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WA ISON'S LIFE AND TIMES OF THOMAS JEFFERSON „
TO APPEAR SERIALLY IN THE CONSTITUTION
Latest Contribution of the Famous Georgian to His
tory Will Shortly Be Presented to the
Readers of This Paper.
HIGH AIM OF MR. WATSON
Mr. Watson’s Purpose in Writing the Life of the
Father of Democracy Is to Set the South
Right in History.
It is with peculiar pleasure that
The Constitution announces the
publication, beginning July i, as a
serial, of the latest and most im
portant contribution to historv by
Hon. Thomas E. Watson.
Beginning the first week in
July, Mr. \\ atson’s “The Life and
Times of Thomas Jefferson’’ will
appear in regular installments in
the columns of this newspaper.
As is explained by Mr. Watson
elsewhere on this page, ’'The Life
and limes of Thomas Jefferson’’
is written as the first portion—the
opening chapter, in a sense—of a
history of the United States de
signed to do justice to the south.
The need for such a work is recog
nized by all fair-minded men; the
demand for it is not limited to the
southern states, for even beyond
their borders has the suspicion
grown to conviction that these
states, and their sons who have
played such conspicuous parts in
the making of national history,
have not been given, by other his
tory-makers, the place they de
serve .
Justice Should Be Done.
It is time that full justice should
be done ; and the high purpose and
the splendid attainments in his
torical writing of Mr. Watson
mark him as preeminently the
man for the task.
It is no light task. Mr. Wat
son's history is to be in no sense
sectional. His aim is a thorough
ly national work in which all sec
tions. all states and all men shall
be given full justice. There will
be no rancor toward the men of
the northern states who contrib
uted splendidly their part in the
upbuilding of this great country
in retaliation for obvious misrep
resentations by their writers of
the men of the south; there will
be no distortion of the facts to the
disparagement of anybody.
Around Lives of Leaders.
Following the plan of his high
ly valuable and highly popular
“Napoleon,” Mr. V\ atson’s his
tory of the United States will be
written around the lives of the
men who were the dominant fig
ures in the epoch in which they
lived. The part played by the
south in the struggle for national
independence and in the stirring
times which marked the birth and
the early days of the republic is
written about the life of the man
who did most to influence and
mold American sentiment. Thom
as Jefferson.
It is most natural that he. of all
men of his time, should have been
selected. Many volumes have
been written about Jefferson.
Some have been gross, malicious,
malignant misrepresentations of
the man, his works, his purposes;
some have been eulogistic of the
man to a degree, but not broad in
their scope of contemporary his 1
torv; some have been merely in
adequate. Mr. Watson’s life is
far broader than a mere biogra
phy or historical sketch of the
man, for it. is the history of an
epoch: it is frank in its chroni
cling of the petty foibles which
have furnished malignant amuse
ment to Jefferson’s critics; it is a
broad, comprehensive, impartial
presentation of the facts about
the man himself and his influence
upon American thought and
American action, of the master
part be played in shaping the des
tiny of his people, of the true re
lationship of his actions to Amer
ican history.
Inception of the Work.
The work has its birth in a
popular demanfl.
Last winter when Mr. Watson,
This Great Historic Serial Begins in The Weekly Constitution July Ist. It Appeals to
Every American---Especially to the South. A Special Summer Rate of ONLY 25 CENTS is
Made for all Subscriptions to THE WEEKLY CONSTITUTION FROM NOW TO OCTOBER Ist.
Send in Your Name Now and Begin with the Beginning of Mr. Watson’s Great History.
j in Atlanta and elsewhere, deliver
' ed his famous lecture, in which
Ihe discussed the injustice done
, the south in our histories, it
i was most noticeable that the
sentiment which called forth
I the greatest enthusiasm on the
I part of his audiences was that
the time had surely come when
some historian should rise and fill
the void. '1 his sentiment inspired
enthusiasm at the north as well
as here in the south. The strength
of it could not be misinterpreted.
Mr. Watson, in his explanation
i of the reasons which impelled him
) to undertake the task,refers to the
, reception given this sentiment
i upon the two occasions when he
lectured in Atlanta, and to the
suggestion then made him. This
same suggestion was made him
later in different ways. In person,
by letter, through the newspapers,
it was impressed upon him that
he was preeminently the man to
undertake the task. He deter
mined to do so.
Mr. Watson's Splendid Abilities.
| To this labor of patriotic love he
j brings all the qualities essential to
‘ the real historian.
hen Mr. Watson began his
I History of France, he contemplat
!cd a comparatively short work.
