Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-04-12

.secasct,c HISTORY Of the United States"

Eclectic History of the United States"
Ed torial In April 1884 Southern Historical
Papers.
Is the "Eclectic History of the
United States fit book to be
taught in Southern schools This
is q book written by Miss Nj. II.
Thalheimer, and published by the
enterprising house of Van Ant
werp, Bragg d Co., Cincinnati and
New York. Its friends claim for IT
great fairness in its narrative, and
that it is non-partizan in its treat
ment of sectional questions. 1t GER
tainly does not call the Southern peo-
pie .rebels" or "trait0rs" pays an
occasional tribute TO the skill of our
leaders and the bravery OF our
troops; and so ingeniOusly hides its
poison that Confederate soldiers, or
their sons, are acting as agents for
its dissemination, and many scnool
boards and teachers at the south
are adopting it as a textbook in
their schools. 1t being one OF the
books of the famous "Eeleetic Ser
ies," of which the late DIR. w. H..
McGuffey. of the University OF
Virginia, prepared the Readers
and Spoilers, many OF our schools
are innocently adopting 1t, without
due examination, under the lm-
preston that it Is as unobjectionable
as other books of this series.
In addition to this all OF the
wealth, experience, power ana IN
fiuence of this great publishing
house are thrown into the scale,
and the result Is that this book is
being commended by some whom
we would expect to give "a clearer
note" in the cause of truth, and Is
being adopted by teachers of whom
we would expect better guidance
for the children committed to their
charge. ~
we propose to review this His
tory" in a series OF papers in which
we shall show that, (hOwever pure
NAV be the motives of author, puo-
Usher, agents, school boards or
teachers who have adopted iO the
book itself is full or errors, mlsreP-
reservations, false statements, partl-
san coloring and false teachings
that it exalts the North at the ex-
pense of the South-that il misrep-
resents the character, motives, .prin-
ciples and deeds of our Confederate
Government, leaders, soldiers, and
people-and that if our children are
to learn their History" from this
libel upon the truth they will grow
up to despise the land and cause
which their fathers loved, and for
which many freely risked, ana
msny of them gave up, their lives.
In a word we propose to show
that this book is utterly unit to be
taught in our schools-that our
school boards and teachers ought
not to adopt it, and Southern par
ents ought not, aGader any csrc'tDe'
stances, to allow their children tc
study il. Better let them grow up
| i'm profound ignorance of the history
of their country than to receive TINS
earbIed and false account.
We had purposed beginning oul
review in this number, but finding
ourselves s'crowded out" by press
of other matter wedefer our first pa
per until our next issue. In tht
meantime, however, we feel called
upon to express now our opinion o.
this book, to call upon our brethren
of the press all through the South tC
ioin us in making war upon its In
PRODUCTION into our schools, ana u
/ ask our Confederate soldiers every
where to read its account OF th'
origin, progress and closu of the wa
and to send us their criticisms upoI
the narrative, OF at least their opln
ion of the propriety of its use in ou
schools.
/ 1t may be proper for us to ado
that we make war on this book ii
the interest of no other history O
publisher under the sun,-that we
/ have no connection with, or interes
| in any rival book-that we regarc
this as no worse than some othel
| Northern "School Histories of thu
United States Ghdeed not az bad a
| the majority of them but tina
we single this one out for the reason
| that 1t is already somewhat exten
siveiy used in the South, ana 4
! likely to be yet more generally uset
unless the friends of truth rill.
against it's introduction.