The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-08-02
THE WATCHMAN
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9.
------------
A. A. GILBERT --.-- Or
MIR. GREELEY.S TRSTTM
AGAINST THE ssrHIEvING CAR.
PET.BAGGERS."

When Horace Greeley made his jour-
uey to Texas in the early part Of che
season, he Kept his eyes wide open
he took some pains to inform himself of
the tricks and manners Of those precious
carpet,baggers who are recognized as
the pillars Of loyalty in The Southern
States. He inquired Of Democrats, and
he inquired Of candid, decent Republi-
cans; and from both he received the
same story of the infamous character Of
these carpet-baggers who control the
legislation and administer the State
governments of the South. When he
returned home he stated the truth as
he had learned it, but with the caution
natural to Republican editor who was
unwilling to iDjure his party. Many
Republican journals have arraigned him
for his fraukness in exposing the carpet
bag knaves, and now he has thought
fit to defend himself in the Tribune
lie reiterates bis charges against "the
thievish carpet,baggers," making only
this plea in mitigation: that he never
included, nor intended to include, all
Northern residents ip the South in his
sentence Of condemnation.
This plea in abatement, Gays the
New York World, is of no practical
account. For as the few honest carpet
bagsers voted to pat the dishonest ones
iu Office, they must share the response
bili,y of their malfeasance and mis-
doings. The charge Of disloyalty
against the Southern people rests upon
their opposition to their plundering
State governments, ard the oppression
is none the less insolerable because
some honest, misguided men helped
put the rogues and swiudlers iu Office.
\ successful political party must be
held responsible for the actual results
Of its administration. Dir. Greeley is
constrained to acknowledge that the
carpet-bag State governments are
soandalous dens of thieves and it is no
! alienation of the rascality that few
honest men may have been deluded in.
to supporting them. Dir. Grceley'f
statements fully justify the indignant
loathiDg and disgust with which the
Southern people regard their carpet bag
State governments, aud acquit them Of
intentional sisloyalty to just authority
We trust they will never become so
i abject and degenerate as to lick the
feet OF such scoundrels rs Federal
bayonets have put in transient au:hori-
" over them.
1t is but fair to the Southern people
that they should have the benefit Of Mr.
Greeley's indorsemsu: of their opposi-
tion to the grasping, villainous carpet
baggea. We therefore make large
quotations. Despite his Republican
coloring, the truth shines forth through
his statements with convincing clear.
ness. These extracts have the added
weight which belongs to the testimony
of an unwilling witness:
But there are "rarpet basgerrs" who
are knaves aud hypOcrtss--who, making
louc professions OF zeal for Republican
ascendauoy and negro enfranchisement
and elevation, are mainly intent on
filling their own pockets from the spoil
Of an impoverished, unthrifty people.
And this kind of carpet bsgsera" have
been prominent snd powerful in the
legislation snd administration of several
Southern States, ss their bloated public
expenditure, takation and Indebtedness
abundan'ly, dsplOrahly attest. sueh is
the mixed trpth, exaggerated very nat.
urully, by partiasn hostility and bitter
ness, but bad enough when reduced to
! ita real dimensions. y . tits
the simpls truth that our worst imprer'
siuus OF that sort Of "carpet baggers"
wese n.sds by the Statemsnts not Of
lemOos:s atalj. bus oizealoua Rspub
| Icans. Que Of thsm vas himself .