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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Resolutions by inhabitants of Johnston County concerning resistance to Parliamentary taxation and the Provincial Congress of North Carolina
Smith, Samuel; Et Al.
August 12, 1774
Volume 09, Pages 1031-1032

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[B. P. R. O. Am. & W. Ind. Vol. 222.]
PROCEEDINGS OF PUBLIC MEETINGS IN VARIOUS COUNTIES AS PRINTED IN THE NORTH CAROLINA GAZETTE OF SEPTEMBER 2d, 1774.
Proceedings of Freeholders in Johnston County, 12th August, 1774.

At a Meeting of the Freeholders of the County of Johnston in the Province of North Carolina, at the Court House of said County, on the 12th day of August 1774.

Samuel Smith Jur, Esqre, in the chair.

1. Resolved, That His Majesty's Subjects in North America owe the same allegiance to the Crown of Great Britain, that is due from his subjects born in that Kingdom or elsewhere.

2. Resolved, That His Majesty's Subjects in America are intitled to the same rights and liberties, that his subjects within the Kingdom of Great Britain are.

3. Resolved, That it is repugnant to the rights of the People that any Taxes should be imposed on them without their consent, or the consent of those who properly represent them.

4. Resolved, That it is a fundamental Right which His Majesty's Subjects are intitled to, that no one of them shall suffer in his Person or Property without a fair trial and judgment given by his Peers, or by the Laws of the Land.

5. Resolved, That all Trials of Treason, Misprision of Treasons, or for any Felony or crimes whatsoever, committed in this His Majesty's Colony, by any Person being a free-born subject, ought of right to be tried in and before His Majesty's Courts held within this Colony; and that the seizing of any Person or Persons suspected of any crimes whatsoever, and sending them to Great Britain or any place beyond the sea to be tried, is oppressive, illegal and highly derogatory to the rights of British Subjects, as thereby the inestimable privilege of being tried by a Jury from the Vicinage, as well as the benefit of procuring witnesses on such Trial, will be taken away from the Party accused.

6. Resolved, That Samuel Smith, Senr, Needham Bryan, Senr, William Bryan and Benjamin Williams Esqres be appointed to

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appear in our behalf at such times and places as shall be judged most proper, to meet the deputies of the other Counties, to consult the welfare of America on this alarming crisis which seems to threaten our liberties and Constitution, and to elect Persons to represent this Province at a General Continental Congress to be held at such time and place as shall be by them agreed to.

7. Resolved, That we will strictly adhere to and abide by such regulations and restrictions as the Members of said General Congress shall agree to, and judge most convenient, for avoiding the calamities and procuring the benefits intended by these resolves.

8. Resolved, That Samuel Smith, senior, William Bryan, John Smith, Samuel Smith, junr, Needham Bryan, junr, Henry Rains and William Ward, Esqres, be appointed a Committee to correspond with the Committees of the other Counties in this Province, when, and as often as they shall think convenient, relative to the matter contained in the foregoing Resolves.