Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-05-31
COMMUNICATED
DOES THE NORTH WANT THE
TRIITHf

The history of Southern heroism and
Southern civilization, entitled "Hslf
Hours in Southern History, written by
Prof. j. Leslie Hall, of William and
Mary College, and published in beauti-
ful form by the B. F. johnson Com
pany, OF Richmond, has been scornfuliy
received by some OF the leading papers OF
the north. The Cleveland (Ohio) Plain
Dealer, after speaking favorsbly of the
chapters on the so-cslled "Old South, !"
saws: "His people were thrashed,
thrashed with terrible severity, by big
ger brother who was stalwart enough to
administer the merited chastisement.
And the insult Of having been whipped
still rarkles, even though the most par
tlssn writer cannot but admit that there
was no other course possible. Undoubt-
edly the book will be read with hearty
approval by the apparently increasing
cisss Of soutberners who seek to revivify
the almost forgotten animosities.
In a similar spirit the New York Sun
saws: "It was to be hoped that the
foolish and mischievous spirit shown In
Half Hours in Southern History was
completely extinct. The author has
perfect right to believe in extreme State
rights and in the justice eff the South
ern cause. Heprefers abuse TO argument,
however. With his sketches of eminent
Southeruers except for the comments
intetiected, there is no fault to find; the
great men of our history before the war
belong to the whole country, and even
to the Confederate heroes like Lee and
Jackson the North now does full JUS
tice. An extract will show the authors
method: "John Marshall, also, uncon
sciously forged chains to bind his state
and bis people. Selected as chief-jus-
tice by John Adams. theFettlring Federal
pre,ed the constitution in such way
as to make himself one of the few
southern man that have never been
abused By billingsgate orators OF tne
North and claptrsp professors OF history;
Ia far happier vein, however, the
New Eugland Journal OF Education
ay,. "No book could be more welcome
or of greater service. Prof. Hall was
mere boy when the civil war closed
a. that he has none OF the relationship
10 that war, for good or i'll, which would
have been probable had he been born
len wears earlier His university worS
was done at Johns Hopkins, which
cave a good blending of northern and
southern associations. He is in his
torian with q national reputation tC
maintain, and as historian he writes
OF course he is a Southern man, aud
ne must hold his Southern audience
| which he has certainly done, but he hal
not done it by appealing to preludice'
| bu. by msgnifyiug, primarily, the earl
| glory Of the southland, and by making
personal heroes of the individuals VIII
manifested bravery in various fields. In
method of treatment is fascinating. IL
the modern psrsgrapher's ideal in tha
Zach specisl sutj ct-about 22O-is Pu
| with all the glow Of the essayist. IL
| a book that will be read by all souther
students and scholars, and 1t should :
resd as universally in the north. 1t woul
do us all good"
The book is being received most eI
thusiasticsly by great Southern pspe
and prominent men Of the South. a
eminent authority on the South say
81 regard your work as one of the mo
valuable to the South, and especially
the young people Of the South, that b ,,
! come under my observation since I
: war" ,.
The Norfolk Landmark, in an editor
SAYS: He is aggressive, polemical, OFT
yehtmept iu the assertion OF the oouti
, services and sacrifices, but there is rs
800 of hitterness in his work."