Capt. James Jack rode to Philadelphia to deliver the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence

May 20. Mecklenburg County patriots declared their independence from King George in Great Britain 250 years ago today, more than a year ahead of the rest of the Colonies.

On May 19, 1775, a meeting was held in the courthouse in the middle of the village of Charlotte, at the intersection of Trade and Tryon streets, which resulted in the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence of May 20, 1775.

Although there are no copies of our declaration, that spot in Charlotte is called Independence Square to this day. The version we know today comes from a published report in the Raleigh Register in 1819.

The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence

Charlotte, North Carolina

May 20th, 1775

1. Resolved, That whoever 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 self–governing 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 co-operation, 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 country, we do hereby ordain and adopt, as a rule of life, all, each and every of our former laws, wherein, 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,’ to issue 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.