The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-07-15
From Columbia.

We extract from that paper the fob
lowing letter: E
Co1uMBIA, s. c., July 5.-You
VIII see from the date of this that i ana
Id the capital of the whilom rebellious
Little State-the home Of Calhoun the
peerless-and the beautiful spot
which expatiated the guilt of seces-
sion with terrible, yea, fearful
suffering. close my eyes, and the
bright scenes of my youth-of the
happy days spent upon the green hills
and commons of dear old Columbia,
pass before me. I open my eyes,
and see the hot July sun in fervor
casting his rays upon the jagged walls
and blackened chimneys of my native
city. and count, as far as the eye can
reach, these monuments which per-
petuate the infamy of Sherman, the
hummer, the murderer and the
house-burner. The old Richland
Court House, whose walls once echoed
the eloquence of Preston, Arthur.
Blanding, Black, DeSaussure and
Iradewell, now rears its ruined, blast
ed and rugged angles to the skies, in
silent pleading for vengeance upon
the wretches who wrought the de-
! struction of nearly 1, 400 houses in this
once beautiful city.
The bulk of business now transacted
here may be found in rude shanties
upon what were formerly termed the
back streets. True, enterprise is
being exhibited in some quarters,
and occasionally very creditable
| brick building, of recent erection,
may be seen. Others are in process
of completion, and it is probable that
by October next, some fifty or more
nice mercantile edifces will be ready
for merchants. Selby, Of The Daiiy
PAoeml.r, is building a splendid granite
front printing Office, on the principal
business street; and Bedell, the first
man who had the moral courage to
laugh after Sherman left, is putting
up magnificent iron front drygoods
store, upon the spot where his old one
was burned. He came to this city
from the North, very many years ago,
and was true as steel to the section of
his adoption.
The 4th of July passed off quietly
All business was suspended. The
whites observed it in silence and sor-
row, as general thing, for it had lost
its attractions to them; and the happy
niger went his level best in the jolli-
fication line. The darkies had bands
Of music, long professions, banners,
wooden gous and highly colored
orators and orations. a race took
place at the old Hampton course,
between some horses of about half
blood and others Of no blood at all,
the account Uf which ] telegrapheu
you. | was informed that the object
was to re-organize the old Congaree
Jockey Club. SO as to bring upon the
Carolina turf, in the coming fall,
some Of the best racers in the coun-
try. Among other prominent gentle
men who are anxious to bring about
so desirable result, is Col. Thomas
5. Nickerson, the gentlemanly pro-
prietor of the principal hotel here.
He is agcNtleman of the old school,
lost everyt ng he possessed in the
disastrous fire, and though receiving,
as he richly merits, large patronage,
scatters, in his large philanthropy,
liberal amounts in restoring those old
recreatlons which the refined Caro-
A1u1ou3 nave DecI famous lOc III the
glorious past.
The military commandant Of this
District is Col Green. His initials are
not known to me now; but lam inform
ed that his modest course and general
department have inspired great re-
spect among the people with whom
he has to transact business. Every
one seems to think we'll of him, and
his rule must be of the most conserva-
tive sort, i'll order to produce such Il
feeling on the part Of Carolinians.
The negroes in this section seem
to be on friendly terms with those
who had the misfortune to be born
white. During the two days of my
stay here, / hav. met many of the
old blacks who knew me in my earliest
youth, and my conversations with
them lead me to believe that they are
properly disposed in their new re-
lations to the dominant race. The
recent order from Gen. Scott in
Charleston falls with crushing weight
upon the high notions of the darkies,
and while it will have the effect to
show them that "old massa" is the
best friend they have, it will at the
same time bring out some opposition
which will. doubtless, result IL
l,I> II