My good friend Todd called me this morning asking if I had seen this report from the New York trial. It was from The Trace’s Daily Bulletin. The report was a one paragraph blurb about Charles Cotton’s testimony.
The National Rifle Association’s new chief executive Doug Hamlin is a placeholder, according to the testimony of former NRA president Charles Cotton that points to fault lines in the gun group’s leadership. In May, board members chose Hamlin, who led the NRA’s publications arm, as Wayne LaPierre’s replacement. Hamlin is allied to a small, self-described reform bloc at the group. “The intent is to try to get, frankly, some high-powered person to take it over,” testified Cotton, a LaPierre defender whom the reformers consider part of an old guard. Cotton made his remarks in a New York courtroom where the final phase of New York Attorney General Letitia James’s lawsuit against the NRA is underway. —Will Van Sant
Say what you will about The Trace and reporter Will Van Sant but they don’t get stuff like this wrong. I’m sure Cotton actually said that in his testimony in court. That said, I don’t think anyone who participated in the NRA Board of Directors meeting in May thought the election of Doug Hamlin to be the new CEO and Executive VP was to be as a placeholder. Moreover, I don’t think Hamlin would have stuck his neck out if he himself thought he was only destined to be a placeholder.
If you are talking placeholders then you are talking about people like then-Interim EVP Andrew Arulanandam. You could even include Cotton in this category as he was pitching himself as the EVP to settle thing down for a few years and then ride off into the sunset. I don’t know where Cotton got the idea that Doug Hamlin was a placeholder unless that is how the Cabal would like to see it.
NRA President Bob Barr was on the stand today in the second day of the remedial phase of the New York trial. According to Erik Uebelacker of Courthouse News, Barr just said moments ago that the NRA has not yet decided if they will actually try to collect the $4.4 million the jury said Wayne owes.
Bob Barr just said the NRA hasn't determined whether it will actually try to collect the $4.4 million Wayne LaPierre owes pursuant to the jury verdict against him.
The bench phase of the NRA’s trial in New York City opened today. The first witness to take the stand was former NRA President Charles Cotton who now chairs both the Audit and Ethics Committees. Among the things he included in his testimony was the following regarding succession planning according to AP reports.
Charles Cotton, an NRA board member, was the first witness to take the stand. He revealed that the organization did not have a succession plan in place when LaPierre announced his retirement in January, just before the start of the trial’s first phase — suggesting his exit was hasty and not expected.
If only they had listened to one of their members who offered a resolution asking the Board of Directors to draft and adopt a formal succession plan. That resolution was offered at the NRA Meeting of Members held in Tucson, Arizona in October 2020. Mind you that this was in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and the most vulnerable population included senior citizens like LaPierre. That meeting was being run by 1st VP Charles Cotton as then-President Carolyn Meadows was absent due to health concerns.
As you can probably guess by now that resolution was soundly defeated. One of the arguments offered against it was that the NRA Bylaws provided a succession plan in that the Executive Director of General Operations would take over as the Interim EVP and CEO. This is exactly what happened when LaPierre resigned. Another argument was that the NRA was not the same as a for-profit corporation where succession planning is a best practice.
Among those testifying against the resolution in favor of succession planning was Joel Friedman who now sits as Vice-Chair of the Ethics Committee. Friedman is also a member along with Charles Cotton on both the Bylaws and Resolutions Committee and the Finance Committee. He is only on the Board now because Carl Rowen, Jr. was convinced to resign in order to allow Friedman to ascend to a directorship.
This truly is a case of what goes around, comes around.
As to the Endowment Life member who offered that serious resolution of succession planning, it was me. Perhaps if the Board had listened to the members instead of kowtowing to the Cabal, the NRA wouldn’t be in the position it is now.
Gun rights attorney Kosta Moros calls out Shannon Watts for this incredibly stupid post. She didn’t even bother to edit out the bit about “child access prevention laws” as if that would have made a difference.
Is Shannon seriously this stupid?
The level of planning and determination it takes to carry out a (near) successful political assassination is quite high, especially on a President. Certainly nothing any gun control law can stop. Shinzo Abe was killed in Japan with a homemade… pic.twitter.com/gQgCwiDofi
The new “professional opportunity” to which Corey Mason will transition is as the Executive VP for Conservation and COO of the Wild Sheep Foundation. It appears that he will remain with the Dallas Safari Club over the next month before moving on to the new position.
The Wild Sheep Foundation announced his hiring yesterday.
