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Poll, froH,.the accusation of tofVisas and am


persuaded they will go very far towards rescuing
his revolutionary character from obloquy, even
with many persons whom party sexcitements have
hitherto deluded; and, at all events, there is no
true-hearted North CGrOLiniGn but will rejoice to
see in them bright lights of the past to dlssIpate
any shade which this charge may have transiently
cast over the honor of the State for, let candor
and truth answer what the distinction of having
made declaration of independence year before
any others, will be worth to Mecklenburg or to
North Carolina, if those who took the lead IN
it are now to be branded rs tories


In l775 the royal governor of North Carroll
ma Martini fed from the spirit Of independence
in the colony, and took refuge on board his Maj
esty's "sloop of war Cruiser" whence ne issued
his last proclamation, bearing date 9th August,
I775. From that remarkable document l have
extracted the following words:


"And 10hereas haze seen a most infamous
publication an the Cape Fear Mercury, inport-
ing to be the eRESOLTESof a set Of fPeopte sfyI1
ing Themselves committee for the county ot
MECKLENB URG. most tIRAI1OROOSLH
declaring an ENTIRE DLSSOL LU1IONott the
Laaos. GOVERNMENT, and constitution OF ihis
counirv, and setting up a system Of RULE and
regulation repugnGnt to The Lags, and SOB-
VERSIVE 0FHIS MAJESTPS GOVERN
MENT" &c. &c.


The proclamation from which this extract was
taken was sent to the moderator OF the North
Carolina Congress, Mr.. Johnson) to be laid
before that body; and it was accordingly done as
appears by their original manuscript journals
mOao before me, IN the North Carolina State De-
pGrtment.


In reply to it the North Carolina Congress
L" Resolusd, (among other things,) that the said
p0per be burnt bg the common hangmGn See
Journals goth August, 1775.


By this proclamation, the highest sort of evi-
dence. and genuine documentbeyond question:
it is clearly established that a a." set of people IN
MeckIenburg declared an ENTIRE DESSO-
LUTON Of the GOVERNMENTS and "Set
up system Of RULE su6Derssge 70 ,25, Gf ms MA
ESTYS GO We r " NJ E " T." in word,
DECLARED INDEPENDENCE before
9Th August, 1775."


This MeckIenburg declaration ofindependence, of
so made on the Goth of May, 1775, was as fol-
lows:


"Abraham Alexander was appointed chairman,
and John McKnitt Alexander clerk. The follow
ing resolutions were offered, viz.


list. ReSotued, That whosoeVer directly or lndl-
rectly abetted, or in any way, form. or manner,
countenanced the unchartered and dangerous Inva-
sion of our rights as claimed by Great Britain, is
an enemy to this country to America, and to the
inherent and inaenable rights Of man.


"2d.I Resolued, That we, the citizens OF Meek
lenburg county, do hereby dissolve the political
baads which have connected US to the mother coun-
try. and hereby absolve ourselves from all aileg-
ance to the British Crown, and abjure all political
connection, contract, or association, with that ma
tion, who have wantonly trampled on our rights
and liberties, and nhumanly shedthe blood OF Ame-
rican patriots at Lexington.


" Sd. Resolved, That we do hereby declare our
selves a free and independent people are and OF
right ought to be- a sovereign and selfgoverning
association, under the control of no power other
than that Of our God and the general government
of Congress to the maintainence of which lnde-
pendence, we solemny pledge to each other our
mutual cooperation, our lives, our fortunes and
most sacred honor.


"4th. RESOLVED, That, we now acknowl-
edge the existence and control of no law or legal
officer, civil military, within this county, we do
hereby ordain and adopt as rule OF LIE, all, each,
and every of our former laws-whereln, neverthe-
less the Crown of Great Britain can never be con-
sidered as holding the rights, privileges, lmmunl-
ties, or authority therein.


"5th ResoEued That it is further decreed, that
all, each, and every military officer IN this county,
is hereby reinstaled in his former command and
authority, he acting conformablY to these regula-
lions. And that every member present OF this del
egation shall henceforth be civil officer, Viz:
Justice of the peace in the character OF conInIlt-
tee man. to issue process, to hear and determine
all matters of controversy, according said adopt
ed laws, and to preserve peace, union and harmo-
ny said county; and TO use. every exertlon to
spread the love of country and the hfe OF freedom
throughout America, until more general q organ





After discussing the foregoing resolves, and ar
ranging bye-laws and regulations for the govern
me mt Of standing committee of public safety, wEo
were selected from these delegates, the whole pro-
ceedings were unanimously adopted and signed"


1t must be admitted that the proclamation ofl
GOO. Martin, by itself, only proves the single but
very important fact, that "set of people In
had in some form or other taken
his bold and patriotic step. Their "traitorous
resolves" though denounced by his Majesty's gov
ernor, like the voice of past age, reprove the
selfish efforts of party malice in our own time to
fix stigma upon the memory of "those who
ool1 lead F" in them. No American heart will
readily entertain suspicion that such "a set of
people " were TORIES. 1t becomes important,
therefore, to inquire whether this declaration is
genuine or not, and also what agency Ezekiel
Polk had in its promul CATION Although the


limits of this paper do not admit all the evidence,
enough shall be exhibited to establish these facts
in their order; and if any should he found who
'Ii question them, they are referred to the proof
At large, compiled and published by the legis-
ature of 1880, and to Martini History of North
and Jones's defence, &c. u pom the
point whether the declarations is genuine:
+ 1. j. MeKmit made the following certificate,
and attach,d it to the copy of said declaration,
from which it is now taken viz: .-o
"Tne foregoing is copy Of the papers oE the
aboVe subject, left in my hands by John McKnitt
Alexander, deceased. / find it mentioned OH
lie that the original book was burned April 1900.
That copy of the proceedings was sent to Hugh
in New York, then writing histoTyi
nd fAofo f<,CN