Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-25
IN IT'S TRUE LIGHT.

IN IT'S TRUE LIGHT.
1T Is from sources such as these. from
writer's like Stephens and Herbert, who.
| from lifelong personal observation OF II.
! knew what slavery was as 1t existed In
the South, that the youth OF to-day and
| Of the future should get their information
of H. and not from writers like those who
made the Encyclopedia Britannica, who
had no personal knowledge Of the institu-
ton, and were moved by prejudice.
hatred, and envy of the South. No man
| In the South, that | know Of would have
slavery restored, but every true southern
man must always desire that the world
should have a truthful representation of
it, and especially that his children should
find a truthful account Of II in the books
they read and to every such a one who
may hereafter read these words | would
take this occasion to say that those who
best knew what slavery In the South
was-such men, for tnstance. as the
venerable bishop Wilmer. Of Alabama;
Judge Thomas J. Semmes. OF Louisiana;
General Henry II Jackson. OF Georgia;
the late General Kirby Smith. and other
representative men Of the old South-have
assured me that the description of 1t
given in Greg's History of the United
States portrays II as ii was, and l. there
fore, give an extract here from that de-
scription. Bishop Wilmer says that that
history puts the whole matter of the re-
cent past in its true light, and that
every man who seeks for truth should
read it' and Judge Semmes. in public
address AT New Orleans said that II Is
the one book which he has found that
does full justice to the South as TO the
causes OF the late war, and as TO the
ability and courage of her generals and
soldiers. Judge Semmes was sena-
tor In the Confederate Congress, was late
president of the American Bar Associa-
ton, and is one of the foremost lawyers
of America. His opinion. therefore, OF
a history relating to that war, it's causes,
and its conduct. is entitled 10 and inevi-
tably must have very great weight, and
as the author of that history was not a
southern man. either by birth or citizen
ship. ne cannot be charged with bias or
prejudice on either account
WHAT TOM PAGE SAYS.
Liberal quotations were made from
Greg's history. and after further severe
criticism of the Britannica, Mr.. Oglesby
added:
Two years ago an honored son OF Vir-
gnia-Mr. Thomas Nelson Page--in an
address at Roanoke. in that State, said
that the South had made the history OF
the country, and had been grossly and
crimlnally negligent In leaving its re-
cordatlon TO the other side and he cited
the statement OF the Encyclopedia Bril-
tannca that the Carolinas had been saved
from barbarism mainly by their connec-
ton with the North as the most impress
sive proof Of the need for the South 10
awake and be doing In the matter OF
having herself truthfully represented in
history. II Is indeed time for the sur
viyors of the generation that is passing
away to be looking to the books from
whose pages their children are taught.
1t is indeed time for them to be encou-
raging with all their might the writing
and the circulation of books that repre-
sent them truthfuly. II they wish to
be respected by the generations coming
after.
mir. Page iamented what seems TO him
TO be a decadence In the spirit OF our
people In the last few years; decadence
manifested in u less strong feeling OF