Engaging with American Democracy » August 26th: Attention on the Second Continental Congress » The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence

The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence

The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence

The prevailing opinion of historians is that this is a hoax or an incomplete and exaggeration recreation. I, too, hold that opinion, but the document–even though it’s most likely suspicious–reproduces the rhetoric of American democracy, and its historical significance is important. Reviewing the document and the fervor around it will help us understand the ways in which competition among the States carries through to the present day. As we approach the 250-year anniversary (Semiquincentennial) of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we may need to look back to the Bicentennial for support.

The Bicentennial was apparently a major event full of parades, commemorations, and patriotic atmosphere. I don’t remember much of it…

The Background

During the Second Continental Congress, after the battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775–the shot heard round the world–the Colonists were at their limits with Great Britain and started writing resolves that, while they didn’t completely sever ties, announce that localities (Counties and States) are starting to “suspend” cooperation with the Crown.

Mecklenburg County leaders drafted the Mecklenburg Resolves,* which have been verified by historians. On May 31, 1775, the Mecklenburg Committee of safety passed the Resolves. The document found its way to the South Carolina Gazette, which published it in June 1775, but no original document exists, and the Gazette puts the date as May 31, 1775. Making things complicated, a fire was said to have destroyed both the Resolves and the Meck-Dec in 1800.

The Controversy

In 1819, Thomas Jefferson read an article about it (sent to him by John Adams), and he claimed he never heard of the The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, which includes phrases from The Declaration of Independence:

  • The Declaration: “…it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another…
  • Meck-Dec: “…hereby dissolve the political bands, which have connected us with the Mother Country…”
  • The Declaration: “…that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown…
  • Meck-Dec: “…hereby absolve ourselves from all allegiance to the British Crown…”
  • The Declaration: “…with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” (end of Declaration)
  • Meck-Dec: “…under 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.“

Rhetorically, the two documents mention the abuses of King George III and announce the severing of ties with Great Britain.

In 1838, the South Carolina Gazette reprinting of The Mecklenburg Resolves (from 1775) was found. Although people claim there were both The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence and The Mecklenburg Resolves drafted within eleven days of each other, it’s more likely that some revisionist history happened. Many believe Joseph McKnitt Alexander, writing in 1819 (44 years after the The Resolves), “misremembered” the exact details and tried to recreate from memory what became The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.

Rhetorically, The Mecklenburg Resolves don’t have the effect of Jefferson et al.’s Declaration. Here are the key letdowns of The Resolves:

  • “…we conceive that all Laws and Commissions confirmed by, or derived from the Authority of the King or Parliament, are annulled and vacated, and the former civil Constitution of these Colinies* for the present wholly suspended.”
    • “suspension” isn’t as harsh as “dissolution”
    • *The alternate spelling draws my attention to the fact that The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence does not mention the “colonies,” just the Continental Congress.
  • “As all former Laws are now suspended in this Province, and the Congress have 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.”
    • This claims they’re passing ordinances until the real Congress comes around.
    • This is temporary, so they’re hedging their bets (possibly–this is my rhetorician view and not an historian’s conclusion).
  • It sets up a pseudo-police force and sets thresholds of 20 & 40 shillings to determine hw the Commission should act.
    • Defines the “Clerk”
    • Explains what to do if a Debtor runs off
    • zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
  • Consider these two edicts:
    • 17. That any Person refusing to yield Obedience to the above Resolves shall be deemed equally criminal, and liable to the same Punishments as the Offenders above last mentioned.
    • 18. That these Resolves be in full Force and Virtue, until Instructions from the General Congress of this Province, regulating the Jurisprudence of this Province, shall provide otherwise, or the legislative Body of Great-Britain resign its unjust and arbitrary Pretentions with Respect to America.
      • Directly hedging their bets in that last bolded text.
      • These are punitive as opposed to unifying.
      • Instead of a Declaration that pledges lives in the name of Providence and Liberty, this document explains how those not conforming to the rules will be punished.

Unlike the Declarations, this document doesn’t even invoke divine providence for authority or inspiration. Some of you will like the ending where they authorize purchasing weapons, but, as it stands, it’s rather lame.

The Legitimacy of Being First!

Public memory projects are bolstered when citizens can get behind being first in something. Although the Thirteen Colonies banded together to fight the American Revolution, after the dust settled, the task of governing took place. The States positioned themselves as legitimate based on their fealty towards founding principles. Being the first to declare independence AND claiming to have inspired Thomas Jefferson would bolster the pride of a particular state. Consider the State Flag of North Carolina:

State Flag of North Carolina
Notice the two dates: May 20th, 1775 and April 12th, 1776

April 12th, 1776 refers to the (authenticated) Halifax Resolves where North Carolina delegates from across the State voted to have its members of the Second Continental Congress push for independence from Great Britain–“the first official action by a colony that called for severance of ties to Britain and independence for the colonies” (“The Halifax Resolves.”).** Mecklenburg County’s official seal has May 20, 1775 on it (and an eagle, which is an appropriate choice and an American attribute). There’s also a plaque to Meck-Dec in Uptown.

What Do License Plates Have to Do with This?

As I mentioned above, the attention to the Bicentennial and soon-to-be-here Semiquincentennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence are significant. States want to show their originality and embrace of freedom, independence, ratification, and constitutionalism. Many US States had commemorative Bicentennial License Plates in the mid-1970s. You’re probably aware of North Carolina’s FIRST IN FREEDOM license plate first issued in 1975 and again in 2015. North Carolina also claims the FIRST IN FLIGHT motto, yet the Wright Brothers were from Ohio. When the US Mint’s 50 State Quarters commemoration (1999-2008) had States design coins, Ohio chose BIRTHPLACE OF AVIATION, highlighting both the Wright Brothers and native son Neil Armstrong–that’s pretty big! North Carolina continued with FIRST IN FLIGHT motto.

Consider the significance of these States’ license plate mottos:

Conclusion

As I’ve said and I’ll repeat all semester, our rhetorical approach asks us to consider how the messages of freedom, exploration, manifest destiny, etc. that we find in our primary and supplementary texts inspire and help legitimize other American messages, such as slogans on coins and license plates. Time permitting, I’ll ask what other American “texts” convey such rhetoric.

As for North Carolina insisting on the authenticity of The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, I have an opinion, but you need to be in class to hear it, and it’s conjecture based on the birthplace of the first five Presidents.

NOTES

*The editor of this webpage seems to believe The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence is real. My reading on the subject leads me to the historian concensus that it was written gross historical revisionism.
**”The Halifax Resolves.” NCpedia. State Library of NC. 2017. https://www.ncpedia.org/history/usrevolution/halifax-resolves.