Port Royal commercial and Beaufort County Republican. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1873-1874, 1874-03-12
And certain Man went down into Jeri-
cho, and fell among Thieves.

discussion of the condition OF affairs IN
the south, especially in South Carolina
and Louisiana. A cloud Of calumnies,
controversies and errors hangs over the
social chaos and wells from the eve Of the
most patient observer all the details OF
the scene. Here and there writer,
catching sight of the ill-defned outline
of some portentous evil which casts Il
, black shadow over the field, studies it SO
far as he can and, impressed by its mag
nitude, describes it as the main feature
of the picture. Those who best under
stand the actual condition of society, and
are best fitted to give fair account of
its evils and of their causes, who see both
the good and the evil of both political
parties, and of both races, draw back
from. the attempt to do justice to so per-
picking question, and leave to
correspondents and tourists the task OF
enhghtening the northern public from
the results of their necessarily hasty and
imperfect observations. a common
mistake is to attribute all the evils which
run riot in South Carolina to what is call
cd carpet bag governments; and place on
the shoulders of carpet baggers the re-
sponsibility forall that's corrupt in public
affairs in all departments of the state.
There are two errors in this generally
accepted view. First it is a mistake to
ascribs to them the control in any part
Of the government, or even any consider
able influence. They are really lnsignifi-
cant in numbers, as We will presently
show, and those who still remain in office
are doomed soon to be swept away by
the tide of Africanization which seems
destined to take complete possession of
the state. Of olovor. judges on the
bench two are carpet bOggers; Of eight
circuit solicitors, three are carpet bag.
gers; of one hundred and twenty-four
members of the house, eight; of thirty
three senators, two of thirty two
county auditors, three; and of thirty
two county treasurers, FIVE. Among the
principal officers of the state, only the
comptroller general and the superinten-
dent Of education are of the prescribed
class.
Secondly, it is an error to hold that
their influence, whatever 1t may be, is
generally or pre-eminently used selishly
or corruptly. On the contrary, the few
who are found in the legislature, on the
bench and in the executive departments
are, to say the least fer them, the most
respectable element in a government
which is justly reproach and shame,
and an object of contempt and hatred
to the country. If there are degrees in
an infamy which coLtaminateS every
man wRo'approaches its seat and centre,
the carpet bagger must be allowed to be
some shades less black than his associ-
ates. 1t is not denied that there have
BEEN and are among the class in question
persons who are justly obnoxious to the
most emphatic oensure which has been
30 6hly bestowed upon them, both by
the southern peonle and the northern
press. Il IS not istended to say one word
to shield any such from merited con-
demnation. But it is important to all
study Of the southern problem to make a
correct diagnosis. Any work for the re-
generation of the south, that is begun III
ignorance of facts will be labor to no pur-
pose.
And finally, from these mistaken views
it results, that the element in the
southern FbpulGtisRt seu whose whole
some Influence most of good is to be
hoped in any effort to rescue the south
from complete ruin, is paralys d for eff
oient service:. ROr in South Carolina,
''carpet bagger' is a term which, in the
mouths of all southern men, and hence
In all southern newspapers, andin all cA-
tracts and correspondence in h. northern
papers, include, every white no:thern re-
publican who has c,mc into this state
since the war. We know that sometimes
this Is strenuously denied, but the expe-
rience Of every man from the north who
has endeavOred to establish himself in
any branch of business in this state since
the war will prove.the fact beyond COT
troversy. Exemption from that Term
of reproach can he purchased now in the
south, only at the price which secured
peaceful residence here before tkc war.
and that is, absolute acceptance of the
political views native to the soil of slave
r. No biam, ,lissnessoi life, no activity in
business or devotion to enterprises which
may develop and advasee the interests
Of all the people of the state will cOndonc
the fault of noncompliance on thispoint.
Nothing like social recognition or neigh
borly good offices is to be procmei short
Of an open disavowal Of all independence
of opinion, and the exhibition of the ac
tive zeal of a new convert. Sometimes a
stray tourist, if he be thought favora-
Bile subject for making an impression