Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-20

pectcd OF any man upon whose shoulders
no prophets mantle has fallen, wrote
and spoke as follows on this subject many
years ago:
There is" he says. zone point on
which you insist too little, which is vital
10 the young citizen OF the South. This
is that he shall not allow the dominant
party TO teach him perverted history or
the past contests This is a mistake OF
which you are in imminent peril. With
all the astute activity Of their race our
conquerors strain every nerve TO preoc-
cupy the ears of all America with the
false version Of affairs which suits the
purposes OF their usurpaton. With gi-
gantic sweep of mcndacfty this literature
aims TO falsify or misrepresent every
thing; the very facts Of history. the prin-
clples OF the former Constitution as ad-
mitted in the days Of freedom by all
statesmen Of all parties: the characters
and motives Of our patriots: the purposes
or parties; the very essential names or
rights and virtues and vices. The whole
sway OF their commercial and political
ascendency is exerted TO fill the South
with this false literature. It's sheets come
up. like the frogs of Egypt, into our
houses. our bedchambers. our very knead-
ing trOughS. Now. against this deluge or
perversions i solemnly warn young men
OF the South. not for our sakes. but for
their own. Even IL the memory of the
defeated had no rights; IL historical truth
had no prerogatives; IL IL were the same
TO you that the sires. whose blood fills
your veins. and whose names you bear. be
written down as traitors by the pen OF
slanderous history. still it is essential TO
your own future that you shall learn the
history of the past truly"
NEED OF DECISIVE ACTION.
am told that we are bound by fatal
contract which for one more session. or
half session, will compel us to disregard
this wise counsel, TO do violence to our
own convictions OF right, 10 ignore our
obligations TO the dead, and our duty to
the living.
Ii may be so. but If so. there is the
more cause that We shall this night take
such concerted action as shall make 1t.
very sure that at the earliest possible
date each and every one of the books we
now denounce shall be cast out OF our
schools and out of the State. For my
self / desire to see such action as shall
be instantly effective, and instantly re-
place the evil with the good. One gentle
man. connected with the matter, re-
Gently said to me that the cost Of 81
to each parent for the purchase OF a new
book was a serious obstacle 10 change
i'm the histories. He may nearly as well
have said that If he found In school a
false and mutilated Bible he would hesi-
tate to make a change because the one
which taught true religion cost dollar.
For TO my mind next TO teaching false
religion-next in injury done and next IN
criminalty-is to teach a false history OF
our Confederate Cause.
Not long ago when in Europe, / re-
called to mind the provinces which Ger
many in 1870 wrested from the then en-
pre of France. i learned that in That
beautiful country. of which France was
once so proud, the German language was
used by law; that German history was
taught i'm the schools; that love for the
fatherland formed the web and woot OF
all it's teaching and | felt how helpless
were the people and how hopeless was the
return Of Alsace and Lorraine ever again
to France. / did not wonder, then, one
splendid autumn day. as / stood in the
Place de la Concorde, that the people
there placed emblems of death on the
beautiful statue which represented that
province.
upon our youth, and made TO take the
place Of truth. let us dfape with Grape
and habiliments of death our statues Of
Lee and Jackson and the private soldier
for we as a people are morally dead.
| thank you for the great honor OF be-
ing selected 10 preside over this assembly.
and will not longer detain you from your
work. and call on d-Commander
Cussons to explain with further detail the
purpose of our meeting
COLONEL CUSSONS'S FINE SPEECH.
The hearty applause that greeted DR..
McGure's utterances had hardly died
away when Colonel Cussons came for
ward. He was given most cordial
greeting which he acknowledged with
bow. The Grand Commander spoke In
clear voice and with great Vlgor ana
earnestness. He said:
Mr.. Chairman, Friends. Comrades.
Ladies. and Gentlemen: Seven years ago
the Confederate Veterans of Virginia,
through their Grand Camp. appointed
Committee on history. The chief object
was TO point out the need for textbook
which should give a fair and impartial
account of our late war. And II was be-
lieved that the appearance OF such a
work would at once Danish from our
schools the biassed and misleading his
tories which were then in use. That hope
has been disappointed. IL is true that
able pens responded promptly TO the com
mittee's call, and Virginia to-day is
notably rich in school histories of the
very highest order. And yet these merit
orious books have failed TO displace the
unworthy ones.
NONE BETTER THAN OURS.
In literary ability, in fidelity 20 truth.
in lucidity of narrative, in simplicity OF
style in skill of compression, ana IN All
the mechanical qualities which comprise
the bookmakers art. we snah nowhere
find ANYTHING superior to the works OF
our own Virginia writer's. And these
hooks have the widest range OF adapta-
bility They are suited TO pupils OF every
age. From Mrs. Williamson's Life OF
Lee" a model of historical biography for
the infant class-through the primary and
advanced textbooks of Maury and Dr.
Jones. and Mrs. Pendleton Lee. and Miss
Mary Tucker Magill-up to the sedate
and scholarly exposition of j. l.. Nj
Curry. there is absolutely no need which
has not been most abundantly met.
What. then. bars the way? Why is il
that we cannot get into the hands Of our
own children these records OF our own
annals by our own authors? Here is
symbol of the power which forbids ii:
This is "a Brief history of the United
States" written by Joel Dorman Steele
and Esther Baker Steele and published
nv the American Book Company, of New
York. Cincinnati. and Chicago II is one
of a series of eight historical works. all
of which are copyrighted by A. S. Barnes
& Co, of New York. These eight books
we're written by different authors, and yet
there Is a superstition abroad that they
are the only existing histories that are
"teachable!' And, surely if "teacha-
biIty" means an aptitude for reaching
false conclusions by smooth and subtle
tvavs-for making the worse appear the
better part-for blandly distorting facts
and with an air of candor perverting
honest truths-then indeed, may this
hook be pronounced "teachable" in n very
eminent degree.
DANGER UNDER THE COATING.
like some other evil things, 1t is sugar
cd over with adulation. And where II
most abounds in fiorid compliment ii is
most misleading and most dangerous
lis worst vices. however, are not OF the
gross and obvious kind. They are unob-
frnsive. They lie beneath the surface.
mt they are constant and during the
ror period they are cloSe-woVen into the