l
r -
- "1 '
I
i.JiLij',..j', ' 1
f::
j; v,vati:lv ; ri
; 1 " - " ';' 1 '- - :,
V. . i tr.C Ti-rr Ccxrt j tr tr.;.ji3 Lt
I- , r-rT"fs D"t.L4i,i withlt th year. :s
i'j l ; vrui jHcotiiInut J, rxeryt at ll.a cp
,tl- s -r I'.l'Aor, all arrearages arc paid.
. nt wilt bs inrrlrl t( Or Dcllak
', . '' ' l;ri acl' "r r l,e i15t nation;
r- V .r-rr.i r:t Ckst fc.rcacH co&tmoancc.
J ..' r t f i.nrri;;r: denirtt! wtU marltrd
t.i: t ;r;in, cr l!.c adrcrliteincnt w.Ulweonlino.
.t ' 'J, Mi J charged accord. n 1jr Court Or.
rr v. .lire !nrrd twin tj-TiTf per cent cstra.
''c: i , .
TO Tllli- PEOPLE
; ucivzn CAUOLWA.
17cllow.Citizcm Tbo Whig Centra!
; Committee feci it their duly to call your at.
! tcntlfiti to ,n', very remarkable document.
wUch .appeared in tho semi-weekly Globe of
, September .2 J. At bears the
furm of
f port or Addrcssol .ibo l Democriticj St
Central Committee of North Carolina a
ale
j ana
' ushered to the notice of tho public by thut
r h)6yt in a prefatory t.itrment, contuioing. a
brief account of the birth and services of J.
IC. Polk, and a lofty eulogy ,uport tho jdistin-
- tlnulshcd reputation and tulentsof the Hon.
Wm. 11. UayurooJj the iiuthoruf toe Itt purt,
with speciat reference to bin qunlities as a
41 truthfutt patient, ond accurate investigator
of facts and evidence." This J gentleman,
wliiUt ho scents to concur in the ijlauso be
stowed upon .Mr. Polk', interposes a modest
disclaimer of the particular merits imputed to
tl i I . I I. ....!. I .If .1.1-.;
himself, and bddrrsscs himself to
the per.
formjneo of what' heealls hi
tatli" with an ingenuity and apecm
I pleading
' so characterUtic of one wh ln
jelonaP retainer,' aal proves that
a profes
ledid .not
Jconsidcr Mumsclf employed by the Commit.
tecrko ihuch to ascertain the truth,
as to sup
y is' more
porta euuse to whicli none pmbab
aworcthan himself, (hat truth is hot always
the Ut friend.
' Unth ho arid the Committee aHect.
to be
moved with horror anil indignation at what
I.
they consider charge of Poryism
wanton-
ly brought-forward by the Whij
s ojjninsi
Kzekiel Polk, the grandfather of the Demo-
crntic candidate for tho Pri's'.dernity.,
Now
these1 gentlemen surely. knov, and
certuinly
could not have forgotten, that" the I Whigs did
not first move in this matter. Ihfcy knew,
and must have remembered, that 1 1 he Iirst nl.
lusions made to tho rmliiicnlchariict er of Eze.
kid Polk; came from themselves. I That Gen.
Saunders represented J.nnes K. j Polk ps the
descendant of a signer ot ttio weCKicnuurg
Declaration of. Independence, andj .that by
him and by tho Democratic Prcsi, support
Mas claimed forhim.on account of
.: l ! i . ' . T t 4
the; Rev.
. It was
olutionary services of his ancestors,
in reply to these statements j oud in
refutation
-of these claims, , lhit the
Whins felt
them-
selve both justified land bound to
briiiK the
truth, in ' 'relation to! this -matter; before; the
public. And we asti you, fcllow-rjitizcns, if
in this thewcro hot' right! If fi 'Jcscent
Trom a signer of tho 'K
liun, confutes 'a c aim
ccklcnbvirg
Decla raT
upon the American
public, then the want of
such descent nullifies
that claim ; and if Mr. Polk miy
i ml cc-hfid
just
liv ae-
inand consideration
ence
because
his ancestor faithful
y served his
country du-
-liivMho war of the Revolution, theh. to shew
that his ancestor took pi rt with tl6- enemies
of his country, or in u bues'ion between his
property and that country , prcterreu mo lor-
that ho was either a lory
or an inditllrenl supporter of the Revolution,
" while ho bore a commission in the afmy embo-
'died for itsSunnort-areJVtosheNy these, or
either of These,' is not only.a fir,"but
a just
This
at, ..aclusivo-answcr to"lhis demand.
undertaken 'to dd. They did
the Whigs have
not'traiiWer brine forward the sunset of Eze.
