History of the Term "Carpetbagger"

In their book, Notable Men of Tennessee, which was published in 1912, Oliver Perry Temple and Mary Boyce Temple credit Carter County native Andrew J Fletcher with the origin of the term "carpetbaggers" or "carpet bag government". After the Civil War, Andrew J Fletcher served as the Secretary of State under Governor William G. Brownlow (who resided in Carter County at one time).

An excerpt from page 146 of the book:

...Governor Brownlow was disabled from speaking by the partial loss of voice. It therefore fell to the lot of his Secretary of State, Fletcher, to defend the administration, in shaping the policy of which he had had much influence. He made but a single speech: that was sufficient.

The speech of Mr. Fletcher created a sensation throughout the State. I read it on its first appearance, and have recently reread it. The second reading has confirmed my first opinion— that it is a complete and masterly vindication of the State Government under Governor Brownlow, as the conditions then existed. It was bold in utterance, perspicuous in statement, skillful in argument, thorough in detail, caustic in condemnation, and withal, even-tempered, as of one who spoke from a consciousness of right, fortified by an irrefutable array of facts. It is the best defense of Brownlow's administration ever made, and the only one needed. The flood of misstatement and falsehood which was pouring in rapid currents over the State was dissipated by the clear and lucid statement of facts taken from the records.

Mr. Fletcher was one of the first, if not the very first, in the State to denounce the hordes of greedy office-seekers who came from the North in the rear of the army in the closing days of the War. He was ready to welcome the genuine settler,sbut for the adventurer who came to prey on the people of the South he had an undisguised contempt and hatred. In, a speech in Nashville he had the boldness to use an expression that has since become national, in reference to this class of men. He said:

"No one more gladly welcomes the Northern man who comes in all sincerity to make a home here, and to become one of our people, than I, but for the adventurer and the office-seeker who comes among us with one dirty shirt and a pair of dirty socks, in an old rusty carpet bag, and before his washing is done becomes a candidate for office, I have no welcome."

This was the origin of the term "carpet bag," and out of it grew the well known term "carpet-bag government."

For more information on the term see the Wikipedia entry for "carpetbagger".