Lazy - relying upon the blood, sweat, and tears of others for their own enrichment. Dishonorable - showing contempt for the rule of law. Selfish - only interested in their own ambitions and indifferent to the consequences of their actions. Scurrilous - willing to do anything, no matter how underhanded in order to achieve their aims.
No...they were not. They were the conservatives of their day. Talk about underhanded, I suggest you read up on the radical Republicans...like Ben Wade.