,L P.ja .iirflMir- i That ehkrliripr was
first madcanlssue before the Arbctican pub-
tic by Ihe supporters of James. K. Polk, and
now when they find their pretensions dispro,
ved, and feel that they have puffoi ward a to.
nir''t,rlim ihft nronlo which recoils UDon
themselves, it is with a very , poor trace they
altcmpt tocsenpo the just conscjquences of
their own mistake, by canting aboU a cal-
umnious charge, the offspring of t the demon
spirit of party." tt lis. with a Ury poor,
grace indeed," when we remember that these
very men, four years ago, racked t ieir inven.
lions forevcry " facand wlumniobs charge"
by which they hoped to destroy peace
nnd blast the character of ihe vi. tuous and
;.r:.M tUrrln i and when noJ. the de.
rr.on spirit of tTirir party
' jlr.'r .C.Jrtv" rfi n'At ;H2Vv nnf
night, in malignant i efforts' to ih
acken the
the crcat
bright and glorious reputation of
o tf theil
br ier cf ihe Whig party, ana wii
power were equal to thetr,vcnom,
would fort
ever blot the name of Clay from
the bright
I . - !. .1 . .! ' '. .
rc'l cf American worthies, m whtcn it shints
.vi,H n In,. onlv to that o, 'Washing
ten. Fctsuchapartvto c.plamicf false,
!- lr-d "c-lumiiyils'an ir-ult-tJ the public
!;r;?nce. By falso professions and cal
.tr.
to char--?, they first clta;r.5ttr fower. m some way or oincr now -oiai.y uncxpiam.
Dyi' , t'-"- r-'-taVed-lhemrclvcaleh, dj he t?oka7ead.": ' f rf "
e-d onthe-3 zUzs; Co they r.ovr Vety in ire . We now como to the second assertion made
L- ' ; i, .cr i. ..-I ll.c in-igQalioh of ts Dem;c!c P,?r.l VllJa i:vPok
" ' fi l.ci'.i ia' 1C1D. DrVrl- hssclaiir.Jcn ihe score of tho faUbful servi-
' r .k. .. ,.- ,;, - " - ,. -.1 .' .. .. .J - . '.. . .'..-! 1 ?-i 1 " .
f t' .W;'J t'.zrA in1t!;o prc:cst ces of his.Gritnd.father as a soldier cf the
. ltcvcbticn;In answer t3 this as:sri::atJLhe
i -. . " '.?: ' ' :,. a ii "!;' s i !t & ,;'! nvs yS-i'- Hx, MI'AHf -KiH fr&tt
j Tuwn;crTti
ryism ctV.?'l',. Polk esc char;:? r-pa rJcrth
3m!ir:a en J tie Polk fan:;!.- CjrJy tl.cso
-r.ik'r.cn cannot bcllsvo t.Latlh:ir,z::;l Las
Induced them i !ctima!nJ Cod foiL;I tLa;
Jljc character, of North Caro!ic3, or of tho
rjolk famUy, shoulJ to identified- with EuLUl
Potf, or Jaxi t$K Polk, either I Korth Car-!
olina during tbo Revolution had, ; like other
states, amongst a; glorious band ,cf ..Whigs
soroo unwortliy eons. Uut thtj detract sot
from her excellence. ; : Even the aun, hiuwclf,
spots, but they dim out bis brightness.--
Tho ": Polk family was a nob!e band of pat
riotic Whig, and tho names of TItomas Polk,
iba cider, tho master spirit of. the Jecklen-5
burg movement, and his sons, TltomaM,
ajrxl Wiiam f and ChdrUs all of whom (boght
grillantly for their country- ono falling in
battle, and another bearing to bis grave more
ttan one glorious scar, tho evidence at once
of his devotion and his valor these names
shed a glory upon iho family which cannot
bq obscured by the misdeeds of their collate,
raj relative, EzckielPolk.
Hear in mind then,, fcllow-citizens, that
tho matter in question involves the character
neither of North Carolinaj nor of iho Polk
family. It is nicrrly mi inquiry into jlhc llev.
olutionary conduct of Ezckiel Polk, 'and that
inquiry instituted, not at tho iustanco of the
Whig party, but rendered ncccssaryj by two
assertions put forward by tho Democratic
party, yiz : that James K. Polk was a desccn
danl of a signer of tho Mecklenburg Decla.
rajiuh ; secondly , that his 'grandfather-, was a
distinguished iVhig of the Itevolutioh. The
first assertion w as denied by the Whjg. lias
it been supported? So fur from it, it is now
admitted in tho very address which1, we are
noticing, tha
Declaration.
r ,. i
there wero no signers of that
Was he! ono f of the Delegates
Declaration Was madoj? It is
by whom tliq
evident! that
he was not. In the snrinrr of
l77o, Ihomas rdlk, the cider, then Colone
. . ' i . . . . i 5 -i "j. if ! i
of. Mecklenburg County, " issued an order to
each Captain s Company in the county toelcqt
two persons1 as' delegates. At that time
Ezekiel Polk was not a citizen of North' Car
olina. Jlothen resided in South Carolina,
from which.
ib rcmo;
moved to, Mecklenburg ia
I !
