The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-24
The Late Judge Tourgee.

The Late Judge Tourgee.
The death of cx-Judgc Albion w. Tour
gee. formerly of North Carolina, recalls
for the moment the stirring and trying
days Of the reconstruction period.
The brief sketch Of his life, accom-
panying the Associated Press announce
mcnt Of his death in Paris, which sketch
was probably taken from some encyclo-
pedln, is very inaccurate and misleading.
Judge Tourgec was never in any dan
gcr Mt the hands of the Ku-Klux-Klan,
MS alleged, and the idea that his life was
Mt any time IN jeopardy was taken from
his novels, illustrative, from Northern
crs standpoint, of the reconstruction and
lSu-Klux era. In the best Of these novels.
best from a literary standpoint at least
CA Fools Erand'). the author made
of himself character and much Of a.
hero, and threw around that character
all tho romantic glamor Of a prosecuted,
but brave and defiant, hero. He TOOK
advantage OF romancer's license and
painted dangers and terrors where none
existed.
It is true that Tourgee was a despised
carpet Dagger" and the people Of North
Carolina never saw the time that they
particularly loved him. In those days It.
was an impossibility for the men OF the
South to love 'carpet-bagger." But
}Tourgce was unique among "carpet-bas-
gers" Ho was an educated man, an
able man, an honest man, who went to
North Carolina with the honest purpose
Of becoming n Tar Heel" taking pot
luck" with other ''Tar Heels, and help
ing the old State to rise from her ashes
to grandeur. Such n man was In no
danger at the hands Of the Ku-klux-
Khan, originally one Of the noblest ana
most patriotic Of organizations, IN I'M
lawful organization though itkwns. 1t Is
true that at one time when there had
been some particularly exasperating out
rage, made possible by the then carpet.
bag and scnllawag rule, with which Tour
gee had nothing directly to do, there
was a movement on the part OF some OF
the younger and more hotheaded Of the
khan to make an example Of so shining
light ms Tourgee, and q meeting Of a
~ 70 E
local camp was actually held to consider
his case" But 1t was not an easy matter
for the real khan to visit the death pen
atty upon any man. First the camp had
to pass sentence by unanimous vote. and
then the grand executive officer Of the
State or division and his entire council
had to approve the sentence Even after
this the condemned man was given fair
warning, and allowed ample time to
leave the State.
In the case Of Judge Tourgee, the move
ment against him stopped in the first
stage, tho older and cooler heads in the
camp simply laughing the youngsters
into good humor and assuring them
that Tourgee was too good n fellow to
be harmed. And he. was a good fellow;
man above any ineanness; man
Of strong mind and honest convictions.
His purpose to become n bona fldc South
crner and North Cnrolnian was an hon
est purpose, and he was sincere IN ";
but the mistake he made, as no con-
fessed in his Fools Errand was that
he tried In tho wrong way to help his
new found fellow citizens to rise. In
stead Of making full-fedged 6outherner
OF himself he tried to make Northerners
OF full grown southerners, and Introduce
with preclpitnte speed and suddcnness
modern progressive Northern ideas among
them. In all this he was perfectly hon
| est and meant we'll; but he made q mis-
take which he found out too late.
| Judge Tourgce never robbed the State
or the people, as other carpet baggers
did, All the money, he made In the
South was made by hard work, the re-
suits of some OF which work was to his
| and his adopted States great credit.