The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-09-08
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 1899.
THE SOUTH SHOULD USE HTS OWN
HISTORY.

histories is much discussed. There
are two histories Of the United States
nv Virginians, and each has many
special champions. Doubtless both
have particular merits to commend
them. If not perfect, or the best pos
sfble, al least good enough for general
Use and for school histories. In May
1875, more than twenty-four years ago
we wrote a paper ON the SUBJECT
1.-THE South Must Write Its Own His
tories" Since then we have often
hammered upon this important sub
iect. The South must have a history
of the great war, its causes as we'll as
sts results. We believe that no history
should be used in southern schools
that is not from a southern author.
We long ago insisted that southern
teachers should USE i nthe schools only
such histories of our country as they
knew from close. personal examination
were fair and trustworthy. Parents
have been far too indifferent in this
matter and long ago should have for
hidden the teaching of northern school
histories of the United States to their
children
Pliny, the Younger, wrote o than
eighteen centuries ago that oratory n
poetry are of little value unless they
reach the highest perfection, a remark
that we believe has much Of truth in
it. But he farther says, that history,
in whatever way it may be exercised,
is a source Of pleasure" This is to us
a very hard saying, and we reject the
statement. In Pliny's day it may have
been true, but if HE had lived until now
and had examined certain alleged his
tories we could name, we are ready to
believe that the distinguished Roman
orator and author would have modified
his statement. We have aforetime ex-
amined some works, NorthC Carolina pro-
auctions among them, THAT We're about
as bad as bad could be-that were so
~irredeemably stupid and poor as to de-
SEINC pGIIdpS IN UCUIcI ldIC lhd " OO
~relegated to the limbo of insipidities
and inanities. 1t would require the
most inveterate archaeologist or anti
50 luarian, aided by the best help of adj
y vanced chemistry, to extract any pala-
: table juices from such very dry bones
of history. And yet there have not been
Wanting people who imagined them
delightfully."- ~appetizing and refreshing.
Perhaps certain northern school his
tories should be catalogued with these
for certes they are generally as unreli-
able as poorly written. WE have
known of several northern historic
aGbortions and defamers of the south,
that teemed literally with plumbers,
ISLANDERS and falsehoods. How could
southern youth possibly ever learn
truth from these gross perversions and
~caricatures of historic composition?
Years ago we took some pains to ex-
anime several northern school histories.
They were so grossly unfair and so
overlooked with errors that We were
both amazed and disguised. How so
much error could be put into such
books was rather curious unless the
purpose from the start was to see how
asy it was ito avoid the truth and
magnify error. All that we have seen
ebound in n@ost inexcusable ignorance
and most wipdl perversion of facts.
We know it isseasy to err, but a writer
of history could scarcely be excused
who would tell his readers that George
Washington was born in London and
that Christopher Columbus was a
Norwegian Now the aforesaid histo-
ries did not say that, but they said
things that were as blunderingly stu,
.pid and untrue. When We read such
cradle historic traversties, we ar
ready to say with that corrupt Brit
ish minister, Sir Robert Walpole, al
history is a lie" No man can ex
anime the works referred to withou
believing that the sweeping charg'
brought against history by that great
est OF modern rulers and soldiers, Ma
.poleon, is true when applied at least Il
such books, that in the hands of sucl
authors history is a fable agrees
upon"
There have been some good historic
of the United States published-thos
by Alexander H. Stephens. DR.. Jones's
Mrs. Lees and perhaps others. The,
should be used until superseded by
better work. The south needs yer.
much and must have a scholarly, accu
rate, ably written history of the grea
war for second independence. It is full