THE SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
A. D. 1775.
After the meeting of the first Provincial Congress, at New Bern,
there were, to all observers of intelligence throughout the
world, evident signs of an approaching rupture between the Royal
Government and the people of North Carolina. Each day widened
the breach between them and rendered more difficult an
arrangement of the troubles.
2. In the regular course of events, if North Carolina would
continue to keep abreast of her sister colonies in the movement
for the preservation of the inherent rights of British subjects,
it was necessary that she should formally ratify and approve the
action recently taken by the Continental Congress, and to elect
delegates to that Congress for a new term. Accordingly, on the
11th of February, 1775, after the Governor had ordered an
election to be held for a new Legislature to meet in New Bern on
the 3d of April, Colonel Harvey also issued handbills for the
election of another Congress to meet at the same time and place.
3. Both elections were held and both bodies met at the appointed
time and place. Indeed the same individuals were members of both
the House of Assembly and of the Congress. The records show that
every member of the House of Assembly who was present was also
present as a member of the Congress, with only three exceptions.
Colonel Harvey was chosen to preside over both bodies. When
sitting at the House of Assembly the members called him "Mr.
Speaker," but when sitting as a Congress they called him "Mr.
Moderator." According to the journals of their proceedings, the
Congress met at nine o'clock and the Assembly at ten o'clock in
the morning. Upon the face of the journals of the two bodies
their proceedings seem to have been entirely separate and
distinct; it is said, however, to have been otherwise in fact,
and that at one moment the members would be sitting with Mr.
Speaker Harvey as a House of Assembly, under the authority of the
Crown, and at another with Mr. Moderator Harvey, as a Congress in
defiance of the Crown.
4. As the two Houses of the Legislature met Governor Martin in
the palace, according to the custom of that day, at the beginning
of a session, he saluted them with indignant remonstrances, which
were, the next day, most ably answered in an address prepared by
Captain Robert Howe, of Brunswick. A chief ground of his
complaint was that the Assembly would take no action against the
Congress. He was aptly reminded, however, in reply, that as the
Assembly had no control over its sessions, holding them at his
will and pleasure only, and remembering how that will and
pleasure had been exercised, a Congress that did have control
over itself was absolutely necessary for the protection of the
people. The result was a proclamation dissolving the Assembly on
the 8th of April, that being the fourth day of its session.
5. The Congress, however, could neither be dissolved nor
dispersed, and proceeded in its work with much deliberation. The
same delegation was returned to Philadelphia; and articles of
association, pledging the members to abstain from all commerce
with British marts, were signed by all except Thomas McKnight, of
Currituck.
6. It was seen that a crisis was near at hand. Boston had been
held, for months past, in a state of siege. At length, on April
19th, came the encounter at Lexington. Accidents are constantly
heard of wherein more lives are lost, but this little skirmish,
small as it was, was enough, with its tidings, to fire the hearts
of a continent.
7. The tidings of such an occurrence in our day outstrips the
winds. In less than an hour it is known all over the Mississippi
Valley, across the Rocky Mountains, and along the shores of the
Pacific Ocean. But our ancestors of that day had no railways or
telegraphs; so, it was fully two weeks after the militiamen slain
at Lexington had stiffened in their blood that Richard Caswell
heard of it in Petersburg, Virginia.
8. A courier was hurrying southward with the tidings, but it was
not until May 19th that the people of Mecklenburg, in North
Carolina, became aware of what had occurred. At the village of
Charlotte upon that day a large concourse of the leading men of
that county had assembled. Fired at the nature of the startling
intelligence, they held a convention, and after remaining in
session all night, on the morning of the 20th, passed resolutions
of independence that will immortalize their names.
9. All America, while arming for the war, was still protesting
loyalty to the King, but these men of Mecklenburg leaped to a
conclusion, the expediency of which more than a year of blood was
required to impress on the minds of their countrymen. Abraham
Alexander presided in the meeting, and the famous "Mecklenburg
Declaration of Independence" was drawn by Dr. Ephraim Breyard.
[NOTE--The men of Mecklenburg held another meeting on May 31st,
and adopted a system of government and military commissions.
These people publicly declared themselves free from English rule
nearly fourteen months before the Declaration of Independence at
Philadelphia.]
10. The news from Boston was speedily followed, in North
Carolina, by mournful tidings from Perquimans county. Colonel
John Harvey, after so many strenuous efforts to put North
Carolina in readiness for the storm, sank under disease, and died
at his place in "Harvey's Neck," on the Albemarle Sound. No
braver or wiser man has ever borne a part in the conduct of
affairs in North Carolina.
11. Apprehensive for his own safety and that of his family,
Governor Martin at once made preparations for leaving New Bern.
He sent his family to New York by sea, but went himself by land
to Fort Johnston, at the mouth of the Cape Fear. * But even Fort
Johnston proved unsafe as a place of refuge, and in July the
Governor left it and went on board the war sloop Cruiser, then
lying in the river before the fort. On the same day Colonel
Ashe, with five hundred men, burned the fort to the ground.
*Governor Martin took advantage of this journey to visit the
Scotch settlements on the upper Cape Fear, and set on foot the
insurrection that culminated in the battle of Moore's Creek
Bridge.
QUESTIONS.
1. What signs were observed after the first Provincial Congress?
2. What was necessary for North Carolina to do? What was done on
February 11, 1775?
3. What is said of this election ? Describe the Legislature and
Congress?
4. How was the Legislature received by the Governor? How did
Captain Howe answer him?
5. What was done by the Congress?
6. What startling news was received on April 19th.
7. How did the circulation of news in 1775 differ from the
present? Who was first to receive the news of Lexington?
8. When did the tidings reach Mecklenburg? What great event
occurred at Charlotte? Find this city on the map.
9. What was the attitude of the American people at this time? By
what name have the Charlotte resolutions always been known?
10. What sad news next thrilled North Carolina?
11. What was done by Governor Martin? What occurred at Fort
Johnston?