Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 12.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

Editorial paragraph

Colonel Z. Davis, of Charleston, S. C., desires the Roster of the Cavalry Corps corrected to read as follows:

Butler's Division, Major-General M. C. Butler; Dunevant's Brigade, Brigadier-General John Dunevant; Fourth South Carolina, Colonel B. H. Rutledge; Fifth South Carolina, Lieutenant-Colonel R. J. Jeffards; Sixth South Carolina, Colonel H. K. Aiken.

‘The Third South Carolina Cavalry, Colonel Colcock, was never in Virginia, or in Butler's Brigade. General Dunevant was killed October I, 1864, and Lieutenant-Colonel Jeffards October 27, 1864, from which time I had the honor of commanding the Fifth.’

is the ‘Eclectic history of the United States’ A fit book to be taught in Southern schools?—This is a book written by Miss M. E. Thalheimer, and published by the enterprising house of Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co., Cincinnati and New York. Its friends claim for it great fairness in its narrative, and that it is non-partizan in its treatment of sectional questions. It certainly does not call the Southern people ‘rebels’ or ‘traitors’; pays an occasional tribute to the skill of our leaders and the bravery of our troops; and so ingeniously hides its poison that Confederate soldiers, or their sons, are acting as agents for its dissemination, and many school boards and teachers at the South are adopting it as a text-book in their schools. It being one of the books of the famous ‘Eclectic Series,’ of which the late Dr. W. H. McGuffey, of the University of Virginia, prepared the Readers and Spellers, many of our schools are innocently adopting it, without due examination, under the impression that it is as unobjectionable as other books of this series.

In addition to this all of the wealth, experience, power and influence of this great Publishing House are thrown into the scale, and the result is that this book is being commended by some whom we would expect to give ‘a clearer note’ in the cause of truth, and is being adopted by teachers of whom we would expect better guidance for the children committed to their charge.

We propose to review this ‘History’ in a series of papers in which we shall show that, (however pure may be the motives of author, publishers, agents, school boards or teachers who have adopted it) the book itself is full of errors, misrepresentations, false statements, partisan coloring and false teachings—that it exalts the North at the expense of the South—that it misrepresents the character, motives, principles and deeds of our Confederate Government, leaders, soldiers, and people—and that if our children are to learn their ‘History’ from this libel upon the truth they will grow up to despise the land and cause which their fathers loved, and for which they freely risked, and many of them gladly gave up, their lives. [190]

In a word we propose to show that this book is utterly unfit to be taught in our schools—that our school boards and teachers ought not to adopt it, and that Southern parents ought not, under any circumstances, to allow their children to study it. Better let them grow up in profound ignorance of the history of their country than to receive this garbled and false account.

We had purposed beginning our review in this number, but finding ourselves ‘crowded out’ by press of other matter we defer our first paper until our next issue. In the meantime, however, we feel called upon to express now our opinion of this book, to call upon our bretheren of the press all through the South to join us in making war upon its introduction into our schools, and to ask our Confederate soldiers everywhere to read its account of the origin, progress and close of the war, and to send us their criticisms upon the narrative, or at least their opinion of the propriety of its use in our schools.

It may be proper for us to add that we make war on this book in the interest of no other history or publisher under the sun,—that we have no connection with, or interest in any rival book—that we regard this as no worse than some other Northern ‘School Histories’ of the United States (indeed not as bad as the majority of them),--but that we single this one out for the reason that it is already somewhat extensively used in the South, and is likely to be yet more generally used unless the friends of truth rally against its introduction

the unveiling of the Lee monument at New Orleans on the 22nd of February was an event of deepest interest and it was a personal affliction to us that imperative duties in our office prevented us from fulfilling our purpose of accepting the kind invitation of the committee to be present on the occasion.

The following admirable programme was arranged:

Programme of Ceremonies to commence at 2 P. M. Unveiling of statue of General Robert E. Lee, at Lee Circle, Friday, February 22nd, 1884.

Prof. B. Moses, Musical director. (Music.) Grand March, Rienzi, Wagner. Prayer by Rev. T. R. Markham, D. D. (Music.) Nearer my God to Thee, Mason. Poem by H. F. Requier, Esq. (Music.) Medley—‘In Memory of Other Days,’ B. Moses. Oration by Hon. Chas. E. Fenner. (Music.) Fest Overture, Leutner. Presentation of Statue, by the president of the Board of Directors, and acceptance by the Mayor of the City of New Orleans. (Music.) Overture Monumental, Keler Bela. Unveiling of Statue; Salute. (Music.) I Know that my Redeemer Liveth, Handel. Benediction by Rt. Rev. J. N. Galleher, D. D.

We are indebted to the Corresponding Secretary of the Association, General W. M. Owen, and the Chairman of the ‘Reception Committee,’ Colonel W. T. Vaudry, for beautifully gotten — up programmes, with cut of the monument, medals, papers containing accounts of the ceremonies, the eloquent address of Judge Fenner, the beautiful poem of Mr. Requier, &c., and we shall carefully preserve all of these in our archives.

We deeply regret that our space does not allow us to publish this month a full description of the monument, which reflects the highest credit on all concerned, and a full account of the interesting ceremonies; but we shall [191] certainly put on record hereafter at least some of the good things which were said and done. All honor to the gallant and patriotic Confederates of the noble ‘Crescent City’ for adding this monument to our peerless chief to the many other things they have done to keep green the memories of the cause they loved—to perpetual the history they did so much to make.

ex-Governor William Smith, of Warrenton, Va., now in his eighty-eighth year, but more lithe and active than many men of fifty, has recently spent several weeks in Richmond, and frequently favored us with visits to our office, when he would entertain us with many interesting and valuable reminiscences of his long and eventful life. When he talked of the war his eye would kindle with something of the old fire we used to see when his clear voice would ring out, ‘Forward, Forty-ninth!’ or when in command of the grand old Fourth Virginia Brigade he would gallantly lead them into the very thickest of the fight.

Long may the old hero live, and his stern patriotism serve as an example for the young men of the country.

We are indebted to him for a very valuable scrap-book of clippings from war newspapers.

General George D. Johnston, our able and efficient General Agent, after a rest since last July, has gone to work for the Society again in New Orleans, and will, we hope, soon visit also other points. It is scarcely necessary for us to say that we are glad to have once more the invaluable services of this gallant soldier and accomplished gentleman, who never fails to make a success of his agency wherever he goes, to make the promptest and most accurate report to our office, and to leave behind him a fine impression for the Society and its work.

the Legislature of Virginia, which has just adjourned, showed its high appreciation of our Society by voting us the continuation of our office on Library floor of the State Capitol, when, in order to make more room for the State Library, the offices of the Adjutant-General, Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Superintendent of Public Printing were vacated, and these officers directed to rent quarters elsewhere in the city. The Society is also mentioned in the bill for a new Library building, and provided for along with the State Library. This bill was not fully perfected before the adjournment of the Legislature; but a bill was passed to sell certain State property and hold the proceeds for a new Library building, and there is no doubt that at the next meeting of the Legislature the necessary appropriation will be made, plans adopted, and the work put under contract.

We think we can say safely to our friends in other States that old Virginia (which for ten years has provided us with a domicil) will give the Southern Historical Society permanent fire-proof quarters, and whatever you may give will go into our Permanent Endowment Fund. We beg our friends to hurry up their subscriptions to our endowment. [192]

renew your subscription at once, if you would do us a kindness, and help on our good cause. We need every cent of the somewhat large amount now due us, and we beg our friends not to put us to the expense of sending either agents or circular duns after them, but to remit without delay.