The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-22
TEACH THE CHILDREN WE WE'RE
RIGHT.


In the dedicatory ceremonies at Chicka-
manga. Governor Woodbury.. OF Vermont,
said that the children Of the country
should be taught that the South was
wrong I'm the war Governor TCrney.
OF Tennessee. an old Confederate soldier,
replied to this. He said that he believ-
ed he was right every day of the four
years and nineteen days that he was in
the Confederate army, that he still be-
leves he wss right, and that he should
teach his children that he was right.
This is the talk that should be heard
from Southern men upon every occa-
SIGN when the war is brought under dis
cusslon. No fair-minded man can make
a study of our Constitution and OF the
history OF the country when it was adopt
ed. and doubt that the States adopting 1t
understood that they would have rlght
10 withdraw from the Union If they
should find continued membership OF it
opposed TO their interests or the feelings
Of their people. The ratification OF the
Constitution by Virginia's convention,
for instance. was obtained with the
greatest difficulty only. and it is absurd
TO say that that ratification could have
been obtained at all II the friends of
the Constitution had said openly to the
convention that they were drawing the
State into a compact from which she
could never withdraw. The Constitution
Ao.r hod oh nf
before Virginias convention II that had
been announced to IL. and, probably. not
before the convention of any one of the
States. We had right TO withdraw from
the Union, and the war which the North
ern States made upon us was therefore
a war Of aggression and conquest in
which we had all of the right of the case
and they had nothing but the wrong Of
it. We should teach our children this,
then, that they may look upon their
fathers as honorable men who bravely
battled for the right, rather than as
traitors and rebels whose course in life
cannot be studied by their sons except
with shame. For this reason we are
upon the use Of Barnes history Of the
United States In our public schools. 1t is
written by Northern man, whose SYM
pathies were with the North in the war.
He has given Northern coloring 10
all he has said about the causes OF the
war and the war itself We OBJ
1ect to Southern children being
taught the history of our strug-
gle from any such standpoint We
want to see the book excluded from
our schools and Mrs. Lees history
adopted in its place. That Is a fair. can
did. truthful history Of tho case. but
from the pen OF a writer who loves
the South and who idolizes the memory
OF the great men who secured deathless
fame for the South and her armies
during the four years OF the war.
great part OF the civilized world out
side Of America has already learned the
truth about our contest, and correct
information concerning 1t is making its
way in the North also. For a long time
after the war no Northern man re-
ferred to IL except In thesspirit Of max
Ing treason odious" But great change
has already taken place In their manner
OF reference to the war. and that change
10 growing all the time. 1t was very no.
ticeable that every Northern speaker at
the Ch.ckamauga exercises. whether col
der OF politician. spoke OF The Confed-
crate soldier and his cause. respectfully
ana considerably. Even that dyed-in-
ths-wool old South hater. Governor Nor.
ton. Of New York. an old stalwart OF
the stalwarts. said:
stIsAsush che srsaa state Of New