New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-01-28
Lecture On the Southern Whites, Their
characteristics, &c.

Last evening j. X. Gilmore Edmund Kirke)
gave lecture In tho Mechanics Society Series at Irv
ing Hall, before large audience. on The Southern
Whites their Characteristics and their Relations to the
Future Of the Union" Selecting individuals as expo
nents the three classes-the mean whites. the small
farmors or yeomHnry. and tie large farmers or chiv
alry"-ino whch Southern society may be divided, the
lecturer by vivid delneaton OF character AID thrnf
narrative, devoid Of hgmor aud sometimes deeply
pathetic held the thoughtful and interested attention o
bis auditors from the beginning Of bis address TO It's
close The mean viites ere class below tie slaves
In every other the pensany are the real pro-
Ggccrs bat In the South the poor white 10 Tie ungus
growth on society obsii.cing tie growth OF tho other
par'. He T. uscd hy the "chiyalry" for voting pnr
.oses. SIR, Gilmore had seen these agae-shattered
spccimons OF numsrity taken TO The polls Dy
siayeoorats and the lords Of the lash had turned
upon him with and said. this IL your boasted
Repuhlcanlsm; these men govern this country-Jeer'
gave them the r!gh, Of suffrage qua uey suppose
they are voting for him now" The small yeoinen oil
the South vastly ouinumber tie rest Of The whites IN
the fourteen slave States. excluding delaware on tne
lst Of June ienO there we're 3t white males above
tie age II fifteen who were engaged In agrcnuThi ana
other outdoor employ That would represent an
aggregate Of about ak millions or ihrecoprhs Of tie
white population and onc.haf Of the total white and
black population south Of Mason and DIons Line. The
yeoman works slie by side with hs slaves ana treats
They are the bone and snew of he South. The women
chaste and Industrious; tho men are brave,
hardy. enterprsing. earnest In conviction, though,
like some Of US. sometimes mistskinR names for
thiugr TITO story OF "Bblo smith," one Of the
mosl famous Of scouts, Of intense and exciting
Interest Tho war. Indeed Is creating tie ma.
terla ont VI which scott or IA Cooper might
weave the Richest and most gorgeous fabric.
With the majority Of Southern ycomen n is only neces'
sary that the ruc nature Of tue coutes. IN which NO
are euga.c cd shall be shoVn 10 make them Erin sup
porers u tie Union. WheeSoT the truth has reached
them as In Eat Tennessee they have showed that
thew possc6 deep devotion and - true hcroin as
has been exhibited any where :, Tie selff,ysd chly
airy" number lees tlsn one twonty"urth " the total
pouula,on of the South. while they hold three OUrths
~ It's property and al Of its political power Primo
geGi,ure and res irctye su built up this class by
birth by education. by social surroundings they are
despots To perpetuate tier derpotism aud disfral
elise The poor white they began this war. Tho "chiv
airy Jaw tie small boncire kinded thirty years ago
on Boston Common. They saw II spreading over one
state after another Like the traveller in the prai
RE which Is on FIRE. they attempted to build counter
fire. applying the match AZ fOEt sumter and tie iamcs
have oyersprcad the continent The sly " covered with
bl.ck the earth il darssned with run-slx hundred
thousand human beings have pcris.ed IN The ieines
and behind them the "chyalrv " have folded their
arms and say we are safe for with this fro we can
keen na the Northern fame and IN II wc can forge the
letters OF the poor white. But arc they safer Is there
rot ia their rear q vast fame o. living meni Shall we
not cast a brand from Gods altar u freedom
which shall set abaze and grille the "chIyalry all
round with fret We NEST do this-we must SEM ms
Northern ire southveri tai II dummies the whole line
from the Potomac the Rio Giandr We must not de-.
cclye ourselves We con do nothing without the aid OF
the Southern ycon We may oyerrun the south, but
until We reach the reason and the hearts Of these men,
we shall stand the crater Of Volcano whose Lava
NAV at any time bursl forth and delugo the land with
blood and fire.