The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-11-18
Defends Carpet Baggers'
and Scores Ku KluX Khan.

To the Editor. The Washington Herald:
In answer to recent criticism IN
the Washington press. l venture 10
ask the writer's what they really
know about the history of the car
pet Dagger" that they use the name
so glibly in justification of the hu
Klux organization in the recon
struction period following the
American civil war.
1t was my privilege to know from
experience that a better body OF
men never emigrated to any country
than these same Americans who for
fifty years have been held up to
public scorn and contempt az I'll
Carpet Baggers" of the North. .
sneak especially in defense of tbs
so-called Carpet Baggers o.
Florida. Almost without exception
they were Union soldiers who cast
their lot in that state after the war
was over. being mustered out there
They lived and died in Florida, leaN-
ing children and grandchildren VINO
still bear the stigma of name put
upon them by an enemy country
during the bitterness of a period
when the judgment of the con-
uuered South should have been d s.
counted. But instead, the cop
perheads" Of the North endorsed IL
and the patriot soldiers and theis
descendants have had to bear the
onus. i could make a roster of the
Union soldiers who remained in
Florida. They were from the best
Northern families, graduates oil
Yale, Amherst and Harvard. Their
wives were OF superior education
and birth and many still live there
and occupy the highest social posi-
tions in the state.
1t is singular that such an animal
as a Democratic Carpet Dagger"
has never been heard eff. You had
to be a Republican to come undo,
the ban. Did any one ever think OF
the Southern Carpet Dagger that
emigrated to New York for instance,
where he Immediately organized a
Southern Society" and proceeded to
abuse the government OF the United
states that was taking care of him?
In the treasury of the State of
Florida was an old Bible and / cent
in cash when the Republicans came
into power following the civil war.
The "pickings" therefore, were not
large. l defy any person to truth
fully charge an act of shame TO this
body of splendid men who remained
in Florida and bore the brunt OF
ensure from their enemies ans
from the Northern people as WEI;
who came to accept the verdict u
the enemy. And If any man of high
repute, like General Logan or Sen
ator Foraker. for instance. defended
them, he was Immediately accused
of waving the bloody shirt" The
mere fact that these men had been
loyal to the republic and helped
to save the Union should have
counted for something: but ii X
not. l do not believe such an after
math of abuse was ever before
any country hurled upon the savior
Of ii. Picture Germany abusing n 4.
"ountry's soldiers now and the TO-
per cent American" as he loves to
'all himself, reiterating the accuse
tons. and you have q parallel case
The hu kluN Khan were the SAM
cowardly body of men fn the recon.
Structlon period of the South tnaN
they are today, choosing darkness
and mask to hide their faces
| Their chief pleasure, which seems
to have rebirth under Imperia
Wizard simmons was sterrorizine
the poor negro and raiding their
miserable cabins under any pretext
= "carpet-bagger" was never at.
acked in the, open. only under cove
/ If Garkness and behind mask,
when one man would be at the mer-
] of two or three hundred Tina