utmost; and that the people of the province, singly and collectively are bound by the acts and resolutions of the continental and provincial congress; because, in both they are repre- sented by persons chosen by themselves; and they so- lemnly engaged under the sanction of virtue, honor and the sacred love of liberty and their country, to maintain and support such acts and resolutions to the utmost of their power.
An address to the inhabitants of the province was published, stating the present controversy in an easy and familiar stile, in a manner obvious to the meanest capa- city, calling upon them to unite in defence of American liberty, and vindicating, from the necessity to which the administration had reduced them, the taking up arms and assuming the controul of the militia and ascribing the silence of the legislative power of government to the refusal of the governor to exercise the functions of his office, by leaving the province and retiring on board of a man of war, without any violence or threat having been offered to him.
The congress unanimously resolved, that the inhabi- tants of North Carolina would cheerfully pay their pro- portion of the expenses, incurred by the continental
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congress, in embodying and supporting an army, and that they would make ample provision for the redemp- tion of such part of the sum emitted for that purpose, according to the rates fixed, or in proportion to the num- ber of the people in the province.
The president laid before the house, a copy of the gov- ernor's proclamation, which had been directed to them. On its being read, it was resolved, that the proclamation was a false, scurrilous, malicious and seditious libel, tend- ing to dispirit the good people of the province, and to stir up tumults and insurrections, dangerous to the peace of the king's government and the safety of the inhabi- tants, and highly injurious to the characters of several gentlemen of virtue and loyalty; and it, was directed to be burnt by the common hangman.
For the support of the American association and the safety of the colony, the congress thought it absolutely necessary to raise a body of forces, consisting of one thousand men, upon the faith of the resolution of the continental congress; to be divided into two regiments of five hundred men each; four hundred were stationed in the district of Wilmington, and two hundred in each of the districts of Newbern, Edenton and Salisbury. The command of the first regiment was given to James Moore, of the county of New-Hanover, and that of the second to Robert Howe, of the county of Brunswick.
The plan of a general confederation, between the uni- ted colonies, having been taken into consideration, the congress were of opinion, that it was not then eligible, and the delegates of the province to the continental con- gress, were instructed not to consent to any plan of confederation, which might be offered to the next con- gress, until it could be laid before, and approved by, a
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provincial congress; it being imagined that the associa- tion ought to be further relied on for bringing about a reconciliation with the parent state; and a further con- federation ought only to be adopted in case of the last necessity.
The sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars was directed to be emitted in bills of credit for the de- fence of the province; and for the redemption of it, a poll tax was laid for nine years, to commence in the year 1777.
A battalion, to consist of ten companies of fifty men, rank and file, was directed to be raised in every dis- trict. The troops, thus to be raised, were called min- ute men, their uniform was a hunting shirt, leggings or spatterdashes and black gaiters; they were to be embo- died in battalions, at or near the town of the district, and continue in training for fourteen days successively; af- ter this, the companies were to return to their respective counties, and be mustered, at least, once in a fortnight. They were to be paid when training, mustering and called to the field. Edward Vail of the county of Chow- an, was appointed to the command of the battalion of Edenton district, Richard Caswell of the county of Dobbs, to that of the district of Newbern, Alexander Lillington of the of county of New-Hanover, to that of the district of Wilmington, Thomas Wade of the coun- ty of Anson, to that of the district of Salisbury, James Thackston, of the county of Cumberland, to that of the district of Hillsborough, and Nicholas Long of the county of Halifax, to that of the district of Halifax.
The congress unanimously agreed on an address to the inhabitants of the British empire.
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This paper, which is said to be the composition of William Hooper, began by stating, that the fate of the contest, subsisting between the American colonies and the British ministers, at the helm of public affairs, was one of the most important epochs, which would mark the British history. Foreign nations, with anxious expectations, waited its result, and saw with amazement the blind infatuated policy which the administration pur- sued to subjugate the colonies, and reduce them from the situation of loyal and useful subject to absolute de- pendence and abject slavery; as if the descendants of those men, who had shed such rivers of blood and spent millions of treasure, in fixing upon a lasting foundation, the liberties of the British constitution, saw, with envy, the once happy state of this western region, and there to exterminate the patterns of those virtues which shone with a light that bid fair to rival their own.
· It was next observed, that to enjoy the fruits of their own honest industry; to call that their own which was earned with the labor of their own hands and the sweat of their brows, to regulate the internal polity, by which they alone were to be affected; were the mighty boons which the people of America asked; and the appellation of traitors, rebels and every other harsh names which malice could suggest and the virulence of language ex- press, were the returns they received to the most hum- ble petitions and frequent supplications; they were told that independence was their object and had the thought to shake off all connexion with the parent state; a cruel suggestion, contradicted by all their professions, all their actions.