Such a wealth of material lav bc-
I fore him, however, that he found
it would be unjust to himself and
his aims to attempt to keep it
within the bounds of a single vol
ume. The completion of the sec
ond volume carries him up to the
appearance on the horizon of the
Corsican Little Corporal who was
I destined to carry his countrv to its
I highest pinnacle of greatness, and
i he conceived the idea of writing
; his third volume around the life
■of that human marvel. The sttc
j cess of his “Napoleon" was in
i stantaneous. This popular meth
-lod of treatment did not in the
■ least detract from the historical
heights which had in the eyes of
students and critics been attain
ed by the two earlier volumes, but
on the contrary it added greatly to
the number of his readers.
Os Absorbing Interest.
This same method of treatment
has been followed in his Historv
of the United States. “'The Life
and Times of Thomas Jefferson"
is the first installment. This will
I be followed in due time by simi
l lar treatment of succeeding histor
ical epochs—these being handled
with special reference to the part
played by the man who was the
central figure of each epoch—
such as Andrew Jackson, John C.
Calhoun and Robert E. Lee.
The opening chapters of “The
Life and Times of Thomas Jeffer
son" are deeply interesting. The
popular style of the “Napoleon"
iis maintained throughout. Im
mediately the reader feels him
self in touch with Jefferson, the
man. The portrait is outlined
with all the skill of the. etcher.
Some popular illusions about the
man are dispelled : some misrep
resentations of him are corrected.
In Mr. Watson's hands he is
neither infamous politician nor
idol; he is a man—a very human
man—in thorough touch with the
spirit of the times in which his
young manhood fell, a man in-
I spired with the highest purposes
i and honestly striving to live up to
his ideals. Jefferson is one of
the most fascinating characters in
American history because to him
and his influence is due so much
of the true American spirit; and
Mr. Watson makes him live again.
TBJC WEEKLY CONSTITUTION: ATLANTA. GA.. MONDAY. JUNE 1, 1903.
MR. WATSON DISCUSSES HIS AIMS
IN WRITING LIFE OF JEFFERSON
. Moved by Desire That
the South Shall Re
ceive Justice.
1 SOUTH’S SIDE
TO BE SHOWN
Children Taught History
from Books That In
sult This Section.
(By Thomas E. Watson—For
The Constitution.)
Mv special purpose in writing
i “The Life and Times of Thomas
I Jefferson” has been to make it the
first part of a new history of the
I United States, whose intention is
to do justice to the south. From
the settlement of Virginia in 1619,
'at which time our southern an
cestors founded democratic insti
tutions on this continent, down to
1826, the principal events of our
history are outlined; and the true
■ position of the south made clear.
: There is absolutely no single book
j on the market which does this.
• The histories of our country which
I are within the reach of the aver-
I age reader are written from the
I New England point of view; and
I the glorious past-record of the
1 south is being lost. I have drawn
1 mv facts from original publica
tions in the states, from books by
I southern authors which never
i leached a general circulation ami
I are now out of print, from various
memoirs, biographies of eminent
men. state papers and public doc- ;
uments. There is not a fact used
by me which I will not prove, if
| challenged.
; After my lecture in Atlanta, one I
vear ago, at which time I was the '
guest of my friend, the Hon. Clark
Howell, much was said about my
| public pledge to prepare a histor
: teal work in • -which the south
j should be fairly treated. I found
: that there was a greater demand
\ tor such a book than I had sup
■ posed. Frequently my references
; io such an undertaking would be
j welcomed with a genuine enthusi
! asm which was profoundly im -
! pressive, as well as touching.
It was from Hon. Clark
: Howell that I first received the
\ suggestion to publish my book as
-a serial before giving it book
form ; and it is because of that sug
gestion that “The Life and Times
of Thomas Jefferson” will appear
in The Atlanta Constitution.
All the leading facts of our his
tory from the formation of the.
first confederation of the united
colonics are grouped around Jef
ferson as the central figure, just
| as the remaining epochs of our
history will pivot on such leading,
representative characters as An
' drew Jackson, John C. Calhoun
; and Robert E. Lee.
There is no general history of
the union which is free from the
! objection of bias toward the
. south, or at least of inadequate
' treatment toward the. southern
states and southern men. Not
one. Bancroft is fair as far as
he goes, but his work stops almost
fit the beginning of our national
life.
As a rule, our histories cither
leave out the facts which ought
to be in the record, or they mis
state them.
Io the average historian, our
1 great section is a criminal; and it
| |
i aka ' WkOr
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i I
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• I 1 w :
I I
i HON. THOMAS E. WATSON. »
• •
H* OiX. THOMAS E. WATSON Is a native of Georgia, having been born ♦
f r that portion of Columbia epuntj which is now included in Me- .
