National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-04-05
END OF 0ARPBrBAo RULE.

terrible penalty for the rebellion into
which they permitted their leaders TO
plunge them. Under the wise policy Of
President HAYES We can see the dawn Of
better day for that section. The frst step
in the direction Of peace and prosperity Is
the order for the removal Of the troops
from the Staie.ho in Columbia, TO be
followed, We doubt not, by the removal OF
the troops from any further interference
in the State Of Louisiana. The States will
all he left free then to regulate their own
affairs in their own way without Federal
interference. Time alone can determine
whether the policy Of President HAYES
hes been a wise one. but we have the
FINEST faith in It. Wise oounsels will
prevail among the Southern leaders. We
believe, and they will thus fully justify the
sisdom Of what the President has done.
II csnnot but be that good will grow out Of
the passing away Of carpet-bag rule Im-
mediately upon the close of the war. the
General Government naturally felt bound
to take such measures 10 would project the
newly -snfranchised class In all their politi.
cal rights There Vas . wicked
element in all the States during
the process OF reconstruction. which ~
sorted to the bludgeon, the knife and the
pistol, to keep up their asoendency. The
outrages perpetrated BY the Ku-Klux
Klans and kindred organizations horri-
fed the people Of the North. and Il wss
felt that there were desperate cases which
required desperate remedies. Ths
natural leaders Of the people vere
nearly all disfranchieed, and they had
to await the slow process Of the passage oil
amnesty bills before they could assume
their Leadership. The General Govern.
ment naturally enacted pledge that tho
rights Of all classes should be respected b
fore again investing the old leaders with
the full rights Of citizenship. Among thu
military and civil officers who were semi
South were large number who werc an.
bilious, and who grasped the opportunity
to elevate themselves into positions o.
honor. trust and profit. State and Federal
While some of these people went thers
with an honest purpose 70 build up the
wsste places, to invest capital and 10 be
come good citizens, the great majority
were professional politicians, and had buI
one controlling idea, which was selfad
vancement These were the carpet bag
gers. and II ID matter OF history how they
enriched themselves by pluadering tn
States in such q manner a no politica
communities were ever plundered before
1t was no wonder. therefore. that the pee
pie who had real interest in their State
should at last rice up and drive the plum
deres forth. Peace and prosperity bega,
to reign a. soon Is the States came unde
the control Of their own people.
For years the sway Of the carpet bagge
has been dying out, fact that can b,
demonstrated by simple reference TO tn,
lists of Congressman since the war. Il
the Forty First Congress both OF the Ben
ators and two Of the Representatives from
Alabama were men who hsd gone to II
State with the army. One of the Senator
and one Of the Representatives from
Arkansas were Of the same stripe. Tn
entire representation from Florid,, on
Senator and two Representatives iron
Louisiana, one Senator and three Repre-
sentadyes from Mississippi. one Senate
from North Carolina, two Representative
from South Carolina two from Texas IN,
three from Virginia were lcarpet Dagger
of the most pronounced strips. In tn
Forty Second Congress there Wa but on
from Alabama, two from Arkansas, w
from Florida, i've from Louisiana. fou
from Mississippi and three from Virgins
In the Forty Fourth Congress all Of Ii
Representatives from Alabama were eithe
natives Of the State or OF adj accent Southsr
States. Arkansas had not what ooul
be positively denominated . carpe
bsgger, because her Senators an
Representatives went there for o
tual business, and are not mere polii
cal adventures. Florida had still tw
who might be called carpet-bagger
Georgia was represented throughout by N
lives. Louisiana had but one who had gor
there with the army. Mississippi was 70
resented by gentlemen who had dire
and positive interest in her prosperity al
we'll being. THIS wss slso the case vi
North Carolina. ~hiir Scam C,r'l'r, h,
| sil Z carpet Big Trrr ssGiaIiou. lex