The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-05-09
NO INTOLERANCE.

We were very much interested in read
ing in yesterdays Times the account of
the proceedings in Lee Camp sons of
Veterans on Monday night last. It was
stated to the camp that one of the
largest female schools in the city it has
been the habit of one of the history
teachers, who was graduated from a
Northern college although of honored
Southern parentage. to PROFOUND to the
scholars such questions as the following:
Docs any subsequent history prove
that the position Of the North in the late
war was right?"
Have you anything to say for John
Brown
And receiving no answer to this aues-
ton he proceeds to deliver eulogy on
Brown. The account of the matter pro-
sceeds thus:
This information was received by the
camp with establishment and the matter
was referred to its History Committee
for such action as it may be able to
take The camp hopes that such influence
may not spread evil effects and that it
may be successfully counteracted.''
These proceedings show a most COM
mendable spirit in these young gentlemen
for vindicating and protecting the mem
DRY of their fathers. But they nave just
suspicion of intolerance. and we want
to caution our young friends against any
thing of that sort. It is entirely out of
place for any professor of history in
Southern School or college to deliver
eulogy to his scholars upon John Brown.
Their minds being in a formative condi-
ton, anything of that sort is liable to
give them an entirely erroneous trend.
But we see no reason why a professor in
a Southern school or college might not
ask his pupils If subsequent history does
not prove that the position Of the North
in the late war was right, nor do we see
any reason why he should not ask them
If they can say anything for John Brown.
OF course the questions must be asked in
the proper spirit. They must not be ask
ed in the way. of an argument that the
North was right or in the way of an ar
gument that John Brown was a saint,
but they might very we'll be asked as a
stimulus to inquiry and reflection, and
the formation OF sound judgment upon
both paints, and If asked in that spirit
there is no reason Why these questions
should not be asked of Southern pupils
and there is every reason why they should
be-
For ourselves, we have no sort of doubt
81
the right one. and that the North's side
was the wrong one but we do not wish
TO coerce our children into holding that
opinion simply because we hold it. We
do not wish the minds of our children
to be biased by unfair argument, whilst
they are incapable of distinguishing be-
tween sophistry and truth. but we do
wish them 10 be perfectly free to ex-
anime this subject for themselves and to
make up their own minds upon it, ire
spective of what we may think about it.
We are also quite willing that our.
children shall study the life and adven-
lures OF John Brown, and determine for
themselves as TO whether he was blood
thirsty demon or fanatic ana zealot,
who believed that it was his mission to
free thu slaves.
To sum it al, up we wish to say that
NE ahhor intolerance In all things. We
want me human mind left free to seek
truth whenever and wherever it is CON
fronted with questions; and whilst. as we
have said. the minds of our children must
not be poisoned in infancy and puptIage
/. by erroneous and misleading suggestions.
thsis minds must nor be put into 4