The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1855-07-12
From the Spartanbury Express.
Colonial and Revolutionary History


from the SpartanJury cypress.
Colonial and Revolutionary History
Our readers are apprized that in obcdi
cnce to the warm desire of many gentlemen
Of the Up-Country, w. Gilmore Simms, l.
l.. D., has consented TO deliver a course Of
Lectures, during the coming summer, in
several of the Upcountry villages. The
course will embrace four Lectures, the sub.
ject Of which will be the Colonial and Rev.
olutionary- History Of South Carolina. We
are glad to hear that efforts are being made
to secure the delivery Of these Lectures in
our village.
AIr. Sinms is one of the most impressive
speakers we ever listened to, and possessing
u fund of historical knowledge collected
with much labor from various living sources
rs we'll us from the rcconditc records of our
country, he will be allo to furnish his audi
tors, with condensed history of our State,
suehsas they probably could not get from
any work cxtant or.any persons now living.
Moreover, Mr.. .Simm's accomplishments as Il
speaker will enable him to set this matter,
Invaluable rs it may be presumed to be to
every inquirer for historical fact and to every
South Carolinian, before his auditors in n
manner and style whirh will be captivating
as well rs Instructive.
We congratulate our people that one so
cminently qualified is about to enter OH this
field Of labor. 1t is sad truth that we are
often more familiar with the history of
other States than with our own. Under
the system of things which has heretofore
existed, our children, rs soon as they can
read are made familiar with every little
skirmish and cross.r road combat which ever
occurred in the North, while many impor-
tant battles at the South are very imperfect
ly known. This results naturally from our
school books and most of our histories be-
ing the production of Northern pens.-
Once upon time distinguished compiler
of school books for children applied to one
of our Southern gentlemen OF distinction.
and asked him if he would not review his
works-the Southcrner promptly replied in
the negative; the compiler inquired "why
notl" Because" sai,l the Southerncr,
"you have not done justice to the South in
our Struggle for ibcrty"-" you cxaggcrate
the Importance of Northern conflicts and
undcrrate those Of the South" ado YOU
not know the reason of tl,a. ?" asked the
compiler; What9" said the Southerncr;
"why," answered the Compiler for every
hook sell at the South, sell four at the
North g. Here WAS man publishing
school books to be put into the hands Of
children, who, when suddenly "corncrcd"
admitted that lie wrote. to make his books
SELL And yet this very man had the cf-
trontcry to approach a Southern man to
use him, isf Introducing these cbastc school
hooks into the schools and families of the
South! Nor does this kind of Market
1oriting seems confined exclusively to School
book Compilcrs; take up a majority Of the
many books now iii the market pretending
to give distinguished "American Oruors"
or " American Statesmen" or "Amercan
Poets" and they arc filed with eulogcs of
Northern men, who were, if we can Judge
from the classification of cotemporaneous
chronicles, but third and fourth-rate men.
compared with many Southern men, who
are either omitted entirely or are made to
occupy a very shaded place in the hack
ground; some vino essay historical nara
tives arc evidently more governed in the
awarding OF their "pictoria" places to the
latitude of the person than to his real merit.
Even The ponderous volumes of him who
has been called, par excellence, "the Amer
ichn Historian seem to us to also indicate
IHe WTIlCF ScctlONslt aSSOc1atiOn.
The best if not the only way to correct
this evil is to know ourselves-our history
and to sustain every worthy effort that
shall be made towards developing history.
When we find one SO competent TO- this
task as Mr.. SInms who is willing to teach
us our history, we are induced by every
consideration of Patriotism to throw What
ever of support we can in favor of such a
work.
But it is well that it should be remember
ed in this case we make no charitable or
. patriotic appcal-we are not to be under
stood as asking for a charitable patronage
OF the distinguished Historian, Poet and
Novelist. We merely mean to remind our
readers low in attending these expected
Lectures we would kill two birds will, one
stonc-how we would bo unconsciously
aiding in carrying forward great work at
the same time that We would be receiving
directly as individuals, rich stores of infor-
nation on a subject dear to the heart of
every one.
We sincerely hope that in arranging his
Summer Tour Mr.s Simns will provide for
allowing the citizens of our village the pleas
ure Of hearing his course of Lectures.
a Slave Case in Prussia