, 1863-12-23
SOUTHERN WHITES,
LECTURE BY EDMUND K1RKE,
Me1n Whites, Kcomen aud PIln.
ters-Clnssific1t1 Cg1arnc.
1eristics and Conditions.

The platform OF Metropolitan Hall Eas occupied
last evening By Edmund Kirke, Eaq., the distin-
gnished author. The attendance was not so uu-
merous as the lecturer lad right to expect or as
his reputation would warrant, He IL somewhat
celebrated as delIneator Of Southern lie includ-
ing the so-callcd "socia. system" and Its concom-
Itant evils. The lecture WAS vcry Interesting, and
would hare been much more 20 had little more
animation been thrown into the speakers voice
and gestures. Heissonewhat lacking In the aeci-
dents OF oratozy. -.
The following is an abstract Of his discourse:
The white population IL divided into three dis
tinct classes :-mean whites, small turner's Jco-
meut, md planters Or ciivalfy; and littlo below
the mean HbItes, eompoaine three etghths Of tho
people OF the Southern States. They Hover around
The plantations Of the ehiTa1y, and eke ont pre-
ton and tobacco. Their houaes are Ike the Wig
vans Of the Indians, or mere log cabins contain-
In, ore room, through the czevfces Of which. the
room are scattered few chairs, pima log for
sofa, dirty frying pan, m old rifle, and bakers
coxen Of ragged children, whose faces the color
Of An Old parchment deed, and whose hair is lon,
The moral condition Of this class Is far below
the standard Of Christianity. Brothers intermary
cohabIt, and tho hnsban3s ale frequently known
to.sel their wives for old rife or key Of 'red
eye" They have strong antipsthy 70 water, but
ad Tho 9eHdor Il these anis dd
not weaken them with water. the race Of tho poor
whites wou'd quickly come to close.
The second class Is comprised Of the yeomen, or
Email farmers, Who work N the fields and are tbs
bone md Rinew Of the South. The speaker illus.
tratcd the difference between this and the former
elass, By nkenng then to two brothers; I, One cut
ance permitting his hair to hang orer his head In
matted locks, acquired . love for tobacco. smut.
%,pPpg s9a 5ds AID to sePee the Rass S
Ills children were not sent to school; his daugh-
terB became accomplished '.snuft dippers" and his
aons ..smaEt'' Niger hunters; Ths other staid at
seeds. Ieaped bis grain, took newspaper, read
his Bibles his children were sent to school, and his
sons II after distinguished themselves in tho
This class Of the South is composed Of simple
hearted, frecdon-lovfnE, brave and generous pco-
pie, given to bzagsing, and saying they had eda-
seldom owrs more than one slaTe, whom he treats
in pretty much the same manner as the Northern
farmers treat their hired help. Frequently the
e.mo log or hoeing in the same patch, and aftcr
the day q work WAS done could be seen hnskins
com OF dancing together to the tune OF Uncle
Ned.
ID North Carolina, only one in seTen can read
or write es there are faw free schools In tho
State. Only in Tennessee are there any f7s
schools a9d the apppos. tGs .nssa Tas eo,co oa1
who do NOT wish the massea to become educated.
The yeomnn does not take the papers, as from his
limited education he conId not wade through their
sometimes stupid editotia!s. At thelt politissi
bArbacues, they hear only the slave sldo OF the
question, advocated with al tho spocious logic and
Ingenuity Of fcxpressIon, that the asistocrasc and
educated stakeholder Is capable Of calling to his
aid
! a new light Is now dawning on these people, as
orc Of tho IEuts OF this rebellion. EveEI soldier
whom tho North has eent out to the Wal, ts . mis-
s'onary md school teacher tothose people. who
win thus come in contact with the adv0cates Of
freedom and free schools, and learn to distinguish
these Blessings from tho eyfls and oppfeAltoo Of