The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-08-07
Ths Tfpest Inslependence.


the Importance of establishing manu-
factories OF every description in the
South. 1t ought to be done; but
when accomplished, is the South then
practically more independents of the
North? Is it not. on the contrary, a
well settled fact, that the very goods
produced by our Southern factories,
although consumed in part at home,
travel first to New York to find a
market, and are there bought of the
lobbers by our own tradesmeu, and
brought home again to be retailed to
Southern consumers? We are under
very erroneous impression if this
has not been the usual course with
Southern manufactured goods, and
If, in consequence, they do not paw
as great q tribute to Northern mid
dlemen as the products of the field.
There is q far more simple and
efectual road to Southern industrial
and social independence, if our peo-
pie would but travel it. 1t is the
road of an old-fashioned, dignifed
personal and ~ocial economy. Dur
ing our fruitless struggle for political
separation, the South was able to
maintain independence. to great
degree, of the whole outside world.
and this while so large o portion of
our able-bodied population were
bearing arms. How much more 7,oac.
when all can be at work, and every
farmer can buy the few implements
and materials necessary to convenient
and elegant household manufactures
very cheaply at the nearest shop?
We know not what others may think
about it, but, to us, the gay apparel.
particularly of our women living in
the cities, is, in several respects. q
very unwelcome sight. In the first
place, we strongly suspect that it is
e.ctrardgant, or, to speak more plainly,
involves an outlay which husbands
and fathers cannot afford. We incline
to the opinion that the majority of
our people of business, as we'll as
planters, are poor, and ought not, in
respect to their own comfort and
prosperity, to ape the fashions of the
Northern nabobs who have been accu
mulating wealth while our people
have been losing the little they had.
In the second place, this dashing.
Haunting and butterfly apparel iii
becomes the condition of this sec
tlon OF the country. The South is
now the sport of her enemies. When
Holy Writ wishes to characterize the
EXTREMIST woe which can befall q peo-
pie, it speaks of them MS Gin the
hands of those who hate them;" and,
1t seems to us, no sensible person, in
or out Of the South, can doubt or
deny that this, to q 1amentable ex-
tent, IS our unhappy condition.
When, therefore, we see the lovely
wives and daughters of the South
tricked out, at such time, with
Haunting and ill-assorted braveries of
the Northern markets, it seems to us
that they are not dressed in harmony
with the occasion and the circum
stances.
Had our people, women as we'll as
men, when they had found them
selves crushed by Northern power.
and the birth-right of political free
dom lost,- retired to their farms and
their merchandise, determined to
practice a Spartan simplicity and
economy, and compensate, as far as
possible, the loss of civil freedom in
the duties and enjoyments of a do
nestle life, the course, it seems to us.
would have been harmonious with
true dignity and the heroic records of
the most unfortunate of all wars. But
to rush into an imitation of our con-
qucrors-to buy with so much eager
ness their snowy trappings, and ape
! their fashions with assiduous zeal.
was lot in harmony with the dignity
and independence of the Southern
character. Had we continued our
homespuns and jeans and applied
ourselves with manly energy to supply
onr own food as we'll as clothing.
had we stuck to our own fashions.
and while yielding q digni6ed sub
mission to fate we could not avoid,
preserved our own independence of
habit and supplied our own wants
from our own resources, this course,
while it could not be reasonably ex-
cepted to upon the part of conquerors,
would have been most consistent
with self-respect-would have cores
ponded with our impoverished condi
ton, and, we are sure, would have
insured the respect of the world
for us.
If we are incapable of such degree
OF self-denial, as individuals, it is q
waste of breath to talk of achieving
sectional independence by starting
work hone fNbax, will ~,ox,o~.