Standing for Liberty and Independence in New Castle
- libertyencounters
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
In the year 1702, the representatives of the Three Lower Counties of Pennsylvania along the Delaware River were upset! They passed a bitter complaint that all laws before had been for the benefit of Pennsylvania and ignored the Counties on the Delaware. One example of this was from an incident in1699. The brigantine Sweepstakes, laden full of cargo and just offshore of New Castle, was to set sail for England the next day. During the night,13 pirate small had boarded her and carried her off, cargo, crew, and all! Several notorious pirates, such as Captain William Kidd, Stede Bonnet, and William Teach, known as Blackbeard, scourged the Delaware Bay. The interests and people of these Counties were different from the Pacifist Quaker dominated interests in Philadelphia.
In 1704, Penn recognized their right to officially begin meeting in New Castle with their own assembly. The Legislators first met in the old Blockhouse fortification, which was completed in1674 and stood on the Green near where Immanuel Episcopal Church stands today. In 1732, the magnificent brick Court House was completed. It was in third floor of that structure on June 29th, 1774, a resolution was adopted in the Court House declaring that the Boston Port Bill was "unconstitutional, oppressive, and dangerous to our liberties."
By 1763, the British Empire emerged from a global seven year war victorious over the French and many of their American Indian Allies. To raise funds to pay off war debt and garrison forts along the border, British Parliament passed the Sugar Act of 1764 and Stamp Act of 1765. Many colonists believed that British Parliament was unlawfully directly taxing colonists in North America. Before, such as during the French and Indian War, the British King, Generals, and authorities would ASK the Colonial Assemblies to raise funds. However, these acts marked a great change. After Delaware Legislators Thomas McKean and Caesar Rodney joined other representatives at the Stamp Act Congress in 1765 in protest that this was taxation without representation, British Parliament rescinded the Stamp Act. There was much rejoicing in New Castle!
The next year, Parliament passed the Declaratory Act, which stated that it reserved the right to pass laws binding on the colonies in all cases whatsoever! Thomas McKean declared, “No power on earth has a right to take our property from us without our consent.” Rather than protecting his subjects from this usurpation, King George III allowed the Crown authorities to pass increasingly harsh measures. Many colonial pastors urged their congregations to resist tyranny. In 1773, a famous Methodist Pastor named Francis Asbury preached the Gospel to a large crowd in New Castle.
After the Boston Tea Party in December of 1773, the Port was shut down by the Royal Navy, British redcoat soldiers sought to impose order in the streets, the Massachusetts Assembly was disbanded, town meetings were forbidden, and judges were appointed by the Crown. Days of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer were declared in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Virginia. A lawyer named Nicholas Van Dyke, who was born near modern day Delaware City and moved to New Castle, began his political career by serving on a relief committee for the persecuted citizens of Boston. He joined with George Read I in collecting £200 in charity for Bostonians. This was the equivalent in U.S. Dollars today of $35,618.83.
After Patriot forces resisted a British attempt to disarm the colonists at the Battle of Lexington and Concord in April of 1775, the Revolutionary War began. Two days before the bloodiest battle of the War was fought at Bunker Hill and independence was being hotly debated in Philadelphia, the Delaware Assembly declared independence from Pennsylvania AND the British Crown! This stunning act of courage was a bold action and is celebrated annually in New Castle as Separation Day.
On July 1st, 1776, a first vote on the resolution for independence was taken. Nine colonies voted for it, the Colonies of Pennsylvania and South Carolina were against it, and New York voted to abstain. A unanimous declaration was vital to show unity.
Delaware's three delegates were deadlocked. Men like John Dickinson, who had a plantation near Dover and was a delegate from Pennsylvania, had earlier spoken against voting for independence, saying that it would be like tearing down one’s house and building a new one in the depths of winter. George Read agreed with such a sentiment and was not for voting for independence. Thomas McKean was for independence.
The third delegate was named Caesar Rodney, who also served as the Brigadier General and commander of Delaware militia. He had been stamping out Tories in southern Delaware when he received a message from McKean to repair to Philadelphia. According to John Adams, Rodney had a face that looked like a shriveled apple and was the oddest looking man in the world. He suffered from severe asthma and wore a green silk scarf to cover scars from a form of cancer. Rodney jumped on his horse and began his 80 mile ride through thunder and rain o'er swollen creeks on the night of July 1st, 1776. There are reports that he switched out horses in New Castle on 3rd Street, where stood a stable at the time. He arrived on July 2nd, 1776, and broke the tie to vote for independence for Delaware in his boots and spurs! With a change in mind by Pennsylvania and South Carolina and with New York abstaining, the unanimous declaration carried the day!
On July 4th, 1776, the Journals of the Continental Congress recorded the following resolution:
"...That Dr. Franklin, Mr. J. Adams and Mr. Jefferson, be a committee, to bring in a device for a seal for the United States of America."
For the design team, Congress chose three of the five men who were on the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence. Although these distinguished committee members were among the ablest minds in the new nation, they had little knowledge of heraldry. To help convey their vision, they chose the artist Pierre Eugčne Du Simitičre to work with them. The four men consulted among themselves between July 4 and August 13, then each brought before the committee a suggestion for the design of the Great Seal.
Benjamin Franklin's proposal is preserved in a note of his own handwriting:
"Moses standing on the Shore, and extending his Hand over the Sea, thereby causing the same to overwhelm Pharaoh who is sitting in an open Chariot, a Crown on his Head and a Sword in his Hand. Rays from a Pillar of Fire in the Clouds reaching to Moses, to express that he acts by Command of the Deity.
"Motto, Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God."
A similar sentiment was depicted on a flag depicting the Arm of God was inspired by a sermon by the Reverend Jonathan Mayhew in 1750.
Upon the 249th Anniversary of America's Independence Day, huzza for the courage, conviction, and faith of those who, with a firm reliance upon the protection of divine Providence, pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor! As our Constitution would be written to form a more perfect Union to preserve the blessings of liberty for themselves and their posterity, we are those future generations of Americans. Three cheers for American Liberty!
You are invited to march in the footsteps of Patriots on a Liberty and Independence in New Castle History Adventure Tour!
Please visit libertyencounters.com to learn more. We hope to march with you soon.
To learn more about the life and ride of Caesar Rodney, two excellent articles include:
Works Consulted include:
New Castle on the Delaware, by the New Castle Historical Society, Dutch Tercentary Edition, c. 1951
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