The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-07-27
w A S HI N G 7 @ N.
SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 81, 1874
PoLK's ANCEsTRY-THE HISTORY.

of Ezekiel Polk, the grandsre of James K. Polk,
is not to be found among the sgners of the Meek
lenburg Declaration of independence. Two days
before, the editor demonstrated, he thought and
declared. that Ezekiel Polk ,oas signer Of that
instrument. The editor made the assertion
upon the authority of the Mecklenburg Jeffer-
sonan, paper printed in the county which
gave birth to Mr.. Polk, and which asserted
with great confidence that such was the fact and
declared further that the editor (of the Jefferso-
nian) had in his possession copy of the Neck
lenburg Declaration, the first which had ever been
printed, which numbered the name of Ezekiel
Polk among its signers. Since the editor of the
Globe, by referring to the American Archives,
has caught his Meckenburg witness in one false
hood, ard acknow lodged it to the world, of course
he is estopped from quoting the same authority
for any other fact connected with Mr.. Folks an
cestry.
But we will explain the whole ground of the
mistake if mistake it was, on the part of the JEFF
fersonian. 1t will be seen, when we have done,
that the falsehood as to Ezekiel Folks signature
to the Mecklenburg Declaration, was manufac-
tured unnecessarily, from ignorance of the true
state of the case. 1t was the supererogatory
work of some "ready liar " and knave, who would
have been saved the trouble had he known the
history of the Meckenburg Declaration.
When the news was spread over the country,
some five and twenty years ago. that the people
of Mecklenburg county, in North Carolina, had
made Declaration Of Independence more than
twelve months prior to the National Declaration,
the idea was at once suggested of long formal
instrument, with an imposing catalogue of gre.
vances, signed by those who were parties to it, in
manner similar to that made in Philadelphia BY
the Continental Congress. Such an opinion, how
ever, is entirely erroneous. The Mecklenburg
Declaration consists of series of resolutions
prepared and adopted in convention, composed
of two delegates from each captains company in
the county Of Mecklenburg. After their adj 'p'ian
by these representatives Of the people in their
military capacity, they were read to the multitude
in front Of the court house, who expressed their
appreciation of them by throwing up their hats,
and other similar modes. The proceeding was
altogether similar to the primary conventions Of
the people now -a-days. The resolutions were
adopted BY acclamaion-and no names ,oere sign
ed to Them. Consequently, the name of Ezekiel
Polk could not be signed to thcm--and hence the
copy in the possession of the Jeffersonian must be
spurious. The Globe frankly acknowledged this
on Thursday, and therefore we have no complaint
to make with the editor on that score He has
correctly referred to the page of the American
Archives, or Documentary History, in which epe-
ry version of the Declaration is given, with the
recolections of several Individuals, in not one of
which is it alleged that James X. Folks GRANDPA
ther was present at the Convention. Four or five
lists of Delegates names are given, all concurring
as to who ,oere there, and who were not there
and upon every list the name of Ezekiel Polk is
IN the oocatiuc-he Uas not there.
The Documentary History to which we refer,
and to which the Globe refers, is printed under
the superintendent of one of the editors of the
Globe, and is subscribed for by Congress. The
history and documents in reference to this Neck
Ienburg Declaration, are copied into the American
Archives from pamphlet compiled and published
by order Of the Legislature of North Carolina in
the year 1920. Any one can test the accuracy
of our statement by consulting the Archives or
the pamphlet, either of which may be found in
any public as well as many private Libraries.
How comes it then that the editor of the Jeffer-
sonlan should have possession of a copy of the
declaration, the first printed" as the editor de-
clares' IN which the name of Ezekiel Polk APP
pears as sgner!
we VIII explain: In 1910, prominent Wing
in Tennessee Gen. Thomas G. Polk, was charged
by Locofoco paper with being descended from
Tory OF The Revolution, This charge was
made to counteract the influence which he was
sxerting in behalf of the Wing cause. Gen. T.