1778.
(See
statement of John Smith and'
. Thomas Gribblo published and referred -to in
4ir Havwoods address h is not tii hj r
jvcj jjial Captain's Company in
Icuburg,1 would have chosen a man wlio
Meek.
res id.'
cj j another Colony to represent and bind
Uicm. In 1830, ,the General Assemblv of
ilib state appointed a Committee to examine
nnt arrange for bublication all documents re
lutm to the Mecklenburg Declaration. They
uiadc a i Report, submitting 'among i other
things, a copy , "preceded by a list of i " the
nanicsof the
Delegates present," consisting
and the name of Ezckiel Poll;
of thirtV-six.
isnot among them. (Sep ; pamphlet publish,
ed'by the Governor ti'tder ..authority-j of j the
I General! Assembly, page 11.) Th s j Cum-
I mittcc consisted of Thomas G. Polk
Chair.
man, John Brag, Evan Alexander,1 Louis
D. Henry, and Alex. McNeill. Now, it was
uo auivj oi inese cmiemcu 10 uiscover anu
cCordihe name! of every person Who took
fl-v
fiart' in those glorious proceedings, and espc.
Piially to prescrvcthe names of the Delegates.
po.youj doubt, that that duty! was faithfully
performed I Mr. lienry, tno unairman ot
jue presem uuyocruiw: vmiui ; umimmue,
was a mnibcr or UiatjUommiitcc and signed
the Report. Thos. G. Polk, the Chairman,
vas grand nephew of Ezckiel Polk, and
iiis father, William Polk, was! thcn living.
:Nqw", if Ezckiel Polk was a Delegate, it was
ihe duty of theso two gentlemen to ascertain
and report it , and one of them must have
.been desiroui, from his connection by blood
fwith Ezckicl Polk. to insert i his name if it
could be done with truth; and William Polk,
then living, could havo given information of
the fact, if by any mistake ; or oversight his
riamc had been. omitted in the written docu.
mcnts. These two considerations, yiz : that
Ezekicl Polk was nbt an inhabitant of Meek,
lenburg, and that his name was not reported
to ihe (General Assembly must by every fair
mind bo deemed conclusive against the claim
now setup for him. -.He wasthcn neithera
signer nor a Delegate .
But wo are told that he . took a fead."
Well what is nbant by this ! He could not
have voted in choosing Delegates, nor in
ceptiog the Declaration, for ho was, not a cit.
izenof the county. If he was present, whal
pretence could a citi
citizen I of South, Carolina
have n to nlcr-erc n the Mecklenburg pro.
cccdings? Such interference would have.
been the height of presumption, and would
no doubt have been resented as such by the
! members of the' meeting. As to their first
i I - i ! ,x n iknn' all nnon pa I Wat V-Tvia rtoitfior
f rf - v-
a Delegate nor a Signer that he was a non-
resident; neither representetd nor capablo of
being represented -in thai meeting,! and all
- that he did results in the identified clainv that,
1 it .... ..... ..w J ... ...-. I J
Wihyi c;j tl. .1 r j,' v;j i a l..;V, llj I:::;
iccJu".tj c :..!.::. U i!..t C.zu Ir. Hay.
fooJ 3 ci;'irc: ; ::.:?z tzl c!.-?, ccr. IJcrs
it cilumolous and urjustand supports the C
nial by a! number of. certi Scales. I -Yc tbtn
pron)S3yU" cr.!cr tr.:a b' "partlcur pv'Jja
tfon of tiiosc certificates, "to point cut by an
cxamlnalion'.of their language the evident
marks of; their haying been prepared fur the
signers, and mada lo assume lhd character o(
arguments rather than t!j siatcmcots of wit.
nesscs. j. Tills examination would be tedious,
and Is deemed, to be useless. Tho question
between lour advcr$artes, and ourselves may
bejdisposedof upon admitted facta. It is con.
ceded then, tint' Ezckiel Polk had a commis
sion as second Captain irt. the South Carolina
Revolutionary force, and that in 1780, when
Corn wallis overran the southern country 11 he
took la British protection in order to save bis
property." This will appear by the state,
'mcnts of six fof-thcj witnesses produced by
!Mr. liny wood in his defence : viz. Geo. Ol
iver, Reuben ilood, George Alexander, Dari.
tel Alexander, John Smith and Thomas Grib
blc. Nota what was necessarily involved in
4 taking a British protection?'1 As to this
the add rcjss gives the people no information.
