The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1895-11-21
TEACH THE TRUTH.

A few weeks since we referred to the
Importance of excluding from our
schools such histories as do not meet
out the truth with respect to the
record of the South. We would re-
call the subject today to note with
pleasure that the eminent DR.. j. l..
NJ. Curry has issued a work entitled
ssThe Southern States of the Ameri-
can Union, Considered in Their
Relations to the Constitution of the
United States and to the Resulting
Union" This book is dedicated ''to
the surviving soldiers and sailors
who fought in the war between the
States, who respect the patriotism
and courage of their foes, and who
would rally with equal readiness
under the stars and stripes in defense
of the constitution and the union;
and to all Americans who love jus
tice and TRUTH
The tenor and purpose of DR..
Curry's work are set forth in COM
ments thereupon by the Atlanta
Constitution, from which we make
the following extracts:
"The volume is not large one
not much time need be taken up in
reading it-but it deaie with COM
prehensive subject in a comprehen-
sive way. But comprehensiveness is
not the only nor the chief merit of
the book. The charm that it will
have for thoughtful minds lies in its
clear, unprejudiced and olspassion-
ate presentation of the common
facts of history-tacts that have
been ignored almost entirely by the
prolific historians of our section and
inadequately presented by the writer's
of the other section.
The purpose of the book is briefly
but clearly set forth. 1t is the re
storation OF the South to it's true
place in the story of the formation of
our government, to accurately set
forth the true record OF the South,
rich in patriotism, in intellectual
force, in civic and military achieve
ments, in heroism, and in honorable
and sagacious craftsmanship, of
proper share in which no American
can afford to deprive himself. Moved
by these honorable and legitimate
purposes the author proceeds to
show the part that the South has
taken in the formation OF our great
republic, vehemently denying any
wish to reopen settled controversies
or to change the legitimate results
of the war of secession.
His book is SO significant that
after reading it we are moved to ask
what shall our children be taught?
And the answer is, that it is our
duty to teach them the truth. They
should be taught to know and clear
ly understand the issues that led up
to the war between the North and
South. These issues have never been
stated with more clearness and vigor
or with less prejudice than in DR..
Curry's book.
He shows beyond all question that
the North latter inaugurating slavery,
turned the institution over to the
South and then procee ded to make
it Infamous; that the North, after
inventing the theory of notification,
posed to use it as q remedy; and that
the North, after proposing secession
and arguing in it's favor, took up
arms against it when tie South
adopted it.
Tt is q histr rical fact that secession
was an open question in all the
States prior to 1860, and even as
late as that year was strenuously
advocated by the abolitfonists. The
New England States had threatened
secession On many occasion and in
many Of them the fugitive slave law
was actually nullifed. The aboli-
tionists declared that they wanted
ian anti.slavery constitution, an
anti-slavery Bible and an anti
slavery God. The federal constitn-