The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-12-12


acts" Of the School Board, Nr. Kelley repre-
sents me as saying that this book was "prit-
ten 10 magnify the Norh at the erpense of
the South" If he will turn to my article
he will find that while insist that the book
actually does this, do not say that it was
,eritten for this purpose. On the contrary,
L affirm that It was manufactured by a
northern writer for the southern Market"
and my very decided conviction as to the
object of the author in its preparation is
that he endeavored to make such " show of
fairness" that southern schools would
adopt Ito so sugar-coat the pill that gull
lible southern school boards would swallow
it with relish-and thus put money in the
pockets of both author and publishers.
Wilson's histories, issued BY the same pub
fishers, have failed to "go" in southern
schools, and these enterprising gentlemen
called in Mr.. Swinton to write one that
could 90.
Mr. Kelley twits me with inconsistency"
because had the candor to say that Swim
ton is one of the least Objectionable writers
on the other sidc,' &C., (uc found it con-
venient to leave out Of his quotation my
quaIitcation-" e.. IN rhdthe ,rriteS for The
southern market, not in ,chat he ,rrote during
The uar.") and yet charge that his book is
on the whole "a miserable tissue Of error
and false statement"
Well ! if he cannot see how book may be
less Objectionable to us than Harper s."
Wilson's" Quackenbos's," "Good.
rich's," "Lossing's," and other Yankee
school histories, and yet be full Of error
and very Objectionable itself, l despair of
being able to make it clear to him; but feel
sure that the intelligent reader can appre.
Ciate it.
And yet fear that my disposition to be
fair TO Swinton has really carried me too far
n saying that he is " one of the least objec-
tlonable OF the northern writers, for by so
much as he makes some "shoW Of fairness /"
by that much does he succeed in deceiying
our people and getting his book, with all of
It's errors, into our schools. Indeed, I ain
inclined to withdraw that expression, and
TO endorse the opinion of one of our most
distinguished southern generals aud ablest
military critics, who says Of SWnton's con-
densed history of the United States: "
| recognize in that part Of the book relating to
Ihe War of Secession the same PhariSaC
pretence OF fairness characterizing his other
books which has imposed on so many, and is
| therefore the more dangerous. Mr. Greeley's
| American Conflict Nichols's Great March
| 10 The Sea, and Badeau's Biography of Grant,
with some other histories by northern
writers, can do Us very little harm, for they
carry with them their own antdote; but il
Is from works coming in such questionable
shape as Swinton's that we have most to
| fear. Many Of our people are So constituted
! that few words commencing their courage
and hospitality 80 great ways. They sec
the rose that is presented to their gaze and
admire its color and odor, but fail to per
ccive the thorn that Is beneath until prickeL
| by it,
am willing to give the Richmond Schoo
Board all due credit for the great concern
| which the choice Of school history gave
| them-tor the careful comparison of book.
which they claim to have made-fo
| The fact that they were all (save one
Confedera'e es and for their patri
otc services and honorable "scar
| of the conflict" which Nlr. Kelley 8
carefully brings out. But il all this is mean
to slow that Swnton Is proper book 70
our schools, l might reply that the Stat
| Board consisting of Rev. DR.. Rutfner
| Governor Walker, and the Attorney-Genera
is equally patriotic, equally competent (no
| to put it more strongly, and have doubles
been equally careful in their examination
and yet they adopted Holiness History 4
| the textbook for the schools of the State
and have not even given Swinton
place in the competing series whic
they deemed it proper to adopt tw
years ago. [By the way, l hay
| never understood-Mr. keiley's iugenuit
could doubtless suggest an explanation
how it is that while the law provides tha
there shall be uniformity of TEXTBOOK
throughout the State the School Board G
Richmond adopts different books from thos
prescribed by the State Board.l
But | am frank to say that even if tht
State Board had thought proper to adop
Swinton [ should still claim the right, as al
humble citizen of Virginia, to protestagains
it.
And now Us to the main issue Of this cor
troyersy. / insist that it is not narrower
down to choice between Holmes, Blackbur
| 4 Mcdonald, and Swinton, Tor \. II. Ste
phens's School History, which mentioned
but to which Mr. Kelley does not allude; j TO
while | named these, | also intimated Wha
| now insist upon, that our schools had bel
ter dispense Nth history Of the Unite
States altogether" if they cannot ind NOR
suitable one than Swlnton.
Iwoud say, then, that if Mr. Kelley coul'
show, rs he attempts to do all through hi
articles, that Holmes and Blackburn Il Nc
Donald make the same mistakes that Swim
ton does, he would only have proven tina
neither Of them should haze q place IN ou
schools.
The simple issue is this: SIS Sr,nton
4 i. L. H. I> ~ hi
dren?" Mr.. Kelley attirms. | deny.
If it were right to trcspass so largely Of
your space, would gladly 60 into review
of the whole book, and think could abun
danlly show that while writing for tn
southern market and making some pretenc
to fairness SWiuton is by no means free from
the common errors of northern writers il
"eXaItng the North at the expense Of tn
South " in every part of his book. But | wi
now contine myself to examples alread
cited, holding myself ready to go into tn
whole book If Mr.. Kelley desires, and yo
will give lis space.
As evincing Swinton's disposition to b
"fair if not generous to the South," Ml
Kelley triumphantly says: 1.-The hlst Wor
of contrast between the sections found in hi
| history Is on page 81, and reads as follows
The people (of the colony of Virginia. wer
very social and hospitable. Crime was rare
theit unknown. Nirginian lite and chal
acter were very different from those Of New
England, being much more jovial an
| hearty"
And in the SAME chapter (page 81 b
adds "a love OF liberty early arose in Vir
| ginia. The firm stand which the Virglnian
always made for their political rights was
| great benefit to all the other colonies.
| prepared the way for independence"
Now, on page Al Swinton says: "The III
grims and their descendants were a qu'e
thrifty, d;fearing people," and on page 8
that the people of Connecticut were hrJt
and industrious and Hberty.lortng people.