The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-04-08
g5(ashrille Mniull.
PRINTED AyD PUBLISHED BY TEE
NASHVILLE UNION PRINTING co
SUNDAY, APRIL 8. 1866.
WHAT'S the Use of Poor White Folks,


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WHAT'S the Use of Poor White Folks,
A correspondent discusses the fuse of
Poor White Folks in very philoso.
phicsl manner, and suggests means by
which the superabundance of that
class in the South may be relieved. AS
a member of the fraternity he is will
ling to submit to the plan proposed.
We invite perusal of his remarks:
Some people whose bump of curl
osity is larger than that of reverence,
have asked of what use are snakes and
mosquitoes, in the world. In the same
spirit / ask, of what earthly use are
poor white folks among mankind2 It
is said that experience is the best of
teachers, but / have, unfortunately for
myself, some personal experience in
the matter, and solemnly declare that
| am as unable to answer the question,
as if was never worth less than hun
dred thousand dollars.
In the commercial world the poor
are but q series of cyphers without q
unit to give them value The bakers
would scarcely miss them, the butchers
certainly would not, and TO the grocery
store their visits like "angels are few
and far between" Their rich relations,
if they have any, are ashamed to ac-
knowledge them, and if, in a fit of des-
peration, they intrude upon their we'll
to-do kindred they most likely will get
such hearty snack of "cOld shoulder
and some toague" that they won't be in
a hurry to repeat their visit 'Tis fright
full to consider what terrible sinners
poor white folks generally are, or con-
sidcred 10 be. All the evils of society are
laid at their doors. Who steals 2 Poor
folks. Who gets drunk Ohly poor
folks. Rich men are only 'under the
influence of generous living" In
short, poverty like the scape-goat of the
Israelites, goes forth loaded with all
the sins of the nation.
Poverty, like necessity Tin fact, they
are near relRtives) makes a man ac-
qsainted with strange bed-fellows, and
at the same time so alters his features
as to prevent his most intimate friend
from recognizing him. 1t is worse than
the small-pox-that only sears his own
face, but poverty sears the hearts of all
his kindred and acquaintances. The
law does not recognize a poor white
man, unless as criminal, and then 1t
shuts him up, like a wild beast in a
menagerie, for fear he should damage
those that are not poor. If the unfor-
tunate devil grabs one spoon to give
meal of dry bread to a starving wife
and children, he goes to the peniten-
tiary for six months; but if he was
daring and unscrupulous enough TO
grab plate by the wagon full, like the
great Butler, he might consider himself
In q fair way to be elected Governor OF
a New England State.
Poor white folks, having nothing TO
lose, to bequeath, TO assign, or to go to
law about, the lawyers have no use
for them, excepting the country attor-
neys, who are paid solely to watch
them, "a lenh5"pt6b6ey Ter .Rele .Relee .6sdi e6nd
terribly over their prey, while they are
really rejoiced to have caught him. For
IS he not bread to the Judge, lawyer,
and sheriff, who all live upon the so
called sins of poor white folks2 This
seems 70 INC 20 De the only use of poor
white folks, at least so far as law and
lawyers are concerned. The only no.
tice money-brokers take of these Pari-
abs Of christian society is 70 strengthen
the fastenings of their doors and win
dOws; and as for banks, they would not
touch poor white folks paper with a
forty-ioot rod.
But the church, you will say, they
cherish the poor If the church
breaches, the congregation takes good
care not TO practice. The clergy make
pathetic appeals, their hearers sigh and
wipe their eyes, but the poor-box is none
the better for these crocodile tears.
They are reminded that the scripture
says that I'VE shall always have the
poor with us." They are too godly to
contradict the good book, and exert all
their ingenuity the following week to
over reach their neighbors and to place
them among the poor that are always
to exist, while they stickle at nothing
to avoid being an illustration of
the truth of the prediction in
their own persons There is no
use for poor white folks in 8 chris
tian church, unless to give the preacher
chance of giving the rich folks an oc-
casional reprOof, over the poor folks
shoulders. 1t is a great advantage to
polite preacher, TO be able to tickle the
consciences of the rich by thrashing
the consciences of the poor folks of mis-
congregation. Here again poor folks
are of little use, but it is most likely
that the practice will be reversed in
the world to come.
With the two trifiing exceptions Of
the officers of justice, and few (only
a few) preachers, it would seem that
poor white folks are of no earthly use
commercially, collectively or indiyidu-
ally, and as they, as class, are rapidly
increasing and likely to increase in the
South, il becomes a matter of impor-
tauce TO find some practical use for
them. Once on time when famine
threatened ireland, Dean Swift pub
lished "A modest proposal to avert the
famine, by allowing the Irish TO eat
their own children This may turn
out practical hint, by slight change,
thst viii allow poor white adults to eat
each other, until they all disappear,
like the famous Kilkenny Cats. The
present Congress would undoubtedly
suspend the raLeS, and pass such law at
one sitting. The Freedmeu's Bureau
could superintend the execution, and
in case some Of the poor whites should
be squeamish, to compel the freedmen
TO eat a reasonable portion instead of
government Tations. As the negroes
and the Bureau are faEt swallowing up
the property of the South, there can be
no substantial reason why they should
not also swallow their share of the car
casses of the paupers they have jointly
made.
think this proposition Is worthy Of
serious consideration, as short, sure
and eiiectual remedy 10 relieve the
South OF that utterly useless live lum-
6er known rs poor white folks, now SO
very numerous. As one OF them / am
willing to be devoured, only asking as
a reward for my valuable suggestion,
the favor which Polyphemus granted
Ulysses-that of being deyOured last,
as, like all projectors, am anxious to
witness the success of my project, for
relieving the South of that portion Of
its "rebel" population, which is soaring
the Jscobins of the North out of theiI
wits and judgment