Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 28.djvu/232

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Arizona being in the eastern part or division of New Mexico, and the United States Arizona being the western part of New Mexico. The Arizona of the Confederate States was the first organized by that name. Of course, it ceased to exist as an organized Territorial Government when the Confederacy went out of existence as a gov- ernment. It is of some interest to notice the special features of these two Territorial Governments with reference to slavery.

The old citizens of the United States will recall to memory the great agitation of long time ago about the matter of slavery in the Territories. These acts of the Confederate States and of the United States may be of some interest to students of history, who may desire to learn of the agitations of the old times.

It will be noticed that both the acts which created the two Arizonas recite that they were to be temporary. When did the United States since then enact that the Territory should be a permanent.Territorial Government? True, the act says it shall be continued until the peo- ple residing therein, with consent of Congress, form a State Govern- ment. Have ever the people or Congress moved in it ?

In this connection I may mention the fact that the various school histories now in use in our schools and colleges do not give any notice or information at all about the facts of the organization of a Territory of Arizona by the Confederate States of America, and yet the fact is as true as any other established act or fact concerning the Confederacy, and it is as much a part of the history of the Confed- eracy and of the times of the Civil War as any other item of history. The omission of such a fact of our history of the Confederacy shows the defective system of our modern school histories, and it may also show the positive prejudice or the inexcusable ignorance, or the "cussed" carelessness of the so-called authors or scribblers of his- tory. The real truth of history should be given of every important event.

As the political parties are now on record favoring expansion and admission of new States, let them also tell the truth of history and let them demand that the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth shall be given to the children in our schools. Teach them in only true facts.

Editor Constitution:

Will you kindly permit me to make a supplementary statement about the Territory of Arizona, in connection with my article which you published in your paper on the 3ist of July, with regard to the