Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-08-23
CARPET-BAGGERs.


Radical journals are showing them
selves sensitive over the expressive epi-
thet-carpet,baggers 1t aptly fits the
swarm,of characterless individu ais who,
in the name Of loyalty, have settled like
locusts on the Southern country, and
have assumed to take charge of its gov
eminent and gorge themselves with the
substance of the people; a flock Of adj
venturers in search Of fortune, lighting
here and there, and intending to remain
only on condition of getting what they
never could get in communities where
they are better knOwn-ofice and its
emoluments. The writhing of that class
under the name applied TO them arises
from consciousness that it correctly I'M
ports their true character and purposes.
A very lame attempt is being made by
some of their apologists and defenders to
blunt the point of this epithet, by saying
that as used, the name applies equally
well to many Of the most distinguished
men the nation has produced Andrew
jackson, it Is said, was a carpet~bagger
from North Carolina 10 Tennessee
Henry Clay carpet-baggcd from Virginia
to Kentucky-Stephen A. Douglas from
Vermont to Illinois, and many similar
instances are adduced in which official
positions have been attained in States TO
which noted men have immigrated The
absurdity Of comparing tho caravan of
camp-followers who have billeted Them
selves upon the Southern people as legis
lators and Governors, and Congressman
in many instances, "lewd fellows of the
baser sort," who left nothing behind them
and brought nothing with them but impu-
dence and loyalty, with bona tide set
tiers Of unsmirched character who first
incorporated and identified themselves
with a community before they assumed
toaspiro TO its Offices, and by patient merit,
won its honors, is too great for serious
refutation. The carpet>bags borne by
the latter class of men contained worry
different articles from those carried by
the trampcrs wandering over the "recon-
structed" South They came to make Il
part of the society in which they labored,
not TO prey on it They gave it their
talents and industry to build up and I'M
prove it, not 10 Oyorslaugh those who pre-
codcd them by force or the low arts Of
shrewdncss. They became citizens by
virtue Of residence and the acquisition of
property, more or less, and as such OBJ
tanned the confidence Of their fellow
citizens before they presumed to solicit
Office. They did not 90 into long~estab~
lished communities, and commence to
lecture them on their political sins, and
proceed 10 pronounce the large majority
Of a people disqualified and unfit to man
age their own government, and impu-
IDENTIFY undertake to do it for them. If
your latter-day carpet Dagger has one
more odious quality than another, it is
his unmitigated impotence. lie is the
paragon of eirrontery-the ultima thule Of
assurance very marvel Of Shameless
mesa Mark NEEDLE was no match
for one Of these To try to trace re-
semblance between a man who transports
his good name and his worldly goods into
a new community with the view u be-
coming one Of it, with a migratory crea-
ture living on his wits and peddling his
loyalty" is an insult to common sense.
You might as well expect the ape inc
ported from the forests Of Africa, to trans~
form himself into an angel of light, az
look 10 see one Of this class become an
eminent and valuable citizen.