The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-09-24
Why POLK BECAME A SOLDIER.

For more than week Pres. Polk has al
lowed charges made against him, asserting
that he has repeatedly said in his speeches
in Kansas that ne became Confed-
crate soldier against his will and with the
deliberate intention to help the Union side
and was opposed to the principles main
tanned by the Confederate States, to pass
without denial. If the charges be true he
has branded himself as miserable trail
tor to the cause that was dearer
to our people than life and proper
ty. If they are false, such malicious
slanders deserve the contempt and disap-
probation of every citizen. II he has
been misrepresented, he should hasten
to give the lie to so damaging state
ment.
Had prompt denial been forthcoming
from Pres. Polk, we would have dismiss
cd the statement as bold and unfound-
ed campaign slander. Even now we are
slow to believe that any self respecting
man should be fool enough to make such
confessions, no matter how true they
were. But his continued silence shakes
our faith and appears strikingly ominous,
and must be painful in the extreme to his
friends.
The following extract is specimen of
what has been appearing in the newspa-
pers in reference to his speeches.
"Edward Gregory, an enthusiastic
grand army man, says: II was at the
Clay Centre meeting, and heard the man
who seemed to me anxious to betray his
own comrades, when ho said he accepted
a position in the Confederate army to
make less the sufferings of his comrades
who had been forced to bear arms, ! be-
came disgusted and left.
"I went to Holton on purpose to attend
the alliance meeting. When Polk COM
mencsd on his war record, was expect
ing an explanation of the charges made
against him by certain northern papers.
70 nv surprise he bounded off into a
statement regarding his being compelled
to enter the rsbel army after having been
q strong union man. He used the word
trebel,' which was received with applause.
When he asserted that he took commits
sion in that army to help the opposite
cause, meaning, Of course, the union ar
nv. there was general silence, as though
of disapproyal. He branded himself q
traitor to the cause whose uniform he
wore, and I, wearing grand army but
ton, could not, even in q political cam
paign, give such man my endorsement,
although have been voting the Alliance
ticket, having formerly been Democrat,
which am once again to remain"
Unless Pres, Polk can prove these re-
ports to be the mersst fakes he has placed
himself beyond the pale of respect or
sympathy OF any class OF condition OF
people. norta or south. Our Southern
people admire no one more than an ex-
Confederate soldier with spotless record,
and they despise no one more heartily
than a sniveling coward or traitor.
They have little patience with any man,
no matter how brave soldier he may
have been, who makes apologies for the
secession and the war. We take it that
sensible Northern people have as little
respect for such man and look on him
with distrus5.
1t is to be hoped the representative AL
liancemen Of the South can yindicate bis
record to the satisfaction of everybody.
But why doesn't he do it? Should he
ever successfully refrte these accusations
we will take pleasure in giving publicity
to the fact through these columns.