The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-07-27

lenburg-we learn that Ezekiel Polk did leave
the county by the compulson of his neighbors.
He eventually made his way to Tennessee but
that must have been after the war, as prior to
that event there were few or no settlements west
OF the mountains. In the meantime he may have
found refuge from the fury of his neghbors in
Pennsylvania, where his history was unknown.
The Globe on Tuesday, misled, we are willing
to believe, by the Jeffersonian and the Nashville
Union, asserted boldly that Ezekiel Polk was a
signer Of the Mecklenburg Declaration Of indie.
pendence, and charged the Wings with having
"contrped TO get copy Of The paper, che Decla-
ration.) emitting the Of Ezekiel Polk, TO sus
tain their groundless fabrication" In full re-
ance upon the statement of the Jefersonian, the
Globe triumphantly brandisbes it in the teeth of
the Wings, and demands to know, do you call
this toryism 2" But mark how the editor " let's
down" from this lofty port two days afterward.
After all this flourish of trumpets about Mr. Eze-
kiel Folks patriotism and Revolutionary services
on Tuesday, the Globe of Thursday contains the
following humating confession. The editor
says
Upon reference to the .Mecklenb,vg Declaration Of
Independence contained in the american archives,
find that the impression ,ohich has generally obtained that
Ezekiel Polk Colonel Folks grandfather, cas sigmer
of that celebrated Instrument IS erroneous. The name
attached to that declaration ouhich has led to this impress
sion, is that of Thomas Polk cho the grand'lcle Of
Colonel Polk as stated by General Saunders in the Bal
more Convention; and Gen. S. the .MecklenbMg
delegate to that Contention"
Here is precious milk-pail Of imaginary hap
piness dashed This confession of the Globe
not only proves what the Wings have asserted
is true it does more IT proves that his Locofoco
friends who assert that they shave in hand"
copy of the Declaration, with the name of Eze-
kiel Polk appended to it, have lied, or been guilty
Of forgery. They have either NO such copy, or
they have forged such one. The Globes con-
fession puts brand upon every such document,
no matter where it may come from. But, as we
have shown above, the evidence is SO palpable
and accessible that the Globes confession is inn
material. We have only dwelt on it because it
is more portable than the documents upon which
it is founded.
But the Globe catches at the statement of Cap
tain Jack, the gentleman who transmitted the
Declaration to the General Congress at Philadel-
phia. In order that the reader may see the full
force of his testimony. we copy all of his state
ment that relates to Mr.. Polk, remotely or nearly
His statement is here taken from the Globe, and
is to be found at page 655, VOL 3 of the Ameri-
can Archives.
"CAPTA1N JACKS CERTIFIcATE.-Having seen
in the newspapers some pieces respecting the
Declaration of independence by the people of
MaP nfu in ho OH of forth Cnr
lima, in May. IT'S, and being solicited to state
what know of the transaction, would observe,
that for some time previous to, and at the time
those resolutions were agreed upon, resided in |
the town Of Charlotte, Mecklenburg county was
privy to number of meetings of some of the most
influential and leading characters of the county on
the subject, before the final adoption of the reso-
luions, and at the time they were adopted.
Among those who appeared to take The lead, may
be mentioned HezekIah Alexander, who generally
acted as chairman, John McKntt Alexander, as
secretary, Abraham Alexander, Adam alexander,
Major John Davidson, Major afterwards Gene
ra William Davidson, Colonel Thomas Polk,
Ez kiel Po1k, Dr. Ephraim Brevard, Samuel
Martin, Duncan Ocheltree, William Wilson,
Robert Irwin"
The reader will perceive at once that the state
ment of Captain Jack amounts to nothing more
than the Wings admit, and what the oath Of Mr..
Alexander proves, that Ezekiel Polk was Wing
at the commencement of the Revolution, but it is
not asserted or limited by Captain Jack that Eze-
kiel Polk continued to act with the Wings in the
hour of trial and danger. What Captain Jack
says of Ezekiel Polk, applies to his conduct prior
to May Doth, l775-before the war had COM
menced in that region. So far from his teslimo-
N coDHictnr wit that Of Mr. A ayandar
leaves off at period prior to that at which Mr..
AS commences Captain Jack tells what Mr..
Ezekiel Polk did before the war-Mr Alexander
testifes to what he did during the war. 1t is
clearly implied in the testimony Of the latter that
Ezekiel Polk co-operated with the Wings before
the war, as stated by Captain Jack, because he
took part with them in the war at its commence
ment. The testimonies in no degree conflict
We are ready to admit, therefore, all that Cap