At a meeting of the citizens of Richmond County, irrespective of parties, held at the Court House in the 
Town of Rockingham on the 1st day of January 1861, on motion of Mr. R. H. Brown, Hugh McLean, Esq., was 
called to the Chair, and John W. Cole and James S. Knight appointed Secretaries.
	On motion the Chair appointed the following gentlemen a committee on resolutions, viz: W. F. Leak, 
R. H. Brown, John Shortridge, John C. Knight and Wm. C. Leak.
	The meeting was entertained by speeches from several gentlemen in absence of the committee who on 
their return, submitted through their chairman, W. F. Leak, Esq., the following resolutions, which were 
read separately and passed with acclamation.
	Resolved, 2nd: That in the present disturbed and alarming condition of the country, we are in favor 
of calling a convention at an early day in order that the people of North Carolina may take the matter 
in their own hands, with the understanding that whatever may be done, shall be submitted to them for 
ratification.
	Resolved, 3rd: That as yet we do not advocate the withdrawal of North Carolina from the confederacy 
until all shall be done consistent with honor and security, yet at the same time we declare that the 
agitation of the slavery question must now be settled without longer forbearance on the part of the people 
of North Carolina.
	Resolved, 4th:  That to this end we call upon North Carolina in Convention assembled, and in the 
exercise of her highest sovereignty, to define her position and that too in language so un mistakenly 
plain that even fanaticism itself shall not be deceived thereby.
	Resolved, 5th: That we ask no slave code or any other kind of code, only asking that slavery shall 
receive the same protection as property as is now extended to every other species of property against 
"hostile" or any other kind of legislation.
	Resolved, 6th:  That we demand a repeal of all those enactments of the Northern States known as 
"Liberty Aid Bills" interposing between the master and his runaway slave.
	Resolved, 7th: That Congress now henceforth and forever, shall ignore the question of slavery in 
every manner, matter, shape and form in the States, in the Districts and in the Territories; and that 
for this purpose a reasonable time be given (which reasonable time shall be decided by the Convention) 
after which unless an unqualifiedly favorable response be given, then we are the advocates of at once 
withdrawing from the confederacy, and, you may call it secession, revolution or anything else you please.
	Resolved, 8th: That in the event that dissolution is inevitable, then we are unanimously in favor of 
a Southern Confederacy and disapprove the idea of North Carolina being attached to a middle, or any other 
kind of Confederacy; for with the South we are one in interest, one in sentiment, one in feeling, one in 
our social relations, one in short in everything calculated to impart prosperity, as well as give security 
to "hearthstone and alter."
	Resolved, 9th: That we regard the doctrine recently proclaimed in the Senate of the United States by 
a Senator from Tennessee, and endorsed by the Black Republican party, that the Federal Government should 
use force to coerce a State into obedience, which throws itself upon its original rights, is dangerous to 
the liberties of the country, violative of the spirit of the Constitution, subversive of the very 
foundations of American freedom, and ought not to be submitted to for one moment by the people of the 
Southern States.
	Resolved, 10th: That in order to carry out the 8th resolution, and as a last resort, we recommend 
that the Convention to be assembled shall select Commissioners to confer with the Southern States for 
the purpose of forming a Southern Confederacy.
	Resolved, 11th: That the above resolutions be placed before the two Houses of our Legislature by the 
Senator from this District, and by the Commoner from this County; and that they be instructed to give 
efficacy to our wishes in that resolution requiring a Convention.
	Speeches were made in support of the resolutions by Messers. W. F. Leak, R. H. Brown, W. L. Steele, 
W. B. Cole, John Shortridge, L. H. Webb, Jno. C. Knight and others.
	On motion of Col. W. L. Steele, the resolutions were ordered to be sent to the Fayetteville Observer 
and Wilmington Journal for publication, with the request that the other State papers copy. 
Hugh McLean, Ch'n   John W. Cole and James B. Knight Secretaries.

State of North Carolina, County of Richmond, Superior Court of Law, Fall Term 1863. The Grand Jury present 
Archibald Blue for harbouring, concealing, aiding and comforting his sons, William Blue, Daniel Thomas Blue 
and James Blue. Witnesses James Gardner and Starling W. Bostick. (Signed) W. F. Leak, Foreman.

State of North Carolina, Richmond County, Superior Court of Law, Fall Term A.D. 1863. The Jurors for the State 
upon their oath present, that Archibald Blue, late of the County of Richmond, on the first day of September 
A.D. 1863 with force and arms at and in the County of Richmond aforesaid unlawfully, willfully and knowingly 
did aid and assist and secretly harbor, and conceal and fraudulently maintain on William Blue, then and there 
being a person enrolled and ordered to report for duty as a conscript, in refusing to obey such order, he the 
said Archibald Blue, then and there well knowing the said William Blue to be a person enrolled and ordered to 
report for duty as a conscript and to be refusing to obey such order contrary to the form of the state in such 
case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the State. And the Jurors aforesaid, upon their 
oath aforesaid do further present that Archibald Blue, late of the County aforesaid, on the day and year 
aforesaid with force and arms at and in the County of Richmond aforesaid unlawfully, willfully and knowingly 
did aid and assist and secretly harbor and conceal and fraudulently maintain William Blue, then and there being 
a deserter from the military service of the Confederate States, he the said Archibald Blue then and there well 
knowing the said William Blue to be a deserter from the military service of the Confederate States, contrary to 
the form of the statute in such case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the State. 
(signed) R. P. Buxton, Solicitor. (Transcribed from original records by Myrtle N. Bridges)