Qn the ccjntrary, ' taking a British protection
,is treatcdjias if it was merely receiving a pa.
per from the j British Commander directing
British sdldiers not to molest the Whig who
Ijad it ; for the address says ' Tories did
not requijje protection, but Whfgs." " None
Reeded the British Commander's protection,
fifter the
had been
vanquished, except the
Whigs hej had conquered." Now this Vvas in
tended to! conceal the true character of the
transaction, and to make the public believe thai
protcctior were given to Revolutionary Whigs
as Whigsjl Yet the writer of this address is
too well informed not toj know the contrary,
npd indecfl, Lord Cornvvallis would have been
1 . J - ! . v I r,
protections to the avowed
J. ' ; t . . :l--,'l
King."' Is.it true, as the a
inc veriest or simpieions,-!! no nau graniea
enemies- of the
ddress says, that
nj)ne necqed protections except Wh
gs. But
now wercuhcy ootaineo i
j. ' ' i '- ) - I :-'
address well knows, that
The writer of the
they were obtained
bv renouncinn the character of Whins bv
siibmittiniirto the British Commander as Brit-
sut
isli
subjects, and by taking a test oath of alio-
giance to the King; and' so the protection
was given to those only who having been in
arms for tl eir country. or avowed Whigs aban
doned her cause, laid down their arms, and
declared themselves true subjects of iho King.
Thi abundantly proved by the history
and documents of that period. And, there
fore,, whei Lord Cirnwallis, having grant
ed prctcc ion! to some militia-mcn, after
wards capl tired them at Camden, they were
executed as traitors taken in arms ; and
I'i j: i ' I '' ' i ' 'i ''' ' .
not treated as prisoners of war. By his Pro.
cjamationj; he directed the Estate, both rea
arid personal, to be sequisterdd of ail the in
habitants! if who were actually in arms or
who had ;rfbandoned
I . w 'I 1 . .
their plantations tojain
and! of all those who by
or supporijtho army,
an open avowal of what he termed rebellious
principlesj should manifest their perseverance
in opposing the re-establishing of Royal au
thority." i(See MarshalPs Life of Washing,
ton, Vol. t. chap. 7.) And the historian in
forms us, jhat these measures were taken "to
break the spirit of Independence." (See also
7th Vol. pf Washington s writings p. 556 et
SCJ.) 1 ;: ' . ' :'. .; !:! '.;'' '-. j .
In order, thercforn, to obtain and preserve
the benefit of his " protection," it was ne
cessary for Ezekiel Polk -jto. submit to the au
thority of Cornwallis, professing himself a
British subicct" to I remain at home on his
plantation J to. abstain from joining or support
ing thcarmies' of his country, and not to ex.
press opinions, adverse to tho restoration of
the Royal authority. All this he did he an
officer, holding a commission in the service,
i '.in ... i .. . j . . . i -i
and having taken an loath of allegiance to his
his native country and, in so doing, he gave
effect, as !far as his presence and example.
would go,i to every measure adopted byrthe
British commander M to break the spirit, ?' as
the historian says, "of independence.".;
And what was the molivo which urged him
to take . this course ? - Was he overpowered
by force compelled by the fear, of instant
death to dissemble and seem to be a traitor?
Not so---had that been the case ha would
have been! entitled to other and more jfavora
ble judgment than we are disposed now to
pass upon him. The law of ihe country in
accordance witA common sense holds that i
a citizen all under the power of traitors and
to save his life from immediate and Imincnt
danger takes part with them, he is not guil
jf Treason, if he makes bis eseapeTor retu
lty
return
to, the service of his country at the first op
portunitybe has. - But no less reason will. a.
vail Jhim. for defection. from bis duty., kNbw
what excuse had Ezekiel Po:k, for his submis
s Indeed there is reason' to think soma of these
ecrtiucatcs were cot only prepared-' but szcrxco also
for these who-Vnar-ios arc appended, lo.thc-n. ! Wc
zrs. xnrrz'r.r:i in Ih'-hing this rtsybo iheciro in
several instances, b?cao it b certaily bo ia one.
