The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-05-04

PALMETTO AND PINE.

PALMETTO AND PINE.
After reading the speech of Hon. James G.
Blaine on the floor of the House of Representa-.
tives, in which the animosites of the late civil
war were appealed to with what seemed a mis-
placed energy, and after another member of the
House had answered in tone equally fierce and
implacable, an accomplished Tennessee lady, Mrs.
L. Virginia French, wrote this poem for the Nash
URle american tits an impassionate plea for peace,
and more than peace for aflectionate brotherhood
and the revival of friendly memories older than
the late civilttrie;
They planted them tOgeiler-our gallant sires Of
old
Though one was crowned with crystal snow, and
one with solar gold;
They planted them together-on the worlds ma
jestic height,
At Saratoga's deathlesS ch1rge, at Eutaws stub
born fight,
At midnight on the dark redoubt, mid plunging
shetland she'll
Atnoontde gasping in the crush of battles bloody
With CORY hands and reeking brows, amid the
mighty fray,
memorable day,
and sign,
They struck deep soil and planted the Palmetto
and the Pine.
They planted them Ogether-by the river of the
Years
Watered with our fathers hearts blood, watered
with our mothers tears;
In the strong rich soil Of Freedom, with boun-
teous benizon
From their Prophet Priest, and Pioneer our
Father Washington
Above them floated echoes of the ruin and the
wreck,
Like drums that beat at Louisburgh and thun.
dered at Quebec"
But the old lights sank in darkness as the new
stars rose to shine
Der those emblems Of the sections the Palmetto
and the Pine.
And Wen plant them still Ogdherfor It's yet the
selfsame soil
Our fathers valor won for us by victory and toll ;
In Florida's fair everglades by bold Onario's food
And through them send electric life as leaps the
kindred blood,
lived and died,
The Eternal law of justice must and shall be jusu
fed
That God has joined together by fiat all divine
The destinies of dwelers meath the Palm Tree and
the Pine.
Aye We'll plant them yet tOgether-though the
clouds on their brows,
And winds antagonistic writhe and wrench the
stalwart boughs;
Driving winds that drift the nations into gaping
gulfs of gloom,
Sweeping ages, cycles, systems, into vortices of
doom;
Though the waves of faction rolling in triumph
to the shore,
Are breaking down our bulwarks with their sullen
rage and roar;
Serted armaments Of ocean filling in line after
line,
Washing up the deep foundations of Palmetto and
of Pine
Shall this, the soil ofFreedom from theirroots be
washed away
By the changing of tie billows andt the breaking
of the spray?
No the Hand which rules the vortex which Is
sIrging now before US,
Above its hell ofwaters sets the bow of promise
Ger us
And the time will come when Discord shall bt
buried in the Past
The onihamme of Love shall wave above the
breach at last,
And beneath that starry banner-type of unity
divine
Shall stand those stately signals-the Palmetto
and the Pine.
Shall the old victorious Eagle from their boughs
be wrenched away
By the double-headed Vulture Of Disunion and
Decaya
Forbid it, heavenl Columbia, guard thine EN-
blems gathered here,
To grace the brilliant dawning of this grand Cen
tennial year,
And bear them as thou marchest on with gonfa
Ions uniurled
With thy foot upon the fetter, for the freeing O
the world
And guard thy Holy sepulchre-Mount Vernoni
sacred shrine
For this is Freedoms Holy Land-her promised
Palestine.
Oh thou voice of God outaowing from the lips
Ofholy Peace,
Soothe the turmoil and the tumult-bid this strife
and sorrow cease
Der savannahs stepped in sunshine, over noun
tains dark with rain
Send the glad and thrilling tidings in thysweetly
solemn strain
Let snowy North and sunny South send up the
shout "All's Well"
And the music of thy coming strike our heart
strings with its swell,
(As TO Jesse Brown at Lucknow struck the air oi
Aud Lang Syne,"
From the Highland pipes of Havelock)-Sav the
Palm and save the Pine!
God plant them still together let them flourish
side by side
In the halls Of our Centennlal-mailed in more
than marble pride;
With kindly deeds and noble names well grave
them DER and o,er.
With brave, historic legends of the glorious days
of yore;
While the clear, exultant chorus, rising from
united bands,
The echo of our triumph peals to earths remoteSt
lands
While, Faith, Fraternity and Love" shall joy
fully entwine
Around our chosen emblems-the Palmetto and
the Pine
:" TOgether!" shouts Niagara his thunder.toned
decree
"T0gethGr!" echo back the waves upon the Mexic
sea-
" Together!" sing the sylvan hills where old At.
lantic roars-
" Together :" boom The breakers on the wild Pacific
shores
" TogetherI' cry the People-and "'Ogether" it
Shall be-
An everlasting charter-bond forever for the free
OfLib rty the sgnet seal-the one eternal sign
Be those united emblemS-the Palmetto and the