                  The Mecklenburg Declaration Of Independnece
                                     1775
                      Mecklenburg, North Carolina
                             May 31, 1775

  1. Resolved, That whosoever directly or indirectly abetted, or in
any way, form, or manner, countenanced the unchartered and dangerous
invasion of our rights, as claimed by Great Britain, is an enemy to
this Country-to America-and to the inherent and inalienable rights
of man.
  2. Resolved, That we the citizens of Mecklenburg County, do hereby
dissolve the political bands which have connected us to the Mother
Country, and hereby absolve ourselves from all allegiance to the
British Crown, and abjure all political connection, contract or
association, with that Nation, who have wantonly trampled on our
rights and liberties-and inhumanly shed the innocent blood of American
patriots at Lexington.
  3. Resolved, That we do hereby declare ourselves 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 the Congress; to the
maintenance of which independence, we solemnly pledge to each other,
our mutual cooperation, our lives, our fortunes, and our most sacred
honor.
  4. Resolved, That as we now acknowledge the existence and control of
no law or legal officer, civil or military, within this County, we
do hereby ordain and adopt, as a rule of life, all, each and every
of our former laws-where, nevertheless, the Crown of Great Britain
never can be considered as holding rights, privileges, immunities,
or authority therein.
  5. Resolved, That it is also further decreed, that all, each and
every military officer in this County, is hereby reinstated to his
former command and authority, he acting conformably to these
regulations, and that every member present of this delegation shall
henceforth be a civil officer, viz. a Justice of the Peace, in the
character of a 'Committee-man,' process, hear and determine all
matters of controversy, according to said adopted laws, and to
preserve peace, and union, and harmony, in said County, and to use
every exertion to spread the love of country and fire of freedom
throughout America, until a more general and organized government be
established in this province."
