The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-01-13
Raey Definitions of the term Carpet
Bagger."


effort is made in certain quarters to con-
found the class known as "carpet-bag-
gers" with genuine settlers from abroad,
and very properly observes that this will
not do We do not intend that the Gear
pet-baggcr" shall. hide himself under the
wing the Northern settler. The South
ern people have hearty welcome for the
men from the North who come here to
live honestly and 10 deal fairly. ltquotes
the following from the New York Sunday
Ne,cs:
"Butler fancied that he made good
point, in the House, the other day, when
he alluded to Democratic member of
Congress, representing this city, as ear
pet-bagger from Ohio The radicals in
tentionally pervert the meaning of the
term. We believe it originated in the
South since the close the war, and was
applied by the Southern people to the
horde of strangers, with carpet-bags in.
their hands, who docked down upon them
in the trail of the army. The men with
carpet-bags came not to stay, but to pick
up anything within their reach, and GO
home again. They were distinguished
from people who came to settle perma-
ncntly No Northern man who has To-
Gated in the South for the purpose of
making it his future home, and of becom-
ing identified with its interests, is regard
ed by the Southern people as carpet
Dagger. But there are hundreds and
thousands of Northern men there who
were utterly without character at home,
and who have struggled down that way,
and squatted among the negroes, with
tho avowed design OF living in their midst
only as long as they can make tproftabe.
Many of these mon, under the system of
military rule enforced by the Govern
ment, are in high pl; ces. They do not
hesitate to avow themselves temporary
soiourners When Governor Scott, Of
South Carolina, visits Ohio, he speaks of
going 'home.' Senator Welsh, of Florida,
still claims to be citizen of Michigan
Rev. B. F. Whittemore, of Boston, a
member of the lower house from South
Carolina, is notoriously investing all he
can make out Of his position in real es-
tate in Massachusetts. He is even build
ing handsome residence near Boston to
be occupied by himself, when the negroes
Of his district in South Carolina shall be
ready to repudiate him. There are but
very few Southern Congressman of North
ern birth who do not design ultimately to
return to their old homes, to enjoy the
fruits of their raid upon the section in
which they now live. These mon are
carpet baggers. Their mission TO the
South is entirely mercenary and selfish
one. They care nothing for the people.
white or black, beyond what they can
make out OF them; and they should in
no wise be confoundcd with bona fdc set
tiers, whether the place of settlement be
in Alabama or New York."
The Charleston NewS sometime ago
defined the carpet-baggcr as follows:
GA carpctbagger is Northern Radi-
cal, who took up his abode in the South
"when the Union came in" made politics
his trade and lives in Office, or out OF it,
by defaming and plundoring the Southern
people,"
And the Circlevillo (ohio) Democrat
gives his definition of carpet -bagger
thusly: ..'a '-'sii'i i'.'>,. %
"There is no difference between car
pet-baggcr and scoundrel. The words
are synonymous. 1t cannot be otherwise.
We do not care whether he is q man of
long prayers, or short ones. or Of no
prayers at all. He is an adventurer Of a
sordid, vengeful, reckless, sensual cast.
He cares only for self, in point Of worldly
profit; and has no care as to how his in
terests are promoted. Rule or ruin is his
motto; force is his weapon, deceit and
fialsehood his main allies, and canting
piety his refuge. The carpet-bagger in
his best estate is hypocritc and scoun-
drcl. Under the pretcxt of extra philan-
tbropy he is doing the devils work
wherever he goes, keeping up excitement,
propagating talsehood and ill-feellng"
Even the Texas Bulletin (Repubican)
is out against the tribe known as carpet
baggers, and says:
"Thcy followed the army for the samo
cause that made thom poor at home. Not
possessing industry orstalcnt sufficient to
achieve wealth and position at home, they
followed the army to take advantage of
circumstances to rise about their natural
level. These are carpet-baggers proper
To the Federal Government they never
rendered any assistance; as a class of non-
producers they are locusts eating out our
substance. They arc neither ornamental
or useful. They arc the black sheep of
the flock. They thrust themselves irto
places where the abilities they have arc
not required. They have kept in these
places by appealing to the prcjudices of
the colored man, and practicing those lit
tIe arts which tricksters soon learn. They