The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-12-11
PaLMEg'S LAST INSULT.
Appeal Avalanche.

Appeal
The war ended in 1865. |, left
a heritage OF a million graves North
and South. 1t left 10 thousands oi
ragged Contederates and boys in
blue the stirring memories OF the
battle field. The South was slrick.
en- desc ate. There was vacant
place in every household. Power.
~ and ruin ruled the great planta.
tions and the cities of the South.
The South was a conquered prov
ince, despoiled OF her wealth, Grip
plep in strength. and without hope
of he future. The issue Of the
bloody conquest was accepted sui
lenly at first, but completely. The
Southern soldiers adapted them
selves to their new environment,
and ss the years passed by they
became as loyal to the old flag as
The people OF any section of the
country But they could not for
get there was another flag, old
and ragged and despoiled, which
for four years they had followed
such perils as the world has seldom
seen. That flag was a memory,
a ghost Of the terrible days that
have passed into history. On dec
oration days and the reunion of the
old soldiers, it has been the Gus
tom to bring out the worn and
weary looking Stars and Bars in
memory of The olden time. This
did no harm it provoked no teel-
ing of hostility toward the Stars
and Stripes. As time, with heal
ing touch passed by, and the old
wounds were cured, and animosi-
ties removed, the Blue and the
Gray blended in Decoration Day,
and at the great batlle-fields. If
the man who wore The Blue and
and the man who wore the Gray
could afford 10 shake hands and
walk arm in arm over the bal tie
fields where they had once greet
Ell each other with shot and she'll
and deadly bayonet charge, why
should there be any wrong in yon
der iattered flag, now but a relic
of history, hanging beneath The
bright new Stars and Stripes? Can
these inanimate symbols hate and
destroy when the hands Of men
are clasped in forgiveness 7 Ouly
a few weeks ago The commander
In.chlef of the Grand Army.of the
Republic, an unknown warrior by
the name of John Palmer, delivered
an address IN which he wrathtully
declared that ex Feceral soldiers
should not fraternize with Southern
veterans, if the Confederate flag
was displayed al the reunions.
Palmer has now supplemented
that speech with an offensive allu-
sion, for which no Soulherner can
ever forgive him. At a banquet
in Brooklyn, the proceedings Of
which are reported in the New |
York Herald, Palmer said "But |
in doing honor 10 The people OF |
the South, they should not confront |
us with that damned old sinking
rag of treason" Can anyone i'm
agine Ulysses S. Grant, or Phil
Sheridan, or Sherman, or Thomas,
or any Of The genuine soldiers on
The Federal side so far forgetting
himself as to utter such words as
these Do soldiers talk this way
OF The flag that fluttered over a
lost cause? Do gentlemen ever
descend to such cowardly and un-
pardonable insults as thesey Pal.
mer says he was a soldier and has
a four years. record. On what field
of honor did this chevalier learn
the principles of courtesy, and il,
indeed, he was a soldier, whence
comes this new stripe of valorg
There is only one inference posi-
bic, and thai Is Palmer has taken
of his position as com
mander-in.chief OF The Grand Army
Of the Republic TO advertise the
fact that he is alive. We do not
imagine there are many old South
ern soldiers who can recall The ex-
ploits of Gen. John Palmer in the
war; but the name will be famil-
lar from this time on Palmer will
be a synonym of Ancient Pistol,
he Shakespesrean braggart whose
bravery was that OF the mouth
alone. The people of the South
IAN forgive a man who thinks il
or even wrong. 10 display
he Confederate flag at public
gatherings, hut they will never
forgiSe the man who spat upon
heir sentiment and their memories
rs ralmer did when he cursed the
Stars and Bars.