Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-10
STATEMENT OF COLONEL CUssONs.
He Reads His Letter Explaining
Why He Retired,

Captain John Cussons, the next witness
and a very important one, began: have
had no connection with the United Con-
federate Veterans in an official capacity,
except as might be inferred from the fac.
that / was notified by Stephen b. Lee
two years ago TO join the History Com
mittee i'm it's discussions. That was SIM
ply an act of personal courtesy without
any official significance. That meeting
was held in this city. | am now a MEM
Der OF the Grand Camp of Virginia. |
assume that my resignation as chairman
Should be, member) OF the History Com
mittee. might or might not terminate my
connection with the History Committee.
i was Grand Commander Of the Grand
camp for the term preceding this pres
ent one.
q. Do you remember when you sent in
your resignation as a member Of the His
tory Committee?
A. About the 18th of October as I re-
call 1t was on reading the proceedings
OF the camp here.
Chairman Woods then handed Captain
Cussons letter which the latter had
written him, and Captain Cussons read
this as his statement The letter bears
date of December 7th, and In it Captain
Cussons says:
AS you are aware, the History Commit
zee was formed six years ago, its specific
purpose being the substitution Of fair and
honest school histories I'm place of the
false ana misleading ones which then
were and now are in common use. For four
years L have been member of that COM
mite, and when gentlemen would ear
nestly ask me what had actually been
accomplished. could only tell them that
we had succeeded in getting on the list OF
"ellglbles' TWO additional bookS-books of
perhaps rather obscure merit-the works
OF Hansel and Shinn. Meantime splendid
histories by southern authors-histories
which had been called into being by the
fair promises OF our committee-~ere
lying dust-covered on their publishers
shelves.
WHY HE FIRST ACCEPTED.
a year ago my comrades called me 10
the great place of Commander of the
Grand Camp. / should have shrunk alike
from the honorS and from the RESPONSE
biiities OF the post had ! not felt that by
strenuous EFFORT toward a single end a
beginning might perhaps be made in
breaking up the routine which seemed TO
have fossillized on this particular ques-
ton. And so last summer / directed Adj
Elicit TO keep the work
or the Grand Camp well in hand and
particularly TO ascertain what measures
the History Committee proposed TO adopt.
In answer to this question, Chairman
StuoDs replied that the proper time to
make night for such histories as the
Grand Camp might recommend would be
next spring, when the Board Of Educa-
ton should award new contracts for the
ensuing four years. / feared that II might
men DC 700 iate' tnat a change so sweep
ing as the one sought could hardly be
attained In that way Superintendent
Massey, as the educational expert OF the
board. had long been its controlling spirit
and he seemed TO be quite satisfied with
things as they were. II thus appeared
that the only way in which our schools
could be rid OF these false histories would
be by making an appeal 10 the hest
thought or the state. and to that end /
sent out circuiar-letter which resulted
IN the magnificent assembiaoe over
which DIR. Hunter Mcclure was called 20
preside on the evening OF October f9th.
HE WANTED A CHANGE.
In taking this step did not consult the
OF the History COMMITTEES. or
course. the measure was a distinct usurp.
lon or that committees function, but |
wanted results. and was willing to take |