Pt:if .. where he now resides. After receiving a common school educa- e
4 tion he entered Mercer as a freshman in 1872. but for want of funds was un- 4
• ... .. tegia ■ ■ icat >n. leaving at the end of his sophomore
4 yf . ar wi teaching >ol he studied law and was admitted to practice in 4
• ■’ . p ra tlced law with great success, being recognized as one of the •
• foremost members of his profession inGeorgia. As an orator he has few 4
• r .He took ai ctive interest m politics. served In the legislature, as o
• ..... the democratic ticket li 188 S id n - pr< - ■ ntativ. ■. the ?
o . . , , - r e«s He w parti rlarly tive in th- a iance mote- •
I . .. fterward-affiliated with the populist party, by which he was nomi- ?
• fc?r the vice presidency of th. United Stat.cs. After retiring from active •
* . . . .. . f to his profession, from which he enjoys a lucrative »
■ . ng at topical wtiting l iis Hi i and .
• his ••Nanolenn won for him instant recognition as a ig
♦ rank’ 11- has determined to tl - ■ e from his
I Iterature His ••TAfe and Times ot fhomas Jeffer- #
* fpß sl°n c . . hlstorv thR .. : stat ~ . . has un . .
• d?’rtaken v " " s ' ' "" ?t ?
2 tory. •
j ...... ....• » • - « - ••* • • »
receives a curse, or a pardon, ac
cording to the temper of the
writer. Our children are being
taught American history from
nooks which cruelly insult the
memories of their own fathers.
If such books g" unanswered, the
southern people would one day be
ashamed of their own ancestors;
and their glorb us names and glo
rious achievements would a
lost heritage.
For instance, take the histories
written by Hon. Theodore Roose
velt. In manv respects he lias
given generou- treatment to
southern people; yet. lie singles
out our noblest southern states
men, and overwhelms them with
abuse.
Think of his classing James
Madison and Thomas Jefferson as
"politicians of infamous stripe" as
he docs in hi* ' Winning of the
West!”
Had thev been Benedict Ar
nolds and Aaron Burrs (of north
ern birth), he could not have re
viled these southern statesmen
more coarsely and unjustly.
If Madison and Jefferson were
"politicians of infamous stripe,"
the south will not be left with a
baker’s dozen who can hope to
escape the historical contempt
which Mi. Roosevelt empties
upon them. If southern children
are to be taught that such men
as Jefferson and Madison wetc
"infamous politicians,’’ it is diffi
cult to see what will become of
'he truth in American history,
'n my judgment, it is a sin and a
shame to allow such statements,
such libels, on the great men of
the south to become fixed in the
literature of our country.
Law is strong, but Public Opin
ion is stronger. All law derives
its real force from Public (Ipinion.
If we allow the teeming millions
who are peopling this conti’ l ''"'
to get it fixed in their minds that
the south has always been the yel
»ow of the union—that our
people have always been aerelict
in patriotism and recreant to na
Lional duties, there is nothing
more certain than that the time
will come when "Southern." as
applied to man or woman, will be
a term of reproach.
In history, as in every-day life,
'his is the adage, "Give a dog a
bad name and hang him."
Hon. Henry Cabot Lodge is
another northern historian who
does great wrong to the south.
He does not abuse us; he seems
to strive to be fair; but he distorts
ihe narrative by exaggerating
everything done in New Eng
land, and omitting so much of
w’hat was done at the south. To
s ive several pages to the Boston
street riot and leave out the bat
tle of Alamance creek; to immor
talize Paul Revere, and say noth
ing about such glorious soldiers
as General Elijah Clarke, John
Twiggs and Lachlan Mclntosh;
to say so much about New Eng
land colonels in fifth-rate skir
mishes, and so little about the
-xploits of Marion, Sumpter,
Shelby, Lacey, Laurens, Sevier
mid other southern heroes who
turned the scales in the fight for
independence, is flagrantly un
just.
It does not become me to assail
the learned Dr. Wilson, who is
now president of Princeton; but
J do not hesitate to say that his
book is nothing more than an
other New England book. In
spirit, his work is that ot a north
ern man. oblivious to the true
value of the south's contribution
to American greatness.
It is my hope that a demand
will be created for a truly broad
minded. impartial history in
which justice will be done to all
At Cost Far in Excess of That Ever Before Paid for
Article by Southern Paper The Con>titution
Secures Work.
GREAT NEED FOR WORK
Management of The Constitution Cooperating n ith
Mr. Watson in Securing a Broader Hearing
for His Views on Jefferson.
At a cost far in excess of that]
ever before paid by a southern
newspaper for an article of any
character. The Constitution has
secured Mr. Watsons work for
advance serial publication.
“The Life and Times of Thom
as Jefferson" is written for publi-.
cation in book form, and in due!
time will be so published. But
The Constitution’s readers will
oe able to enjoy the book before it
makes its appearance in that form, i
The Constitution's Purpose.
