FOURTH PROVINCIAL CONGRESS
DECLARES INDEPENDENCE.
A. D. 1776.
The Hillsboro Congress of August, 1775, formally inaugurated a
war of resistance to British oppressions, but to the Halifax
Congress of April, 1776, was left the crowning glory of being the
first in all the colonies to declare for absolute independence of
the mother country and for foreign alliances.
2. It was quickly seen when the new Congress met at Halifax, on
the 4th of April, 1776, that great progress had been made in
public sentiment. At Hillsboro professions of loyalty and of a
desire for continued connection with Great Britain, some honest,
but many of questionable sincerity doubtless, were still to be
heard. At Halifax there was neither halting nor hesitation in
avowing that absolute independence from the mother country was
the real aim of the people of the province.
3. The time for the final plunge had come, and North Carolina was
quite ready for it. Accordingly, on the fourth day of the
session, a committee was appointed to take into consideration the
usurpations and violences attempted and committed by the King and
Parliament of Britain against America, and the further measures
to be taken for frustrating the same, and for the better defence
of the province. Four days later, that is to say, on the 12th
day of April, 1776, a day ever to be remembered in the annals of
America, the committee reported as follows:
"It appears to your committee that pursuant to the plan concerted
by the British Ministry for subjugating America, the King and
Parliament of Great Britain have usurped a power over the persons
and properties of the people unlimited and uncontrolled, and
disregarding their humble petitions for peace, liberty and
safety, have made divers legislative acts denouncing war, famine
and every species of calamity against the continent in general.
That British fleets and armies have been, and still are, daily
employed in destroying the people and committing the most horrid
devastations on the country. That Governors in different
colonies have declared protection to slaves who should imbrue
their hands in the blood of their masters; that the ships
belonging to America are declared prizes of war, and many of them
have been violently seized and confiscated, in consequence of
which multitudes of the people have been destroyed or from easy
circumstances reduced to the most lamentable distress.
"AND WHEREAS, the moderation hitherto manifested by the united
colonies and their sincere desire to be reconciled to the mother
country on constitutional principles have procured no mitigation
of the aforesaid wrongs and usurpations, and no hopes remain of
obtaining redress by those means alone, which have been hitherto
tried, your committee are of opinion that the house should enter
into the following resolve, to wit:
"Resolved, That the delegates for this colony in the Continental
Congress be empowered to concur with the delegates of the other
colonies in declaring independence and forming foreign alliances,
reserving to this colony the sole and exclusive right of forming
a constitution and laws for this colony, and of appointing
delegates from time to time (under direction of a general
representation thereof) to meet the delegates of the other
colonies for such purposes as shall be hereafter pointed out."
And thereupon the Congress did so resolve unanimously.
4. With the exception of the Mecklenburg Declaration of the year
before, there had been, up to that time, nowhere in all America a
single organized body to venture on such a proposition.
Individuals like Samuel Adams, William Hooper and Christopher
Gadsden had been heard advocating it; but every other assembly
was yet protesting its loyalty to the King. It was more than a
month before Virginia consented to Patrick Henry's demands, and
the other colonies were to follow at intervals after her
endorsement.
5. In the annals of the world there is no prouder record than the
entry made on the journals of the Halifax Congress on the 12th
day of April, 1776. A great fleet and army were yet upon the
soil and within the waters of North Carolina, but this could not
deter these resolute patriots from thus taking the lead in a
doubtful and perilous departure from all the ties and obligations
of the past.
6. It can then be understood how joyously the news was received
at this same town of Halifax on July 22d, that the Continental
Congress, at Philadelphia, had acceded to the wishes of North
Carolina, and had, on the 4th day of the same month, declared the
"Independence of America."
7. The "Council of Safety" was at that time in session at
Halifax, and by it Thursday, the 1st of August, was set as a day
for proclaiming the declaration at the courthouse in Halifax, and
the people were invited to attend. On the day appointed,
according to the vivid description of an eye-witness, a vast
concourse of people assembled in front of the court house. The
provincial troops and the militia were all drawn up in full
array. At midday Cornelius Harnett ascended a rostrum that had
been erected in front of the courthouse, and even as he opened
the scroll upon which was written the immortal words of the
declaration, the enthusiasm of the immense crowd broke forth in
one loud swell of rejoicing and prayer. When he had finished,
all the people shouted with joy, and the cannon sounding from
fort to fort, proclaimed the glorious tidings that all the
thirteen colonies were now free and independent States.
The soldiers seized Mr. Harnett and bore him on their shoulders
through the town. The declaration was ordered to be read in all
portions of North Carolina, and, except in one county, the
mandate was everywhere obeyed.
8. All the North Carolina troops then in arms, including the two
Continental regiments and the militia under General Ashe, were in
Charleston. They were spectators of the combat in which the
gallant Moultrie, within his fort of palmetto logs, signally
defeated the same British fleet under Sir Peter Parker that had
been so recently in Cape Fear River.
9. General James Moore marched northward from Charleston with his
brigade, but died in Wilmington. His death was a serious loss to
North Carolina and the cause of liberty, for in military genius,
as in patriotic devotion, he had few equals and no superior in
America. Colonel Francis Nash succeeded to his place. General
Howe was sent to Savannah, having with him his old command, the
Second North Carolina Regiment. Four new regiments were ordered
by the Provincial Congress and were soon put in the field.
10. On the same day with the battle in Charleston Harbor, June
28th, 1776, the Cherokee Indians descended from their mountain
homes and murdered two hundred western settlers. General
Griffith Rutherford collected two thousand men of the militia
regiments in his command, and took such swift and ample vengeance
that from that time these Indians ceased to trouble the frontier.
They had been incited by British agents to their disastrous work.
QUESTIONS.
1. What is said of the fourth Provincial Congress? Where was it
held?
2. In what condition was public sentiment when the Congress met?
3. What was done on the fourth day of the session? Why should
the 12th day of April, 1776, ever be remembered? Can you state
the substance of this memorable declaration of independence?
4. What is said of the Halifax declaration?
5. Tell something of the boldness of this declaration.
6. What was done by the Continental Congress on May 4th?
7. Describe the reading of the Declaration of Independence.
8. Where were the North Carolina soldiers at that time?
9. What other military movements were mentioned?
10. What occurred on January 28th, 1776?