Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-03-05
HISTORY.
What o Is Universally Roadway
Local History is Invaluable
The Book Orfhe OIG Folks.

There are more books published than
any q thinks Of reading. Histories OF
the war, such as they ere, have been null
tiplied until most people sre weary OF
their disgusting r~ecitals of blOodshsd and
crime. The unuttersble aversion to facts
of a horrible conflict eliminated when the
Improvisation of the vices of war was
converted by sectional prejudices into a
supposed statesman and lifted up by pop
ulsr passions to an Office the most honOred
In the world by his predecessors and most
degraded by the stupid soldier who con-
fessedly, II ForDey be truthful, made Pc
cuniary rewards a condition precedent to
his acceptance Of the position. His
tory-modern history-is at a dis.
tories are 3 fearful drug in the
IN the market. Official reports Of battles
are only concurrent in their statements to
the extent that northern and southern re-
cltals of incidents designate the same To-
c%slities. In fact, msny people believe that
history is a solemn lie.
LOCAL HISTORIES
have q different character. The writers
are not themselves the subjects of Discus
sion; they do not tell of their own deeds
or propose to manufacture fame for them.
selves. We haYe seen it stated that in
one gallant Northern army corps, in 1858,
four hundred candidates for governor of a
single State, two thousand embryo Oon-
gressmen and sn sspirant or two were
then fighting for every civil office in the
State, and yet b humbugged world was
expected to believe that the old flag and
devotion to the Union nerved every arm
and infused into every soul the loftiest
aspirations. In evidence Of this assertion, |
the soldiers of the North are organized |
into political clubs, have their central or |
nm onA I.nnnn fE Nhn head =OQntaF nf tho 1
eooD OUT Of KvIL
The South has suffered such intolerable
evils because of the INSTRUMENTATION of
public sffsirs that the people have been
taught an invaluable leeson, snd few have
not learned that offices should be awarded
10 those best qualified 10 fill them, and
hat governments were ms tituted not for
ofice-holders, but for the people, that the
may be cheaply and wisely admins
LOCAL HISTORY.
It has been said, since other modern
hiss lost value in the eyes of the
many, and the daily press scquaints man.
kind with the daily progress Of the worlds
events, and sincs 1t Is now impossible for
,he masses to do more than keep pace
them, that local history becomes
most attractive and interesting. People
mould at least know everything c0n-
aected with stories and traditions, and
nen and events of their own towns and
and counties.
AFIRLD FOR HISTORIANS
The history Of even q little village Is by
means TO be despised, for tbs storms
hat anect the great world ssrd AZ least
into every outlying hsmlet and
and there, too, human ma
ure can be prohtably studied. Even the
neager records Of an obscure county
Jerk, whose writing Is Grabbed and or :
most original, may be Of ines {
value In fixing 9 doubtful dste.
T verifying q suspected fact. The laboYs.
hsn, OF & man who Investigates the his
Of sny portion Of 3 country In q spirit t
{ psinstaking love for the truth, are not :
worthless, whether their record enjoys q :
lrculation of thousands of copies or
lumbera in manuscript among the docu-
of some little society unknown be- 1
,re Tbs numerous cities OF cur western .
that have sprung up almost with the /
Of Aleddin's palace. Whose 3
Iaes have basn nrbrokon WildeEuessea 3