The delegates were unanimous that the three counties represented should declare themselves independent of North Carolina, and passed a resolution to this effect.
They also resolved that the three counties should form themselves into an Association, and should enforce all the laws of North Carolina not incompatible with beginning the career of a separate state, and that Congress should be petitioned to countenance them, and advise them in the matter of their constitution.

In addition, they made provision for admitting to their state the neighboring portions of Virginia, should they apply, and should the application be sanctioned by the State of Virginia, "or other power having cognizance thereof." This last reference was, of course, to Congress, and was significant.

Evidently the mountaineers ignored the doctrine of State Sovereignty.

The power which they regarded as paramount was that of the Nation.

The adhesion they gave to any government was somewhat shadowy; but such as it was, it was yielded to the United States, and not to any one State.