The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-08-07
PAT DOMAIN.
Editor Of the n. 0. Times

Editor Of the N. 0. Times:
Your Iaughable paragraph about
Brick PomerCy and his probable
future line of travel around the globe,
brings up fact not generally known.
that it was TO the scathing wit of the
cX-conlcderate, Col. Pat Donan, the
IaCrosse Democrat owed most of its
popularity. While military domina-
ton was at its height, Brick adroitly
. sounded the Keynote of ultra south
ernism, and maole mOney, for awhile
mt least by the venture. Southern
people tolerated the vulgar acrimony
OF Pomeroy, because, in the Democrat,
he furnished them kind Of safety
valve for the pent-up wrath of II
doWn-trodden people.
Col. Donan, who had enlisted in Il
/ Missouri regiment and fol owed the
"stars and bars" until they were
furled in final defeat, disappointed and
.dCjecIed, availed himself Of the Dem
| ocrat to express. rs no one else could,
the deep under-current that stirred
| the hearts Of the tatlercd and poverty
| stricken soldiers of the "lost cause"
How well he succeeded those who
read the inimtable letters signed r.
e. Bel (Which, by virtue of their gem
uine wit, found Their way into some of
the leading metropolitan i0urnals)
will readily attest. Their "IIudibras-
likc' TRANSITIONS their brilliant and
pointed sarcasm, lent charm to the
Democrat, and proved its unfaling
passport to the firesides of the South.
AS Col. DOnan is the son of an aged
and learned divine of the Princetonian
stamp, and whom the old residents Of
Jackson, Miss, will recall to memory
as minister in charge Of the Prcsby-
terian Church of that city some four
decades ago, the sequel to this story
may not be amiss. After years of un-
compromising ultraism, tenaci0usly
exhibited in his editorial management
of the st. Joe (Mo.) Vindicator, the
Lexington, MOI Couca-an, and vari-
Gus other papers, the brilliant, but cr-
ratio, genius of Col. Donan was turned
suddenly intoa more reasonable chan
mel When the political destiny of
two States hung in the balance, he
wrote IN words Of pleading cloqucmce
to president Hayes, promising, if a
conciliatory policy should be adopted, |
that he, an acknowledged and uncon-
quered rebel, and one who had spent |
his talents to pcrpetuate that spirit in
this section, would, on This condition,
"ground his arms" and be thereafter
Il true and loyal citizen.
This interesting correspondence was
the at time published in tIlc New York
sun, including the kind and courteous
reply of the president. Since then
Col. d. has been true to his promise;
the other side OF the compact having
been fulfilled, in observation-disclosures
of home governments in Louisiana
and South Carolina. Col. Donan is at
present, we understand, connectd with
= lliargG mining Interests in Dakota, and
his efforts the Arkansas Press AssO-
citation, consisting of two hundred
persons, took an excursion, last sum
mer, to the dells of Wisconsin,, via
Chicago, and the other lake cities.
With free transportation, and gratui-
tOuS entertainment ut the finest hotels
on the route, their whole journey was
an ovation, and necessarily broke
down much prejudice on both sides.
This was, we think, the inauguration
of those delightful excursion trips, that
are becoming 50 popular, and that are
though surely, wearing
away past hostility, by bringing the
parties " face to face" We wish
many more would do rs Col. Donan
has done. NERIrA.