Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-01-08
Misrellaneous Reaaina.
STORY OF PolNSETTA
Beautiful Flower Brought to America
bv Joel r. Poinsett.

Joel r. PoinSett, frequently men
| toned in the article which follows
spent considerable time in Greenville
The Poinsett Spring, on the old Green
Vile -Hendersonville road was marked
as q memorial to him. The Poinset
club was named in his honor. 1t wa
he who designed the old Record Build
ing, of this city.
Poinsettia, crimson flower of wal
comes to us at the tide Of Yule. to decl
the house and set it's glow Of good fel
lowship upon the hearth.
1t came to us from Mexico, long
land Of strife, but it's name is from
that Of an American statesman ant
warrior, and in the sharp. short strug
gle at Vera Cruz it was rechristene'
in the blood of kinsman Of Joe
Roberts Poinsett, George Poinsett, o
the United States marines. The arm.
under General Funston after it's lonl
occupation following the Tampico in
cident returns to the United States
The earth is still filled with war ant
the rumors Of war. and fleets and ar
mics battle by land and sea. Th'
shrek Of shrapnel has taken th'
place Of the Christmas carol and tn
snow rests upon field and wold wher'
only the dead remain.
1t is fitting that now the poinsettis
lifts its starred flower and reveals IT.
tropical beauty in the bleak lands II
the north. 1t grows in garden and IL
greenhouse throughout the United
States and at this season its petals arr
initiated in paper to serve as decora
tions at Christmas.
The legends tell that centuries agt
the blood red flower was borne b!
those who went as human sacrifice!
to the altars Of the AZtecs. And ye
as one goes back over the ages there
comes to the mind the visions OF tht
Druids in the forests Of England gath
ering the mistletoe and the holly witt
sickles Of gold to adorn the feasts tt
heather deities at which their fellow
men were victims Of mystic rites. Ane
may it not be that the red flower OF
war, the poinsettia, may find it's way
into the symbolism Of gentler age;
This Is a world Of change and the seed
Of strife may bring forth fruits OF
peace.
Flower Once Was Carried by Victims
Of Aztec Sacrifice.
How strangely the ways Of the sage
and the warrior were blended in the
personality Of Joel Roberts Poinsett
who gave so much to the service ol
his country and yet Of whom his coun-
try remembers comparatively so little!
The killing Of his kinsman, youna
marine, in the attack on Vera Cruz re-
called for a time that the name OF
Poinsett had figured in American an
nails generations ago, but soon the
suggestion passed away and there are
few even now who could off-hand re-
call the. part which the distinguished
publicist played in the development OF
our national ideals.
Joel Roberts Poinsett was an Amer
lean Of the highest type, who, in spite
Of many obstacles, served his country
with an ardor which came Of unSwerV.
ing devotion to the cause Of liberty.
His descent was from the valian,
defenders Of Rochelle, the Hugunots
In his blood was the bravery of thai
same French race which today is fight
ing to drive the invader from it's soil
He was born in 1779 in Charleston, S
c., and after an eventful life he came
to the end Of his days in the state OF
his nativity. Southern in his sympa'
thies he came at an early age in con-
tact with the more practical life Of the
north, for he received his education II
Timothy Dwight's school at Green.
field, Conn. Mr.. Poinsett afterwarC
studied at universities in England. Hi:
inclination from the first, although he
was frail in body, was toward the pro
fession Of arms.
Eugene Brieux, the distinguished
writer who recently brought to thi:
country the greetings Of the Frencf
academy, spoke only last month Of ty'
rants great and small, and first HI
placed in the category the well mean
ing parent who forces his children
into occupations for which they are un
suited because forsooth the father ha:
made up his mind that the son mus
be merchant or lawyer or physician
just as the idea occurs to the mind o.
paternal authority. And so Of one o.
the great military chieftains Of thu
world if matters had worked out diff
ferently! In another age the BLOOD
red flower might have adorned Goa
Of arms and been the emblem of {
race Of warriors. 1t came to pass ther
that Joel Roberts Poinsett devoted
himself to the law until his health
gave way and he was sent on a toul
hic 20 q
ed extensively in Europe and Asia
visiting many lands and people wht
were not then in the beaten tracks O.
travel. It was in these years Of pill
grimage he obtained that wide knowl
edge of men and affairs so useful t
him in later years. His linguistic &C
complishments-for he learned t
speak numerous languages and dia
lectS with fiuency-made him welcome
not only in the courts OF Europe bu
in the remote parts of Asia. He be
came the friend and adviser Of Tar
tars he mingled with the Cossacks o
the Don, ne was received in the courts
Of Cipango and Cathay. An unofticia
ambassador, he brought to many {
land the knowledge Of the United
States and was received as a typica
American citizen. On account of hi
wide learning and varied accomplish
ments he became a welcome guest a
the Russian court in Petrograd ant
there is to be found in his reminis
cences a delightful account Of din
ner at which he was the guest Of th'
Tsar The Emperor Of Russia Offered
him a commission in the army il
which he was contemplating making
changes Of organization and personnel
The turn Of affairs at home and th'
illness of his father compelled his re
turn to the United States. After th'
estate of the elder Poinsett had beel
settled he applied to President Madi
son for military employment and wa
about to become quartermaster gener
al Of the army when the secretary o
war interferred.
Mr.. PoinSett was then intrustet
with the delicate diplomatic mission
Of finding out what was the state o
the South American republics. which
century ago were engaged in thei
struggle for independence against th
might of Spain. Although he was ther
as an ambassador, Mr.. Poinsett wa
none the less obliged to be man o
action. He was in Chill when tn
| Spanish representatives in Peru be
| lieving that hostilities had broken ou
| between the United States and Spain
| seized several merchant vessels Of tn
country A force then marched int
| Chilian territory and at Talcahuan