Declaration of Independence, 1775, May 20.
Text
Declaration of Independence by the Citizens of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina,
May 20, 1775
May 1775.
Aere Perennius
Dieu Et Mondroit
In conformity to an order issued by the Colonel of Mecklenburg County, in North
Carolina, a Convention, vested with unlimited powers, met at Charlotte, in said County,
on the Nineteenth day of May, 1775, when Abraham Alexander was chosen Chairman,
and John Mc’Knitt Alexander, Secretary. After a free and full discussion of the objects
of the Convention, it was unanimously resolved,
I. 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.
II. 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 &
liberties and inhumanly shed the innocent blood of American Patriots at Lexington.
III. Resolved, that we do hereby declare ourselves a free & 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 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.
ABRAHAM ALEXANDER, Chairman.
J. M. ALEXANDER, Secretary.
Adam Alexander. Hezekiah Alexander. Ezra Alexander. Charles Alexander, Waitstill
Avery. Ephraim Brevard. Hezekiah J. Balch. Richard Barry. John Davidson. William
Davidson. Henry Downs. John Flenniken. John Ford. William Graham. James Harris.
Robert Irwin. William Kennon. Matthew McClure. Neill Morrison. Samuel Martin.
Duncan Ochletree. John Phifer. Thomas Polk, Ezekiel Polk. Benjamin Patton. John
Queary. David Reese. Zacheus Willson, sen. William Willson.
Henkell & Brown, Prs
From detailed account of proceedings of the Mecklenburg Convention see page of Dr.
Caldwell’s life of Genl. [unreadable]-- in the Charleston Library
Presented to the Charleston Library by J. G. M. Ramsay of Mecklenburg Tenes.
Decr. 30. 1828.
May 20, 1775
May 1775.
Aere Perennius
Dieu Et Mondroit
In conformity to an order issued by the Colonel of Mecklenburg County, in North
Carolina, a Convention, vested with unlimited powers, met at Charlotte, in said County,
on the Nineteenth day of May, 1775, when Abraham Alexander was chosen Chairman,
and John Mc’Knitt Alexander, Secretary. After a free and full discussion of the objects
of the Convention, it was unanimously resolved,
I. 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.
II. 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 &
liberties and inhumanly shed the innocent blood of American Patriots at Lexington.
III. Resolved, that we do hereby declare ourselves a free & 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 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.
ABRAHAM ALEXANDER, Chairman.
J. M. ALEXANDER, Secretary.
Adam Alexander. Hezekiah Alexander. Ezra Alexander. Charles Alexander, Waitstill
Avery. Ephraim Brevard. Hezekiah J. Balch. Richard Barry. John Davidson. William
Davidson. Henry Downs. John Flenniken. John Ford. William Graham. James Harris.
Robert Irwin. William Kennon. Matthew McClure. Neill Morrison. Samuel Martin.
Duncan Ochletree. John Phifer. Thomas Polk, Ezekiel Polk. Benjamin Patton. John
Queary. David Reese. Zacheus Willson, sen. William Willson.
Henkell & Brown, Prs
From detailed account of proceedings of the Mecklenburg Convention see page of Dr.
Caldwell’s life of Genl. [unreadable]-- in the Charleston Library
Presented to the Charleston Library by J. G. M. Ramsay of Mecklenburg Tenes.
Decr. 30. 1828.
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Title
Declaration of Independence, 1775, May 20.
Creator
Date
1775-05-20
Subject
Description
Broadside of the Declaration of Independence by the citizens of Mecklenburg County, N.C.
2023-06-14
600 dpi, 16-bit depth, color, Epson Expression 10000XL, Archival masters are tiffs.
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Copyright has not been assigned to the Charleston Library Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Special Collections Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Charleston Library Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
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image/jpeg
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Ms. 274, Declaration of Independence, 1775, May 20.
Language
English
Identifier
ms274
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Transcription
Declaration of Independence by the Citizens of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina,
May 20, 1775
May 1775.
Aere Perennius
Dieu Et Mondroit
In conformity to an order issued by the Colonel of Mecklenburg County, in North Carolina, a Convention, vested with unlimited powers, met at Charlotte, in said County, on the Nineteenth day of May, 1775, when Abraham Alexander was chosen Chairman, and John Mc’Knitt Alexander, Secretary. After a free and full discussion of the objects of the Convention, it was unanimously resolved,
I. 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.
II. 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 & liberties and inhumanly shed the innocent blood of American Patriots at Lexington.
III. Resolved, that we do hereby declare ourselves a free & 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 Congress
May 20, 1775
May 1775.
Aere Perennius
Dieu Et Mondroit
In conformity to an order issued by the Colonel of Mecklenburg County, in North Carolina, a Convention, vested with unlimited powers, met at Charlotte, in said County, on the Nineteenth day of May, 1775, when Abraham Alexander was chosen Chairman, and John Mc’Knitt Alexander, Secretary. After a free and full discussion of the objects of the Convention, it was unanimously resolved,
I. 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.
II. 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 & liberties and inhumanly shed the innocent blood of American Patriots at Lexington.
III. Resolved, that we do hereby declare ourselves a free & 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 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.
ABRAHAM ALEXANDER, Chairman.
J. M. ALEXANDER, Secretary.
Adam Alexander. Hezekiah Alexander. Ezra Alexander. Charles Alexander, Waitstill Avery. Ephraim Brevard. Hezekiah J. Balch. Richard Barry. John Davidson. William Davidson. Henry Downs. John Flenniken. John Ford. William Graham. James Harris. Robert Irwin. William Kennon. Matthew McClure. Neill Morrison. Samuel Martin. Duncan Ochletree. John Phifer. Thomas Polk, Ezekiel Polk. Benjamin Patton. John Queary. David Reese. Zacheus Willson, sen. William Willson.
Henkell & Brown, Prs
From detailed account of proceedings of the Mecklenburg Convention see page of Dr. Caldwell’s life of Genl. [unreadable]-- in the Charleston Library
Presented to the Charleston Library by J. G. M. Ramsay of Mecklenburg Tenes.
Decr. 30. 1828.
ABRAHAM ALEXANDER, Chairman.
J. M. ALEXANDER, Secretary.
Adam Alexander. Hezekiah Alexander. Ezra Alexander. Charles Alexander, Waitstill Avery. Ephraim Brevard. Hezekiah J. Balch. Richard Barry. John Davidson. William Davidson. Henry Downs. John Flenniken. John Ford. William Graham. James Harris. Robert Irwin. William Kennon. Matthew McClure. Neill Morrison. Samuel Martin. Duncan Ochletree. John Phifer. Thomas Polk, Ezekiel Polk. Benjamin Patton. John Queary. David Reese. Zacheus Willson, sen. William Willson.
Henkell & Brown, Prs
From detailed account of proceedings of the Mecklenburg Convention see page of Dr. Caldwell’s life of Genl. [unreadable]-- in the Charleston Library
Presented to the Charleston Library by J. G. M. Ramsay of Mecklenburg Tenes.
Decr. 30. 1828.
Citation
Mecklenburg County Citizens, “Declaration of Independence, 1775, May 20.,” Charleston Library Society Digital Collections, accessed April 19, 2026, https://charlestonlibrarysociety.omeka.net/items/show/1488.