Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-07-19
JEFF DAVIS ON SCHOOL BOOKS.

Mr.. Jefferson Davis has issued q
pronunciamento ON the school book
question. He does this as the head
of the ultra southern party opposed
to the use of any books in the schools
of the south which give any other
than the Confederate view of political
movements or of historical occur
rences. He is not satisfied with i'm
partial statements of facts, but insists
that facts must be interpreted or ex-
planned or colOred by men in SYM
patty with the south.
For example, he does not want it
stated that Fort Sumpter was attack
ed by an army hostile to the govern
ment. He fears that if such state
ment as that is made that child might
suppose that the United States had
been attacked by foreign enemy of
some sort. Whereas he thinks that it
ought to be made clear that in attack
ing Fort Sumpter the state of South
Carolina was merely seeking to gain
possession of fort on her own soil,
the state claiming that her grant of
the site had become void.
he does not want it stated that Con-
gressmen and Senators and off GERS of
the old regular army violated any
oath in entering the service of the
Confederate States. lie doesn't want
any such thing intimated, but on the
contrary he would like to have it stat
ed with fair degree of positiveness
that in attempting to coerce or to
keep in the Union the Southern States
Mr.. Lincoln and all who supported
him violated the Constitution. lie
wants it stated that in attempting to
crush the rebellion by force of arms
President Lincoln and all vino sup
ported the Union were in the wrong,
and that MIR. Davis and all who went
into the rebellion were right.
Mr.. Davis expresses the hope that
not only in the south but throughout
the north the children of the United
States will be taught hat his views are
correct. He hopes also that the school
books of the north as well as the south
will be revised so as 10 convey the idea
that President Lincoln violated the
cOnstit ton in all The attempts that
he made to preserve the union, and
that Mr.. Jefferson Davis supported
the constitution in all the efforts that
he made to destroy the union. lie
asks those who manage the schools to
not LET the children be taught That the
Federal government is sovereign or
that the rebellion was wrong. 1t may
be expected that Mr. Davis will have
some influence in putting matter into
the school books written or compiled
to perpetuate the errors of the old
southern regime. So far as he is con-
cerned the south will not take one step
away from the old error, but just how
much sympathy this new movement
will receive at the hands of the north
ern Democracy remains TO be seen.
In this era when Union generals
and COnfederates are writing with the
greatest freedom and frankness of the
events OF the war; when they are
treating each other courteously and
fairly, and while they are striving to
do justice not only TO the men who
fought with them, but to the men who
fought against them, it is significant
that the leader of the rebellion holds
not only against the fair
spirit OF the day, but against all the
efforts that the real soldiers of the war
are making TO have right impressions
prevail as to the war and its results.
MIR. Davis can never get his mind nor
his nose above his preju dice, but he
must know that the men who fought
his battles are, if we take their own
word for it, as good UniOnists as Pres
ident Lincoln was in 1861 aud 1864.
If these men are really what they pre-
tend 10 be, then Mr.. Davis will receive
no encouragement in his attempt to
influence public opinion in the south
in favor of a narrow bigotry and pre-
judice.-Inter Ocean.