The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-12-05
Our New York Letter.
The Struggle for the seRate-Ths Carpet
Baggers-Rebert smaIIs The Claims of
fhe NeRro-Pest- Mertem 4 xnminatiou
of the Tammany Ring.

BagRers-RobertS SmalIs-The Claims of
ihe NeRro-Pest- Mertem Exnminatiou
Of the Tammany Ring.
NEW YORK, Dec. 1st 1877.
A broken week is generally a dull one in
New York, and this has not proved an excsp-
tion to the rule. The principal things talked
about have been the doings at the national cap
ital and the post mortsm examination of the
Tammany Ring. Neither of them are partic-
ularly attractive subjects of thought.
The strife for control of the Senate would
have been interesting to witness if it had not
been for the revelations of pitiable human
weaknesses of which it was the cause. If Pat
terscn and Conover had gone bodily aud boldly
into the enemy's camp and staid there, there
would have been less derisioD mingled with
the contempt their conduct has evoked, than
there is now. But the way they backed and
filled, twisted and turned, shirked and lodged,
palte and shuffled, advanced and retreated
made them appear as ridiculous an a pair of
jumping jacks. II there is any one thing that
mitigates the evil of degeuerating into the ante
war condition Of Southern domiaation it is the
AZ
carpet-bagger from our politics. The remedy
may be worse than the disease, and really there
does not seem much to choose between the old
time servility of the Northern lough.face, and
the more mo 1ern venality of the Southern ad-
venturer. Much less is it an agreeable alter
native to exchange stealing for killing
dynasty. And yet some OF the states of she
South have been so abominably misgoverned
that any change will bs relief 1t is to the
misconduct and baseness Of the men who have
borne sway in them, under the name Of Rspub-
demonstrating the livery of heaven to serv-
the devil in-that is to be attributed in great
measure the state of political ostracism and
disfranchisement to which q majority Of the
people have been reduced in South Carolina
It is undoubtedly true that the native whites
are mainly responsible for the existence OF the
cabals by which they have bsen plundered.
They stubbornly refused to take any part in the
work Of reconstruction. This placed very
tempting opportunity in the way of every
schemer to take hand in politics as matter
of business. Enough Of them combined and
led the colored citizens to make themselves mas
ters Of the situation, and there is very little
doubt that they levied heavy contributions up.
on the Taxpayers. 1t is no excuse for them
that inf uential citizens born on the soil folded
their arms and looked on, while these pecnla-
tions were taking place, with apathetic listless-
ness Nor is it any pslliation of their crimes
that the movement to displace them was evil
IDENTIFY impelled by the desire to regain political
power rather than to tighten the pecuniary bur-
dams of fha nronartv ounors Wa III L.-
that there was just as violent an opposition to
Chamberlain, who was honest, as to Moses,
who was dishonest. In fact, there is no criteri
on by which we can reach q safe Judgment as
to who the parties are that have forfeited re-
spect and consideration from men of all parties
by participating in unclean gains John j. Pat
terson and Robert Smalls are both under iu-
dictment for offences of this nature The
former has done great deal to convict himself,
1t will require far stronger proof than the
finding of jury of Csrolinians to convince
loyal Northerners that the latter has committed
a crime. They remember his gallantry during
the war, especially that act of heroism he per-
formed in taking steamship out of the har-
Dor of Charleston, and they can understand
perfectly well that that plucky deed is not CAL
culated to improve his chances of receiving
just treatment before rebel tribunal. To the
moral sense OF the chivalric Southrons the can
ture Of the vessel was not bravery but larceny !
The Charleston newspapers point out that epi-
sode in his career, that initial act that gave him
fame, a. corroborative of the allegation that
he Is thief! Under such circumstances 1t
would be extremely unreasonable to condemn
Robert Smals because he rests under the ban
of Southern law.
Nevertheless, there have been . great MANY
frauds and iniquitiss practiced in South Caro-
lima, and the perpetrators Of them ought to be
punished with the more severity because they
have inflicted reproach and ob!oquy on cause
in which is centered "ths hopes, the fears, the
prayers, the tears" of all lovers of humanity. In
this, more than in any Of the seeding States
was it important to set up government which
should be model of purity and excellence
Here was where treason was nurtured aud the
conflict precipitated. The black population ex-
ceeded the white in numbers. 1t was a capital
spot in which to establish the Republican doc
trina of the right Of the majority to rule. There
would have been complete poetic justice in .
new dispensation that should effect transition
OF power from the enslavers to the enslaved
This might have happened but for the avarice
and rapacity OF the carpet-baggers. For all thew
have done to hinder it they deserve execration
They have betrayed the blacks while pretend
ing to befriend them. and their meanness IL as
disgusting as their treachery.
1t is not to this infuer CO solely that the over
throw of Republican government in the region
of the gulf is attributable. There never were
any complaints Of NAL administration iu Mis-
sissippi. Aud yet the shot gun policy ultimate
ly prevailed there. and the rebel minority OBJ
tanned absolute sway over the loyal majority
An attack upon the vensl Republican does not
in the least imply defense of the blood-thirsty
Democrat. The rights of the black citizens
have been trampled out as remorselessy in
communities where honesty was the rule, as
where it was a rare exception. 1t will be some
time yet before men, who have all their lives
been steadfAst believers in the principle that
slavery was the "sum OF all villainiss'-main-
tiiuing that faith in the face Of adverse and
frowning opposition that looked for the time
being as if it were unconquer2ble-will be rec
onciled to system which protects the pockets
OF one class Of citizens at the expense of the
lives of another and mose numerous class The
negro has too many and too powerful claims
upon the sympathy and protection of the people
OF the Union to be made breastwork Of to
save his ancient oppressor from spoliation. 1t
is kind of outrage that will require very
deep descent into the abyss Of political degener-
acy to reconcile full hearted American to.
For my part L wouldn't mind having the thieves
hung or drawn and quartered for that matter.
but it grieves me to see the newly ACQUIRED
privileges of the black men encroacbed upou by
so much as the breadth of hair. They have
suffered SO deeply in the past, and the country
has paid such terrible penalty for having per-
mitted them to suffer, that it is lamentable to
think OF its ever lapsing into that state again.
lngersoli, Woodward and Keyser. have been
on the witaess stand telling the Aldermen by
what methods the stealings were carried on in
nj Co., O mi