The congress declared and invoked the almighty being, the searcher of the recesses of the human heart, that it
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was their most earnest wish and prayer to be restored, with the other colonies, to the state in which they were placed before the year 1763, disposed to glance over any regulation, which Great Britain had made previous to that period, and which seemed to be injurious and oppressive to the colonies, hoping, that at some future day, she would benignly interpose and remove every cause of complaint.
They observed, that whenever they had departed from the forms of the constitution, their safety and self-pre- servation had declared the expedient, and if, in any in- stance, they had assumed powers which the laws had vested in the sovereign, or his representatives, it had only been in defence of their persons, properties and those rights which God and the constitution had made una- lienably theirs; as soon as the cause of their apprehen- sions and fears were removed, they would return, with joy, those powers to their proper channels, and the insti- tutions, formed from the urgency of the times, should cease with the necessity that had created them.
"Those expressions," continues the addres, "flow from an affection, bordering upon devotion, to the house of Hanover, as established by law, from sub- jects who view it as a monument that does honor to human nature, capable of teaching kings how glo- rious it is to reign over a free people. These are the heartfelt effusions of men, ever ready to spend their blood and treasure, when constitutionally call- ed upon, in support of the succession of his majesty king George III., his crown and dignity, and who fer- vently wish to transmit his reign to future ages, as the era of common happiness to his people. Could
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these, our sentiments, reach the throne, surely our sovereign would forbid the horrors of war and des- olation to intrude into this once happy and peace- ful land. and would stop that deluge of human blood which now threatens to overflow this colony: blood too precious to be shed, but in a common cause, against the enemies of Great Britain and her sons."
The congress averred, that these declarations were held forth as testimony of loyalty to their sove- reign and affection to the parent state, and as a sincere earnest of their present and future inten- tions, and, they flattered themselves, thereby to re- move those impressions, which had been made by weak and wicked men, to the prejudice of the colo- ny, with the intention of bringing the rectitude of the designs of its inhabitants into distrust and spread sedition, anarchy and confusion through a loyal province.
Having thus discharged their duty to the world, themselves and posterity, they hoped that Almighty God might give success to the means they were about to make use of, so far as they might be aim- ed to produce just. lawful and good purposes, and the salvation. peace and happiness of the whole Bri- tish empire.
It being necessary to organize some kind of pro- visional government, a provincial council was estab- lished, composed of two persons, duly chosen by the delegates of cach district, and one by the whole congress.
Accordingly, Samuel Johnson was chosen by the congress, and Cornelius Harnett and Samuel Ashe
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by the delegates of the district of Wilmington; Ab- ner Nash and James Coor by those of the district of Newbern; Thomas Jones and Whitmill Hill by those of the district of Edenton; William Jones and Thomas Jones by those of the district of Halifax; Thomas Person and John Kinchen by those of the district of Hillsborough, and Samuel Spencer and Waightstill Avery by those of the district of Sal- isbury.
A committee of safety, composed of a president and twelve members, was also chosen by the dele- gates for each district.
A committee of twenty-one members in every county, and one of fifteen in each of the towns of Edenton, Newbern and Wilmington, and seven in each of the other county towns, were directed to by chosen by the freeholders.
The meetings of the provincial council were to be quarterly. The court house of the county of Johnston was the place, at which they were first to assemble to transact business, and they were al- lowed the privilege of fixing other times and places of meeting,
The committees of safety were directed to hold their meetings quarterly, in the principal town of the district.
The county and town committees were to meet monthly, at the court house. .
The latter were permitted to sit jointly, or be consolidated with the committee of thecounty.
The provincial council were empowered to call out the militia, in cases of alarm. to reject officers, N. CARO. II. 47
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appointed by the people, when they should disap- prove; to suspend officers in the army and militia; to fill vacancies; to draw on the treasury for all such sums of money as should be necessary for the service, and, generally, to do all things they might deem necessary, to strengthen, secure and defend the colony, with the exception of suspending or altering any act or resolution of the continental congress.
The provincial council and the committees of safety, in subordination to it, had the direction of the army, and all military arrangements and estab- lishments.
The provincial council and the committees of safety, in their respective districts, were authorized to compel debtors, suspected of an intention to re- move, to give security to their creditors.
The county committees had the same power, in cases of demands under twenty pounds.
. The committees of safety were authorized to re- ceive information, censure and punish delinquents, either in the first instance, or as a superintending power over the town and county committees.
~ The town and county committees were directed to elect, by ballot, out of their own members, seven persons, to act as a committee of secrecy, intelli- gence and observation, who were to correspond with the provincial council, the committees of safe- ty and the other committees in the province and the neighboring ones, to take up and examine all suspected persons, and, if necessary, to send them to the provincial council, or the committee of safety, of their respective districts.
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Premiums were voted for the manufacture of salt- petre, gunpowder, cotton and woollen cards, pins, needles, linnen and woollen cloth, and for the erec- tion of rolling and slitting mills,; furnaces for the manufacture of steel and iron, paper mills, salt works, and for refining sulphur.
