The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-01-10
a Slow Age-A Fast Age, and other
Matters appertaining thereto.

he tells us that money is very scarce in tho
city, that no species of property has a real
or hxed value. Stocks of every dcscripti IN
are down. Bank stocks are lower now
Than they have been since 1887.
AT the North, at the South, at the Eos,
ana west the same panic prevails in the
money market. In New York city. thou.
SANDS OF persons are out of employment
and only subsist through the contributions
OF generous individuals. We see il stated
that five hundred printers in New York citv
alone' are out of employment Of the
whole number of tailors, one-half are cut
of employment
Destitution and suffering, are not so ia.
millar to us in America, as is the case dailv
IN Florence, Venice and other Eastern places
and yet, If the times do not change, we can
not surmise what the people in this provi.
dent country will come to. BY referring to
an article in this paper from the Charleston
Mercury, it will be seen that the Queens
Speech b. fore the British Parliament,
oreathcs warlke spirit. The United
States may send ambassadors to Europe for
the purpose of conciiaiing the rival pow
ers, but we doubt If much benefit will re.
suit thcrefrom. When England and France
arc reduced to comparative want, they may
come to their senses, aid cease hostilities-
we doubt if they do before. So long as
the war in the Crimca progresses, so long
may we expect pressure, and exhibitions Of
want and suffering. Some Of the first hou-
scs at the North have suspended, and the
infection has worked itself South. Char
lesion has not escaped. Several prominent
mercantile houses have bech compelled TO
suspend operations, and make assignments.
The papers tell us that in monetary matters
the present year is far worse than was the
well remembered year Of 1897. And not
only in New York, Charleston and other
prominent places is the severity of the
"tIght times" felt, even in the country,-the
opulcnt ond the poor feel its crushing pow
er. In Lancaster here, we all feel il, and
feel it sensbly, and it is only by using the
utmost economy, that persons can get along.
Men generally, especially among friends
and neighbors, dislike to sue, and vet we
look for much litigation the present year.
Cotton in Charleston is worth from 81 TO
81 cents, two years ago it commanded l2I.
even last year it was not diilicnlt to get 10
cents in Camden. But Cotton being low,
is not the only eril, provisions of all kinds
are cXhorbitantly high, and n number of
persons around us here Mt home, can scarce.
ly supply themselves with the common ne
cessaries Of life. We hops for better times,
yet We would say-prnctice economy
Make dollar go long way it is the only
chance.
We have sometimes thought il was
strange that negroes should command such
high prices, when money was So scarce
We can only account for the high prices in
this way. In Florida, where they produce
the long Cotton altogether, and which al
ways commands good price, hand. we
are credibly informed by several from that
3,
crcn if crops are alternate, one year abun-
dant and the next short, he will average the
$500, say 400 the first, and 200 the next
Now say negro costs $1,000, the interest
is $40. Besides the $500 he can mako in
Florida from Cotton, his services in other
matters will pay for his clothes, taxes, &c.
Now thirty per cent. pays well, and hence
the increased desire Of persons here to re-
move to Florida. The lands in this State
are good deal worn, but so long as Ala
bama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and
Florida can furnish soil, the culture of
which can be made profitable by slave labor,
so long will negroes command high prices.
The present is fast age Could n man
be content to take stage instead Of Rail
Road car, to prosecute n journey? The age
is decidedly fast. Men cannot be induced 10
cultivate South Carolina soil, when Florida
soil will fill his purse four times as fist
Our old grandfathers and grandmothers
were happier people than we are Money
was loved then too, but in those days it was
sought after with care, slo WY and surely
How is il now? A fortuue is seen through
a microscopic glass, and ignis fatius like.
men pursue the shadow, regardless of every
consequence. even if they fail to find the
substance. Where the glittering gold daz-
zles the vision by its brightness, what cares
a fast age man for domestic peace and hap
piness? Men in ancient days, left their pos
terity uncncumbcrcd estates fast age men,
leave much lar"er estates, bot when all the
debts are paid, posterity quarrel over paltry
sum. sum so small, that perhaps If multi
piled by ten would give the amount Of its
estimated vnlne before the indebtedness
was kno%n. Now how is this We know,
and will tell you. II is incident 10 a fast
age. We will suppose case, MS an illus
tration this will make It plain, that "be
who runs may read In 1855, d. bought
a small farm, he could not buy large one,
for he did not have enough money to pay
for IL. lie placed few negroes on the
place, he could not put many there, for be