Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-09-29
A GEoRaIA JOE MuLHATTON.

Joe Mulhatton has long worn the blue
ribbons as the champion liar of America;
but it seems he has found a formidable
rival in the person of one John L. Bry-
ant, secretary of the Southern Advance
Association, of Atlanta, Ga. The first
effort of this modern Ananias shows that
he possesses remarkable genius for lying,
and that with a little practice he will
dwarf Joe Mulhatton into insignificance.
On Monday last the Methodist ministers
held a meeting in Boston, and we make
the following extract from the published
proceedings:
The Hon. John +. Bryant, secretary of
the Southern Advance Association OF At
lanta, Ga, made an address in behalf of
the work of education among the whites
at the South. Heretofore the association
has lone political as well as educational
work, but at the annual meeting in July
1t was decided to transfer to the National
Union League the political educational
work which the association has been do
ing, and devote its income to assisting in
the establishment and maintenance of
schools of primary and academic grade for
the education and elevation of the masses.
II gives its special attention to the wants
OF the white people because they are often
most neglected. Mr.. Bryant read from
Stephenss History Of the United States, one
of the textbooks used in Southern schools,
to show its partisan character. This his
tory, and others of similar character, are in
general use in the schools of Georgia and
other Southern States. They teach the
fatal heresy of State sovereignty, they
make use of very Objectionable language
in speaking OF the anti-slavery controversy,
of the Republican party, of the election
of Mr.. Lincoln, and the Inauguration and
prosecution of the war of secession. They
teach thec children that the Southern SOL
diers We're Drawer and more chivalrous
than those OF the North, and thus keep
alive the sectional spirit.
Viewing these f~alsehoods from an in
tellectual standpoint, public detestation
will be lost in admiration for Bryant's
genius as a romancer. 1t is not true that
Stephens's history is the textbook used
in Southern schools; it is not true that
the Southern children are taught that
the Southern soldiers we're drawer and
more chivalrous than those ofthe North;
1t is not true that the schools of the
South strive to keep alive the sectional
FtiAAAs AhC lNNtlSt VI All iltSt as
s%ertions is the truth. Mr.. Stephens's his
tory is not used as a textbook in any
Southern school. 1t is a voluminous po-
litical dissertation, unwieldy and cumber-
some and instead of being used as a
textbook, it would be received with de-
rision if it should make its appearance in
a school-room. There is nothing taught
in the Southern schools calculated to
promote sectional hatreds. Indeed it has
been the constant aim of the Southern
people to exclude from the public schools
textbooks of a sectional character.
This mau Bryant scars in all his
majesty in his peculiar line, in
asserting that the children are taught
that the Southern soldiers were
drawer and more chivalrous than those
of the North The Southern people
have severely criticised and denounced
the Northern ~demagogues who never fred
a gun during the war, but so o as the
rebels were diSarmed commenced perse-
cutting them with remorseless hate and
all the valor which the poodle manifests
in biting and shaking the name of the
dead lion. But they have never dispar-
aged the valor, chivalry or patriotism of
Northern soldiers. The soldiers of the
North and South fought for what they
believed to be a just cause, and their
bravery is conceded by all. The South
ern soldiers were conquered by the SOL
diers of the North, and the Southern
people are not so silly as to attempt to
teach in the public schools that their
cOnquerors were wanting in bravery and
chivalry. This would place a brave peo-
pie in the attitude of being ~subjugated
by towards. The Southern people have
never DETAINED the Northern soldier-the
battle-scarred men who so soon as the
war ended buried all their animosities.