The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-08-19
.'gaRPET xAGEER :"

We respectfully suggest that this term
be dropped in respectable circles. 1t has
ceased to have any well defined significance,
and becomes mischievous and ambiguous
word. What may be called its legitimate
meaning, describes a man who, having no
permanent stake in the country, seeks to
live by office, and moves from place to
place, with his "portable property" in
order to better his chances where he is least
known. Such men have no qualities which
entitle them to respect. They are the
natural enemies of the people. They are
common to all the states. In the West
they used to be common enough. They
were mean, despicable class, who came
from all over the country to get Office.
The boy who wrote to his father,
Come West, dad, mighty mean men get
Office here" illustrates that period. They
came there from all quarters, North and
South, and some of the meanest of
them were from Virginia. They were sent
out by the old political parties to hold the
territorial Offices. and they hung like leech-
es upon the body Of each new State as it
rose, young and fresh, from the great plains
of the West. After the war they appear
in the period of reorganization all over the
South, encouraged by the disturbance Of
the social order, and enabled to hide in the
confusion Of a revolution. They We're es-
pecially multiplied by the corrupt admins
tration of Andrew johnson. and plundered
both the people and the government at
will. This class Of men may be fifty de-
scribed as carpet-baggers, and we do not
care what names are applied to such low
bred and unprincipled rogues.
But the term has come to be applied to
very different class of men. Every north
ern born man who happens TO hold office,
or to run for Office, or even vote the Re-
publican ticket, is called a carpet-bagger in
certain quarters. This loose and indis-
crimmate application of the term is silly
and contemplate. No gentleman will use
it. None but a vulgar and cowardy
BLACKBOARD will seek to deter others from
exercising rights sacred to all of us, by
applying an opprobrious or disrespectful
epithct to men who have come among us
from abroad.
Those people who have come to Virginia
and cast their lots with US in good faith, are
in an insignificant minority here. Their
numerical weakness appeals to every chiv-
alrous sentiment of the majority. That
majority of natives ought to honor the in
dependence of men who maintain their
principles against such odds. They will
yet learn that the Northern-born men who
come among them and who resolutely hold
up the standard by which they have fought
are far more oaIu0ble citizens and better
friends than those aeho left their principles
behind, and for lie sake Of gain and popu-
l1riy, or from sheer cowardice deny the
faith in which they were baptized. The
South, which claims chivalry as one Of its
peculiar jewels, must change rapidly, both
its sentiments and its action, or it will lose
forever whatever reputation it has gained
for knightly virtues. The most essential
element of true chivalry is tolerance, and
liberal spirit that will take no mean adj
vantage Of an opponent; that respects his
rights at every stage of the fight, and gives
linn credit for his real worthiness. This.
we believe, is the dictate of a chivalroug
disposition, and true gentlemen will recog-
Lie it anywhere. He who comes TO Vir-
einia to find a home, and engages in leeiti-
lnate business, and earns an honest living,
is just as good a Virginian as if he were
horn on the soil. Ills deliberate choice of
our State as a home entities him to kind
md considerate treatment at the hands of
every citizen.
Ills rights are in all respects equal to
those of any other man. 70 treat him
otherwise is mean, cotcardly and foolish.
10 call him carpet-bagger, or other term
Of reproach, because he does not vote with
the Democratic party, is ungracious and