Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-01-29
REMARKABLE CHARACTERISTIC OF
THE SLAVE STATES.

The white inhabitants of Florida, as of all the
Slave States more or less, constitute but two class
es-the planters, or rich class and the poor class,
variousy denominated Crackers" white trash"
"roor whites" mean whites. IN. B-"Mean"
is Amercanism for "poor", shabby. They
speak here of "mean" hotel, a "mean" dinner,
&c) This social characteristic | consider the
most remarkable aud important feature Of South.
ern civilization. 1t is only by keeping this clearly
and constantly in mind that We can at all under.
stand the social and political organization Of the
South and only thus We duly appreciate the
amazing difference between Northern and
Southern development. The essence Of Northern,
of English civilization. is the progresSirenesS Of
the laboring class and the consequent rapid rise Of
an easy, affluent, we'll educated, and law abiding
class recruited from day to day, and from hour to
hour, from the ranks of the lower class tho ind,
viduals raised being, from the nature of things,
the most remarkable for energy, foresight, and
sef-reliance. Where men of industry integrity,
and intelligence can easily rise to condition of
independence, a nation is in good condition, even
though the improvident and sinful find their de-
served portion of misery. On the contrary, where
the laboring class forms stereotyped, unprogres.
sive CASTE stagnation is the necessary characters.
! tic Of tho commnnity The richer class may ac,
,umulate wealth, but there can be no dissemination
oc comfortable existence, no healthy growth of an
independent self.made, self reliant class. Society
is divided into wealthy dominant class, and a
wretched, ignorant class at once nsubordinate
and servile. Such is essentially the social condi-
ton of the Slave Statos of this Union and the
cause obviously is the encouragement thrown over
free labor by the Institution of slavery. The white
poor man dsdains to "work like niger; he
tries instead to live by his rifle or his fishing rod.
If these fail, he plants few sweet potatoes or
loafs about the towns, doing odd jobs which have
not the restraint of regular labor. lie hates a
trade he will not be q smith carpenter to COM
pete with his rich neghbor's slaves, and probably
be beaten by them. How then can such man
rise How can he ever escape from his depend
emf and degraded position? How shall man be-,
come n capitalist who will not first be laborer
This is the secret of the 'white trash" of the South
ern States. Hence the political rowdy ysm of slave
communities, where an ignorant and idle mob, ac
customed to the use of deadly weapons, is con-
stantly prowling about the country and congregat.
ing in the cities. Hence, too, the want of mater.
iol progress there is neither efficient labor nor
abundant capital. The very elements of ciyiliza.
ton are wanting.
And yet this very charge of harsh and imrnov.
able social contrasts the defenders of the faith in
slavery have the hardihood to bring against free
society. The very contrary is the fact
1t is the essence and the glory Of free So
ciety that it gives power to the citizen to
paJ a.
castles in free society. On the contrary its more
characteristic feature is that blending of conditions
that gradual shading of one class into another,
that makes it easy for any citizen of ordinary en-
ergy and virtue to elevate himself both socially
and morally. Who middle classes? Who
inhabit the streets and squares of Liverpool and
New York, and the villas and cottages that line
our shores and ornament our river, banks, alike in
"Old" and "New" England? Who own our
stores, and ships, and factories !? Almost without
exception they are sef'made men, or the sons Of
such laborers turned capitalists; employers who
but yesterday were employed. The whole mass Of
society is rising; only the dregs fall down into
our wynds and alleys. And these "dregs" the
wisacres of the pulpit and the press pick out le
gitmate specimens of our industrial system -
And slave owners, and slave editors, and slave
preachers shout, behold, free society is fall
ure !'-Strling's Letters from the Stare States.
Our "Mountain county" exchanges bring us
frequent reports Of stampedes among their negro
population, and sometimes affect desperate wrath ;
we recollect when such occurrences were frequent
hereabouts, and whenever they happened there
would be considerable fumng fretting, and some
swearing among the victims of misplaced conf
dence in negro flesh but gradually it would wear
of, and they become reconciled to their losses So
it will have to be in the border counties Although
the Panhandle is almost stripped of its slave prop
erty, we cannot say that the general wealth is any
less than it ever was or that the seople live less
contentenly, or get rich any slower than they did
when every family, almost, sported its darkey or
darkies The fact is we have become reconciled
to to our prvatOn, and are rather disposed TO con-