BOZEMAN, MT — The Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) is pleased to announce that Corey Mason of Texas will join WSF as Executive Vice President of Conservation, effective August 12, 2024. In this capacity, Mason will lead WSF conservation efforts to conserve and enhance wild sheep and their habitat worldwide. He will also serve as Chief Operating Officer, supporting the foundation’s current and future programs and strategic initiatives.
“Corey has served the conservation and hunting community with distinction as CEO of Dallas Safari Club (DSC) for the past seven years and as a Regional Director, Program Leader, and biologist roles for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department for sixteen years before leading DSC,” stated WSF President and CEO, Gray N. Thornton. “He is a Certified Wildlife Biologist®, and a recognized industry leader in promoting sustainable use, not only in North America but around the globe. Corey has worked extensively with state, federal, and international agencies and conservation industry NGOs. He brings talent, capacity, relationships, and additional leadership to the WSF staff – he is a blue chip hire, a franchise player, and a force multiplier to our team. I am thrilled, and we are honored to have him join WSF.”
Mason has a BS and MS in Wildlife Management and has served as an organizational lead for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and CITES Conference of Parties and Animals Committee meetings. He also serves on the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation Board and state advisory committees for bighorn sheep, mule deer, and whitetail deer and was a member of the National Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation Council.
Corey will work closely with WSF Vice President of Conservation Kevin Hurley, a 50+ year wild sheep conservation leader and veteran who on July 1st transitioned to part-time with WSF as he nears retirement. As COO, Corey will work alongside WSF President & CEO Gray N. Thornton to expand current programs as well as help launch innovative WSF initiatives.
“I could not be more excited to join WSF’s incredible team. I have admired the organization’s focus on strategic initiatives and programs, and having worked in the conservation space for decades, I have seen that WSF’s leadership is widely recognized and respected and that the professionalism and efficiency of the staff are appreciated by members and partners worldwide,” Corey Mason stated. “I am eager to support the important mission of WSF and look forward to serving its members,” Mason added.
“As the world’s leading wild sheep conservation, advocacy, and hunting organization, WSF directed $9.2 Million to Grant in Aid, education and outreach programs, and our state, provincial, and tribal agency partners during our 2023-2024 fiscal year ending June 30th. This is $1.7 Million more than the $7.5 Million we directed in fiscal year 2022-23 for an incredible $16.7 Million to mission programs in just two years. Adding Corey Mason to our team will help ensure that those dollars make an impact on the resource, and with our agency and chapter and affiliate partners, Put and Keep more Wild Sheep on the Mountain,” Thornton concluded.
From what I can gather reading comments on various forums made by long time DSC members, there has been a fight going on between those who wanted DSC to remain a “hunting club” and those who wanted it to progress into more conservation and advocacy for some time. A number of board members and the President-elect resigned over it. There was a dissident faction in 2019-2020 that floated an effort called “Save DSC” that some have called an attempted coup. The “Save DSC” group forced a vote on changing the bylaws which only got 18% in favor of it. As I have only been a member of DSC since 2022, I am somewhat ignorant of all the forces at work behind the scenes, what happened in the past, and who is who. This all could have been the straw that broke the camel’s back for Mason who decided it was time to leave for greener pastures. I will say that in the couple of meetings I was in with Mason that he seemed like a breathe of fresh air after enduring some of the stuffiness of the NRA’s hierarchy.
I do hope that all goes well for him at the Wild Sheep Foundation and DSC can find a new Executive Director and CEO that can take it into the future.
Corey Mason, the CEO and Executive Director of the Dallas Safari Club since September 2017, is out according to an email sent to DSC members today. Whether he was fired or decided to step aside is not known at this time.
Good afternoon DSC Members, Volunteers, Exhibitor Partners and Sponsors,
I’m writing to share an important update about the evolution of our leadership team. Our CEO, Corey Mason, will be transitioning to a new professional opportunity. Corey has been a pivotal force in driving numerous successful national and international initiatives and strengthening our organization. While we will certainly miss his leadership, we fully support his decision and recognize that this move is a testament to the high regard in which he is held within the world of wildlife conservation. We wish him nothing but the best and are deeply grateful for all he has done for DSC.
In light of this transition, our Board of Directors will immediately engage in the search for a new CEO who will continue to build on the strong foundation Corey has laid. During this time, our dedicated executive team will maintain focused and steady leadership, while continuing to advance the DSC mission. Brian Fienhold, DSC’s Director of Operations and Development, will serve as Acting CEO during the search process.
