The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-02
PEOPLES FORUM
SOUTHERN HISTORY.
DR.. Dodd and His Defenders.

Editor Richmond virginian:
sr,--1 see IN your paper OF July 18th an arti-
Gle, signed w. L. Hall Ashland, Va, which
seems mainly intended a reply to my article
published by you on July 18TH; and as de-
Tense of Or. w f.. Dodd. What I then
was not TO be spiteful," sentimental. but
for the truth Southern history and to
refute reTtan ISLANDERS Virginia and the
South, In the main the article OF Mr.. Hall Is
corroborative and not contra dictory OF what |
wrote. The points made that DIR. Dodd.
in his article IN tho Randolph Macon maga-
zine to which I referred, did repeat the same
SANDER contained IN Elsons history, This Is
ovtdent-for what other Interpretation than
miscegen2tion can be put upon the statement
that "a likely negro woman. on the block in
Richmond would easily bring $4,000" He did
not cite the price of man. The statement and
its implication are absolutely false, SO
pttsed l to such statement that
consulted a number OF persons who were
familiar with slavery times and they all ridi-
culed such an idea Among them Or Paul
Whitehead, well known man Of large OBJ
servqtion and Of exact Ideas. The title of that
article by Dr. Dodd "The Salf EGacmeent of
Virginia was in itself slander And to make
the matter worse THE article Was published IN
Virginia college monthly for the benefit OF
young men of Virginia, ana which would not
probably be seen by those who might refute It.
Why any Southern man should publish such an
article by Dr. Dodd The Self EffaceIneut OF
for understand.
THE only further differences that make with
Mr. Halls endorsement of III. Dodfs pseudo
historical sketch" is the charge that the Viz
sini;lI4s of the later slavery days were very
naturally" controlled In their ideas q great
moral question by their selfish pecuniary inter
in the profits the trade in slaves l most
cmphatcally denounce this farther SANDER
the most intelligent, moral. God fearing peo-
Pile that lived In any country, at any
time. have nothing personally against DIR.
Dodd. Mr., w. l. Hall. or any OF the numerous
college professors and presidents Of the South,
who often magnify the North at tho ex-
pense of the South, but We Confederate veterans
must fight these erroneous ideas and tell what
we, ourselves. know TO the true status OF
the anti bellum South, we'll the reasons
for the war hopes during the struggle, and
the real facts of the conflict and the reconstruct
ton, We who fought and bled for homes,
for institutions and our sacred rights, do not
now indulge in "a sentimental attachment to
what we think those institutions were We
knew then, and know now what they were.
For hfteen years before the war ] had excep-
tional opportunities for knowing all about the
social life In Virginia and other Southern States.
For eight years during my boyhood, travelled
great deal with my father--a presiding elder in
the Methodist church-in vehicle through the
country--each trip generally embracing three
weeks and rarely one night spent at
house. In this way visited. AS 1t were at
one Of the family. numerous slave holding PLAN
ters These trips covered the counties OF Meek
lenburg Brunswick. 6;reensville. Sussex. Din
widdie. Nottoway, Lunenburg, Charlotte, Amelia.
Prince Edward Gloucester Middlesex King and