The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-07-25

, Charlestcn-Past, Present aud Future.
We take the following from the
New Orleans Delta:
CHARLESTON, SC. June l2, 1865
Northern men coming to the city of
>Charlestou seem surprised at the con.
G'ion of things here in regard to busi-
ness. An idea seems 10 lave prevailed
that the fountains Of Southern wealth
were about to be re-opened: that the
close Of the war would find the South
bare of goods, but teern1ng with money,
aud that those who were the first to
bring dry. goods aud notions would
the quickest return with cotton and
go'd.
1t is idle to speculate upon the origin
of this fantasy. 1t is evident that
these goods could be very convenien,lv
spared out of Northern stocks, or they
would no@ have come here at this
season, W in the face Of such adverse
probabilities; but the wonder is that
those who came with the goods should
not sooner have realized their true
prospects. The people of Charleston
lived ON the profits Of slave labor jus,
as entirely as those OF Lowell live now
on the profits of manufactures. The
annual crops Of cotton ana rice sold IN
this market produced the great fund
out OF which every man, wo,,au and
child. white snd black, in the whole
community, received his o. her means
Of living for the ensuing year. Fur
thernore, out Of this fund The plan
ters and other residents in the interior
purchased such articles AS they needed,
paid all costs of transportation, fees
and other expenses due in the city.
and paid also their taxes to the State.
During the war this state Of things
has been very much modified. Mos
OF those persons in easy circum stances
who left the city for the army, re.
moved their families. to the interior,
either to plantations, small farns.sor
villages. where, land being cheap ID
residence has few acres for A GARDEN.
Here, win snme means to Start with.
and some good management, it is easy
for them to live, and thev will not
return to the city until there is re.nu.
lucrative emplovment for the male
members Of the family. The same
thing 'aay be- said of many retired
business men, who, being too old for
the army. and finding. thei~ annual
income in Confederate money made
qua'e to the scale Of prices ruling in
the city, migrated to the interior.
They will not return until their invest
: ments are resuscitatcd. After the
removal Of these two classes of the
Inhabitants, early in the war. the OK
penditures Of the Confederate Govern.
ment' and the profits of blockade
running supported the population of
the city, and it became altogether in
dependent Of the interior. These
sources of support We're lost when the
city was occupied by the United States
forces in February las, and since then
It's people have been living. God knows
how. w hatever were their means of
living, they surely had no means of
being customers for such goods as
those now coming here; besides, hav-
ing access to the first sales of blockade
goods, they were, perhaps, better sup
piled than most other populations of
the South.
There was some trade here at first
with the negroes: cunning and shrewd
IN small things. they had been hoard
lnG their good money tue hashy
ponnets, bright ribbons aud gay dresses
that came first, were much run upon
out the reservoir was no. deep and
the stream soon ceased.
10 nna1a w.