New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-02-09
THEY ALL WANT TO Be CAPTAINS.
large Decrease in Charleston Customs
!, FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
SHABBY GENTILITY.

O~ssN~b~-~-
CHARLESTON, Feb. 3, 1861.
This Is q gloomy Sabbath day, but Dotwith-
EAndng the rainy and disagreeable weather, the
churches are crowded, particularly old st.
Mlchael's, which numbers among its members
kome of the most patrician families of Charles
ton. Episcopalian Churches generally predominant
hare, and any of the high tory Churchmen of
England must find here at the present day more
Sersous in religious, Political and social sym
ppathy with their creed than in any other part
Of the world, Great Britain included. But there
ore many Presbyterian, Baptist and Methodist
Churches here while other denominations are
ssso Represented, and even the Unitarians have
fine house of worship here, in Archdale street.
The colored population are chiefly enlisted in the
ranks of Presbyteriaujsm, the picturesque ard
awful theories Of that denomination IN regard to
He'll being calc.la.tl 70 impress the fancy, and
10 strike terror into the sensitive heart of the
African. The state Of society here, as 1t
exists among the higher classes, reminds one for.
chilly of that which is represented to have existed
ica feudal Europe several centuries ago. The
psahters generally of Charleston Of the present
day: resemble the small feudal and provincial
sehtry of former generations most strongly in
respect to o remOrseless spirit of caste, and a
LEGISLATION of what is termed in the ethics Of
tbs North the dignity of labon Yet history tells
as y that among the early HuguenOt settlers
IN carolina were many worthy representatives of
the bard-wOrkDg classes of France.
Probably Providence has, for some wise pur-
pesa, allowed the fag-ends of feudal Europe to
remain for little while longer on exhibition in
South Carolina, as an example TO mankind OF
the,terrble havoc which the aDti-human spirit of
thelpast would make in the world, if it were
again permitted TO reassert its foul sway over
civilization. The criminal folly which is tie fatal
logical doom Of community in which this spirit
preyails, is O melancholy but infsllible testimony
10 tie enlightened wisdom of those societies which
are inspired BY the sentiments Of the Sermon on
The Mount, rooted in the heart of the intelligent
and free laboriDg masses Of the world by l,S00
Yesrs of persistent faith and progress in that
sublime charter of humanity. Yet as far as these
ambulatiDg chronological anomalies in Charles
Ton are concerned, who in the light Of the nine
teenth, are doomed TO disseminate tie darkness
Of the ninth century, their condition appears not
only to the mind Of the psychological amateur a.
sforaing most bewitchn g instance of medieval
souls in modern bodies, and Of the strange meta
physisal confusion arising thereirom, but also to
the heart of the tender sentimentals; for beneath
all the morbid rubbish in the mind of those I'M
Fortunate strsgglers of bygOne ages, Turk many
generous emotions particularly among the "lady
relics" some of whsm-as their faithful attend
ance on religion and benevolent meetings indicates
must be delighted to play the part of Lady
Bountiful, If it were not for the absence Of that
which 10 the hard phraseology of modern times
10 sometimes called money and still more re.
ruorselesaly, cash.
Yet, as these lady relics, mostly clad 10 mouth
ING, glide over the street. OF kneel in the churches
it is impossible to deny to them large share Of
sympathy and pity, for many of them have to
subsi,t upon the precariOus wages of few negro
men, and they are actually not only doomed to
keep them in perpetual bondage, but to surround
Che minds of these, their benefactOrs, to whom
they are indebted for their means Of subsistence,
With Chinese walls of darkness and ignorance,
20 as not 10 lose the benefit Of their labors, else
they have starvation staring them right in the
face. Even as it is now, t2s.olr coalition is i'll
eonese.sva py the gentee rags Of Patrican airs,
for pryatiop, which in the North would be con-
siaered starvation diet, has to be suffered In
order 10 make both ends meet. Many OF these
Door ladies are driven from home by the fear OF
The cash-rattle of modern civilization; they are
driven from the street by misgivings In regard to
the incongruity of medieval toilets, aud still
more by the fear of betraying their agony in
their locks. The most humiliating climax of this
agony Is, that, while in the eyes Of the law they
are the mistresses of their negro men, they are
in point of fact their slaves; for they have to use
MI the arts which cunning can supply to watch
their wages, and to pocket the proceeds Of their
work. Each day brings its musketO-bites OF
frsttings in regard to their slaves, and their
debtors, and the fixed and sullen look of despair
which mars their countensnce fills the soul with
irresistible woe and sadness, for this despair must
increase as time increases their difficulties On
Sundays, one sees many Of this unfortunate class
no the churches, which led me to dwell to-day upon
this phase OF Charleston life
REBELS OUT OF WORK.