The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-09-06

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r, ador a ready answer TO such ooniound taking
prohcIion," when the country was oseHnn ~nh
t0ryIn, and u is this Ton's did not require pro
tecIon," bat wings The triumph Of Lord Cofnwahs
was their Joint success. None needed the British
commanders protection after they hsd been wang ,h
ed except the whigs he had conquered and II j.
therefore both false and ridiculous 10 assert that he
{" taking Of protection" was tue same Thing as being
fgry Of The rerolatiOa Had protection been taken
without defeat Of army, and the success Of the
enemy IL would be different.
To conclude frequent allusion has been made in
the public ress, and 10y public speakers and Others
to the SlGNERS" Of our Mecklenburg declaration
of independence, and the common error upon pont
of fact has msled many people IN Their decision upon
the claims OF families AID individuals TO such DIS
unciion This is III occasion To disa' use the pub
Inc mind. TuE ORIGINAL DECLARATION OF NDEPEN-
psNoE HAD NO SlGNERS TO IT BEYOND THE oRD-
HARy ATrEsTATioNs OF THE PRESIDENT on CHAIRMAN,
AND sEChErARiEs % PUBLIC MEETING. say 30 be
the copy that was cent 10 General DAVE and
already insert IN this paper, ioord for icord has no
names 10 II as " SIfNERS." Tie persons present
a; the meeting on 10Th May iT75' were ascertained
after the burning of their book of proceedings in
lS00) by the recollection of several Witnesses who
were examined 20 that point-no, by any names sign
ed TO the declaration.
Hence as will be observed, ! have not spoken of
Ezekiel PIN as "sgner fthe declaration;" but as
" ioho took the Lead in making it, Hence also any
attempt TO question his agency in that patriotic work
because bis name does not appear as one OF, The
| A" SIGNERS, will be worse than ffuess.
A man Of common fairness may see how one
edition OF the declaration might have been pub
llshed with Ezekiel Poiks name, and another with
out it; with Major Jno. Dapidsons name (see
Jones' deience) and another without 1t, (see pam
phlet published by Legislature Of lc3O) and yet no
blame rest upon those who did IT, Hasty accusations
! Of forgery" on such point ae better calculated
TO discred the declaration itself than set history
The coutDiIer of the State If
after taking the declaration itself from Gen Davies
copy very probably referred 10 the other proofs TO
ascertain the names Of those who present as
delegates" Rep. Humphrey Hunters memoirs fur
nsbed him list OF the delegates they cere placed on
the roll, according TO The best recollection of the author
As that list did not contain the name Of John David
son or OF Ezekiel Polk, he omitted them, although
Captain Jacks evidence spoke Of them both as
" among the leaders," The of Jones's defence
probably look the pamphlet list and superadded the
name of Major John Davidson, upon his own slate
ment that lie delegate, and the evidence of
Captain Jack that he was among the leaders. Or
possibly it might have escaped the notice Of both Of
them that Captain Jacks certificate included several
names which do not appear in the memoirs. The
compiler of the pamphlet and the writer of the de-
fence, however, both referred their readers to the
evidence already rrbearsed IN this paper and with
great Difference and unfeigned respect for The ability
OF those gentlemen as historians, 1t is believed hat
ACCORDING TO THE EVIDENCE in making
egates present." commonly called nGNERs OF THE
DECLARATIONS or SDEPENDEScE," the other names
were entt 10 be enrol ed in addition 10 the
twenty-sx inserted In the pamphlet pub icari)n Of
1880, and TO the y inserted Jones defepce -,
Though the author Of Rev Mr.. Hunters mem ,irs
the date Of which memoirs does not appear apy
where that know of did recollect them-and
il would be singular If he had remembered them all
and though neither Of the many witnesses exam
ined could recoliect ALL the names (ii Mr. John
Brown be not an exception,) yet CAP lain JACK
positively states the names Of Is leaders including
GIN. WIN. DAVIDSON, MAJ. JoHN DAVIDSON. Egg
KEEL Polk, SAMUEL MARTIN, DUNCAN OcHLrREr.
and WM WILSON None OF these SIX are named IN
the memoirs, while the other seven are named by
Both witnesses. have carefully examined all the
proofs upon this subject; and this short explanation il
is hoped, may put end TO the confusion which has
arisen out Of these ifng discrepancies between the
different editions Of our Mecklenburg declaration Of
lndep, ndence. he right document itself as found
al General Davies, have no doubt would upon in
specuon, confirm the statement THAT THERE WE'RE NO
'SlGNERS" TO the declaration IN THE PROPER
sESsE TIE WORD, and thus destroy all pret,xt for
tive suspicion too readily set shoat that spuriou. CO.
pies OF II had been "roRGlD" by any one Upfor-
tunaely, this document cinnot be found IN the rxr
cuTIyE oyFicE al tins time, (wherc Il ought to be y
aud If this yndlcston produces other good Itrust
1t VIII induce our public 10 adopt all necessary
means for REcLAlAso T. Ii is too precious Jewel
OF the STATE TO be left in the hands Of a private
citizens yet il Is understood that Gov STOKE. permit
ted IT to go back into the possession of Mr. f. J. Me-
ksrr. lie or his representatives ought to restore It
TO the STATES own KErrIsG.
Respectfully submitted
WILLIAM II. HAYWOOD, Jr.
RALEIGH, August %, Ps44