We are eagerly anticipating our upcoming annual convention in Atlanta, which promises to be another incredible hunting and conservation gathering for all. We look forward to seeing you there and thank you for your continued support and dedication to DSC.
I am not upset that the convention is going to Atlanta as that is an easy drive for me. However, if you have to come from Texas for an event that used to be in your own backyard, I can understand the angst.
When the NRA Board of Directors meeting ended on the Monday after the NRA Annual Meeting many, including me, had high hopes that reform was finally coming to the organization. Reformers had won two out of three of the officer positions, the EVP, and a majority on the Nominating Committee. This was on the heels of the resounding victories of the Four for Reform. Doug Hamlin, the new CEO and EVP, started making good changes and signaled a new openness.
However, as I noted at the end of May, how newly elected NRA President Bob Barr handled committee assignments would be the key to showing the court in New York just how much the NRA had changed and embraced reform. I went on to add that Charles Cotton and David Coy must not be allowed to serve on the Audit and Finance Committees respectively.
I began to be more than a little concerned when it came out that Barr had made Cotton the new chair of the Ethics Committee. That was the harbinger of more to come as it became obvious that Barr had ignored his mother’s warning about running with the “wrong crowd”.
Yesterday, Barr’s appointments to the Audit, Finance, Ethics, Bylaws and Resolutions, and Legal Affairs Committees were announced.
NRA President Bob Barr has announced some committee assignments:
Audit
Charles Cotton – Chairman E. Wilkinson – Vice Chairman Charles Beers Curtis Jenkins Rocky Marshall
Bylaws & Resolutions
Carol Frampton – Chairman Charles Cotton – Vice Chairman Scott Bach Bob Barr Larry Craig Joel Friedman Jim Wallace
Ethics
Charles Cotton – Chairman Joel Friedman – Vice Chairman Clel Baudler Jay Printz Barbara Rumpel Mark Vaughan
Finance
David Coy – Chairman Ron Schmeits – Vice Chairman Joe Allbaugh Bill Bachenberg Isaac Demarest Patricia Clark Allan Cors Charles Cotton Joel Friedman Curtis Jenkins Carolyn Meadows Bill Miller Buz Mills Amanda Suffecool Mark Vaughan
Legal Affairs
Sandra Froman – Chairman Scott Bach – Vice Chairman Bob Barr Charles Cotton Carol Frampton Charles Hiltunen Curtis Jenkins John Sigler
The first thing you will notice is that Charles Cotton is on every single one of these important committees and retains his chairmanship of the Audit Committee to go with his newly appointed chairmanship of the Ethics Committee. The next thing you notice is that David Coy has retained his chairmanship of the Finance Committee.
The only one of the Four for Reform members to be appointed to any committee was Rocky Marshall who was appointed to the Audit Committee. I find this disappointing as their election is being used by the NRA in its court filings to assert that things have changed and no special monitor was needed. While Rocky’s appointment is good and proper, why was not Jeff Knox put on Bylaws and Resolutions as he probably knows more about the Bylaws than any member of that committee. Likewise, would not it have been wise to put Judge Phil Journey, the only jurist on the Board, on the Legal Affairs Committee.
With the exception of the Finance Committee which has has four known reformers on it (out of 15 total members), the remaining committees have one and perhaps two known reformers on them. If Barr wanted to signal to the members of the NRA and to Judge Cohen that things had changed at the NRA, this certainly was not the way to do it.
While I don’t have a crystal ball on what will happen in the remedial phase of the New York trial, I think the odds are better than even that a special monitor will now be appointed to oversee the NRA’s finances. It should be noted that this monitor will have nothing to do with functions and programs of the NRA including its political functions. While this will put me at odds with some friends on the Board who are reformers, I think that the special monitor will be a requirement if the NRA is ever to crawl out of the morass it finds itself in.
UPDATE: I can fully understand the frustration that Judge Phil Journey must have felt that caused him to file a motion to intervene in the New York trial. That was on July 3rd and he obviously saw things that are now only coming to light. It has been suggested to me that the appointment of Charles Cotton to head the Ethics Committee was specifically meant to go after Judge Journey for having the temerity to break ranks.
Stephen Gutowski has more on Journey’s motion here along with the NRA’s denials.
Registration has opened for Rick Ector’s 13th annual introduction to handguns event for women in Detroit. His goal this year is to provide 1,700 women with a free shooting lesson. When he started his goal was 50 women and it has increased over bit by bit.
