Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-06-17
We find i'm the Cincinnati


| Commercial some selections from the vol
ume, which will indicate what sort OF q
book it is which Mr.. Gordon describes as
containing nothing sectional or political.
In this volume brief biographies of the
authors are given. In many cases, their
claim TO notice Is that they served In the
Confederate army, or that they "signed the
Ordinance of Secession" Paul Hayne Is
recorded as having enigrated from his
native State ''to escape negro domination ;
and of various writers it is said that they
''took an active part in the redemption OF
their States from negro rule" The book
opens with States Rights speech by Al
exander II. Stephens; next comes n eulogy
on Robert T.. Lee; and little further on is
q selection in which the President is char
! acteriZed as liar and an autocrat. One
writer tells us that the day will come when
the names of the Confederate dead will be
inscribed on the common roll as "sOns
worthy OF love and reverence" Lee is
compared To Cicero, To Cromwell, to Wash
! ington. There are three orationS by JEFF
| ferson Davis, one of them that in which he
| took his traitorous leave of the Senate.
I There is an address by Wade Hampton, in
which he says;
"Why should we admit we are IN the wrong
We believe we have truth our side.
let us, then. assert aud maintain our fdih and 90
will, in his own good time, make it manifest thst
we are right. II Washington WAS pat
riot. Lee can not have been rebel; II the grand
enunciation OF the truths OF the DESTINATION OF
1 Independence made Jefferson immortal, the Oh
I servance ot them can not make Davi- traitor
We are gathered here today around The
/ graves OF Southern men who were slam Only be-
cause they believed HAT the principles OF l77G
which gave birth 90 Republic, were equally
U Ia. - -.
have never studied and do not comprehend that
Constitution about which they have rayed 80
msdly."
/ one orator represented in the book
thanks God that though Confederate
| bonds are worthless on the Stock EX-
change. they will pass current in heaven.
In another selection the children are taught
that "AffiCan slavery is no relic of barbar-
| ism TO which we cling from asceudcncy of
/ semi civilized tastes, habits and principles,
but an adjustment of the social and polit-
/ zeal relations of the races, consistent with
the pureSt justice, commended by the
! highest eXpedienCy. and sanctioned 10y a
comprehensive and enlightened humanity"
/ ToombS'S speeches in defence OF slavery ;
/ Timrod'S glorifcation of the Alabama pi-
racieS, and furious address 10 the White
never 10 submit TO the Federal Govern
mcnt. are among the choice selections.
One writer urges his cllow-SouthcruerS
10 swear that they will teach "thcir chill
dren and their childrcn'S children that the
/ Confederate dead fought and fell FOR the
only principles upon which regulated Chris
| tian freedom can ever be established
Another writer says
"But IL IL not a. mere soldiers that We must
view orr dead. They were the champions Of a
noble cause, the cause OF constitutional liberty
and OF immcmorial rights made sacred by tie
monuments Of more Than six hundred ears They
represented, moreover, the principles OF selfgoy-
ernmcnt. OF local freedom, and of the right OF a
people 20 decide their own political associations.
In them was struck down those ancient aud hon.
orAble IDEAS and the community Of nations al
lowed Itself to listen to. and virtually TO approve,
the plea of the imperial and irresponsible central
iZAtion that triumphcd.n
\ Stapza from poem entitled The Con-
qucred Banner" will give an idea OF the
poetry OF the volume
"And the Banner, 1t Is trailing,
while around 1t sounds the wailing
OF It's people In their voc;
For, though conquered they adore H.
Love the cold dead hands that bore It,
weep FOR those who fell before u,
Pardon those who trailed and tore it.
And oh wildly they deplore 1t,
Now to furl sud fold IL So
II such book a. this satisfies Senator
GordonS description as containing moth
ing whatever sectional or political the
question occurs, what would a really Sec
tional and political reading-boOk be like: