The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-06
Gen. Scho6eId's Significant Com
ments on Carpet-Baggers.
WORTHLESS BLACK RADICALS"
Shameful Influence Secured ny the
Election of a Majority of Ignorant
Blacks and Equally Ignorant
or Unprincipicd Whites"

devoted 10 the recOnstrucuon period III
Virginia. which military district was ir
command of General Schoneld
In August. 1866 after my return from
Europe. ! was assigned 10 command the
Department OF the Potomac, which in
cluded the State of Virginia, then gov
erned In part by the Freedmens Bureau
and in part by the provisional govern
ment. which had been organized at Alex
andria while the war was still In pro-
gress. The State had yet to obtain from
Congress a recognition of it's govern
ment. which recognition was understood
70 depend upon the ratification by the
State Legislature OF the then pending
fourteenth amendment to the Constitu-
ton of the United States. This subject
was very fully discussed between me and
the leading members of the Legislature.
i advised them to accept the proposed
amendment as the only means of saving
the State from a more radical recon-
struction under act Of Congress. which
was then threatened. IL was urged that
Virginia would not suffer much from the
operation of the fourteenth amendment,
because Of the general intelligence OF her
white population and their superiority IN
numbers over tho Representatives,
which some of the other Southern States
did not enjoy: that If the Virginia Legs
lature would ratify the pending amend
ment, Congress could not refuse 10 recog-
nize the existing State government and
make IL permanent; and that Virginia
would thus be restored at once to her
fun privileges as a State in the Union.
j visited Washington, and obtained from
leading Republicans In Congress the as"
surancc, so far as II was In their power
TO give H. that such would be the re-
suit. on my return TO Richmond IL
at first seemed that the amendment would
be speedily ratified. But other Influences
understood 10 come from a source IN
Washington probably President Johnson)
finally prevailed; the amendment was re-
jected. and Virginia was thus doomed TO
undergo congressional reconstruction" IN
company with her sister States.
The policy of President Johnson hav-
ing resulted in an 'irrepressiDle conillct
between him and Congress, hnally Gull
minating in his impeachment, the recon-
struction OF the States lately in insurrec-
tio,. was undertaken by Congress. First
an act March g 1867. was passed Tor the
military government OF tho 'reDel
States" and then another act, dated
March 2. 1867. prescribing the conditions
of organization of State governments
nrenaratory to restoration to the Union;
the last-named act was supplemented by
the act dated July 49, 1851 All or these
acts were passed over the President
veto. They provided for the assignment
of military commanders in the seVeral
districts with nearly absolute powers
10 govern those States and direct the
stems I'm the process OF reconstruction.
II fou "a my lot TO command the First
Military District, into which virginia
was converted by the act OF Congress
The terrible oppression OF the southern
people embodied I'm those acts OF Coh-
gress has hardly been appreciated by
even the most enlightened ana eonserva-
tive people of the North. Only those VINO
actually suffered the baneful enects OF
the unrestrained working OF those laws
can realize their full enormity. The raul
cal Congress was not content 10 impose
unon the Southern States Impartial SUI
frage TO whites and blacks alke They
were not content even 10 disfranchise
the leading rebels, according to the terms
of the fourteenth amendment 10 the Con-
stitu.ion. Even those would not be suf-
ficient to put the Southern whites under
the domination of their former slaves
and OF adventures from the North, and
thus to secure the radical supremacy in
the reconstructed States. Hence, another
and an enormous stride was taken for
the purpose Of putting those States I'M
der what became known as carpet
bag" governments. so offensive as TO be
nearly intolerable even to their authors.
That stride consisted of imposing the
so-called "lron-clad oath" upon all Of
ficers. of whatever grade or character,
fn all the former Confederate States.
That oath excluded from office not only all
who had in any way taken an active
part in the rebellion. but even the most
constant Union men of the South who
had remained at home during the war;
for not one OF them had escaped giving
aid or comfort in some way TO those
engaged in the rebellion. Even so con-
spicuous a loyaiist as Judge Rives, ar
forwards United States District Judge.
declared, after mature deliberation, that
No could not take that oath. although
his constant fidelity to the Union was
known to all In Virginia.
asked this noted Union man to accept
the Office Of chief justice Of the State.
but he could not take the prescribed oath.
He had permitted his boy. about 10 Join
the Confederate army. to take one of his
horses rather than see him go on foot.
Perhaps the judge was too conscientious.
But II was the evil effect of the law 20
exclude the highly honorable and let the
rascals in. Thus the Union could not
have the benefit Of Judge Rivess emf
nent services in the vital work Of recon-
struction and some carpet Dagger" hac
to take his place And thus. although
the acts Of Congress permitted majority
Of the whites 10 vote. their choice of Of
fcers was restricted 20 negroes and car
pet barregs' To these latter there
fore. was committed the entire work of
organizing and administering the South
ern State governments. which required
the aid Of the United States troops 10
support them and which fell by their own
weight tho moment that support was
Withdrawn.
The manner In which executed those
Reconstruction acts of Congress in Vir-
ginia. so as 10 save that State from the
great evils suffered by sister States is
perhaps an instructive part of the his.
tory OF that time.
No case arose in Virginia IN which It |
was found necessary In my opinion. TO |
supertede the civil authorities in the ad-
ministration OF Justice. Not a single
citizen Of that State was tried by military
commission. Yet some cases arose which
well Illustrated the fascinations Of alb |
solute power to those who desire the |
benefit OF it's exercise In their own I'm. |
terests. Some OF the most prominent |
citizens OF Virginia, men who had earn. |
estiy opposed the general policy OF mill. |
tary government then in force came to
me 20 settle their petty differences sum.
naarfIv. They seemed much disappofntt |
cd when declined 10 adjudicate such |
cases and Informed them that they must |
be content with the slow process Of trial |
before their own civil magistrates.
Upon the adjournment Of the State
convention. I sent the following letter TO
General Grant: