The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-09-03
ELECTION-DAY:
TUESDAY NOVEMBER a, 1878.
THE MOTHER OF CARpET-BAGGEI

The wing tries hard to break The
force of the article which appeared in the
National Republican the other day, show
ing that Virginia had been the "Mother
of Carpet-baggers" to greater extent
than she had ever been the F" Mother Of
States." 1t wriggles or seeks to wriggle
out of the dilemma thus
Many Young yirginians went to the Northern
and Western states not as politicians but as men
of business. Numerous young lawyers and
doctors settled in the Western states, marrying
and raising families. Wherever these Virginians
went they became Incorporated with the perma-
nent population They were not Adventures in
guest OF Office, and relying upon negroes to elect
them. Negro supremacy was not dreamed oil in
those days.
This won't do, Mr.. Wing. 1t is too thin
for nine years old sohoolboy, even in a
Richmond colored school, to accept as his
toric truth. Young Virginians are just as
apt to carry their political principles with
them in going North or West, as those of
New England, or any other Northern sec
ton, in going West or South; and, il we
may judge of the number of needy Confed-
crates flocking to New York city for posi-
lious Of political trust and profit immedi.
ately after the war, the political infirmities
Gf they may be called SUCH of one section
will hardly compare unfavorably with
another. 1t is undoubtedly great virtue
in young Virginians" to go North, not as
adventures" in quest of office, but as
"men Of business" seeking to ''marry
and raise families''-to incorporate them
selves permanently in the population to
ignore politics and practice all the virtues
adorning human nature in general, and
that Of young Virginians" in particular !;
but we want some facts from the late Cen
sus, or some other partially authentic
source, to satisfy us of the truth of The
Whig's utterances.
But there is another and higher quality
in young Virginians" who go out of the
state in quest Of these noble objects, and
for these most excellent and praiseworthy
ends. They never rely upon negro votes
to elect them, however unfortunately they
may be in quest of Office. Nothing but
the proud Caucasian ballot goes into
their electoral urn. They never Mould
associate or have anything to do with
ringers these ''young Virginians'' so
eager to marry and raise families
in the North and West! Here, again, we
want statistics some collection of facts
arranged and classified by The Wing in
order that it may not make too large
draught upon our credulity. We have a
very high opinion Of young Virginians, but
that they are entirely exempt from the
weakness and infrmities of other young
men-such as are reared in the moral at
mosphere whatever that may beg OF New
England-is putting too big an impost
upon our faith and too much Of q gabel
upon our over-credulous nature.
But the nub of the Wings wriggling is,
that NEGRO supremacy was not dreamed
of in those days. Happy, haleyon days
for the youth, the virtuous youth, Of Vir-
ginia Then no such gargantuan MON
ster as that which now affrights General
Kemper and his associates ON the Conser-
vative ticket, brooded in nightmare horror
over the grand old mother of carpet.bag-
gers" as she lay in repOse ON the magnif-
cent bosom of nature! As a land to live in.
Virginia was then the quintessence Of milk
and honey, another Paradise flowing with
all manner of essential sweets, from the
historic gum-trees of Fluvanna to where
the longest pole knock the highest persim-
mon in the once happy and over-abound.
ln5 Surry. The wonder is, as we look
back to those happy and halcyon days, and
witness the Limbus fatuoraan from which SO
many young Virginians'' escaped, in
their eagerness to "marry and raise fami-
lies' elsewhere, that some legislative re-
striction was not LAID upon this sort of
carpet-bagging by the transcendant states
manship and wisdom of those days.
Greater political oversight was never
witnessed in any age or country, by
such commanding Solons as Virginia |
then boosted, All danger of "negro
supremacy in the state might have
been avoided by this timely legisla-
lion, and General Kemper would have
been spared much superhuous breath,
and The Wing much complaining ink, in
the distressing campaign now upon us.
Bat, seriously, will The Wing name us
dozen Northern men at present in Virginia,
who are not as legitimately Virginia g set
Tiers" as Roger A. Pryor, j. r. Fellows
and others are New York settlers.u |
Name us the political adventur-
ers" who are now here exclusively
7" in quest of Office and plunder,"
and see If you can make them dozen,
all told. The charge Of The Wing is the
mere clap-trap Of its party, and not the
sentiment of its gentlemanly and enlight-
ened editors. How preposterous would it |
hot be in the Brooklynites to stir the popu-
lar contempt of their people against Roger
A. Pryor, or in the frequenters of City