1787 August 27. State of North Carolina, Richmond County. This day William Welch complains on oath to me, 
one of the Justices assigned to keep the peace, that on the 7th instant in the night came to his house 
Peter Hall, John Hall and James Dunkin [John Duncan, his security] and in a riotous or murdering manner 
with their guns presented and laid hands on him the said William Welch and bound him with bonds and carried 
him away, and after great threats and abuse the day following, took him to the house of John Farlie and 
there stripped him and bound him to a certain tree and there with large hickory sticks did unmercifully 
beat, bruise and wound him the said Welch so that his lip was greatly swollen and from thence without legal 
authority carried him out of his County and there with cocked and presented guns at him did much threaten 
his life and cause him to give them obligations for a sum of money and did very evilly treat him contrary 
to the laws and dignity of our State. 

These are therefore in the name of the State to command you to take the bodys of said Peter Hall, John Hall 
and James Dunkin or either of them found in your County and them safely keep till you have them before some 
Justice of said County where they shall be dealt with as the law directs. Given under my hand and seal this 
27th day of Aug. 1787. [signed] John McAlester. Summons witness in behalf of State, John Farlie, Archibald 
Farlie, John Grimes and Mallachai Dees.	Civil Action Papers CR.082.325.3 
(Transcribed from original records by Myrtle N. Bridges)

North Carolina, Anson County. In pursuance of an order from the Superior Court of Richmond County directed to 
Adam Lockhart and William Desmukes, Justices of the Peace for said County to take the depositions of Francis 
Blair, Angus Murchison and Gray Allen touching and concerning what they may know in a matter of controversy 
wherein William Hammond is plaintiff and Thomas C. Ellerbe, Defendant we have caused said Francis Blair, Angus 
Murchison and Gray Allen to appear before us at the Court House in the Town of Wadesborough in said County of 
Anson this 24th day of March 1819. Who after being duly sworn deposeth and sayeth as follows, viz:

Gray Allen deposeth and saith that about Spring of the year 1817 that he heard a noise in the street near 
Angus? [illegible, may be Ingor] D. Cash's dwelling house, that he went out and saw Mrs. Cash and Mrs. Ellerbe 
have hold of William Hammond, who appeared to be endeavoring to take something from him, which he understood 
to be a pistol. William Hammond said that some person had taken his pistol which was snapt as he believes at 
William Hammond, and he further saith that he saw some person strike William Hammond, who immediately asked who 
it was and Thomas C. Ellerbe replied that it was he that struck him.

Question by plaintiff:  Did you see any fire when the pistol was snapt?

Answer: I did which appeared to fall near the ground. And further this deponent saith not. Sworn and subscribed 
before us the 24th day of March 1819. (signed) A. Lockhart and W. Desmukes. (signed) Gray Allen.

Francis Blair deposeth and sayeth that sometime in the spring of the year 1817 William Hammond, then Sheriff of 
Anson, came to the store of Col. John M. Elder, about eight o'clock at night and summoned him and others to 
assist him in getting some property belonging to Thomas C. Ellerbe which was then in town, to satisfy an 
execution in his hands against said Ellerbe, that he went with said Hammond who went into Col. Cash's yard 
and brought into the street a Negro which he put under my care, and that Mrs. Cash and Mrs. Ellerbe came out 
and rescued the Negro, Mrs. Ellerbe then took hold of Mr. Hammond for the purpose of taking a pistol from him 
which he held in his hand. During this time Thomas C. Ellerbe came out with his coat off and a knife drawn in 
his hand and abused Mr. Hammond.

Question by Plaintiff: Did you hear me tell Thomas C. Ellerbe when he came out that he was my mark?

Answer: No, nor do I believe such a thing was said as I was standing between Mr. Hammond and the house when 
Mr. Ellerbe came out.

Question by Plaintiff:  Did I use any expressions to provoke a riot or did it not appear that I went in 
pursuance of my lawful business peaceably?

Answer: You made use of no such expression, but appeared to go peaceably.  And further this deponent sayeth 
not. Sworn and subscribed before us the 24th day of March 1819. (signed) A. Lockhart and W. Desmukes. (signed) 
Francis Blair.

Angus Murchison deposeth and sayeth that sometime in the spring of the year 1817 he heard a conversation 
between William Hammond and Thomas C. Ellerbe respecting an execution in the hands of the said Hammond in 
favor of Bass & Bass against the said Ellerbe as the security of Boggan Cash, and it was (illegible) said 
Hammond and Ellerbe that he levied on two of the said Ellerbe's Negroes and interest were written and Ellerbe 
said he would go and put one up at Cash's to show his that his property was to be sold for Boggan Cash's debt, 
who returned and said he had put one up at Cash's store which I afterwards saw. And further this deponent sayeth 
not.  (signed) A. Lockhart and W. Desmukes. (signed) A. Murchison. (Transcribed from original by Myrtle N. Bridges)