The event will be held on Saturday, July 27th, and Sunday, July 28th, at the Recoil Firearms range in Taylor, Michigan. Registration for the even opened yesterday (July 8th). Interested women can register for a 90-minute time slot here.
Here are the details of the event:
No previous experience required
Ammunition and firearms will be supplied
All women participants from age 12 to 80 are welcome
All minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian
Please register for only one 90-minute time slot
Over 10,000 women have been trained over the years
The event is presented by Legally Armed in Detroit and Rick’s Firearm Academy of Detroit with the aid of a cadre of volunteer instructors from around the US.
Attorneys for the NRA, Wayne LaPierre, and John Frazer all filed appeals in People of New York v. National Rifle Association of America et al on Friday. They are appealing Judge Cohen’s decision and “order on motion” in which he denies their motions to set aside the jury’s verdict and enter a judgment for them as a matter of law. Frazer’s motion was to only set aside part of the jury’s verdict but that was also denied. Attorneys for Wilson “Woody” Phillips had filed a similar motion to set aside the verdict but are not appealing. As noted earlier, it appears he has settled with the New York Attorney General’s Office.
The appeals will go to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, First Judicial Department. That same court has denied all previous appeals made by any of the defendants and have upheld all of Judge Cohen’s rulings in this case. The Appellate Division is the intermediate appellate level in New York State with the Court of Appeals being akin to Supreme Courts in other states.
Noah Peters of Brewer, Attorneys and Counselors, is arguing on behalf of the NRA. His argument centers around whether there enough evidence to find that the NRA payments for Susan LaPierre’s hair and makeup, to David Keene, and to Woody Phillips were anything other than “de minimis”. He goes on to question whether people like Phil Journey, Craig Spray, Rocky Marshall, Ollie North, and others should really be considered “whistleblowers”. Finally, he questions whether the jury had sufficient cause under New York’s Executive Law to find the NRA submitted false filings.
The attorney for Wayne, Kent Correll, is arguing that the Attorney General lacked the “power, authority, capacity or standing to seek or procure a judgment” under New York law to seek monetary damages against an officer of a not-for-profit, to seek the removal of such officer, and to bar the re-election of a person who is no longer employed by the non-for-profit. He also attacks the sufficiency of the evidence against Wayne.
John Frazer’s appeal argues that since the jury did not find grounds for either monetary damages or removal from office, it erred in finding he failed in his fiduciary responsibilities. Moreover, since no claim of false statements were made against the NRA’s accountants, they should not have found he knowingly signed off on a false filing.
Given the past history of appeals in this trial, I really don’t seeing any of these defendants winning their appeals. Moreover, with the exception of Frazer who is essentially fighting to stay employed, I think the other appeals are going through the motions because a) they will generate more billable hours and b) for the public relations aspect of it. Wayne is fighting to say he really wasn’t a grifter and the NRA is trying to assert that the jury should never have agreed with the Attorney General because, you know, she hates us and wants us gone.
Vendetta or no vendetta, the attorneys for New York had a strong case against the NRA and the individual defendants. Josh Powell and Woody Phillips have realized it and settled. That the NRA has not settled like that did with the Attorney General for the District of Columbia is a shame. I think what they will get now in terms of punishment is going to be worse than if they had settled. The only winners are the attorneys who will rake in even more fees that are being paid out of members’ dues or, at least, that is the case for sure with regard to the NRA. Who is paying the fees for Wayne and Frazer and whether it will ultimately be the NRA is up in the air.
I originally posted this on July 4th of 2010. I am reposting it as I have every year since to recognize these early North Carolina patriots from Mecklenburg County. Despite all the changes in the Queen City since then, there are still many there or from there who continue the fight for liberty and especially our Second Amendment rights.
Before there was a Declaration of Independence of 1776, there were the Mecklenburg Declaration of May 20, 1775 and the Mecklenburg Resolves of May 31, 1775. Whilethere is significant controversy over the authenticity of the former, there is none regarding the latter. There is controversy about the Mecklenburg Declaration because the original copy is reputed to have been destroyed in a fire and mention of it then only comes to light in 1819. Nonetheless, May 20, 1775 is the date enshrined on both the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina and the State Flag. Even the state flag used during the Confederacy had those dates on it.
