Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-09-11
Southern Advance, Atlanta, Ga.
SECTIONAL SCHOOL.BOOKS.
DERRY's HISTORY.

criminal on the part Of any who are gull
ty of so doing. This evil strikes deepl,
into the social structure, and may b,
productive of the most serious conse
quences. The masses of Americans wer
loyal OF disloyal to the government of tn,
United States during the late war, a
they were led by their political opinions
Those holding to the dogma Of State
Sovereignty easily reconciled course OF
rebellion against the United States with
their theories of right, while those who
maintained the principles of the Union
could only consider the other party a;
rebels against the government. Since
the war, it has been taken for granted in
the North that the question of Union has
been forever settled, while in the South,
for some reason, there has been constant
activity in replanting the seeds of State
sovereignty and disunion. There is no
reason to believe that the future harvest
from this sowing will be any the less dis
astrous than that already reaped in blood
and waste.
One of the most recent illustrations Of
the persistent efforts to pervert the truth
of American history which has appeared
is found in Derry's History Of the I'm
tied States for Schools and Academies. :"
The work is coming into popular favor
in the South because i is sectional in its
character. 1t ex,ols the South and re-
fleets unfavorably upon the North in a
manner not only unjust, but offensive to
those who regard truth as important.
The anti-slavery cause is put in the most
Objectionable light without the relieving
features which any ingenious mind would
perceive. The Republican party is mis-
represented so as to make the young stu
dent belive that the North was greatly in
the wrong, and oppressive toward the
the South before. during and after the
war. Take the following points by way
way Of illustration;
STATE SOVEREIGNTY. - The suthor
does not define and defend State sover-
eighty directly, but he insinuates that
the principle is embraced in the Consti-
tuition by claiming that Samuel Adams,
Of Massachusetts,, held that " Each State
retained its sovereignty, freedom and indie
pedence" Page 1917 This greatly mis-
represents Mr.. Adams. The author quotes
with appreciation the views of Calhoun
"to the effect that the Federal Govern
ment was created by the States" that
the "citizens of one State had no right to
interfere with the domestic institutions OF
another State, and that the Federal Gov
eminent had no right to interfere with
slavery" page 2l5.) Thus the dogma
of State sovereignty is inculcated.
The so-called RIGHT OF SECESSION is
more clearly taught. He says, "Vir-
GINA ratified it the Constitution with
the provision that she should be permit
ted to withdraw from the Union when.
ever the powers of the Federal Govern
ment should be used for oppression"
page 1917 Every intelligent reader
knows this statement to be false. With
whom did Virginia make such "provis-
ion. Who was to determine when the
Federal Government used its powers for
oppression d:
MULTIPLICATION is not only defended,
but President Jackson is represented as
approving that form of rebellion. Speak
ing of Jackson's proclamation against
notification in 1882 the author says
" Many regarded this proclamation as
amounting to the denial of the right of a
State to secede from the Union for any
cause whatever. The President after
wards maintained that an erroneous con.
struction had been placed upon the proc
lamation, and declared his adherence to
the views of Mr. Jefferson, as set forth in
the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
of 1889" Page 2lO.) These reso-
lutions emphaticslly asserted the soc allied
right of secession which Jackson de MED,
and to represent him as endorsing them
we conceive to be no less than deliberate
falsehood.
To show the tone and spirit of the
work, take the following paragraphs:
"When the Presidential election of
1860 took place, the conservative elements
of the country were hopelessly divided
among themselves, while the Republic
cans, embracing in their ranks not only
free-soilers, but also the most fanatical
abolitionists, were united and enthusiast
tic.
Gas soon as the result Of the election
became known, South Carolina called
convention of the people, which passed
an ordinance of secession on the Goth of