The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-06-29

"MR. PLATT-carpet- bagger-has been
renominated for Congress by the carpet
baggers in and around Portsmouth. DIR.
Norton, (colored), of York county, has been
nominated by a convention Of native Re-
publicans. The impression prevails that
DR.. Norton and his hackers will give Mr..
Plat s'a ticket of leaven before Mr.. Gree
ley comes in.o- Wing. 'a'it*
The Wing, we believe, prides itself on
being fair and impartial Journal one dis
posed to deal with argument and right rea-
son, rather than handy hard names or make
itself ridiculous by mistaking malevolence
for virtue. But we would really like to
know how long it takes man to live in
Virginia, and how much money he must
invest here, and how much energy he must
bring to the work of building up the mate
rial prosperity Of the State, before he ceases
to be " carpet-bagger. 1t is very desir-
able for some men to know. We have
found out how long it takes man settling
here to speak kindly word of Virginia and
of Virginia people, even in reference to
matters wherein their action cost the coun-
try untold rivers of blood, and to cease
calling men "rebels " who We're amnestied
as brothers; but neither lapse of years nor
change of scene seems to mitigate the AMI
mostly of those who indulge in venomous
epithets. There is poisonous quality
about them which increases in intensity as
one hard name after another is made to do
its venial office, and what was at first ex-
cusable, becomes in time fragrant offence,
quite up in quality to an objectionable
error. Like venial sin of the church,
which at first only weakens sanctifying
grace, but does not take it entirely away, by
a too-long indulgence it becomes mortal
fault, tainting the entire moral character of
the man.
Mr.. Plat, who is thus tlippantly called a
"carpet-bagger," settled in Petersburg the
day after its evacuation. He brought with
him capital sufficient to have established him.
selfhandsomely anywhere in the State, or in
any State. Nay, we are assured that he made
large investments in Petersburg, Chester
field, and Greensville counties, and for a
long time employed probably more labor
ers than any other one man in his Con-
gressional district. He did not seek office,
but, on the contrary, refused repeatedly to
accept it when urged to do so by the mill
airy authorities. He was here nearly three
years before the reconstruction acts made
itpossible to organize Republican party
inthe State. His election as member of
the Constitutional Convention was abso-
lutely forced upon him against his remon-
strances, and to accept the position he was
compelled to make heavy business sacrifi-
ces. He gave every dollar he received as a
member of the convention to the estab-
lishment of a Republican newspaper in his
district, and has no doubt paid as much
money since to aid the party as he has re-
ceived in salary from office. This NAV not
be very meritorious circumstances to urge
in the estimation of the Whig, but it is not
In the line of carpet-baggers to do these
things to very great extent.
He has been the means of inducing a
large number of estimable citizens to come
to Virginia with capital and intelligence. and
we venture to say, without wishing to be at
allinyidlous, that he pays more taxes to the
State than any writer on the Whig. He
has lived longer in the State than any for