A HOUSE RESOLUTION commemorating the recovery of North Carolina's Bill of RIGHTS.
Whereas, in 1787, delegates met during a Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia to adopt a proposed Constitution; and
Whereas, North Carolina's delegates to the Convention included William Blount of Pitt County, Richard Dobbs Spaight, Sr. of Craven County, and Hugh Williamson of Chowan County, all of whom signed the Constitution; and
Whereas, after the Constitutional Convention, state conventions were called to vote on the ratification of the proposed United States Constitution; and
Whereas, in 1788, North Carolina assembled a State convention in Hillsborough to consider ratification of the Constitution; and
Whereas, Willie Jones, a delegate to the State convention helped to persuade the other delegates to oppose ratification of the Constitution because the document did not contain sufficient protections for individual rights and, on August 2, 1788, the delegates at the Convention declined to ratify the proposed Constitution; and
Whereas, on June 8, 1789, James Madison introduced to the first United States Congress amendments to the Constitution that would result in a Bill of Rights; and
Whereas, on October 2, 1789, President George Washington sent to all the states an original copy of the 12 proposed constitutional amendments adopted by Congress; and
Whereas, on November 21, 1789, in a second convention held in Fayetteville, North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the Constitution and, on December 22, 1789, the General Assembly voted to ratify all 12 proposed amendments; and
Whereas, three‑fourths of the state legislatures ratified 10 of the 12 proposed amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights; and
Whereas, in April 1865, during the occupation of Raleigh by Union forces, North Carolina's copy of the Bill of Rights was stolen from the Capitol; and
Whereas, over the ensuing years, several attempts were made to sell the copy of the Bill of Rights back to North Carolina, but the State steadfastly refused to buy back what rightfully belonged to its citizens; and
Whereas, on March 18, 2003, when the document was offered for sale in Philadelphia, North Carolina's Bill of Rights was seized by federal authorities in a joint federal and State effort; and
Whereas, on March 24, 2008, after five years of litigation in federal and state courts and 143 years of being out of the custody of the State, the Wake County Superior Court declared North Carolina to be the rightful owner of the copy of the Bill of Rights; and
Whereas, the Bill of Rights is the cornerstone of the freedoms we cherish as American citizens; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
SECTION 1.  That, on this day, March 18, 2013, the 10th anniversary of the joint federal and State effort to return to North Carolina its copy of the Bill of Rights, we take note of the milestone and commend the efforts of those involved in the pursuit and recovery of the document.
SECTION 2.  That the House of Representatives honors the memory of the early founders of this country, including those named in this resolution, for their role in helping to guarantee the citizens of this country the freedoms enshrined in the Bill of Rights.
SECTION 3.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.