The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-08-13
THE CARPET DAGGER.

That was very pretty occasion which
adorned the Walker house parlors the
other evening, when JESSIE BROWN Powers
was presented with little golden carpet
bag, diamond studded and FURNISHED in
the highest style of the jewelers. art.
1t was also very fitting emblem, as
significant as il was beautiful.
The hero of the hour and the occasion
must have felt excellently well when he re-
ceived such a token of his party's esteem,
and when balmy sleep closed his orbs that
night he must have had before his mental
vision that precious little keepsake.
1t was all-in-all a worthy token, worthily
bestowed upon worthy gentleman.
And yet, the carpet-Oag is not without
its infelicitous remembrances in connection
with the rough-and- tumble affairs of man.
kind. as useful and beneficial as it some
times is II is like other emblems brought
into use in our day-proper enough in its
own way sometimes, but calling up recol-
Iections which were better buried in the
deep vaults of Oblivion.
When we come to consider the subject
closely, the carpet-bag, step by step, leads
us down to the cane fields, the cotton farms
and the magnolia groves of the Sunny
South. Time was, and not so long ago,
when those scenes were a reflex of good
cheer, prosperity and kindly feeling; when
the people were almost like family, and
the wayfarer in their midst was not only
entitled to but received the best that any on
the premises received. Undoubtedly they
had their heresy which the rude shocks Of
war rent into shreds and cast unto the four
winds of heaven; also their preiudices
which increasing association with their
conquerors and others dispersed by de-
rrees. But they ever maintained and still
maintain preference for those who were
of them in the dark days and were with
them when came the dawn and the times
following it. Those whose interests were
Identical with their own, who reioiced in
their Joy and sorrowed at their misfortunes,
no matter whether to the manner born or
coming from abroad, were first in their
hearts and foremost in their recollection.
There was another class with whom they
had TO deal-a host of hungry, carrion
crows whose hope it was to be gorged with
plumber and drunk on blood. They
expected to remain just so long
as they could gather up spoils
and domineer over PROSTATE and helpless
people They sought not residence in the
South, nor would they identify themselves
TO any extent with the interests and wei
fare of the residents. Cheap rooms at the
hotels and an acquaintance with the newly
eufranchised blackamoors was the rule of
conduct The better classes of people, those
who had made the country what it was, and
On whom alone the burden of the state
could safely rest, were ignored and unrec-
ognized, having no longer, through the &C
ton Of the conquerors, vote or voice IN
public affairs This invading gentry, know
ing that such state Of affairs could not en-
dure very long, proposed to hit folly as 1t
few, and get in a hurry what they never
could have got at home where they were
known-ofices. And as they could
not reasonably hope to retain these
loRg-the best sentiment of the nation be-
ing sure to assert itself sooner or later
they brought nothing with them which
they could not gather up in fear and
hurry if need be, and return to the places
from whence they respectively came. A
earpet-bag held their earthly possessions,
and their presence represented their only
interest in the soil on which their feet
rested. They didn't want homes, they
didn't want vested rights; they wanted
offices. and NEST of them got them.
In view of the fact that they were in no
sense representatives of the class they were
foisted upon. it would be supposed that
they would at least not Join the open and