S .:caa Al-sariier," v!.::- ecrth'c-ts f -nrcs ia 7-Ir,
Haywood's AdircES, has pul!::h?d a declaration that
s never Crr.', ..-.., , - "
farfi.
e -.,.., . .
ny t. - v . ..;
liHriraji ia lo Cir'.r, ! : ; 1 ; r,
coriaycy v.-y 4 ..r w; C:-..-'j,
bui-vo!j:arily wcr.t 13 Cr:v '1!; J-
ion, incrcij.tj civj pr
r.y. .....
!3
Ofidrs Oliver says he v.
til
protection or IcaTe J;:t property Id tl;a 'rva
ges of tLb Torlcsl "r : : -t H ,
, ir::Irs Ilocd says, !.a t?.3 Z:cz3 la crJT-r
io save bis prepeny tortaho 'protection ani to
tho sams parposa py Gccr-j -Alcsa:.2J'rf
Daniel "AlciauJcri ioha SirJih, we (Ccc
their statesicnls ta Mr. Haywood's adJrcs.)
It is manifest then,- that ; ha toluctarily .ook'
protection as Lr2iLih subject j in order' v
to;
n.
jd
save Lis property. It is true DjuIU Atcxa
dcr says, ho had niany. slaves with a gob
Jea
mantle of charity their.5 piety1 may furhKlj;
fact remains, that tckiel Polk preferred his
money to nis country, anu-couia 'not. iuwow;
the path of duty, when it demanded the sur-
render, or even the hazzard c
i Was this the conduct'
r, .... i-
bold friend a steadiaslXriend
freedom? What would have
Gen. Washington taken protection, lb saye
i, on mai grcaicsi anu oesi oi sAmcrt- j
? What ,would have been, theopinion
:onduct of Washington under like cir.
cans
and co
cb
I
oversee
the same vuth thosejof Captain Ezekicl Polk,
But leaving the ca?Q of j the Commander in
Chief, doeslary one believe that Col. William
it i
Polk, or Charles or Thomas Polk,. his broth-
ers, or ok! Thomas .Polk, their father, could
1 f ii . ' i . fs I .-.ti' i .'.' .' i -
euner oi mem uavypeen. compeueu io la&c i
protecti6n as a British subject.? Could any 1
thing havo rcconciluj them to such ylogra. :
dation? ot the fear, of instant death prob.
ably,,and, ccrtainlyg pot tho loss of proper,
ty. No! i Whentljese men embarked in
the 96use of their country, in the limes, which
triett
i
men ssouls
, hty first sat down and
counted the' cost
' They went into the con-
eath or victory, and on the
resolved on d
(biscrable pittance of property which might
be at stake, cast not a thought. away. U 1
now uitiereni tne conuuet anu lee.ings oi
'' 1 - - i . . I ' I I f
T y
,ze
kiel Polk. While his property was se.
ure, and Uo-rnwaNis at a distance, none more
ucvo
cvoted to tljc cause than he, but when Corn-
wa
nueste
io
jeet
that
day was, that " Ezekiel Polk was a Tory
was in i jicart and deed an! enemy to, his
ahd
and that he took British protection and that
all the people considered his taking protection
as rank Toryism as if ha , had ( been fighting
against the country. '
Vim Alexander swears, tnat -ne nas re-
peatedly heard his father relate to himself and
pro-wiymcompansonfor
good of their country. , When JGefi. Marion ticita-
I of other property- but, that 'makes no remembered ;that alicrtte kv.tj iohiccUorta unpointed bv tho Lci?ilaturo tiF NnnU Him. ." I
difierence.. The posr man might do to pre were made to hss being sIicniT jki ftccount of Una a Colonel in thcif !sc rvice and JthcVoforo '
serve his little; whit the rich tnah might Jo to Jus havinjj staked British protcctionj It liir cbuM not have been ihen'suspectcd of tolt . ,
keep his wealth; either could Joosd more seems ? then, that, so far from tho 1 Whigs of ryism. It is unnecessary to consider the forco-'
than his till; and t hp! rich officer when betook the present -dajr being singular hi deeming of to conclusion, until thoYuct is established!
arms for his country had agreed tosurrchder Ezckiel PoJki conduct equivalent to toryism, from 'which it is drawn. '- Mr, llay woo j fur-'
all, if : needful, for his country's good.-.: v.;' thai opinion harmbnize.s rcmaikuLly with their nilics no evidence of this faitVHesays it s
Let the "matter be 'sifted as it mayj let the brother5 Whigs' of "tho revolution." Indeed admitted." - Where, and ly jwh'onvadmiltcdT 'i
Democratic Committee snrcad-bver it. whit what other opinion -could be formed? "What AVc'clo nbtndmil'itUvo. k'now'of 'tin t-vunrnX "
mstanccs? A factrdurins the, War of the h protection,:and.act.whilathe danger lasted beyond reasonable controvrirsv: that in 1780.-
revolution furnishes a full reply When his as a British subject. AVould csucJi ah oath Ezqkiel Polk was rrgardcdasn Jieart a TA.
