The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-06-22
Greeley on the South and its Nuisances

Having arrived back from his little tour
to Texas, the philosopher of the Tribune
made a public speech in New York. in
which he related something of his expert
ences. A considerable portion Of his re-
marks was devoted to the Kll-klux and
the carpet-baggcrs. Of these two classes
Horace appears to think that the sneaks
from the North are good deal the mean
er. We append his remarks upon these
matters:
Fellow-citizens, the Ku-Klux are no myth,
although they shroud themselves in darkness -.
they are no fleeting ghost; they are a painful
reality. They have paralyZed the right of sui-
frage in many counties through the South, and
have done many things which they should not
have done. But they are not the only enemy
of Republican liberty in the South; there is
another influence equally injurious as theirs,
and great deal more detrimental to the fame
and character of the Republican party. Il alude
to what are known as the theyng carpet bag
gers-Qaughter and applause.) = The
lnleVlnS carpet-baggerS are q mean pack. They
do not exist there. l have seen some of them ;
they are fellows who crawed down South in
the track OF our armies, and generally at safe
distance to the rear: some of them in the SUIT
their pockets, and they ingratiated themselves
with the negroes-a simple, credulous, ignorant
set of men, very ready to follow any who pro-
iass to be champions of their cause; and so
some OF them got elected as Senators and Rep
resentators, and some as judges. sheritfs, &C.,
and there they stand right i'll the public eye
stealing, plundering, some of them with their
arms around the negro, and their hands in his
pockets-Qaughter) and the public looks at
them and does not look at the honest men, and
Ills than lNnpro
too, these thieving carpet-baggers, and are
greatly concerned about the salvation of the
black mans soul. ''Let us pray" they say
(great laughter at Mr. Greeley's imitation of
these saints)-but they spell pray with an e.
(tenewed laughter) They oDeyed the apostolic
injunction to prey with.
Fellow citizens, the time has been and still
is when it was perilous to be known as a Re-
publican or an AbOlitOnst in the South; but il
never called blush of shame to a mans cheek
until these thieving carpet-baggers went there.
They got into the Legislature. They issued
yonds for improvements. The improvements
were not made and the bonds went into their
own pockets. Uaughter.) But YOU will say,
gentlemen, that we have ueh at the North:
yes, we have, and l know many of them
Qaughter)-but it is this, that the South was
without money, almost without friends, these
fellows came there to rob when there was moth
ing to steal, or very little, taking the last shin
plaster off dead mans eyes. They were rec
OSnlZed not only as thieves but as enemies. Here
the men who steal are at least our countrymen;
so at Albany, Trenton, or Harrisburg. Those
who steal do not carry the money out of the
state as these fellows do. The South was not
mercy beaten, but it was very much astonish-
ed; they have not got over the amazement of
their defeat yet What they see of us they see
in these robbers, and view the North with
Jaundlced eyes, representing to them disgrace;
and the greatest obstacle to the ascendencv of
Republican principles are these fellows, and as
such denounce them. Well, friends, Won ms
tify the -Klux-justify them in whaty If
they should just take hundred or two of these
thieves and place them gently across rails, and
bear them peaceably across the Ohio, should
not justify the act, but the tears should shed
would live in very small onion-(laughter)-
that would water all my sorrows; but they do
not do that. They skulk round negro cabins,
and drag out the poor, inofensve black men,
and lash them for doing nothing but standing
out for their rights. / do eXecrate them. They
are disgrace to the Southern chivalry and
they ought to be drummed out of the South, if
there be any true chiyalry there.