The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-03-18
SPURIOUS ARISTOCRACY.
CARLTON MCCARTHY TALKS ABOUT
VIRGIyIA FAMILY HISTORY.
He Replies to m Article In Last sundsy'c
Times Defending Thomas Nelson Page
Against HIS Former Criticism.

Editor Times. I have just read in the
"Critics Corner" Of your issue Of Sunday,
March Iith an article headed Some
Trihing Errata," In which the writer
very mildly criticises Mr.. Thomas Nelson
Page and apologies for him by the state
ment that. Ibis literary interests lying
in the North. It is natural that he should
shade his nictures towards the side OF
northern taste. Lets take him as he Isl
The v,r,ter then proceeds to correct some
Of Mr.. Pages history and having nm
ished with Mr.. Page. speaks Of the. pres,
emf writer az follows: IL Is to be feared
tLst Nj Ntccarthys facts. also, are not
too veil Considered, although, perhaps,
TOO ,-fat,or 20 ha reviewed. IL Is hardly
TO he evnected that ne should, in the heat
OF dire indignation, nave stopped 10 IN
form himself on olr ahle 90 t tS ~ Of
tory. vet IL is remarkapie' IN the race Oh
tbo. -, on1 readable biography by
ina dietinr1,ished grandson, that he should
not have known how TO class PatricK
Henry" | wish Simply 10 say IN Jusuce
to myself that / have read more than
ono L3oora'rbv IF Patrick Henry and more
tbar - iife of StOnewall Jackson, and
I cor,c 20 tho controversy with Mr.. Page
prepared by years OF reddlng ana not Dy
any means ignorant OF the llNes OF tIe
great men of my ndlive STATE ana 90
fearlesslv pronounce the efforts so labo-
riouel,, made 10 manufacture illustrious
LINEAGE for every man who happens to
rise 10 greatness as positively absurd. /
do not believe that any man can success
fully maintain that fatrlck henry was
anything i'm his youth but an ordinary and
awkward man. engaged in the very hum
BILE pursuit of keeping a retail store In
the country His claim TO aristocracy Is
Of recent date and has been made Tor
him bv his descendants. anxious 10 SHINE
by the reflected light OIL ms sI .,Iiin,e,,
of this reflected light by adding 10 the
life Of Patrick claims TO aristocracy
which he himself never entertained.
JacISson's Ancestry.
Sfonowar Jackson must now for ef-
feet he furnished with an illustrious
ancestry. ! know by indisputable record
that he was poor shlluess' lsnvrdh.,
Stubborn slothful. and for some time a
,a~abond I know that he depended upon
the charity and f0rbearance and liberaiity
of his relatives for a support, ana that
he Gained his education through the IN
fuence Of friends in a position 10 help
him. II formerly his ancestors We're u
lustrious every trace or the greatness
which no should have derived from them
utterly disappoared before he reached ms
manhood and only reappeared when, by
tho holm of discerning friends, ne was
taken. a gawky, AWKWARD uilidnoI ~
vouth. 10 the United states Military
Academy TO be educated under the pa
fronage of his country, and TO become,
without the aid Of ancestry, the most
brilliant mote in an the universe. 10 my
mind in detracts from Stonewall Jackson
10 attempt to paint his greatness VIII, Win
the false colors Of a misty lineage. why
not at once confess that his greatness
was within himself boundless, uncon-
ouerable. and irresistible. ! resent the
animation OF the writer Of TINS arucle
that have the audacity TO appear IN
print 10 discuss subjects concerning when
i have no information, having failed 70
avail myself in long life OF the reauy
facilities afforded every earnest seeker
after information. / do not know any
thing more absurd. from my STANDPOINT
than the modern inclination 10 attempt
the moment man acquires distinction.
to demonstrate it TO be not the result OF
native greatness, but merely the outcome
of the greatness of his ancestry IL IS
no more just than it would be 10 claim
that every traitor every felon, every
monster. many of whom develop in the
highest walks of life. even upon the
throne. are but the natural results u the
depraved ancestry from which they nave
sprung.