The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-07
APPEAL FOR AID TO
WRITE A HISTORY.
A Great Work That Is to Be
Undertaken by Prof. r. H.
Dabney.
University Of Virginia,

DdDllOy.
University Of Virginia,
February 1. 1908,
TO the Editor Of The Times Dispatch,
Richmond, Va:
Dear slr,-I take the liberty Of urgently
inviting your attention to the following
appeal to the Southern people. 1t deals
with matter which, 1 believe, will BIO OF
interest to your subscribers, and II you
vii, BIO so kind as to publish 1t and give
1t editorial notice III your columns, you
Will confer great favor upon
Yours very truly.
Professor Of History at the University Of
Virginia.
To the People Of the South:
Having determined to attempt writing
the history Of reconstruction in the South,
desire to appeal most earnestly for the
nid and cooperation OF all persons having
accurate knowledge OF any facts that
would shed light upon that period. or who
can tell me where or how such knowl-
| edge may be obtained.
Many persons possess books pamphlets
newspapers or letters giving contcmpora-
rs accounts of events from the time Of
| Lfncoln's reconstructive experiments down
to the withdrawal Of Federal troops from
the South by Hayes. Such historical ma
terial, though comparatively useless In
many cases to Its owners, and lying upon
dusty shelves or garrett floors, would be
OF incstimable value to the historical In
vestgator Much OF 1t, however, now In
danger of being lost or destroyed, would
be preserved for posterty IL deposited in
the absolutely fre-proof library Of the
University OF Virginia. Lack OF means
unfortunately prevents the University. as
Well as myself, from purchasing much OF
this material, although should be glad
to know tho price of newspaper files or
| anything else with which the owners are
unwilling to part except for money.
But appeal earnestly to the patriotism
of our people, either to give books.
pamphlets newspapers. old letters, ETC.,
glnia, or at any ratio to lend them to
me personally for time.
Many persons who ctually lived through
| the days of reconstruction have knowl-
edge Of interesting and Important incl
cents that occurred under their own eyes.
These incidents. II unrecorded. should be
| recorded now, and strongly urge every
one who wishes the history OF the South
| to be based upon facts rather than hear
i say to write and give me as many such
facts as possible Opinions concerning the
significance Of facts will also be well
i coined; but those who have no time for
| writing dissertations can none the less
| n
/ statements OF concrete facts. Such state
ments are desired from men Of all pollt-
lea! parties and from natives of all sec
| tions of the country-from Unionists as
we'll as tSecesslOnists-and from those who
approved as well as those who disapprovcd
of the reconstruction acts Of Congress-
1t is impossible to enumerate all the
kinds of facts desired. but 1t may be
stated, as a general guide to correspond
ents, that any information will be APP
preclated that will throw light for exam-
| pie, upon the economic conditions of the
| South In 1865: upon the attitude of differ
| ent social classes toward each other upon
the extent to which ante-bellum partisan
| political feelings revived; upon the feel
| irgs of Southerners toward the North and
| the Union and toward Northern settlers in
| the South: upon the conduct OF the ne
| groes and the feelings Of the whites to-
| ward them in 1865 and afterwards; upon
Iincoln's reconstructive policy III certain
! States; upon the Freedmens Bureau and
! Its workings: upon Northern teachers of
| negro schools and their treatment by the
| whites; upon the influence of Andrew
Johnson's policy upon Southern political
| action; upon tho motive of State Legts-
| latures Sin passing the laws limiting the
| freedom ofsnegroes; upon the workings of
| these laws; upon the motives for rejecting
| the Fourteenth Amendment in 1866; upon
| the exact methods OF controlling negroes,
whether by deception, intimidation, vio-
| lence or proper personal influence; upon
| the personal characteristics OF the mill
! tary commanders and the civil officials of
/ States;t counties or eci ties upon the actual
management of financial, judicial and
other affairs of the reconstruction gov
crnments;S upon the effects of Johnson s
impeachment IA upon Southern opinion;
| upon the Loyal League; upon the Ku
1 klux Khan, the Knights of the White Ca
| nlelia and similar organizations either
i general. or local; upon election methods
on both sides at different dates etc, etc.
/ The time has come when no man need
| fear to speak out concerning the methods
by which the Southern people overthrow
| the reconstruction regime. For the North
no longer desires to revive that regime,
and many Northerners now understand
and admit not only that the radical policy
| of, Congress was in many respects a blum
| der. but that no .high-shrited people
would have hcsltated to resist It. tooth
| and nail. Nevertheless. all correspond
ents giving me information concerning
threats or acts OF violence In which they
| participated are, of course, assured that
their names will not be revealed without
| their consent.
IT would BIO Of assistance to me If every
correspondent who wills to do so would
| state the date and place of his BIRTH his
| occupation now and during reconstruction
| tines the political party or parties with
| which he has been connected. and the
name and birthplace Of his father
j r. Fl. DAI3NEY. X
| University Of Virginia, February i, 1908.
MAXEC UVMCEIE