The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-04-15
HISTORY OF THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE,


Mr.. Thomas Nelson Page, in his admirable
address at Louisville. Ky. before the Associa-
ton Of the Alumni of the University OF VIZ
gina in that city. published in these columns
yesterday. discussed a subject Of vital inter-
est TO future generations OF the South. lie
spoke the truth. and nothing but the lament
able truth. when he said that the Southern
people had been guilty of almost criminal
negligence in not having paid more attentionto
their history, and in sitting passively by
while Northern writers and Northern his
torians were being permitted 70 make that
history for themselves. prejudiced as 1t must
necessarily be. by their passions and preJu-
dces. Nothing can be truer than when he
said that, under these circumstances moth
ing or next to nothing is known of our true
history by the world at large BY limited
class in England there IS vague belief
founded on a sentiment that the South was
the aristocratic section Of this country and
that it stood for its rights, even with
An indefensible cause. By some
what more extended class its hero
ism is admired sufficiently to partly con-
done its hereses. But these are small part
of the public. BY the world at large we are
held 10 be an ignorant, illterate, cruel SEMI
barbarous section of the American people.
sunk into brutality and vice. who have con-
tributed nothing to the advancement OF man.
kind; a race of slave-drivers, who to perpetu-
ate human slavery conspired TO destroy the
Union and plunged the country into war. OF
this war, precipitated by ourselves, two salient
facts are known-that in it we were whipped,
and that we treated our prisoners with bar
barity Libby prison and Andersonyille have
become by-words which fill the world with
horror"
In this Mr.. Page sounds a timely note of
warning. If we permit this state OF affairs TO
continue. we must expect nothing but ms
representation and misunderstanding on the
part of posterity. The glorious deeds Of the
South during the war between the States for
Southern rights and Southern independence
will all be forgotten. The stern fact Will never
be known that in the days of slavery the South
was humanizing. Outstanding and civilizlnS
the negro long after the North had brought
him into the country, worked him as
long as it could make dollar
from him. and. when he was no longer profit
able sold him TO the South, and pocket
cd the proceeds Of the sale before raising the
hypocritical cry Of philanthropy-ra only
because the negro was source OF wealth,
prosperity and power TO the South
And the further fact that Southern
prisoners in Northern prisons Jared worse
and died faster than did Northern pris-
oners in Libby or Andersonville will be care
fully concealed, while Southern barbarity will
be constantly rolled under the tongue Of
Northern writers as n most delicious morsel.
There certainly must be some Southern
writer capable Of saving the glorious men,
cries Of the South. which played 50 important
and prominent part in the history Of the
Union from the Revolution to the outbreak
of the war between the States from oblivion,
and Of saving to posterity the story OF the
noble deeds of heroism performed by the
South during that memorable conflict. If there
be such. it is his duty TO come forward, and
now, before the last remnant of the survi-
vors Of old-time Southern civilizatlon-the
highest type Of civilization this country has
ever known passes away, determine TO rescue
the fair name and fame Of tnis section from
the remorscless mcrcies OF the hostile, sec
tional and prejudiced book-makers Of the
North If Nj. Pages address tends TO 50
most devoutly to be wished for contamination,
1t will not have been delivered in vain.