The congress rose on the 19th of September.
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In the western part of the province, the people were still eager in their resistance. In the months of March and April, 1775, the leading men in the county of Mecklenberg held meetings to ascertain the sense of the people. and to confirm them in their opposition to the claim of the parliament to impose taxes and regulate the internal policy of the colonies. At one of those meetings, when it was ascertained, that the people were prepared to meet their wishes, it was agreed, that Thomas Polk, then colonel com- mandant of the county, should issue an order direct- ed to each captain of militia, requesting him to call a company meeting to elect two delegates from his company, to meet in general committee, at Char- lotte, on the 10th of May; giving to the dele- gates ample power to adopt such measures, as to them, should seem best calculated to promote the common cause of defending the rights of the colony, and aiding their brethen in Massachuseets. Colo- nel Polk issued the order, and delegates were elect- ed. They met in Charlotte, on the day appointed. The forms of their proceedings and the measures to be proposed had been previously agreed upon, by the men at whose instance the committee were assembled. The Reverend Hezekiah Jones Balch,
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Dr. Ephraim Brevard, and William Kennon, esq. an at- torney at law, addressed the committee, and descanted on the causes which had led to the existing contest with the mother country, and the consequences which were to be apprehended, unless the people should make a firm and energetic resistance to the right which parliament asserted, of taxing the colonies and regulating their in- ternal policy.
On the day on which the committee met, the first in- telligence of the action at Lexington, in Massachusetts, on the 19th of April, was received in Charlotte. This intelligence produced the most decisive effect. A large concourse of people had assembled to witness the pro- ceedings of the committee. The speakers addressed their discourses, as well to them, as to the committee, and those who were not convinced by their reasoning, were influenced by their feelings, and all cried out, "let us be independent! let us declare our independence and defend it with our lives and fortunes!" A committee was ap- pointed to draw up resolutions. This committee was composed of the men who planned the whole proceed- ings, and who had, already, prepared the resolutions which it was intended should be submitted to the gene. ral committee. Doctor Ephraim Brevard had drawn up the resolutions sometime before, and now reported them, with amendments, as follows:
"Resolved, That whosoever directly or indirectly abets, or in any way, form or manner, countenances the invasion of our rights as attempted by the parliament of Great Britain, is an enemy to his country, to America and the rights of man.
"Resolved, 'That we, the citizens of Mecklenburg county, do hereby dissolve the political bonds which
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have connected us with the mother country; and absolve ourselves from all allegiance to the British crown, ab- juring all political connexion with a nation, that has wantonly trampled on our rights and liberties, and in- humanly shed the innocent blood of Americans at Lex- ington.
"Resolved, That we do hereby declare ourselves a free and independent people, that we are and of right ought to be a sovereign and self-governing people, un- der the power of God and the general congress; to the maintenance of which independence we solemnly pledge to each other, our mutual co-operation, our lives, our fortunes and our most sacred honor.
"Resolved, That we do hereby ordain and adopt as rules of conduct, all and each of our former laws, and the crown of Great Britain cannot be considered here- after as holding any rights, privileges or immunities amongst us.
"Resolved, That all officers both civil and military, in this county, be entitled to exercise the same powers and authorities as heretofore; that every member of this delegation shall henceforth be a civil officer, and exercise the powers of a justice of the peace, issue process, hear and determine controversies according to law, preserve peace, union and harmony in the county, and use every exertion to spread the love of liberty and of country, until a more general and better organized system of government be establishsed.
"Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be trans- mitted, by express, to the president of the continental congress, assembled in Philadelphia, to be laid before that body."
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These resolutions were unanimously adopted and i subscribed by the delegates. James Jack, then of Charlotte, but now residing in the state of Georgia, was engaged to be the bearer of the resolutions to the presi- dent of congress, and directed to deliver copies of them to the delegates in congress from North Carolina, The president returned a polite answer to the address which accompanied the resolutions, in which he highly approved of the measures adopted by the delegates of Mecklenberg; but deemed the subject of the resolutions premature to be laid before congress. Messrs. Caswell, Hooper and Hewes, forwarded a joint letter, in which they complimented the people of Mecklenburg for their zeal in the common cause, and recommended to them, the strict observance of good order; that the time would soon come, when the whole continent would follow their example.
On the day that the resolutions were adopted by the delegates in Charlotte, they were read aloud to the peo- ple, who had assembled in the town, and proclaimed amidst the shouts and huzzas, as expressing the feelings and determination of all present. When captain Jack reached Salisbury, on his way to Philadelphia, the gene- ral court was sitting, and Mr. Kennon, an attorney at law, who had assisted in the proceedings of the delegates at Charlotte, was then in Salisbury. At the request of the judges, Mr. Kennon read the resolutions aloud in open court, to a large concourse of people; they were listened to with attention and approved by all present.
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