Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-02-15
FROM WILLIE LIGHTHEART.
CHARLESTON, S. G Feb. 9Th, 1866.

FROM WILLIE LIGHTHEART.
CHARLESTON, s. G, Feb. 9Th, 1866.
Dear Enquirer :-"They shall change"
is the declaration of Scripture, With regard
to every conceivable earthly thing, there
fore one need not be- surprised at the auc.
tuation of events or the mutability of eve.
rything pertaining to man. Unfortunately,
however, these changes are not always i'm.
provements-not the substitution of better
and better for worse and worse, but pre-
cisely the reverse. Possibly no man can
knowingly affirm what is really evil or good,
unless thorough knowledge of the past,
an understanding of the present, and a clear
insight into the future, could be superuatu.
rally impaired to him. The rude fact, the
deplored event or circumstance, standing
alone and disconnected with the rast cause
or future result, may possibly smack of evil,
when it is pregnant with good may bring
tears to our eyes and lamentations to our
lips now, and thrill with unutterable delight
some heart which shall pulsate in the far
away years which are to come. 81.
We have passed through terrible revo.
luton since l last penned letter to your
paper from "tbe city by the, sea-" To Us
nothing, absolutely nothing, has been the
result of all this outlay of treasure, this
pouring out of blood, this stupendous and
glorious display of valor and heroism that
has filled up the pages of the worlds histo.
ry in lines of light as luminous as Gods
own sunlight, and as indellible and iudes.
tructible as the poetry of the stars and the
pillars of the universe. No apparent good
has, so far, been the consequence and re.
suit Of all this, but evil, only, evil, to our
dear sunny South. Here we stand, an i'm
poverished, spiritless, smisten people, quiet.
ly awaiting developments. Hopeless, bank
rupt, ruined. These are not my sentiments,
dear ENQUIRER, individually: 1 am ex-
pressing the sentiments and feelings of the
great body Of our people. u.g.
There is one fact noticeable as the result
of the past gigantic conflict. Iallude now
particularly to the feature of newness, nov.
city and change that has taken place in our
people Whether this be for the better or
not, time alone will prove. Charleston,
before the war, was one Of the most sober,
sedate, quiet and orderly cities in the coun.
try-rather quaint and old. fashioned in her
notions, habits and modes perhaps, but,
nevertheless, noted for her sobriety and Or
der. Charleston, since the war, is anything
but what she was. Refugees, returning
from the interior Of the State, are almost
ever unfavorably impressed. There is a
rush, whirl, jostle and confusion in her
streets to which they are completely unused,
and for which they cannot satisfactorily &C.
count. Everybody appears to be utterly
ignorant Of the simple rules of street Ell.
qustte, and one is forced to the conclusion
that everything like good breeding and pro.
priety of manners has been voted anti
republican and utterly abolished - King
street, the most fashionable thoroughfare
and promenade in the city, is, made any
thing but pleasant resort for ladies. Idle,
vagabond negro fellows strntting about With
segars in their mouths and squirting tobacco
juice from their lips, gaudily dressed wench.
es forcing their way to the ipside of every.
body, are not exactly calculated to render
an afternoons promenade very pleasant or
agreeable to some people. Not that I OBJ.
ject to the use of segars and tobacco, or the
gaudy dresses, but the way in which these
articles are used. The mere fact of the ne.
gro being free is no reason why be or she
should be insolent, rude and unmaunerly.
Surely not. ........'..a a...
AS general thing ladies do not venture
out upon the streets at night. Before the
war any lady might venture out any time
of night without the least fear of violence
or insult. Some change certainly must have
taken place in the manners of our people to
render such caution necessary. Several of
our churches, before the war, held evening
or candle-ligbt service. No such thing is
done now.
A free Concert Saloon is in full blast in
this city and In one of our most prominent
streets. Your unsophisticated readers very
probably know little or nothing about this
peculiar institution, and SO much the bet.
ter. Suffice it to say, that Concert Saloon
was never dreamed of in this city prior to
the war, and would not have been counte-
nanced by the community. Imagine doz-
en- or more "pretty waiter girls officiating
in bar room, and dealing out liquor and
smiles to company Of men. Add to this
singing and instrumental music, and then
imagine as much more as you think proper.
Some few Sabbaths ago actually heard
music and dancing in private house on
one of our most public streets. The after.
noon of the same day, I was surprised and
shocked to hear vulgar and profane sounds
of boisterous songs issuing from the win.
dows of neighboring residence and pollu.
ting the air Of Gods own Sabbath.
These are some of the changes which
have taken place in our dear old city since
l last wrote to you from this place. pre-.
sumo that this is what the world calls pro-
gression, but, to my mind, they present
food for serious, sober thought and cause
for real alarm. I fear, that as people, We
are growing reckless and profigate and Vi
cious from sheer hopelessness and despair
that hone deferred has made US heart sick