Both the Declaration and the Resolves were adopted in Charlotte Town in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Charlotte Town is now known as Charlotte. The area had been settled by the heavily Presbyterian immigrants from Northern Ireland and Scotland known as the Scotch-Irish. Upon hearing of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, they had been outraged and the Declaration was the result.
The Mecklenburg Declaration
That whosoever directly or indirectly abetted or in any way, form or manner countenanced to unchartered & dangerous invasion of our rights as claimed by G. Britain is an enemy to this County – to America & to the inherent & inaliable rights of man.
We the Citizens of Mecklenburg County do hereby desolve the political bands which have connected us to the Mother Country & hereby absolve ourselves from all allegiance to the British crown & abjure all political connection, contract or association with that nation who have wantonly trampled on our rights & liberties & inhumanely shed the innocent blood of American patriots at Lexington.
We do hereby declare ourselves a free and independent people – are & of right ought to be a sovereign & self-governing association, under the controul of no power other than that of our God & the general government of the congress, to the maintainence of which independence civil & religious we solemnly pledge to each other our mutual cooperation, our lives, our fortunes & our most sacred honor.
As we now acknowledge the existence & controul of no law or legal officers, civil or military, within this County, we do hereby ordain & adopt as a rule of life, all, each & every of our former laws – wherein nevertheless the crown of great britain never can be considered as holding rights, privileges, immunities, or authority therein.
It is also further decreed that all, each & every military officer in this County is hereby reinstated in his former command & 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 & determine all matters of controversy according to sd. adopted laws – to preserve peace, union & harmony in sd. County & to use every exertion to spread the love of country & fire of freedom throughout America until a more general & organized government be established in this province. A selection from the members present shall constitute a Committee of public safety for sd. County.
That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted by express to the President of the Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia, to be laid before that body. Ephraim Brevard Hezekiah J. Balch John Phifer James Harris William Kennon John Foard Richard Barry Henry Downs Ezra Alexander Charles Alexander Zaccheus Wilson Waightstill Avery Benjamin PattonMatthew McClure Neil Morrison Robert Irwin John Flennegin David Reese William Graham John Queary Hezekiah Alexander Adam Alexander John Davidson Richard Harris Thomas Polk Abraham AlexanderJohn McKnitt Alexander
While there still exists much controversy on the authenticity of the Declaration, none exists with regard to the Resolves adopted on May 31, 1775. Captain James Jack of Charlotte was sent with a copy of the resolves and a letter to the North Carolina delegates to the Continental Congress requesting their approval by Congress.
The Mecklenburg Resolves
This day the Committee of this County met, and passed the following Resolves: WHEREAS by an Address presented to his Majesty by both Houses of Parliament in February last, the American Colonies are declared to be in a state of actual rebellion, we conceive that all Laws and Commissions confirmed by, or derived from the Authority of the king or Parliament, are annulled and vacated, and the former civil Constitution of these Colonies for the present wholly suspended. To provide in some Degree for the Exigencies of the County in the present alarming Period, we deem it proper and necessary to pass the following resolves, viz. 1. That all Commissions, civil and military, heretofore granted by the Crown, to be exercised in these Colonies, are null and void, and the Constitution of each particular Colony wholly suspended. 2. That the Provincial Congress of each Province, under the Direction of the Great Continental Congress, is invested with all legislative and executive Powers within their respective Provinces; and that no other Legislative or Executive does or can exist, at this Time, in any of these Colonies. 3. As all former Laws are now suspended in this Province, and the Congress have not yet provided others, we judge it necessary, for the better Preservation of good Order, to form certain Rules and Regulations for the internal Government of this County, until Laws shall be provided for us by the Congress. 4. That the Inhabitants of this Country do meet on a certain Day appointed by this Committee, and having formed themselves into nine Companies, to wit, eight for the County, and one for the Town of Charlotte, do choose a Colonel, and other military Officers, who shall hold and exercise their several Powers by Virtue of this Choice, and independent of Great-Britain, and former Constitution of this Province. 5. That for the better Preservation of the Peace, and Administration of Justice, each of these Companies do choose from their own Body two discreet Freeholders, who shall be impowered each by himself, and singly, to decide and determine all Matters of Controversy arising within the said Company under the Sum of Twenty Shillings, and jointly and together all Controversies under the Sum of Forty Shillings, yet so as their Decisions may admit of Appeals to the Convention of the Select Men of the whole County; and also, that any one of these shall have power to examine, and commit to Confinement , Persons accused of Petit Larceny. 