The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-07-28

of the "poor white" population Of the South.
ern States, a portion of which we lay before
our readers. Personal observation enables us
to speak to the accuracy of much which is
here set down. a4A U5 8esakf
ORIGIN. ts.f3s s. sfl = .
A part of the Southern people have de-
scended from English criminals who, on their
arrival, were sold to the planters for term
long enough to pay their passage. Many OF
the defects Of their moral character have been
transmitted to their children. No high OBJ
jeet governs them. They are contented to
raise corn and hogs, to hunt and to fish. They
traded in property stolen by the slaves Rarely
do they become owners ofland, even where It
is cheap. They do lot seek to educate their
children; they know nothing of the resources
the country or its extent; a hundred is the
same as a thousand miles. In a city they see
nothing to admire; in the educated man moth
ing to initiate; in civilization nothing that
they value They are without ambition, with
out curiosity, without capacity. Their num-
Der is fully one-haf of the white population.
Another class descended from Hessian pris-
oners who early removed from Pennsylvania
and Maryland, to North Carolina; afterward
they were Joined by emigrants from their ma
tive land. They have lived remote from cities
and progressive society; they speak the Eng
hsh language not as it was spoken at the time
of the Revolution, but as it was spoken long
before, for they from whom they learned it
We're country people, who had progressed lit
tie. They are industrious and religious. but
they make no improvements; their minds are
dull; they are contented with little pieces OF
land on which they earn poor living: what
they lay up they never spend.
Another class descended from the English
arfstocracy, such as the younger sons of the
nobility, many having emigrated during the
= 49, ,oI NJ n
OF the character OF their ancestors. In their
houses one often saw books and furniture
which came from England.
A larger class also descended from theEnglish
yeomanry, also from Irish Protestants and
from the Scotch. They have formed the most
valuable part of the population, and to them
the South must have been indebted for what
learning and skill she has possessed. Among
these have been the great majority Of the Union
men.
The descendants of the French and Spar
iards, in South Carolina, Florida and Louisi-
anna, have made very little impression on the
the whole people. Instead of guiding they
have been led; most of them have been absorb
ed. a f4fas taG ar *
Slavery prevented progress in all classes
The criminal class was elevated, the higher
class was degraded in morals, in arts, and in
education the tendency was toward common
it.
The main cause of the degeneracy of the
middle class, who didn't own slaves, and who
always and naturally were opposed to the sys-
tenn, but who resisted less because some day
they hoped to become shareholders themselves
was the deficiency of schools. The large plan
tations so separated the people that schools
we're impossible. II all countries where the
farms are large the people will be ignorant.
Large landed estates are prejudicial if not op-
posed to Republican Governments. A free
country can tolerate a monopoly of manufac-
tures ofmoneyed and other institutions, it can
not survive a monopoly of the soil. Roman
grandeur and greatness had for their founda-
ton small farms, which were titled by her
wisest and best men, and often in company
with their slaves When the farms became
large, Rome fell. In one sense in makes no
difference whether slavery be connected with
large farms or not-the result in either case
will be the same
The diet of the Southern people has contri-
buted much to their degeneracy. In warm
climates there Is tendency to scorbutic dis.
eases. Their food of corn bread and pork has
degenerated their blood and weakened their
constitutions. 1t might be said that their
brains are half pork. Acid and fruits are
what they need and crave. They greatly
need and seldom have vinegar. Everywhere
fruits abundantly can be grown, and more sue
cessfully than at the North Grapes and
peaches should blush and shine on every HILL
Children eagerly devoured the coarsest fruit
The persimmon is so bitter and coarse that
hogs hardly eat 1t, If they viii at all, and yet
it is favorite among thepeople. So are haws
and paw paws, which the common taste rejects
with disgust.
The children of all classes prefer milk when
soured, and it is common to see little ones eat
it so thick that they crowd it into their mouths
with their fingers. They will eat raw sweet
potatoes, and think nothing better. The next
step is to eat grass-the final one is to eat
clay. This gives them pale, ghastly look,
and bloats their stomachs and bellies. Dust
to dust.
vERMIN
Another cause of their degeneracy has aris-
en- from the destruction of portion of their
nervous sensibility. Children of all ages are
covered by blotches and sores made by YER
min with which their bedding abounds, and
the insects Of the woods and fields. Wood
qcks come early in the Spring, and last till
june. They are about the size of a grain Of
ot wheat, fiat and with silver spots on their
backs. They are not always felt, but
When they are they are pulled out, for if they
De not they burrow in the flesh and make
gileVous sores. A fruit grower was laid up
Two months this Spring with horrid ulcers on.
his breast caused BY wood ticks. Wherever
tney Dlte they make sore that lasts long
ume. The result is like shaving off the flesh
with sharp razor have seen children's
legs one mass of sores. These ticks come
from trees and rotten wood.
Ihere Is no rest by night or day for great
majority OF the children. Of course all these
pests can De avoided by cleanliness and care.
In the daytime we have seen young infants
asleep on bed in dark place-it always is
dark except near the door-with the bedburs
crawling over them. l have seen nursing
children, wasted with the chills of long stand
ing, lying on quilt on the floor, sleeping al
most soundly, while musquetoes and flies suck
ed their blood or fed on old sores made by
ticks and other yermin. Once in a while the
mother would brush their faces with cloth.
The progress people make in civilization is
measured by their cleanliness. Rome, Athens,
Constantinope, and Cairo in Egypt, abound
with yer1nin. Let me also add, Cairo in IIli-
nois. Their descent is marked by poverty
distress and nightly torment, till at last the
savage state is reached, and in their despera-
ton they eat the verInin which infests them
A CONTRAST.
One need not be surprised that so very few
have been distinguished for learning or for in
vention. With great difficulty many learn to
read. Their mechanics exhibit little skill. and
yet it is common for a man to profess to be a
mason, blacksmith, shoemaker and wae.
on-maker. Often such have only from two q
five dollars worth of tools. / have seen saws
so old and curiously made should not be sur
rised ifthey were made three hundred wears AGO
One mechanic has only an augur, another a
saw, and another hammer or a chisel