The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence

On April 30, 1819, the Raleigh Register (N.C.) published the following document, said to have been adopted by the Committee of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, on May 20, 1775, the day after the receipt of the news of the battle of Lexington. The similarity of some of its phrases (here italicized) to phrases in the Declaration of Independence raised questions as to plagiarism on Jefferson's part, or, as to the authenticity of the Mecklenburg document. It is clear that Jefferson never heard of it before 1819; and the explanation most commonly adopted is, that it is a compilation, based in part on general recollections of certain resolutions, still extant, which were drawn up by the committee of Mecklenburg on May 31, 1775.