Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-06-06
FRIDAY. JUNE 6. 1890.
North Carolina and Virginia History.


The address Of Mr.. W. II. S. BURGwYS at
the commencement exercises OF the North
Carolina University ut Chapel Hill on
Wednesday was production of far more
than ordinary Importance, as IT was the de-
iyerance Of gu able man. and the aim was
10 impress upon the people the necessity
of preserving thememorials OF the past and
transmitting TO posterty Just and impair
tial history Of the State. He pleaded for
the establishment of n separate chair of
history ut the University, and from some
researches made by him was able TO show
that North Carolina has by no means re-
ceived the credit TO which she is entitled
for the part she took in the Revolution.
II was stated by him as a somewhat re-
markable fact that upon the adoption of
the Federal Constitution one Of heamend-
ments requested by North Carolina, but
which failed Of adoption. was to prohibit
Congress from interfering in the times,
places. and manner of holding elections
for Senators OF Representatives, or either
of them
II was with proper deliberation that
North Carolina seeded; but Mr.. BURGwYN
presents figures 10 show that she went into
the war with great heartiness, and out of
voting population of $4,000 in 1861 she
equipped and sent TO the field 1851 600
fighting men. He claims for her that she
sent more soldiers TO the field in proper
tion to her male population than any
southern State, and lost more in killed and
wounded than any.
The address concluded with an appeal to
the alumni to aid in the establishment Of
chair Of history, where the memorials of
the glories of the State should be gather
ed. and with an invocation to those gradu-
ating not to leave North Carolina, but tore
main at home and help to make the State
prosperous and great.
All the arguments and they are many
and weighty-that Mr. BURGwYN advances
in favor of giving prominence to this i'm
portant branch Of learning applies With
equal force TO Virginia. We should. how
ever, prefer to see as the initial step in a
new beginning TO rescue from oblivion or
unfriendly or unappreciatiye hands a his
tory of the United States fitted for COM
mon schools; book written and re-
vised by persons in full sympathy with
our traditions. achievements, and aspira-
tions. IL there is such an one in existence
aad worthy Of general adoption it should
be put into every school-hOuse in Virginia.
The Hon. JEFFERSON DAVIS said some
mouths before he died that a great manv
so-called histories had been submitted to
him for his inspection, but that whenever
(and it was nearly always the case) he
looked into the volume and found that the
battle Of Lexington was magnified INTO
grand engagement and the battle of the
Cowpens belittled into a trifing skirmish
he Immediately cast aside the work as un-
worthy Of serious consideration.
In like manner the landing of the Pill
grims upon Plymouth Rock often has been
made the pivotal point IN our country's
history. whereas the settlement of James
town, which occurred thirteen years be-
fore and was of superior moment, Is count
ed Of no great consequence.
When il comes TO the war of 1876 il is
possible for few, if any, northern men to
present our side of the case with exact
ness. We believe that in some of the
northern histories now in vogue the au-
thors have honestly endesvored to do US
Justice. and that they have failed only be-
cause the head could not supply the lack
of heart. The man who writes our history
scceptahly must have his heart in it. Now,
far be II from our purpose wholly to con-
denim all existing school histories; but we
submit that we are justified in saying that
better books are T. he hoped for and
doubtless will be produced, and the earlier
southern youth are taught the distinction
between treason" aud secession the
better il will be.
We are not doing all that We can
and should do in this respect. If any ono
doubts this statement let him cateehize
the average school-boy or girl upon some
of the simplest subjects connected with
the late war and ascertain-as he will
how little has been taught concerning the
men and measures of our great struggle.