Smyrna times., 1879-07-02
" Southern" School, Books.

certain extraordinary school. books in the |
Southern States, which seemed to be de
signed to cultivate sectional hostility rather |
than patriotic feelings, some Senators de- |
MED that such books were now published |
or used. Those senators were incautious, |
and were not fully informed. There are
school-books published in this year 1879, |
intended for use in Southern schools ex-
clusively, the plain purpose of which is to
celebrate the renown and greatness of "the
South" and which indirectly, but none the
less purposely, inculcate a narrow, local
sectionalism, and jealousy Of the America
and the Union which are the glory of every
true patriot in the land. We have in mind
especially a school-book expressly called
1.-THE Southern Students Handbook of
Selections of Oratory." The scope of this
book, the character of its influence, and its
purpose may be gathered from glance.
Instead of aiming to make the youth for
whom it is prepared honorable and patriotic
American citizens, it seeks to make them
"Southerners." If the object of the book
were to introduce students TO the great
masterpieces Of oratory, they are all acces-
sible, and valuable work could have been
easily compiled But the pitiful purpose
of this book is to compile "Southern"
manual of "Southern" rhetoric to infame
"Southern' feeling, and this at time when
| the paramount necessity of the country is
the oblteration of wretched, irritating,
belittling sectionalism.
An "index to authors give their names,
specifying the States to which they belong,
and they are all "Southern" States, every
other State being carefully excluded. Otis
and Adams, Webster and Everett, are
names of men no longer living which would
naturally occur in book of selections from
American oratory. But they were not
Southerns." Henry Clay is one of the
great American orators, and he was Ken
tuckian. But among eleven names in the
index from Kentucky, most of which GER
tainly are not familiar beyond that State,
that of Henry Clay does not occur. In
deed, with the exception of some members
of Congress whose names are more or less
familiar from the mention of them in the
daily proceedings, the great multitude OF
authors and speakers cited in this hand
book are Of no reputation whatever, and
their sole recommendation is that they are
"Southerners," and generally write or de-
claim upon some Southern" theme fol
the purpose Of arousing Southern" emo
ton. 1t is useless to comment upon the
literary character of work compiled by
such rules. The selections are in genera
+ a curious and astonishing mixture of senti
, mentality and turgid rhetoric, and there i:
probably not a single passage in the bool
which properly belongs to literature. Tht
work does not directly inculcate the doc
. trine of secession. But the spirit and tom
! and influence of the whole book are re
> vealed in the selection from a speech o
: Mr.. William Preston Johnston on 9TH
Confederate Dead" The orator says: "The
5 represented, moreover, the principles Q
e self.government, of local freedom, and Q
t I the right of q people to decide their owl
|: political associations. In them was struc
u down these ancient and honorable ideas
and the community of nations allowe
itself to listen to and virtually to approx
the plea of the imperial and irresponsible
Capitalization that triumphed. We hav
no complaints to make; but when startle
h Liberty in other lands turn hither an
g thither for sympathy or aid, we can poir
n them to the lists where our champions i
d slain, but not dishonored."
j. The Southern soldiers fought bravel
s. and happily in vain, and we therefore am
in the comment which instinctively rises
IN dispose of this flourish. But the SoutheI
n Senators who denied the existence or pr
re sent use of such school books will oW
ne ings like this may tend to make goo
Of "Southerns," but they do not make Amel
I'd can citizens. They may satisfy a man wi
ey is content to call Arkansas or a swamp
i, IN Florida his Country" but they do n
'ic please q patriotic man whose glory is tn
ce he is an American and a citizen of all Il
as States, and whose pride is not in a Pin
of tree flag or q Pelican, Rattlesnake,
Sa Palmetto, or Lone Star, but in the Sta
in and Stripes that hung over the surrend
IN, M of CORVALLIS and the victory of Perry, al
ms, still hang supreme over the Americ
at Union. 1t is precisely the revelation ma
he by such book as this which justly start
ng and arouses the loyal American peop
re- They learn from it that in certain States
mic the Union children are taught in the pub
he schools to hate their country as an oppre
ers; or, and to regard its government as a XII
lge of foreign power. Is it surprising-and
'cS put the question to men like Senators B
ers, ard and Lamar-that under all the
ypt cumstances of the last twenty years. t
md paramount feeling of the patriotic inte
lost gence of the country is that the control
Ing ring the government can not safely pass il
the hands of those whose sentiments 81
books disclose? Is it amazing that the
Der Der cessity of keeping that control out of 81
ac hands becomes the absorbing political C
rite sideration with those who do not think t
ted setI the cause of secession was that of libel
H. or that the maintenance of the Union
nm nm a death-blow to freedom?-Harper' Wee
first -- >'S----
on fbo orrty saac0v, 80 pay., ~ boVd