Arkansas intelligencer., 1844-11-02
VlNDICATION
TIRE
REVOLUTIONARY CHARACTER AND SERVICES
of the late
COL. EZEKIEL POLK,
OF MECKLENBuRG, N. c.
OF MECKLENBrRG, N. (
Published and prepared by order of the Teunes-
see Stale Central Committee.
Concludcd.1
APPENDIX.

Extract Of q speech mace by the Hon. Romulus
VI. Saunders, member of Congress from North
Carolina, at large Mass Meeting held at Cha rlotte.
in the County of Meck!enburg, N. c.. on the 23d
day of July, lS44-iD the ne.ghborhoood in which
Col. Ezekiel Polk had lived, and within forty feet
of the spot on which the Mecklenburg Declar
of independence of l775 was proclaimed. Several
of the survivors oftho Revolution. and others who
had known Col. Polk, were present, md sustained
Mr.. Saunders in the declaration that Col. Ezekiel
Polk was true whg of the Revolution, from the
commencement to the close Of the war.
GEN. SAUNDERS said:-" The next proof offer
is commission Of Ezekiel Polk, of Captain Of
Rangers granted by the civil authorities of
South Carolina, in pursuance Of resolutions of the
Provincial Congress. The authenticity of this
document is beyond questions; and it establishes
the fact of Capt. PoIk's feelings of that day, as
one of the principal duties enjoined upon him in
his command Of the Rangers, was the destruction
of the tories. 1t shows tho confidence reposed in
him rs an enemy Of the very band with which he
is now accused of associating. Thirdly is the
letter of the eldest sou of Ezekiel Folk, who had
preserved the orIgnal commission granted his
father as sort of family relic; not, us he supposed,
to save the characterof his venerated parent from
the tongue of the landerer. but as proud testi.
monial Of the patriotism of his ancestor. Fourth.
ly, the affidavit Of Geo. Alexander, who speaks
from personal knowledge, and who, upon his oath,
pronounces the charge TO be false. As to the
protection to which he speaks, those who know
any thing Of the ravages which followed the down.
fall Of Charleston, when the enemy overrun the
country with the sword of death and the torch of
conflagration, will not be surprised that one who
had been active in routing the tories should have
been forced, for tIme TO save his wife, children
and property, from an enemy more cruel and
! hos Sav var ,h,
Capt. Polk a tory, so was the brave and gallan,
Col. Hayne tory. He fell a victim and a
MARTYR to British cruelty a captive, after having
been forced entrent their protection when every
thing was gloom and dependency. | now turn
in support of this proof to my venerated friend
by nv side, Gen, Michael McLeary, now more
than so years old, but of sound and accurate me-
mory. who himself was an actor in the Revou
tion; was one who met CORVALLIS as he ma rcheC
through this country, and aided in capturing the
prov isons Intended for the support of his army
worthy citizen of high character, whom yor
have often honored as your Senator in your State
Legislature. lam authorized by him to say, which
| now repeat in his presence. and in your hearing
that he knew Capt. Ezekiel Polk during and afte
the close of the Revolution that he then knew
| him as an active whig-that he was at all time
esteemed and respected as such, and that he nepei
heard him charged as being Tory mil he saa
The charge in The dirty sheet called the Charlo't
Journal, printed in This torn. | ask you, then
whom you will believe, this venerated ma q, whom
you have at all times delighted to honor, or tn,
foul tongue of the slanderer? And here leav
the PROOF, with the fact that Ezekiel Polk, lik
Col. William Polk, and others of his family, wa
at all times after the close Of the Revolution es
,eemed and respected in this county Of his resi-
dence as soldier and a patriot.
ii came now fellow.c .citizens to sneak of anoth
!, er ancestor of Colonel Polk, the grandfather o
the maternal side of his family-one whose fam
1.-The tongue of SANDER has not yet dared to assai
land as our opponents claim to hold Ia such hig
respect the soldiers Of The Revolution, it 10 to