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Letter to Editor
May 20, 1902
The Progressive Farmer
Raleigh, Winston Salem, Winston, Wake County, Forsyth County, North Carolina
What is this article about?
Nellie from Duplin Co., N.C., writes to correct Mrs. G. M. Veazey's portrayal of poor white Southern men as traders in stolen slave goods, sharing her family's experience of honest labor, wartime service for slave owners, and self-sufficiency without aid.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
A SERIOUS SLIP IN MRS. VEAZEY'S LETTER.
DEAR AUNT JENNIE:—I feel that I can't wait another day to reply to one thing in Mrs. G. M. Veazey's letter in regard to the poor white men of the South. Surely she must not know many of the poor Southerners or she would not have accused them all of the same fault by saying, "The poor white men that didn't own any slaves made their living by trading with them, getting things from them that the slaves had stolen from the slave owners." Perhaps some of the poor white men did this.
But I will ask Mrs. Veazey to please correct this mistake, as there are great many more that did not do this than there are that did. My father was a poor white man of the South. He spent two years of his life in war, fighting for slave owners, while my poor mother and five little children were at home working hard for support. She did her own plowing and the little children did all they could with their hoes and made enough to eat without going to any one for help. When draw day came, there were people enough there to take all there was for them, and she did not go a single time. My father has never owned a slave, neither did he make his living by trading with them, buying the stolen things. He, as well as all other honest poor men, made a living by hard labor.
The war was not any thing against the poor honest white people, except the lives they lost and wounds they got, and the suffering of their families for their service at home while they were compelled to leave their precious wives and helpless little children to fight for the benefit of the slave owners.
Mrs. Veazey will please consider the matter a little more closely before giving another part on the subject.
The poor white men's wives also had to pick the seed from the cotton and spin and weave the clothes for the family at times when they were not obliged to go into the field to work.
But thank God (for He surely was with them) they did not suffer with hunger that worked and tried to make something. The poor honest women in all their trouble did not live on the stolen things.
Wishing the Social Chat much success,
NELLIE.
Duplin Co., N. C.
DEAR AUNT JENNIE:—I feel that I can't wait another day to reply to one thing in Mrs. G. M. Veazey's letter in regard to the poor white men of the South. Surely she must not know many of the poor Southerners or she would not have accused them all of the same fault by saying, "The poor white men that didn't own any slaves made their living by trading with them, getting things from them that the slaves had stolen from the slave owners." Perhaps some of the poor white men did this.
But I will ask Mrs. Veazey to please correct this mistake, as there are great many more that did not do this than there are that did. My father was a poor white man of the South. He spent two years of his life in war, fighting for slave owners, while my poor mother and five little children were at home working hard for support. She did her own plowing and the little children did all they could with their hoes and made enough to eat without going to any one for help. When draw day came, there were people enough there to take all there was for them, and she did not go a single time. My father has never owned a slave, neither did he make his living by trading with them, buying the stolen things. He, as well as all other honest poor men, made a living by hard labor.
The war was not any thing against the poor honest white people, except the lives they lost and wounds they got, and the suffering of their families for their service at home while they were compelled to leave their precious wives and helpless little children to fight for the benefit of the slave owners.
Mrs. Veazey will please consider the matter a little more closely before giving another part on the subject.
The poor white men's wives also had to pick the seed from the cotton and spin and weave the clothes for the family at times when they were not obliged to go into the field to work.
But thank God (for He surely was with them) they did not suffer with hunger that worked and tried to make something. The poor honest women in all their trouble did not live on the stolen things.
Wishing the Social Chat much success,
NELLIE.
Duplin Co., N. C.
What sub-type of article is it?
Persuasive
Emotional
Social Critique
What themes does it cover?
Slavery Abolition
Social Issues
Military War
What keywords are associated?
Poor White South
Slavery
Civil War
Honest Labor
Family Sacrifice
Stolen Goods
Self Sufficiency
What entities or persons were involved?
Nellie
Aunt Jennie
Letter to Editor Details
Author
Nellie
Recipient
Aunt Jennie
Main Argument
mrs. veazey wrongly accuses all poor white southern men of trading stolen goods from slaves; many, like the author's father, lived by honest hard labor, fought in the war for slave owners, and their families suffered but remained self-sufficient without aid.
Notable Details
Personal Anecdote Of Father's Two Years In War Fighting For Slave Owners
Mother Plowing And Children Hoeing To Support Family
Family Avoided Draw Days And Aid
Wives Picked Cotton Seeds, Spun, And Wove Clothes
Thankful To God For Not Suffering Hunger Through Honest Work