The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-20
COMM UNICATIONS

i To the Editor Of the Union:
THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, AND
/ THE REVOLUTIONARY LEGENDS OF
i NORTH CAROLINA.
| The National Intelligencer of August lst under
| the head of g Revolutionary Legends" contains an
editorial crtque upon an article in the "Union" OF
1 July llth entitled " Sketches Of the Revolutionary
i War in North Carolina" to notice part OF which
must request brief space in your paper. The in
dividual now addressing you had no agency IN the
/ preparation of these sketches nor any knowledge
| that such publication had been made, or in
tended, until day or two before the appearance of
the Inellig remarks upon it. may be prop
er further 10 add that although subscriber and con-
slant reader of the Intsgence, he is not that sub
i scriber who desired republication of them in Its
| columns. Nor does he take any exception to its
i declaration that they devoid of interest. But
/ feeling a natural concern in the fame of the person
who IS the subject Of the first Of the sketches, and
with whose services and suferlngs in the cause OF
the country at the darkest period Of the war in the
South, the Intellgencer is pleased wantonly to rl-
hevery much to the amusement at least Of the edi-
ors-he is constrained to nerpose, not merely to as
the truth Of history, but TO repe such gross and
| causeless injustice.
| These sketches purport to be narratives derived
/ from matron eghty-fve years of age, now living
in the vicinity of Charlotte in Meckenburg county,
who is denominated by the writer "Aunt Suzy, and
whose family name appears to be Alexander. And
it may be remembered by your readers, that one Of
them refers TO the refuge Gas is alleged OF the fam
lily Of General jackson (then in his boyhood) at
the house of this old Iadys father, about the time
of the British invasion of North Carolina; and
the other, to the succor and relief afforded by
| herself and her mother to Joseph Graham, an
4 officer who had fought under Col. Davie IN the
defence Of Charlotte, on the 26th Of Septem Der,
! 1850; who had been badly wounded in the retreat,
and who came bleeding and disabled to their dwell
ling on the evening Of the same day. This indi-
vidual is described in the editorial remarks prehxed
to the sketches the father of the present gov
ernor of that State, and is readily recognised by
every one in the least degree familiar with the ira
ditions Of the section fcountry where these events
happened, as the late Gen. Joseph Graham, then of
Meckenburg, but for the last forty years preceding
! his death lin 1856 an nhabitant of the adjoining
county Of Lincoln.
The Intelgencer denounces these stories as en-
tirely fabulous, so far as they Jackson, be-
cause contradcted by history and if not impossible
as they relate to Graham, altogether incapable OF
having their truth ascertained, since history had
not deigned to notice him at ALL The editors then
proceed in vein of great merriment to consgn him
| to oblivion, loaded with such weight of ridicule
as practised pens enabled to educe from the fa
miliar contraction of his in which the old ma
tron INDUCES herselfher description OF his dress
and from the application of epithcs of sarcasm.
And being ciassiques they conclude this strain with
derisye application Of the hackneyed verse of
| Horace
1
| s vxere a iortes ante Agamemhoha
/
Possibly 1t may turn out, that the brave men who
lived before Agamemnon had this advantage over
their successors IN l7SU-that u they have been
doomed to sleep unknown, in the long night Of ages
for want of the raies the truthful author to
record their Deeds they have been at least exempted
from the prosecutions OF the buffoons OF literature,
who beyond the narrow circle In which they choose
TO minister as the dispensers OF fame, will not suffer
s,Io oofa harm
plucking Il up and casting It ~ mockery away
All this is done, as the criiique declares accord
ing to the most approved rues OF historical crit-
csm, with great zealfor truth, and after profess
ed examination OF the entire history OF that period
Indeed, 1t was to have been presumed, IN common
charity, that such course Of derision and in
suit would hardly have been INDUCED IN by those
processing deliberately to give INFORMATION to the
public, without having had recourse TO the pest
sources OF information, and hnding them to JUSTIFY
II. lts truth (say the editors) there was no ascer-
tainng; but, at least, we thought we might be able
TO satisfy ourselves OF the possibility though not the
reality, OF the facts; SO we considered, consulted,
and remembered" But they could hnd no trace OF
such character IN history.
| Now after all this, those who have read the re.
marks of the editors will readily agree that if any
such person as nJo Graham, did in fact exist he
was never in greater danger of annhilation from the
sabres of Tarieton's dragoons than is his memory
from the sneers Of the critics of the National neili-
gencer How much thew ssconsidered and remem- /
6eredn on this matter. sthere is no ascertainnp;'
| nor is il yery apparent how either process would |
have helped them 10 facts which, it is very evident
were never within their knowledge; though with |
their pretensions on the subject, thew should have
been. But thew also 0consuited'' in search Of the
truth. Prav. with whom Certainly. with no one
having the slightest acquaintance with the traditions
of the revolution in western North Carolina. The
galant defence of Charlotte by Dave with but few
moro than two hundred men, against the approach
of the whole British army--his driving back their
columns Of horse in three several charges which
thew made and keeping them at bay until Lord
CORVALLIS advanced in person to his cavalry, re- /
preached them with cownrdice, and, by reinforce.
ments of overpowering numbers, at last compelled
our troops to retire from the unequal contest--are
| remembered by the people of that region with
pride bordering on enthusiasm They boast OF as
swarm reception" given to his lordship IN what,
1 from that and like attentions, he was pleased TO