versccr wrote himjtnat tho British required have been j-eccived ? Would not the'excep. ry, by those who had the bW opportunity of
Irom his estate a supply of provisions,. under tion be considered a timely proviso-to -autho- knowing the truth-Uihat hoVoIuntafily Went
a threat of burning liis hoiise and property, 'ze future treason ?,-, Would, not a brave, and in to Cornwallis utider no pfirstJnaj restrair.t.-.
thc reply of. the noble Patriot "was "Let honorable. man havo felt insulted,iif;such an vheu iii" no 'danger "of lifo-ri-aintj took a :pro-
them bum. Yet i though his station was nltcrnativo had becn-ofiered to him? "! Yet, lection from him? merely id
more cxaiteu, his pbugations ot Uuty were ". wruiiou Mesenoes, uic very ; conauci irom loss or sequestration. And! they Uavi
His came when his estate vvas to be se. the citizen nd. soldier. is-bouao: to, adhere to? the Nation, which he cannbt'clalm for ativ
red. hb bent the knee, he took protcc- his country, Ihoujm he should thcrebv looso merits or his..cwhi ''On lUn
n, and was, or seemed to be, a bribed sub- all he has. , Hence they 'justify;. and. we con. wc not bound'lbplacc Vhb truihbcforc tu
v I. uemn JzeIiicLaolk.;, JLcUhc rrccmeti and so ur ns" wc were ablo toi, ascerlain.it. and
. To cohsidicr this conduct as Toryism, Mri Patriots of North Carolina determine which leave. Barnes K. Polk? to stand befure,"yiii
Haywood thijnks the judgment merely of mod-' is right. To ihem we cheerfully submit the without'' the glory of a Revolutionary anci'strv
ern Whigs, jiut the certificates published by question., ... j, .r , ..y'-i w
him, as welljas those published by tho Whig To discredit the charge of toiyisni alleged fu'il according tVliistfowii Character and ser.
Piess, shewj that the same opinions' of his against Ezekiel Polk v, Mr Haywood offers vices? ':Bunhis'
conduct was jformed by Revolutionary. Whigs, two arguments, which may be. shortly disposr i-ifh !s a i matter oT tia Consequence whether
Andrew Elliott swears that the ono opinion of ed of. The first is this : ho publishes Ezrkiel James' Kv Polk "claims' his descent rom tt
Country." William ' Wcuoard ,and iNalhan and slates that his company formed a part of Saunders sound th praTsc.. of. hii nricestbrs(
Orr swear that they always heard him bran- Col. Thompson s Regiment whicli received and why did ihe Democratic Press echo lhcs
ded with being a Tory .during the Rcyolu- the ilhanks of .Congress in July i'17J6. pond praises Jo the" nation ? lBuiwed0. noVadmit
tion." 'j ; . ! k "'"S3 tl: commission and the. vote' of thanks this matter to be
0171 Uroicu swearsMiat he learnt from the as full evidence," that Ezckiel Polk was not a iCPofk ouhTuT be Visited witji no" punisfu
Old SoldiersUatj Ezekiel Pblk" was V Tory ; tory? ' .Whether jiis company indeed formed ment for the misdeeds' of his ancestoVsbut '
others, that hewas one ot ; tne men mat iook Jizexier i'oik ; was not a tory jn 4700.1 Ye, would not feel degraded at seeing its Chief
Ezekiel Pol'ic to Guilford'asa' Tory prisoner in common With ordinary mortals, had;sup. Magistracy iillee! ; by. 'oneiiawhoseV veins
and that when his brother CjI:' Thomas Polk; poscd'that , evidence 'could only inform' as flows the - blood of a Tory of a -Tory not
knew that hej was the re i he said damn him , of , , yhat; was cither ' past Tor . present, v a nd upon principle not ' becaiisb: he thought the
I'do not want to see lum, put hirh 'with ihe that to determine ihe future, belonged., to mother country i right, and Itlie ,; colonies
other'. Tones.'" And Thomas. Alexander prophecy., Perhaps'the JDejuocratic Commit- wrong, but ;a "Tory ; upon Jcafculation
swears that he1. was one of EzcUep PolkV tec may; understand" the, argumcht, wliilh is holding a Commission of trust in itbe service
' 4 f " ' nis': Ezekiel Polk had a commission in. 5, 0f his country, and havinswoVrf! devotion to
'Even the ladic of the lUjolution scorned to pat vote of thanks- ib therefore he her czw tvolwtariiy took k .protection: fron,
Uieir
ttd to fire the bouQof a widow lady, m order. lo r?J.J'r"?,". r rTu'r ";. " " w r, faTf property ivoo, wikv pu io, cnoos.
