Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-11-25
Fer '"H EFT
SOUTHERN SCHOOL BOOKS.

Messrs. Editors:-1n the present state OF CHAIRS oa'
tween the two great sections Of tins country, W
which we at the South STE ourselves and OUT ihst'u'
tiops misrepreseuted and denounced for every ming
that 10 aboIninable and wicked, either coF.rliS o'
openly, in almost every book Which is Issued ir"ih'ne
Northern pres-; and when we see works, winch nave
not properly the least connection with thi' SUBJECT
brought 10 bear on il alone, il has seemed 10 HE as
most unfortunate and as calculated to produce 1ne
most unhappy consequences, that we should hoi "iy
be compelled TO 20 to the North for our genera N'e.
nature and our standard woi ks, but even Tor Inc very
school. books themselves which are to instruct lhe
III; nds aud influence the opinions of the rlSius sene'
ration-books which are not only published oy aoo-
lition houses, but written also by the very mel VINO
stand forth as The leaders Of this aggressive move
meut against US, and many of which are written ir
the very purpose of Installing into the minus OF 'he
people the perncious doctrines Of socialism: OF
which Abolition is only one branch. ouch
books as these have been scattered broadcast
over the land, to the almost total exclusion
Of any written by Southern authors; So that II mas
been found impossible to obtain evrn a common
school history Of the United States in when tir ah'
nails of our common country are not perver'eu .n."
m organ OF abnlitiouism, and in which me rfia'.fo
shares Of the two portions of the confederaey' ~ LII nme
conduct of the wars of the Revolution ana Oh l'iI,
are not most %unequaly and most unfairly DIVIDED 4
has been said that, to remedy these things, we shouiu
encourage the establishment OF large publishing
houses among us. But how can We encourage pun
fishing houses except by encouraging authors There
would be no dearth of such houses II there were
enough books written here to support them. Now
our own books are chuked out by the swarm OF NORTH
ern unrs, which are poured down upon us. Inc Tue
object, H. it seems to me, should be TO prevent ms
and 10 provide some surety that Il good southern
work will get into circulation. There has been u pan
proposed for this purpose, by G. X. Marshall Esq"
of Mississippi in Il letter published III DeBow = he''e"
for November, which strikes me- as Il very g"oh one,
if not the best. His plan is, that the Legislatures u
all the Southern States, or HIS many of thoih rs choos"'
shall place ct the disposal OF their Governors ifnh
81, 900 to $4,000 each, to be used in encouraging Tue
production of home school aud textbooks; mat me
Governor of each State shall appoint Il committee oi
say seven members that these again shall choose
two of their number to act on a joint committee,
formed Of two from each State committee that ini'
Joint committee shall Utfrr premiums for such DOCKS
rs they want which premiums are to be awarded ny
the votes Of The different State comlnittees' Inc ad'
vantages Of this or some similar plan appear 10 DC
two I'D. In the first place, Il premium OF perhaps
Sl0,U00 would of itself be q sufficient lliduceilltilt 10
start many pens 10 work. In Tie 5ecohd piact' 'e
determination OF the cuminlttee becoming Kho"h'
would at oUce give the successful works rePutatlohs'
which wuuli enable them 10 compete advantageuusly
with, and in u short time TO Gisplace entirely The OBJ
i-c.ionable books now used III our schools. Nor would
The unsuccessful works be lost To The community 'F
they also would be published, and the choice between
them left al last to the people. In this way, too men,
competent and willing, would he enabled TO become
authors, without pecuniary loss. MIR. Marshall says
that this subject will be acted on by the Legislature
of Mississippi, al its coming session. The Southern
Commercial Convention has twice recommended II
Could it not be brought up before our Il"At State Lee.
gi,lalure, so that Virginia, if she cannot lead, may,
at least. not tal! behind in so important Il matter as
this The necessary appropriation would not be
large one, and even if il were much larger, il would
be- insignificant compared with the great good To the
cause of education which would be effected by IT.
Especially, as it would not properly he contined 10
The department Of school books alone, but >h0yii be-
used As a means vi building up other branches of
literature, in which we are, 1T present, wulully def
cieut. And nov, gentlemen, | bring thi. article 10
HI end, with the faint hope Of drawing GONE atten-
ton 10 a subject, which has always seemed one at the
utmost moment to A iUCSG SOuTHEkSER.