The North-Carolina standard., 1844-10-23
Col. Polk and the Pension Lars


On Saturday last Gen. Saunders addressed the
people at the Court House in this city, and in the
course ofhis remarks eoquerlly and triumphantly
d. fended Col Polk against the charge preferred
against him by the ederaists in this State of hav-
ing voted in Congress against the bills giving
pensions to the soldiers of the Revolution. At
the close of his remarks, Gen. Saunders was called
upon by the Meeting to prepare a Letter on the
subject which he has done, and which we now
present. This letter gives the lie direct to the
charge against Col. Polk and as its facts are
based upon indisputabIe proofs, it may be consid:
cred conclusive on the subject:
RALEIGH, Oct. 2Ist. 1874
Mr.. HOLDEN have examined with great care the
Journal of the House of Representatives for the first
sOnof tho twenty Congress- being for the years
1S3l-'32 in regard TO the votes of Col POLK on the
Revolutionary Pension Bills, and communicate the result
of examination as was requested do by the meet
ing on Saturday last.
The whig speakers as learn from different paris OF
the State in the habit of charging ssthat Col PORK
voted against the general law 1882 granting pensions
to the officers and soldiers of the Revolution This
charge Inject tcth fiat denial; and proceed to show
its utter destituton of TRUTH from the proceedings and
votes, which now give from the Journal, copy of
which is to be found in the Governors Office and from
which challenge contradiction.
The Journal shows that there were nendinp before
Congress- at the session of 1892, Pension Bis-the
originating m the House of Representatives and the
other originating in the Senate The first passed the
House, but did not pass the Senate. The other passed
both Houses, and is the law Of the land The first
came from the Committee Revolutionary Pensions
and reported to the House from the Committee of the
Whole, on the first day OF May, 1882, when Mr. Wick
life (the present Postmaster GeneraD moved to anne nd
the Bill so as to smbrace "oSe UhO defended the from
tiers the Indian 1cdrS from 1875 up the TREATY of
GreenUiVe, in 1895 Yeas 63, Nays lOS-JAMEs K
POLK Uotiug for the Gnendment-( Jour. p 678) Mr.
Blair, of South Carolina thn moved to amend the Bill
f0In Nln6o AZ.
Of Kings Mountain and G,rford Court House, North
CarOti,G tcithout further 46, Nays l13-
JAMES K. Polk U0ting for the a,nendulent-( Journal
p. 6S0) Mr. Bell OF Tennessee, then moved to amend
the Bill by striking out "ContinentdI establishments
and inserting in lieu thereof estate lines the n,i-
fia in any rOIunfeer cOrps Yeas ST. Nays I22-l
JAMES K. POLK cotug for the dnendn,ent.-[ Journal
p. 6SI.) Mr. Lewis, OF Alabama, then moved amend
the Bill by adding '.4na the tcidoacs Of all rr!o acre
the ,ridO,Os Of such died during the said service "
Yeas %, Nays 1873 JAMES K. POLK Uofing for this
amendment. p. 6S3) These amendments being
all rejected. Col POLK, with Mr. Archer of Virginia,
Bell OF Tennessee .dugustus H. Shepperd ofNorh Car
olina and other wings voted against iYeas 125, Nays
49, This is the vote which the wings now circulate as |
showing Col PoLKs hostility the Revolutionary SOL
diers, taking to suppress his votes the amend
ments and also has Uote for the Senate B acich did
May 1882 the House proceeded to consider Senate Bill
No ], being can Act supplementary to the Act for the
relief of certain surviving officers and soldiers of the
Revolution. The previous question being carried the
question ''Shal the said Bill be read third time
aud it passed in the afirmative-Yeas ia, Nays 81
JAMES K POLK uOting for the bW-(Jour paGe 1913
On the slst May it finally passed-Yeas i27. Nays 45D
JAMES K POLK voting for t-(Joui s2O) On the
9TH of June it was approved by President Jackson and
returned to the House the 9Th. This Act NAV be
found in the volume of Acts passed at the first session o
the twenty second Congress, page 81, chapter 126
Such is correct history of the proceedings and votes
on the two bills, from which it is seen that Col Polk
voted to include in the Pension laws. 1st The soldiers
of the Indian wars I'd The soldiers of Kings Mountain
and Gullford Court House, erithout further proof; 3d.
i HOa mill nd
corps and 4h The widows of all who ell fighting or
died in the States and finally he voted for the
Bull OF 1882 which is the general Act under which the
officers and soldiers, and their widows are now recev-
ing their Pensions And notwithstanding this which
affirm is of record, the whg have the harihood
to charge that Col Polk is unfriendly to the Revou-
tionay soldiers thus evidencng the reckless dis
position to slander the living, they have done to de-
fame and villify the dead.
r M SATTNnFpC