dislodge th? enemy, because thoVropcrty had been remove"the stain of treason from the'mcmory between his wealth dndfiis . country J ,forgot
aireaay rvgcu ujr uio n w. mvw , ut-ins uuwiattyiv iv. lum awj. tne honor oi a souier, anaiino uuty oi a citi , .
iron, Witriotie'de;otnf1' greater thai, that of me inlcsligatorof facts 'and evidebce.", ll zcn-and bartered tlie' success of that count ,. '
Roman inatrons '"d-Komslj .wamors esehinied, Jr su?poscJ that iniU r ssurae f,ura a
"bnra iU General. God. forbid I should bestow a - i - , r . , - . f. ,i. . . , "
ZuhttzyM parlorihercvolatiocary war, he fought with commander of protection for his wealth.'. We
depndeaccof ray eountr'y is at stake No.'sir, if it bravery acd devotion, pn his country's sido, ara not prepared Ttq say jHat the c?t-s.cr',ni'of ' 4
were "a palace, it shbuM go.- (Seo Horty'a Lifeof and that in, tl-i year 1773, (the very year of g-ch a man is, under no circumstaLCij, entil- ,
Marion, pa-c 223.). : How' this auccdoto of firm de. Ezekiel Polk's commission,) ho gallantly-led tl-dto iho' highest ' con fide nco cfHs cintrr1""'
toiioatoeoaatry; cf.eaa of tU softer. ex; piii. t- Ulci cf American trebps through o but surely, he ought to produca tW I.i-hest -f ?1
SZat lZT lellscbec. oviUI t
wthlia-acs'iLschccbscf ihxCdhl: And yet, it has t:a arros;df nd-history pr.cn; and mare pit--. -O'- ' '
'aal even asU reward for LU f-rJ-tn, t.causs haj-afso r. zzrlzZ, in 170; (l!.3 very by .h ccr.J - in ir.rl. ; 'Uy.: t'. - fe f; ' ,
u.crtcdh coualry toauvcLU prcpcrty.j - ; . rlV. I to prc:.-l:-i) h- yf. -r:..iil lL-w...;: . LLiwi'- ' j
: cc . w,, 1 1 , t " . . . .
j" '"," - ',' " ' ' j r i.....!cs. ' No oi.j has t
j "i -' .:.cr. ; ; V
-Mutv-. .. 4 ju ittw. hi IIj ..w.u'o I.-;. t .'.ru-iu j f ..iU
iu;..u a;... ..... t...ru . ...-a t:;3 v.iik; rr-1 .uIit bravch fjr ! ' ; ca:::ry i'i lir !' it. 2
? ( - - t l, cot i .iiv i. v.i jf their ca'ji.tr. cr.J
Lir.:av;;3r:j-!:i:yr-::a U I.: tV2A;. a'traW Afrr t X rzur ViS.tH'1
jxrndtx thereto.)
iraitorcus, and liV.aUa rciV.eiiilors EikLl
Pulk camu Jala the camp with' JJcu-lr ctt,
ocdit wuss;ud Lsrncll had tulcciil.iai j-"iah.
er,bul MrVAleiar.'Jer cocsideied it a'jikc
a vety singular juko by the wayand hs alio
ncdit wuss;iid Darnell hidlceul.iaij-iah. '
but party -couhji'. deem suchan act othenviso to
cy .'might forgi ve jusi ice' mutt' pronouncb a
crime t ii j useiesstn prolong aiscussiou on
the .subject. It may be brought -to a very
takoftho oath -of tvllegbncc-to his country; he
vu m :aiitz.aru3,vcxcq3i-ano loss oi ius
property ;(-but , that .when that .was in danger,
ho must go over tQ the enemy and take a Brit.'
which Ezekiel olk
pursued.. If it was right
)t be wrong to say when
so to act, it could not
he. took, the. out li that he would so act. And I
if every man feels, as feel he must, that such
a qualification upon ua oath of allegiance,
...... .u i'.i. ' ' . - :..'" . .. ' .."..i i! : 1
woum uc uaugcruus io me country ouu uis- j
graceful to the citizen it could only bo because
the conduct of Ezekiel Polk' was discrcdha.
ble nnd tMhorooeJ .But what is. toryism: but
treason to the country jn the war of the rcvo.
lutionl- Hence, the . diflerenqo in the judg-
ment passed upon his conduct by, the .Whigs
and JJemocrats, depends on lheditTercnce be-
tween those; parties ..respectively,; their, no-
lions of allegiance. ;Thc Jatter.hold(if Mr.
