The Indianapolis journal., 1899-07-27
"A MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY
The Recent Denunciation Of Mr.. Hale's
Story by Ex-Confederates.
Boston Transcript.


war has been waging in the South against
the histories of the rebellion published at
the North. and united attempts have been
made, are now making. on the part of the
veteran organizations North and South TO
secure a narrative of the great conflict
which shall be impartial and without ami
mus one way or the other. This is a
summation devoutly to be wished, for II
history be merely statements agreed upon.
it is desirable that the agreed-upon state
ments shall be agreeable to all parties
whom they concern. 1t is doubtful, per-
haps, If ever a history of the war will ap-
pear which will offend nobody, and II II
did appear it would be likely to be so insipid
as to find few readers. The best that can
be hoped for is a history which shall give
both sides where there is difference In
authorities and let the reader take his
choice
But it seems that the South is rather
supersensitive in regard to the part taken
by 1t in the war of secession, II the men,
bers of Camp Sterling Price, OF Dallas.
Tex, are fairly representative Of the domi-
nant sentiment Of the States formerly in
rebellion. 1t was recently discovered by
some of the lighters of the lost cause
that In the library Of the Central High
School at Dallas was a book entitled "A
Man Without a Country" and that this
book contained matter which was obnox-
ious to the feelings Of the organized camps
OF Confederate soldiers and pernicious IN
its possible influence upon the children or
the public schools. and that II ought TO be
incontinently banished from the land.
1t is not often that an author receives
(and richly deserves) so magnincent gra-
tuit0us advertisement OF his writings as
Rev. DR.. Hale gets from Camp Sterling
comrade c de- James % B. Simpson. who speaks
for the camp, places upon Mr.. Hale's liter
airy abilities. there can be no doubt that
increase its sale and therefore enhance the
fame and fortunes of it's author. Comrade
Simpson says. apparently In an apologize
through what he characterizes as some
what inane and commonplace brochure" by
reason Of the fact that some of the pupils
in the public schools are permitted or in
vited to peruse 1t under the suggestion that
1t is work by master of the English
clares that the work is "a disjointed, in
felicitous and utterly improbable story"
slurs upon men Of the Southern race should
forbid teachers or boards Of school trustees
having any self-respect or regard for the
of history to permit it's use in our public
schools" He continues:
Mr.. Hale. after referring with an unctu-
Gus feeling or approval to the song sung by
patriotic Cd boys. Well Hang JEFF Davis
TO Sour Apple Tree, is pleased to refer to
Bragg, Beauregard and Maury as typical
Southern men who have perjured them
selves by breaking a soldiers and sailors
oath; to gloat over their supposed agony of
repentance and to suggest that ADDED TO
that one who sees them will see them TO
despise and execrate them.
Beauregard nor Maury deserves to be either
despised or execrated, and that our chill
dren should not be taught in our own
men and their associates should be forever
despised and execrated. Why should they.
and those who believed with them. DE
treated as social or moral iepers. as Mr..
Hale, in his Christian charity, SO benef-
Gently suggests. Mr.. Hale and his
fellow-sentImentalists have failed to appre-
ciate such matchless and imperishable nero
ism. They rather prefer to exalt and defy
the characetr OF John Brown. who proposed
the hideous brutality Of insurgent Africans.
Edward Everett Hale has an exquisite
charity for John Brown and those who sent
him on his fearful errand of rape rapine
and murder, but he has only bitter words of
despite and execration for those who saw
utter my solemn protest against the use
OF Mr.. Hale's work in our schools, and
again submit that our children should not
De 1noculated with its teachings"
This address, We are told was productive
of applause and Endorsement from Camp
Sterling Price. 1t was determined to bring
y,
liar publications in general, to the atten-
ton of school authorities not only in Texas,
but throughout the Southern States, with
the demand that they be eliminated from
the list of text books and the school libra
ries. Other camps of Confederate Veterans
have been requested to take similar action.
The story of Philip Nolan, the man with
out country, was in Mr.. Hale's mind long
before the of the rebellion broke out.
He says he had been thinking of 1t ever
since when in his youth he read Scotts
Napoleon" 1t was partly due to other and
more pressing demands upon his attention
that the writing of the story was delayed
so long. and at the last because of "a GER
of most monthly Journals" so that it did
not appear in print until December, 1868.
There really is nothing In the narrative it
self that can affect anyone whose withers
are unwrung, although there Is no doubt a
great deal In II that might trouble an un-
easy conscience. 1t is the authors note to
the edition Of 1883 which stirs up Comrade
Simpson and the members of Sterling Price
Camp generally, but even here a reader not
over-sensitive will find little TO disturb him,
unless he take II to be an offence to refer In
any way to things which are matters Of his
tory about which there can be no doubt.
Mr.. Hale's book has had quite a vogue not
only with English readers, but among the
guages 1t has been translated. So upon the
whole, Comrade Simpsons finding IL in
ane'' and ''disjointed I'm style Is so much
in the nature Of an original discovery and
startling sensation that IL may give the
story an added interest for curious readers,
say such as the Baconians, or any who like
to find I'm their reading what is not sus-