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1775.

and which declared the American colonies to be in a CHAP. state of actual rebellion. This was to them the evidence that the crisis in American affairs was come, May. and the people proposed among themselves to abrogate all dependence on the royal authority. But the militia companies were sworn to allegiance; and 'how," it was objected, "can we be absolved from our oath ?" "The oath," it was answered, "binds only while the king protects." At the instance of Thomas Polk, the commander of the militia of the county, two delegates from each company were called together in Charlotte, as a representative committee. Before their consultations had ended, the message of the innocent blood shed at Lexington came up from Charleston, and inflamed their zeal. They were impatient that their remoteness forbade their direct activity; had it been possible, they would have sent a hundred bullocks from their fields to the poor of Boston. No minutes of the committee are known to exist, but the result of their deliberations, framed with superior skill, precision of language, and calm comprehensiveness, remains as the monument of their wisdom and their courage. Of the delegates to that memorable assembly, the name of Ephraim Brevard should be remembered with honor by his countrymen. He was one of a numerous family of patriot brothers, and himself in the end fell a martyr to the public cause. Trained in the college at Princeton, ripened among the brave Presbyterians of Middle Carolina, he digested the system which was then adopted, and which formed in effect a declaration of independence, as well as a complete system of gov"All laws and commissions confirmed by

ernment.

XXXV.

CHAP. or derived from the authority of the king or parlia ment," such are the bold but well considered words of 1775. these daring statesmen, "are annulled and vacated; May. all commissions, civil and military, heretofore granted by the crown to be exercised in the colonies, are void; the provincial congress of each province, under the direction of the great continental congress, is invested with all legislative and executive powers within the respective provinces, and no other legislative or executive power does or can exist at this time, in any part of these colonies. As all former laws are now suspended in this province, and the congress has not yet provided others, we judge it necessary for the better preservation of good order, to form certain rules and regulations for the internal government of this county, until laws shall be provided for us by the congress."

In accordance with these principles the freemen of the county formed themselves into nine military companies, and elected their own officers. Judicial powers were conferred on men to be singled out by the vote of the companies, two from each of them; the whole number of eighteen constituting a court of appeal. The tenure alike of military and civil officers was "the pleasure of their several constituents." All public and county taxes, all quitrents to the crown were sequestered; and it was voted that persons receiving new commissions from the king, or exercising old ones, should be dealt with as enemies. of the country.

The resolves were made binding on all, and were to be enforced till the provincial congress should pro

XXXV.

May.

vide otherwise, or, what they knew would never take CHAP. place, till the British parliament should resign its arbitrary pretensions with respect to America. At 1775. the same time the militia companies were directed to provide themselves with arms, and Thomas Polk and Joseph Kenedy were specially appointed to purchase powder, lead and flints.

31.

Before the month of May had come to an end, the May. resolutions were signed by Ephraim Brevard, as clerk of the committee, and were adopted by the people with the determined enthusiasm which springs from the combined influence of the love of liberty and of religion. Thus was Mecklenburg county, in North Carolina, separated from the British empire. The resolves were transmitted with all haste to be printed in Charleston, and as they spread through the South, they startled the royal governors of Georgia and North Carolina. They were despatched by a messenger to the continental congress, that the world might know their authors had renounced their allegiance to the king of Great Britain, and had constituted a government for themselves.

The messenger stopped on his way at Salisbury, and there, to a crowd round the court-house, the resolves were read and approved. The western counties were the most populous part of North Carolina; and the royal governor had flattered himself and the king, with the fullest assurances of their support. ' “I have no doubt," said he, "that I might command their best services at a word on any emergency. I consider I have the means in my own hands to maintain the sovereignty of this country to my royal "master in all events." And now he was obliged to trans

VOL VII. 32

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CHAP. mit the deliberate, consistent, and well-considered resolutions of Mecklenburg, which he described as 1775. the boldest of all, "most traitorously declaring the

May.

entire dissolution of the laws and constitution, and setting up a system of rule and regulation subversive of his Majesty's government."

CHAPTER XXXVI.

CONGRESS OFFERS TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE KING.

MAY, 1775.

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May.

FAR different was the spirit of the continental con- CHAP. gress. The unexpected outbreak of war compelled them to adopt some system of defence; but many of 1775. its members still blinded themselves with the hope of reconciliation, and no measure for the vigorous prosecution of hostilities could be carried with unanimity, except after the concession of a second petition to the king.

Washington foresaw the long and bloody contest which must precede the successful vindication of the liberties of America. Before the excursion to Concord he had avowed to his friends "his full intention to devote his life and fortune" to the cause; and he manifested his conviction of the imminence of danger by appearing at the debates in his uniform as an officer. He had read with indignation the taunts uttered in parliament on the courage of his countrymen; he now took a personal pride in the rising of