II. correctly .expounds their doctrine) a tacit
exception in that obligation; by which or citi.
. at 1 . at ... 1 ' . i H. : . .. " . . I
zen is. auoweu to leave his country , and a sou
dicr his standard when this; is necessary. to I
save lus property. Wo hold the obligation
to bct universal in its requirements and lhat I
Polk's 'commission ar second captain in the
Regiment of Rangers, dated 18ih June, 1775,
Ja part of Col. rhompson s Hcgimeut . wo
mow noi, oui-ii reqmreu tne aiutot-such
a truthtul, patient, and uccurate investiga-
tor oi facts And evidence,1; as Mr; Haywood
loui.Muvur now a ceruncaict
I and vote "of. 1775 atid .1776 an prbyo thai
,'Ar-l rv?n !r IIiyy;cpJ s witners, Daniel U ery apparc.it, u.iid- Mr. Hay wood or tha
Alexander states, that I'sarae Whbs vero I Comiulitc'e hall VsLhluii'" il rnmh.n
so exceedingly zeafuns as o consider the act thut one. cannot become; at one time'what l.o
of-taking prcicctua (bv LLLI IWJ) cs was not at atJthsr; : aud trank;jr thol doctrina
r all he had. ; simple test, ut depends upon tho nature ot this ts proved, it is idle to enquire Kvhat Infer
of a Iruc friend at that allegiance which a citizen oves to his enbeslwuld bodraivn from jit,'' ' -
of his country's country and a soldier lo his1 standard. Sup. p Iu conclusion Ecllow.Cijizcns," we i submit" v
been said, had pose that when Ezskter Polk: was called on to that the Revolutfohaiy character and services !
- -- . J.- .
" 7.7" . ' " ' - ' . .
torcc of such tenoning to plain men will not
cf H.;al perseverance hem rcligioi: "r to poli.
tics; s .-u 'i- . '-.j
Mr. Haywood second 'argcraeuj is itils:;
ihataHer - EkicrPoIk'hadgono ,intb.Corn;
wallis, and taken a- lintUu protection, he vts
establish it, and iris cosily capable of proof,-
proof, that after Ezekiel Polk' toji tr Bt'UisU'
tprotecttonv lie was appointcil by tho General:
Assembly, a Colonel in tho service,' Until;
of "Ezckiel Polk were 'nrs' brought "Tofwa rd '
inui uiu v uigs insttiuieu an inquiry : into thes
naffirc of those services, arjd have produccd-ii'
body of evidcnceV given'undcr bcilti, showing-
tailed Opdn you to say whether hjs ' descend. s
ant has any claims upon hi$ country h con.
sequence of this conduct of I his ancestor. I hi
answer - to this, our opponents have brought-,
forward .Certificates,1 not Upon oath, " which
,t. tUn. l.i:t..i , r .n.'L. 'r"i T.r
; 4,.'UV "iC..; i oik vwas regaraoaas a .
Tory, admit the Jact the ho took a' British
protection under the circumstances wo havo
stated,' and lheVc6mplain',j thai wcThaveasi
sailed the character of the dead. "-Sis the coini
plaint -well founded? -""What 'they1' 'asserted Tfi
favpf .of Ezekicl Polk wn'cHherVthV mi?.
pose in this canvass, orit was naO If ir
to the pnrposc, were weto!pcfmi. the pcnplu
to be imposed upon -by unfounded "assertions
of merits which did-not
exist t Wero
bound to submit in '.silence
when an attempt
1 i ' a . . ' f ' '? - :( ".
was mado to adorrra ToryjbrihefRcvblut
with the honors due only to a consistent P., ii
loa
not and Soldier, and to iinvoke for his di--
Invoke, for his d.4
tVe'first ' office nf
scendant ;'thaf support for
Patriot or Tory of tlio.RevoIutioil,'.why '"w-i.
it K brought '-forward at1 all .'.Woy- did Gtiu -
I f'ureljr wnen'he stands berc the" CoWlrv
claiming the first -office iri her gifl.lt Is an
important inquiryv how'did hls'.ancestbr bol
have in that Revolution which' established bur
iodcpendcDCe . And what American; who
J truly .loves-'cttie reputation of : iuV. cuuutr'V
' '""Jr? "VT"; . '?
- '
1. I;
Ii