The National tribune., 1889-04-25
SOUTHERN POLITICS.
What Union Veteran Says About the sltuai


The following letter from Maryland COM
rade contains much more politics than THE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE is in the habit of publish
ing, but there is so much of good, hard sense
in the communication that we have concluded
to give it to our readers:
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I thank you
in the name of every old Federal soldier in the
South for your very able editorial, entitled,
Union Veterans in the South" which was
published in your issue of March 81 You
seem, in your article, to make some distinction
between the veterans and the Carpetbaggers,
when there is really none. man is called a
Carpetbagger, no matter where he is from or
how long he has resided here, provided he was
north of the Potomac during the war; or to
make it more plain, if he opposed the Confed-
eraCy during the war or lived among those
who did oppose it. | was raised in Maryland,
spent a good portion of my life in Pennsyl-
vania; everything that possess in the world
is here in North Carolina. am thoroughly
identified with the people, because my health
is such that l cannot live at the North yet l
am Carpetbagger. If the National Admins
tration can be made to ignore a man on this
account, and will encourage this spirit of ex-
clusiveness that gives rise to it, then the sooner
we recognize the Southern Confederacy the
better for all concerned.
native white Republicans. that they claim to
be the equals of the Bourbon leaders in per-
sonal courage, ability and social standing and
are constantly ready to meet them either in
debate or with deadly weapons in personal
conflict" A disinterested person would gather
from this the idea we are not respectable, and
that we will not fight either with logical or
carnal weapons. have this to say about this
matter so far as real character is concerned,
CUni in 70 ri anr cnl VEG n nd
our nondeseript brother, no matter whether he
is masquerading Bourbon or an "Independ-
ent on his way to become Republican" and if
he really believes that we will not fight with
weapons of any kind, and nothing but fight
will satisfy his craving Tor knowledge on that
point let him come around and see some of us,
and we will give him some solid chunks of
wisdom and experience.
The trouble with our brother is that he
wants the Earth, and he is not particular as to
the means he employs to secure it. There is
really no objection to these people going to
Washington in troops and battaIions, so long
as they do not undertake to mislead the Presi-
dent of the people and the great party that
elected him; but when they try to do that,
somebody must see to it that they do not have
everything their own way. The chief trouble
in dealing with them is that many of them
call themselves Republicans, when at the same
time they advocate principles which are not
Republican. Many of them favor the suppress
sion of the colored vote, or, as they express it,
throwing the niger overheard" When we
try to instruct them on this point, or endeavor
to pull them up on the Republican platform,
they accuse us of trying to rob them of their
manhood. Here lies the reason for the Presi-
dent going slow about making appointments in
the South. Some of our native white Republic
cans are as good men as ever drew the breath
of life but it will take time to find out who
they are, and, when found, will stake my life
that they will not abuse or misrepresent poor
old Yankee soldier
In the matter of appointing veterans to pub
lie office in the South, have this to say: The
politicians have tinkered with the Southern
question for a quarter of a century to no pur-
pose, and now let the soldiers try it. We have
crossed swords with the Confederate soldiers
on the field of honor and glory, and we respect
them and they respect lis, no matter what Ros-
ser and the rest of them say to the contrary.
Say what we will, he is the only true gentle
man in the South, and is Just as accessible now
to Union soldier as when we drank from the
same canteen and swopped jack knives and cof-
fee between the lines IN front of Petersburg
and Richmond, in the days that tried mems
SOULS If the Republican party is to be built
up in the South, we must reach these men and
convince them by kindness and proper rep
resentation of our principles, that their proper
place is in the Republican ranks 1t is need
less to say that we can do this work better than
men who are looked upon as deserters from the
cause of the South let them stand ever so high
intellectually or socially. 1 have heard great
many Democratic Preteetionists ("and the
woods full of them express desire to
come over to the party q protection, but they
positively refuse to foliaw the leadership OF
such men. Make Unien veterans the repre-
sentatives, wherever practicable, of the great
Republican party of the Nation in its dealings
with these people, instead of appointing men
whom they cannot, from the very nature OF
things, respect and all will be well; refuse OF
neglect to do this, and I would not give ig
for the future of Republcauism in the SOUTH
NJ. DoNNELLY, Sergeant, Co. NJ, 1st Nd. Cav
Charlotte, N. G.