The Reconstruction era that followed the American Civil War was a time of great challenge for everybody involved. Having defeated the South, suppressing the revolt and keeping the Union intact, the North gained control of the Confederation. However the states were pardoned upon completion of the "ten percent plan" which allowed the Southern states to rejoin the union if ten percent of the white voters agreed to take an oath of allegiance to the Union. The initial goal of reconstruction was to redistribute the South's social structure and wealth to that disenfranchised the former African American slaves. As we know, Southern Reconstruction failed to bring sweeping changes to Southern culture and a retreat into old feelings of racism and resentment of the North soon flooded the mindset of the South. The essay will examine an article titled: The Voice of the Carpet bagger Pub. For the Anti-lynching bureau and was written in 1901 and is a part of the "David Murray Pamphlet Collection" of the Library of Congress. The article is an account of the reconstruction era through the eyes of a Northerner. He shares with us his opinion of the views, beliefs and prejudices held by the inhabitants of the South. The article will also describe atrocities faced by blacks by angry white mobs and those faced by the Yankees residing in the South. As well, it aims to defend the carpetbagger's name and refutes the charges placed upon them. Even though many were financially ruined by their dealings in the South many still entered a political struggle to clean up the Southern government. Since a Northerner writes the article, we can expect a one-sided view of an outsiders take on life in the South during reconstruction. .
Carpetbaggers were Northerners who ventured down South in search of economical investments into the Southern industry. The author explains that many of them were financially ruined by hostility emanating from the rebels.