It may be asked why 1 he Con-1
.-titution goes to the heavy ex-j
pense involved in the purchase of
the serial rights of an historical
work—for histories do not always
make popular reading.
The reason must be obvious to
all readers of this newspaper.
The high purpose which has im
pelled Mr. Watson to write his
history' of the United States from
the southern standpoint is the
same that has inspired The Con
stitution from the day of its birth.
From that day to this its aim has ■
been to do everything in its power j
co promote the interests and the,'
welfare of the south and the south
ern people. In every’ wav that is i
possible to a great newspaper •
The Constitution has worked to'
the upbuilding of the south and;
especially to the proper presenta-!
‘ion of the cause of the south in j
the eyes of the American people. !
To offset the efforts of those who i
would misrepresent these states)
has been one of The Constitu-i
tion's foremost aims.
Large Circulation Desirable. i
The part which the editor of
this paper had in inspiring Mr.
Watson to the great work he has
undertaken is told by Mr. Wat
son himself. When he had decid
ed to accept the responsibility in
volved in the task—lor it is a
sections; and thus the partisan t
statements and misrepresenta-i
tions which inflame passions, and I
perpetuate sectional prejudice,-
will be swept out of the libraries
and the school houses of the land.
As an illustration of what I
mean, take the book of Professor
Henry W. Elson, “Side Lights on I
American History. I he author!
of that work calmly agrees that
the hand of God was seen in the
assassination of Lincoln. Had he
'ived "he mie-ht have forgiven the
slaveholder too readily, he might
have restored the seceded states
too easily.” Therefore, God in
spired Booth to kill Lincoln in or
der that the way might be clcai
for the infamous reconstruction
laws of Thad Stevens.
How can southern people ever j
become reconciled to histories
which class them as such crimi- j
nals, justly deserving the harsh- 1
cst punishment, that God Him-!
self became virtually the assassin
of the northern man who was
about to treat us more kindly than
we deserved?
Similar in spirit is that history,
taught recently in so many coun
ties in Georgia, which does not '
even mention the name of Alex-- .
ander 11. Stephens. History writ
ten in this style would soon lose
every illustrious name and deed
cf the south.
'There never can be any lasting
and earnest reconciliation be
tween north and south as long as
the New England school of hi ; |
great responsibility—The For,st;,
tution made a very liberal cash of
fer for the serial rights for a-i
vance publication because
publication in a journal of
wide circulation would, we
lieve, contribute very great
the success both of the ww
self and of its high purpose-
A historical work in book f
no matter how popular, must
essarily have a limited numla :
readers. It is within the rear
the few. Published as it wi"
in The Constitution, “The El
and Times of Thomas Jeffcr
—the first installment of
- historical work —will re
an audience far in excess of : .
which it could reach in any oi! r
way, and by just so much moie
will its influence for good be in
creased.
More Widely Read.
In the usual order of things. -■
historv published in book for:,
would be dismssed by the grc?.'
newspapers of the country wit.
but a single review at the hands <
its literary editor or critic. Ap
pearing as this will in serial for -’
however, its different chaptct
wili be before the eyes of the. edi
tors of all the newspapers in su f
a wav as to present many oppor
tunitics both for reproduction o
striking features and for editoria'
discussion. In this way the. atten
tion of the country will be drawr
to this work in away it could n ■
otherwise be. 1 his is to the. in
terest not of the author alone
not of The Constitution direct'.}'
but of the south and the southerr
people.
The Constitution under ah',
the serial publication of Mr. \\ a:
son's splendid work because it <
sires to cooperate with him in -■
curing justice for the so ith . ’
American history.
torians persist in doing gross in
justice to our section ami p<
It is not my purpose to detract
from other sections, or to pun
dowa the heroes of other seen- ms
it is simply my hope to do some
thing toward compelling a rt >-. <
nition of what southern men anu
southern ideals have really ac
complished in the upbuilding oi
our vast republic.
My books will not be sect mi -.
—just the reverse. In the truest
sense, they will be national, m
that they seek to do justice to cv
ery section. They do not take in ;i
the treasures of our history, but
add to them. They do not feed
the flames of sectional animosity
they seek to remove the ftie.
which constantly feeds the--
flames. They do not tend to re
vive discords; their aim is to make
possible that sincere reconciliation
which must be based upon a fill,
understanding, mutual respect,
and a final recognition of truth.
In my view of the case, the
partisan historian who seeks pop
ularity by catering to mere sec
tionai passion and! prejudice is a
pest, a plague—an unmitigated
nuisance. He does immense
harm. He poisons the public
opinion of a great nation at its
fountain head. If I can help, ever
so slightlv, to correct this evil
and to bring such histories into
tin? disrepute thev deserve, i .-hall
feel that 1 have not lived and la
bored in vain.
Thomson, Ga.. Mav 27, 19°3-
