The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1880-02-22
A Veteran Printer and Mason.

sonic Grand Lodge in this city, very
pleasant incident occurred, which we
had intended ere this to make mention
Of On the afternoon of the second
day, the venerable and greatly esteem
ed Past Grand Master Jas. NJ. Howry,
of Oxford, introduced to the Grand
Lodge, in terms Of well deserved eulo-
gy, his senior in years and in Masonry.
Thomas Palmer, Esq, Of this city. Mr..
Palmer, ascending the Grand Masters
platform, made a most impressive re-
Spouse, in which he stated that he had
been a member Of the craft for iifty-six
years, and that his wish was to work in
the quarries while life should last, and
then to be placed by his brethren in his
mother earth The testimony of that
aged patriarch Of four score and two
years, to the success Of Freemasonry as
a fraternal moral and humanizng
agency, was listened to with pleasure
and pride by the three hund red represen-
tatives Of the ten thousand Masons Of
Mississippi. All evidently esteemed il
.a great privilege 20 nave been present
on the occasion. Some twenty years
ago life-size portrait Of Thomas Palmer
was secured for the Masonic Hall,
which it still adorns. His bending
form and whitened locks mark well the
lapse Of that period Of time, but his
voice is still clear, and his recollection
Of the men and events Of the olden
times is as fresh and vivid rs the ease
and charm with which he refers to them.
Mr.. Palmer is perhaps the oldest liv-
ing printer in the United States. Some
forty years ago, he was one Of the lead
ing journalists of Mississippi, and in
1850, as publisher Of the Flag of the
Union, the official organ Of the Wing
party, was elected to the office of
State Printer, 1t was Mr.. Palmer
who FIRST introduced into the United
States, the composition roller, which
superseded the old style hiking pads or
balls, the ink being distributed by
rolling the balls over each other, and
then bringing them down on the forms.
The hand press was then the only print
ing machine in use. One man would
work off his "tokcn," or ten quires,
and the other would ply the balls, and
by alternating good deal of very good
printing was done in the course of n
day. Mr.. Palmer introduced the com
position in Philadelphia in 1923. He
had seen something in England the
year previous, and while he did not in
vent the roller his experiments resulted
in giving to the composition that sue
ton and strength so essential to clear
-. S.'--'"- rLnn~N' '-FnatedIy t.-s,-
to get out patent, he declined making
application therefor His rollers we're
in great demand, and their introduce
ton amounted TO revolution in the
printing art. He encountered no little
opposition in Philadelphia. The prin-
ters of Philadelphia met in solemn coun-
ell, and resolved that the use of such u
labor-saving machine would work iniu-
ry to the craft. Only one man, after
wards noted publisher, favored the
roller, Mr.. Palmer packed his trunk
and went to Boston, whore he remain
ed until Il few months later, when he
was importuned to return to Philadel-
phia and go ahead with his roller
making, all objections having been
withdrawn in view of the demands of
some of the. publishing houses to pro-
duce books more rapidly than could
be done by the old process of ink distri-
button.
But 1t was our purpose to write only
a brief paragraph recording a pleasant
circumstance. Our sketch, however,
may be of interest to the members of
the Mystic Art, and our brethren of the
art preventative While the honored
subject thereof tarries yet amid the fad
ing scenes of time, may be continue to
enjoy the consciousness of life inspired
by pure motives and well rounded by
good deeds; and when the Grand Master
of the Universe shall summon him to
rest from his earthly labors, may the
composition of his account be such as to
secure for him eternal rest and Joy in
the great Grand Lodge above.
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