The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-28
The CRACKER IN HAMS EYE.
The Snolly wooster Humorist Deals With
the Genus in Detail.

II
the Genus in Detail.
Hon. II. W. J. Hams lecture in Catholic
Library hall last night on THE Georgia
Cracker" was enjoyed by large audience
| AS it was Mr.. Hams Introduction to a SA-
vaunah audience he had a right to feel
complimented on Its size and intelligence.
considering the competition in other direc-
| tons.
President Gleason OF the Catholic Library
| Association and NJ. A. O'Byrne, Esq. ac-
compsnied the lecturer upon the stage
Mr.. Ham was to have been introduced by
| Hon. F. q. du Bignon, but he was called TO
| Mac n 10 attend the funeral of the late
| Justice Lamar. In his absence Mr.. O'Byrne
undertook the task, which he performed
very neatly. He referred fatteringly to
Mr.. Hams address 81 the great democratic
ratification meeting IN New York on the
night Of Nov. s, just preceding the election.
Mr.. Ham in beginning his lecture referred
to his early memories Of Savannah where
be spent portion OF his boyhoOd days in
an humble capacity. Some or his best and
truess friends from that day until the pres
ent, be said, we're among those whom be
met in his early struggles here.
His object 10 discussing the Georgia
cracker, Mr.. Ham said, was not only to en-
tertain, but as we'll 70 disabuse the minds of
the public Of the false impressions and err
roneous ideas as to his character
and manners. which the Illus.
trated newspapers and professional
humorists had so industriously
caricatured throughout the country, to de-
fend him from these Misrepresentation. In
his discourse, he said. he would doubtless To-
ject some anecdotes illustrative Of the pecu-
liarities Of his subject. These tories were
not all new. Mr. Ham said. but they were
not deadly. He had tried them before
without serious results.
Mr.. Ham mentioned some noted Geor-
gians, whose names are historical, among
them Robert Toombs Alexander II.
Stephens, William Crawford, Bishop
Pierce, Gen. John B. Gordon, Henry
W. Grady, and Luclus q. c. La
mar, whose funeral occurred in Macon
yesterday. They were ell Georgia crackers.
The mistake of the csricaturists and tine
humorists, Mr.. Ham said. was ia making a
type stand for class. The long, lank, i'll
dressed and unkempt figure, often seen in
illustrated publications, was made to APP
pear as the typical representative of the
people OF Georgia. This, the lecturer said,
10 untrue and unjust.
MIR. Ham made his address interesting
by taking up the different stages through
which the Georgia cracker has passed dur
ing the last three-quarters of a century,
and Analysing the contemporaneous litera-
Scenes" Col. Thompsons "Major Jones'
Courtship" and Richard Malcolm Johnston's
"Dukesboro Tales" were discussed in turn
as true representations of the character and
manner Of the people among whom the
authors lived and moved. Mr., Ham paid
high tribute to the character of Col. Thomp-
son, for many years editor of the
MORNING NEWS. These Representations,
Mr.. Ham said, were entirely OF
the people of Middle and Upper
Georgia. He gave some Of his own expe-
rienceS among the crackers of the mount
aims, a people whom be said are slti
generiS, a distinct class to themselves.
Mr.. Hams anecdotes of the mountain
crackers were humorous in the extreme and
were highly enjoyed by his audience.
The wiregrass cracker was next taken up
as the pronounced specimen of his class.
For a literal representative of the wiregrass
cracker, Mr.. Ham referred his audience to
himself 81 am him." he remarked, ex-
pressively and ungrAmmatically.
Hospitality and independence, said Mr.
Ham in conclusion, ''are the chief charao-
teristics Of the Georgia cracker, wherever
you find him. He wants no favors. All
he asks Of the world is elbow room and pay
for what he does"
The huenoy OF Mr.. Ham in his desorip-
tions and his familiarity and faithtulness to
life in his pictures of his subject were both
surprising and pleasing to the audience His
numerous anecdotes were immensely en-
joyed. aud his audience was sorry when he
closed.
MIR. Ham has just begun a series of lect-
ures which he will continue indefinitely.
Judging by his first attempt his success as
q lecturer is already assured.