National Republican., 1876-09-26
CkRPET-BAGEERS.


in office are constantly alleged by Southern
Democrats as excuses or palliations for the
frequent outrages OF which Southern Re-
publicans are made the victims. The
changes have been rung on this strain so
long and so loudly that the fact of being a
Southern Republican has come in many
minds to constitute rather a reproach than
merit, and it is even doubtful whether
the average Northern Republican does not
look with rather higher respect upon an ex
rebel, who still holds the Lost Cause in his
heart and works for Tilden and Hendricks,
than upon an ex rebel who manGully took
hold OF reconstruction and has stood by
the Republican party and sustained Repub-
lican measures ever since. Iteration and
reiteration OF sneers and charges, ridicule
and SANDER by the rebel newspapers the
constant perversion of truth by rebel agents
of the Associated Press, practically the only
agency by which the American people re-
ceive communications in respect to the con-
dition of the South, and a few instances of
real malteasance in Office, the extent of
which has invariably been exaggerated,
have combined to blacken the character OF
class Of men who have endured more,
dared more and risked more for the defense
aud propagation of Republican principles
than apy other class OF men in the country.
The carpet baggers, as they are OpprObri-
ously called, have rot all been as pure as
the driven Snow in their character or their
purposes. Many instances of venality and
corruption have doubtless been found
among them. But when one is detected in
any ird.scrctiOn or moral obliquity the rebel
papers fairly blaze with capitals, to tell the
tale But if 8 rebel is detected II acts of
tie some kind-and there are even among
the rebels some men not too "hIgh-tOned'
10 indulge in peculation, aud even to take
brlbes for their vOtes-the Democratic ed
itor chronicles the delinquency in the small
est type, and in an obscure corner of his
paper, unless, as is more frequently
the case. the mention of it is
made in some mysterious way, and
without bringing to the public
the name of the offender. The latter is a
very common practice in Southern jour
mails, especially where high-toned gentle
men are implicated. In city not thou
| sand miles from South Carolina, within a
year or two past, series Of forgeries, ag-
gregating many thousand dollars, Was
found to have been perpetrated by high
officer of the Episcopal Church, lawyer
belonging to one of the "first families. !"
We doubt if even the most distant allusion
| to it can be found in the Democratic papers
of the city where it occurred, and it is GER
tain that no action was ever taken to bring
the matter before the proper tribunals.
The forger is not even dismissed from the
bar, nor has he apparently lost caste with
his associates in the Church. All this be-
cause First, he was rebel secondly, he
is Democrat and thirdly, he is one of
"Our people" Had he been a carpet
bagger and Republican, and had he
fought for the cause of the Union, the Con-
federate press would have exhausted its
supply of large capitals to emblazon his in
fanny, grand juries would have indicted
ard petty jurIes would have convicted
him. If we were to judge Southern Re-
publicans by the rebel press statements, We
should count them sorry lot of scoun-
drels, for the suppression Of whom almost
any measure might be used. But it hap
pens we know whereof we speak when we
say that of the members of the Legislatures
and the executive, judicial or other officers
who are Republicans in the Southern
States, fully as large proportion can be
| relied upon as honest men as can be found
among their political opponents and de
famers. In all jObbery. peculation, yenali-
ty and corrupt combinations which have
existed in the Southern States in the last
few years, Democrats have had their full
share, and no Republican record anywhere
can show SO black page as was written by
Mr.. TildeD's friends and associates in the
city of New York.
1t is about time that Northern Republi-
cans should understand that Southern ed
Itors ard reporters during the rebellion
were very thoroughly Instructed in mis-
representation and mendacity. The public
service needed just these qualities in the
press. The capacity of these men for the
exercise of these attributes is by no means
exhausted, On the contrary, daily exer-
else of these powers has not only strength
ened them, but has rendered it absolutely
hopeless to get from Southern Democratic
paper fair, impartial statement of any
occurrence having possible political bear
| ing.
No one will claim that there have not
been serious errors and many crimes COM
mitted by Republicans, or those protesting
themselves such, in the Southern States;
but it would be equally untrue to say that
the Democrats have so conducted them