The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 20, July 1916 - April, 1917 Page: 204

204 The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
NEWS ITEMS
The July QUARTERLY announced an additional gift of $5,000
to the University of Texas by Major George W. Littlefield for
the purchase of material on southern history. By rare good for-
tune the University was able during the summer to buy a file of
Charleston, South Carolina, newspapers, almost complete from
1799 to 1910. The Dallas News of September 16, 1916, pub-
lishes a letter from Professor Robert Adger Law which discusses
the importance of these papers. It is quoted below:
"The recent acquisition by the library of the University of
Texas of certain files of Charleston (S. C.) newspapers, running
from 1799 to 1910, is a significant event. These are the City
Gazette, the Charleston Times, the Courier, and the News and
Courier. Historically, they cover the whole period from the death
of Washington, through the War of 1812, Mexican War, the War
between the States, the abolition of slavery, reconstruction, the
Spanish-American War, almost down to the Wilson administra-
tion. The city of Charleston played an important part in many
of these periods. It was there that John C. Calhoun lived, and
there he is now buried. From Charleston came a number of
soldiers who distinguished themselves in the Mexican War. In
Charleston began the War of Secession with the attack on Fort
Sumter; in that city the evils of reconstruction were felt at their
worst, and Charleston is today one of the most unique cities of
America. The whole background is fully reflected from year to
year in the files of these newspapers.
"The Courier, especially, from its very foundation, was an ex-
cellent newspaper of the conservative type. Its history began in
1803, and the files purchased by the University of Texas are in a
good state of preservation and are practically complete for more
than a century. To read the early numbers gives one a curious
impression of the present day combined with the past. For the
Napoleonic wars then stirred Europe and America, as well. Daily
war bulletins occupied a prominent place in the Courier's news
columns, while its editorial page showed strong sympathy with the
British cause. President Jefferson and his Cabinet were accused
of undue favoritism toward the French, and the Courier strongly