6. That those two Select Men, thus chosen, do, jointly and together, choose from the Body of their particular Company two Persons, properly qualified to serve as Constables, who may assist them in the execution of their Office. 7. That upon the Complaint of any Person to either of these Select men, he do issue his Warrant, directed to the Constable, commanding him to bring the Aggressor before him or them to answer the said Complaint. 8. That these Eighteen Select Men, thus appointed, do meet every third Tuesday in January, April, and October, at the Court-House in Charlotte to hear and determine all Matters of Controversy of Sums exceeding Forty Shillings; also Appeals: And in Cases of Felony, to commit the Person or Persons convicted thereof to close Confinement, until the Provincial Congress shall provide and establish Laws and Modes of Proceeding in Such Cases. 9. That these Eighteen Select Men, thus convened, do choose a Clerk to record the Transactions of the said Convention; and that the said Clerk, upon the Application of any Person or Persons aggrieved, do issue his Warrant to one of the Constables, to summons and warn the said Offender to appear before the convention at their next sitting, to answer the aforesaid Complaint. 10. That any Person making Complaint upon Oath to the Clerk, or any Member of the Convention, that he has Reason to suspect that any Person or Persons indebted to him in a Sum above Forty Shillings, do intend clandestinely to withdraw from the County without paying such Debt; the Clerk, or such Member, shall issue his Warrant to the Constable, commanding him to take the said Person or Persons into safe Custody, until the next sitting of the Convention. 11. That when a Debtor for a Sum below Forty Shillings shall abscond and leave the County, the Warrant granted as aforesaid shall extend to any Goods or Chattels of the said Debtor as may be found, and such Goods or Chattels be seized and held in Custody by the Constable for the space of Thirty Days; in which Term if the Debtor fails to return and discharge the Debt, the Constable shall return the Warranty to one of the Select Men of the Company where the Goods and Chattels were found, who shall issue Orders to the Constable to sell such a part of the said Goods as shall amount to the Sum due; that when the Debt exceeds Forty Shillings, the Return shall be made to the Convention, who shall issue the Orders for Sale. 12. That Receivers and Collectors for Quitrents, Public and County Taxes, do pay the same into the Hands of the Chairman of this Committee, to be by them disbursed as the public Exigencies may require. And that such Receivers and Collectors proceed no farther in their Office until they be approved of by, and have given to this Committee good and sufficient Security for a faithful return of such Monies when collected. 13. That the Committee be accountable to the County for the Application of all Monies received from such Officers. 14. That all these Officers hold their Commissions during the Pleasure of their respective Constituents. 15. That this Committee will sustain all Damages that may ever hereafter accrue to all or any of these Officers thus appointed, and thus acting, on Account of their Obedience and Conformity to these Resolves. 16. That whatever Person shall hereafter receive a Commission from the Crown, or attempt to exercise any such Commission heretofore received, shall be deemed an Enemy to his Country; and upon Information being made to the Captain of the Company where he resides the said Captain shall cause him to be apprehended, and conveyed before the two Select Men of the said Company, who, upon Proof of the Fact, shall commit him the said Offender into safe Custody, until the next sitting of the Convention, who shall deal with him as Prudence may direct. 17. That any Person refusing to yield Obedience to the above Resolves shall be deemed equally criminal, and liable to the same Punishments as the Offenders above last mentioned. 18. That these Resolves be in full Force and Virtue, until Instructions from the General Congress of this Province, regulating the Jurisprudence of this Province, shall provide otherwise, or the Legislative Body of Great-Britain resign its unjust and arbitrary Pretentions with Respect to America. 19. That the several Militia Companies in this county do provide themselves with proper arms and accoutrements, and hold themselves in constant Readiness to execute the commands and Directions of the Provincial Congress, and of this committee. 20. That this committee do appoint Colonel Thomas Polk, and Doctor Joseph Kennedy, to purchase 300 lb. of Powder, 600 lb. of Lead, and 1000 Flints; and deposit the same in some safe place, hereafter to be appointed by the committee. Eph. Brevard, Clerk of the Committee. Singed by Order of the Committee.
This document was printed in the North Carolina Gazette on June 16, 1775, and the Cape-Fear Mercury on June 23, 1775. There was a slight variation in wording in the two newspapers.
So on this day as we honor the Nation’s Founders and the Declaration of Independence of 1776, let us also honor these men from a provincial North Carolina backwater who recognized that our future lay in independence from Great Britain.
by 
