NC Record 019

Date

25 Aug 1775

Names in record

Charles Lynch, John Armstrong, Matthew Brooks, Traugott Bagge, Jacob Houser, George Houser, Benjamin Cleveland, Jesse Walton, Benjamin Herndon

Record type

Court record Civil Type

Text of Record

25 and 26 Aug 1775 Benjamin Cleveland was elected Chairman of the Surry County Committee of Safety on August 25, 1775. The Surry County Committee of Safety adopted the following resolution:

Resolved, That we determine by all lawful ways and means to discontinue and suppress such mischievous and baneful papers and all combinations against the common cause of American liberty, and do our utmost endeavors to support the Congress in defending our just rights and liberties.
Resolved, That those who now would subject all America and this province to dependency on the Parliament of Great Britain are guilty of a very dangerous innovation, injurious to the Crown and inconsistent with the liberty of the American subjects.
Resolved, That by the law of nature and the British constitution no man can be legally taxed or have his property taken from him without his consent, given by himself or his representative.
Resolved, That the late acts of the British Parliament for raising a revenue in America by laying taxes on us without our consent and against our protestation, are opposite to our ideas of property, and inconsistent with the spirit of the constitution and does in fact at one stroke deprive the whole continent of all property, and of their most invaluable rights and liberties.
Resolved, That this committee highly approve the proceedings of the Continental Congress held in Philadelphia in September last, and that we will endeavor to carry their recommendation into execution.
Resolved, That the worthy delegates who represented this province in said Congress deserve our warmest and most grateful thanks for the faithful discharge of their office and that Colonel Armstrong present them in our names and in behalf of this county.
Resolved, That the different captains of this country do call their companies together at their usual places to exercise on Saturday the second day of September, in order to choose three in each respective company as committeemen, and those men truly elected shall meet in committee on Wednesday, the 20th day of September next, at the court house in said county.
Resolved, That a part of this committee, viz: Charles Lynch, John Armstrong and Matthew Brooks be appointed to wait on the Moravians in order to procure ammunition if any found. Also that Traugott Bagge, Jacob and George Houser, appointed of the Moravian congregation to set as a committee with us at this meeting, to give a more satisfactory answer for their non-attendance and give in the same personally at our next meeting, the 20th of September next.
Resolved, that we for ourselves and do recommend it to others, to issue no warrant for debt or execution except such that have been obtained already before this date, and if any debtor is likely to remove himself so that there is just cause to believe the creditor will lose his debt, he shall, or may apply, to the committee of the district the debtor lives in, ad which will take it in hand to secure the debt by taking security or stopping a reasonable part of his affects for the same.
Resolved, That Benjamin Cleveland, Jesse Walton and Benjamin Herndon, wait on Mr. Charles Gordon to secure all the ammunition they shall find in his possession.
Resolved, Likewise if any person of this committee should find out any ammunition in this country they shall be justified in securing the same for public service by giving security to the possessor thereof.

Comments

Credit transcription and/or comments to: Nancy Kiser

County of record

Surry County