being
also a member in 1769, 1770, 1771, and 1775, and during this period one
of the leading men, not only of the county, but also of the legislature.
Had he, during the Revolution, taken a consistent position in harmony
with his former acts, he would have been one of the foremost patriots of
his adopted state; but owing to his vacillating character, his course of
conduct inured to his discomfiture and reputation.

The legislative body was clothed with sufficient powers to ameliorate
individual distress, and was frequently appealed to for relief. In quite
a list of names, seeking relief from "Public duties and Taxes," April
16, 1762, is that of Hugh McClean, of Cumberland county. The relief was
granted. This would indicate that there was more or less of a struggle
in attaining an independent home, which the legislative body desired to
assist in as much as possible, in justice to the commonwealth.

The Peace of 1763 not only saw the American Colonies prosperous, but
they so continued, making great strides in development and growth.
England began to look towards them as a source for additional revenue
towards filling her depleted exchequer; and, in order to realize this,
in March, 1765, her parliament passed, by great majorities, the
celebrated act for imposing stamp duties in America. All America was
soon in a foment. The people of North Carolina had always asserted their
liberties on the subject of taxation. As early as 1716, when the
province, all told, contained only eight thousand inhabitants, they
entered upon the journal of their assembly the formal declaration "that
the impressing of the inhabitants or their property under pretence of
its being for the public service without authority of the Assembly, was
unwarrantable and a great infringement upon the liberty of the subject."
In 1760 the Assembly declared its indubitable right to frame and model
every bill whereby an aid was granted to the king. In 1764 it entered
upon its journal a peremptory order that the treasurer should not pay
out any money by order of the governor and council without the
concurrence of the assembly.

William Tryon assumed the duties of governor March 28, 1765, and
immediately after he took charge of affairs the assembly was called, but
within two weeks he prorogued it; said to have been done in consequence
of an interview with the speaker of the assembly, Mr. Ashe, who, in
answer to a question by the governor on the Stamp Act, replied,