The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-22
THE SOUTH HIS THEME
BRILLIANT LECTURE BY HON.
THOMAS f. WATSON.
FACTS, WIT AND SARCASM
HE EXPLAINED HOW THE SOUTH
MADE HISTORY AND NORTH
WROTE 1T.

said the South Is Going Down in
History rs Composed of "RebeIs
md TrnitOrs''-CaIIed on His Hear
ers to Combat These Statements.
Told of Achievements of Southern
Men Since the Settlement I'm Amer
ica-Mhde Fun of the History and
Poetry Supplied by Northern Writ
ers-Says the south Must Settle the
Race Question without Interfer-
ence From NOrth-WiII Write IA
History of the Republic.
Hon. Thomas f. Watson, lecturer
and author, delivered at the Theater
last night. a lecture under the aus
pieces of Post A., Travellers Protective
Association. His subject was 1.-The
South" and on this theme he was
heard, appreciated and enthusiastic
caTly applauded by one of the largest
audiences that has attended lecture
in Savannah in many years.
On the platform with Mr.. Watson
were Col. Rufus E. Lester, Col. j.
H. Estill, Mayor Herman Myers, Hon.
w. w. Osborne, Judge Thomas M.
Norwood, Mr.. A. w. Morehouse, Mr..
A. Barnett, Mr.. Hugo 1. Frank, Rev.
Ed. F. Cook, and Hon. Robert M.
Hitch, who introduced the speaker.
Mr.. Watson's lecture was all that
might be expected of the man who In
Mr.. Hitch's terms, is lone of the
greatest living Americans; not only
a great American but, better still, a
great Southerner, and still better, a
great Georgian. A man whose for
tunes and thoughts are of Georgia
mould; who was born, reared and edu-
Gated within the confines of the state,
who is always for Georgia, for all
Georgia and all for Georgia. A man
who satiated with successes at the
bar. turned to literature, and as the
author of a history of France and
life of Napoleon, has achieved interna-
tional fame as an author.
History Made by the south.
Mr.. Watson's lecture was devoted
to showing that though the South
made history the North had written
1t and in so doing had failed in very
many instances to give the credit
where it was due. He began with the
first settlements in America and cited
fact after fact to show the business of
his argument.
1t was not with bare facts alone,
however, that he held the closest at
tention and sympathy of his audience
for the two hours that the lecture
lasted but by little excursions from
his subject, little explanatory asides,
brilliant sarcasm, some il yelled, but
so thinly that it lost none of it's eff
feet. flashes of wit and brilliant rhetor-
ical climaxes, that caused him to be
often interrupted both by merriment
and applause.
Mr.. Watson began by saying that
he is often tempted to ask why the
Southern people are so Indifferent to
their history, and to wonder if they
realize that they are being handed
down in the national records as rebels
and traitors, and that the states of the
South are being classed apart as the
black sheep of the flock.
sidelights on History.
He illustrated what he meant by
saying that recently a book had been
printed called "Sidelights on American
History" that it was written by Prof
A. NJ. Eldon of the North, printed by
the Mcmillan Publishing Company of
the North, that 1t is being widely read
and its statements accepted, and that
without a protest from the South.
though sample of it's contents is the
statement made by the author that
Abraham Lincoln was removed by
Providence because his policy of re-
construction was too lenient to the
South; that Booth was inspired by di-
rtae Providence to assassinate Lincoln
that the South might have it's deserts.
rs 1t right and just" he asked.
that the South should be so misjudged
by history? If it is right, let US bend
our heads and take the stripes, but
If it is unjust, then we owe it to our
selves and our children to combat this
sort of literature until justice is done
us.
II am assured of sympathetic hear
ing" he continued, when l speak of
history in Savannah almost on the
grounds where were fought many of
the battles of the Revolution, yet il
Is not in my heart to say a thing that
will fan to life the flames of sectional
discerd. But for the things l speak
for my own people to have justice done.
no true-hearted patriot North, South,
East or West will criticize the speak
er."
How the South Has Suffered.
Then Mr.. Watson began to explain
wherein the South had suffered at the
hands of the historians. He claimed
mat the principles of Democracy and
Anglo-Saxon liberty were established
in Virginia before the landing of tbe
Pilgrim Fathers; that the government
established by the Puritans was moth
ing more than narrow minded theo-
crracy, that only persons who con-
formed to it could hold office or had
civil rights; that they prosecuted both
Baptsts and Quakers, and even ugly
OLD men and women. these under the
name of witches. Then, he added
And how would have suffered under
that law"
All the principles of Democracy" he
continued, were planted in the South
and when the time came to defend
these principles, for Liberty in
its last analysis is the blood Of the
braVe-'when, 1 say. the time came
for our people to defend these prin-
ciples, they paid this price
Mr.. Watson made fun of the iuonort-
ance that current histories attach TO
the Boston Tea Party" He claimed
that the first opposition to the STAMP
act developed in North Carolina before
the Massachusetts affair took place
and that this opposition was so violent
that Gov. Tryon was forced to al
Journ the legislature to prevent the in
surrection from breaking out then.
He minimized the Importance of the
Boston disturbance further by saying
that after all it only amounted to men
disguised, preeaution for which there
was no reason, boarding ships, on
which there were no fighting men. TAX
ing "the unresisting tea chests and
dumping them into the helpless ocean,"