Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-23
TAKE BACK HE LIE.

Under the above caption the Troy (Ala.)
Citizens Journal of the 10Th contains the
following, which should make some bolt
ing democrats blood boil. When this
meets the eye of the old soldier, whether
he Wore the gray or wore the blue, his
patriotism will turn to scorn as he re-
views this history of comrade or foe:
About five or six years ago, when
General Palmer was elected commander
in-chief of the Grand Army of the Re
public, the ex-Confederate and ex-uniun
soldiers were getting on real good terms,
often having joint reunions and recount
ing again the times that tried mems souls.
coming together as brothers, participant
ing in the deoorat tons of the graves of
their fathers, floating both the Confeder-
their fallen comrades, foa ting both the
Confederate and union flags, Old section
al feeling was rapidly being ext.nguished.
One of the first orders that this. COM
mander-in -chlef-Cseneral Palmer-ssued
was that no member of the Grand Army
of the Republic should take part in any
procession or programme in which the
Confederate flag was hoated. He then
characterized the Confederate flag as
the emblem of trea son.
When many members of the Grand
Army of the Republic. by camps and in
dividuals, arose and demonstrated
against the insult, he in public speech
delivered in New York re-characterized
the flag so dear to the south as that
douby damned rag of treason This is
the man that General Ferguson, the COM
mander-i n-chief of the United Confeder-
ate Veterans of Alabama, IS looking to
and ,,uchIprr f,,- prasidant Ia To fba mar
that he is trying TO induce the old Con-
federates-the democrats of the south-to
support for president.
upon reading this speech Of General
Palmer's, so insulting to the south, the
patriotic and sweet poet of Alabama, DR..
o. T. Dozier of birmingham, wrote the
following poem in reply to that execra,ble
sentiment expressed in characterizing the
sacred southern flag as the emblem of
treason
Take back the lie, base. craven wretch.
Which thy vile lips have dared to speak;
such calumny from thy vile tongue.
But proves that thou art base as weak;
From coward lips such venom vile
Can only serve to wake disgust
In hearts of all true noble men,
Who loathe such vipers of the dust.
Then take It back, thou snerling cur
Insult not with your lying breath
mat ensign or a. noble host
Now tsnting in their camps of death;
Nor shouldst thou dare with lying tongue,
To SANDER men whose dauatless might
Made for that flag a name end place
The grandest on flames upmost height
Time is the craven towards course,
Hyena-like that Gares to tread,
And With thy foul, polluting breath
Insults the memory of the dead;
No faintest ray, nor spark of truth.
Doth to thy lying tongue give pause:
Else hadSt thou not, poor Shiny worm,
Have dared 10 SANDER such a cause.
How worse than fool, thou poltroon knave,
To basely lie without u reason
To let thy lying words imply
That our Just cause was one Of treason,
Tho banner that thou darest malign
Shall live through never ending glory,
While all such Kissing toads as thou
Shall be unknown in song or story.
What valiant hero OF the blue.
Who faced our warriors in the fray,
But knows that only patriots true
Fer fought so valiantly as they,
And knows, too, that no TRAITOR band
In treasons cause was ever fred
To such sublimely daring deeds
AS our Confederate hosts inspired.
Then hush, yea, hush, thy putrid mouth,
Go kill myself. thy needs to gain;
Loss Sinned had Ananias when
God numbered him among the slain:
Nor such crime since Judas sin
Hath ever damned with such just reason,
AS that thou ladst upon thy soul
In that foul. lying charge of treason.