Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-08-23
PU BLIC LEDGER.
"rHr MEAN WHITES .

A fellow calling himself " Edmund
Kirke, has written "a bookaeutitled
"Among the Guerrillas," in which he
TINS characterizes portion of the
Southern people ~ a8i
They are totally destitute OF morals
and religion, and live in open violation
of almost all laws, human and DIVINE.
Fathers cohabit with daughters, brothers
with sisters. and husbands sell or barter
away their Wives just as they would their
iack-knives or their rusty rules; Many
of them never heard OF the bioie, OF
know there is world beyond this, ana
that the lives we live here determine the
lives we shall enter upon hereafter. On
all the broad earth there is not class OF
white people so ignorant and so degraded
as have been brought aboutby the ehiy-
airy" who have deprived them OF schools,
and kent them in mental and moral
darkness, that they might make them
seryile tools and plant instruments oil
their reckless and wicked ambition.
The infamous work from which tins
libel is taken, is said to have received
the commentator of BRYAsrand GREE
LEY It is needless to denounce it as
false. Those only who have been educa-
ted in the belief that the first duty of a
Northern man is to hate the South, viii
swear 10 the truth Of il. But there is no
excuse for GREELEY and BRYANT While
they write their puffs with the trembling
hands Of age, they know that they are
puffing yolumed slapder upon race
of people who have done much for the
glory of common country. Who are
the mean whites" as the poor people Of
the South are stigmatized They are
the descendants Of that galaxy of South
ern statesmen who fred the Coleman
heart to revolution, followed WASHING
TON through the rigors of all seasons for
seven years, framed the Constitution and
established this republic They
.-a tho descendants of the
MARIoSs and the SUMPTERs, who fought
in common cause with GREENE and
WARREN. They are the posteriiy of the
Cavaliers of Virginia. a race Of men
who have signalized their courage upon
the bloodiest fields of the world, and
rendered their craftsmanship the glory
of modern times. They have ever been
foremost in the cause Of enlightened
liberty and the first and the strongest to
assail tyranny in whatever form its in
fernal image has appeared. And YET at
this late day, in the presence Of all the
immortal trophies Of this Incompatible
race. it becomes the vocation Of an in
significant scribbler 20 cast upon them
an infamous libel, and the pleasure of
couple of whiir headed puritans fal'er-
ing into the grave. 10 commend it.
Away with the libelous matter, and
away with those North or South who
commend or sell it. The thing should
be kicked from every Southern door. 1t
is time to scruiiuize the matter We attoio
10 circulate among the innocent boys
and girls Of cur country. That which is
foul, should be withheld from them, and
those who sell it should be subjected to
the scorn of every Southern man. If we
have any privilege remains to us, it is
that Of educating our own children.
This right implies that of selecting our
literature, and teaching The innocent to
despise that which IS written and printed
for the sole purpose Of corrup,iug them.