The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-06-24

New orK HeT0td, WfllinS under GAZE
OF June 9th, says:
| stated in my letter Of yester-
day that Extra Billy Smith, late Go
vernots OF Virginia, was lowering
arounF;his city, and would surrender
him self as soon AS he saw prospect
of speedy trial. I learn to day that
ne is' In Hanover County. some twenty
miles rom here, and will be in this
city within the next forty;eight hours.
| understand he has been furnished
with passport to SECURE him from
arrest on his way to Richmond, this
being given on the assurance OF his
friends that he was coming for the pur
pose of surrenderinG himself. He is
not willing that any one should make
twenty five thousand dollars by his
arrest, believing. no doubt, that the
demands upon the public treasury are
already more than the condition of he
country. would Justify. Patriotic to
the. last. Heretofore he was proven
biallv a claimant for extras now he
seems to be on the side Of .econo:nv.
What change!
There is no truth in the rumoS that
Ex-Governor Lctcher was disguised IN
an old suit of farmers clothing at the
time Of his arrest. He was at,ired in
a plain homespun coat and pantaloons,
snch as gentleine.. in the country
usually wear, and such as he wore for
several days before, as l am informed
by gentlemen who were at his place at
the time of his arrest and for a week
previous. Letcher knew he would be
arrested, and he made no effort to dis
euise himself or escape. He looked
"pon escape as impossible, and he
conplacentlyy waited the approach Of
his captors, determined to abide what.
ever tate was in store for him. lie
had been pecuniarily ruined by lie
burning Of his house and whatever
else of value he possessed on the
occasion Of the Hunter raid through
that section Of the State, and lie has
continued ever since perfectly iudif
ferent az to what course the Govern
ment might choose to take in regard
to him. The statement that he dis
guisel himself in any way is wholly
un'oundet!.
Il. chmond is perhaps at this moment
the duIlest city Of its size on the con
tinent. There is very little trade and
no prospect of any material improve
ment, at least before the Fall. The
burnt district stands as it was two
months ago-a sad spectacle Of chaotic
ruin, with no signs Of any progress in
the work of reconstruction save an
odd shanty here and there, which
scarce " serves to relieve the sombre
and deso!ate aspect Of the fcrbidding
scene. The people seem utterly pros
trate. Their energies are almost en-
tire!y paralyzed in view of tie total
OF their means to perform
The colossal labor Of reconstruct nc
the ruins of their once commodious
business masts. Many enterprising
business men, who came here from the
North in the hope Of carrying on a
profitable trade, have returned disap-
pointed. They found that there WIS
no money here, and nothing to make
1T with, and instead of reapIng profit
from their business speculations, they
lost heavily, having to sell their goods
below cost to wind up their affairs and
return. So utterly bare Of cash are
the farmeIs Of the surrounding country
that they cannot pay for the labor to
cultivate their farms, and are compelled
to hire upon time-lhat is, to hire
with a stipulation to pay when the
harvest sets in. Meanwhile they have
to furnish food for the laborers out of
their scanty supplies. and procure on