The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-10-09
. FEW THouaHrs on TRADE.

We are now in the midst Of what is emphsti-
cally called the business season; for although
there are here, as at every business centre
throughout the civilized world, two periods in
the year, the Spring and the Fall, when mer-
chants congregate and make their purchases,
the principal trade in this part of the country
is undoubtedly done during the autumnal
months-frst, because the supplies needed for
the winter are generally of more costly
character; and secondly because it is with far
the greater number of retail purchasers at
least, the only time in the year when they
have command of money; and many, there
fore, lay in at that time their supplies for the
whole year, as far as that is practicable. The
chances therefore, for cash sales, it is obvious,
must be best in the Fall and Winter months,
when the produce is brought to market, and
the planter and farmer realize the result of
the years labors.
From the indications around us, we are glad
to perceive that our importers and jobbers are
busy During the past few weeks many coun-
try merchants have been in Charleston, and
the sidewalks in Meeting, Hayne and East Bay
streets, have been covered with packages
marked for their points of destination in North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida
and Alabama. Our numerous lines of steam
ships, our river and coasting craft, and our
railroads and express lines, all have their
hands full. This is as it should be, and we are
glad to be able to say that so perfect are all
the arrangements for receiving and forwarding
merchandise that all the depots are cleared
every twenty -four hours, 80 that if any delay
occurs in the transmission of goods the fault
must lie elsewhere.
But while all this is so-while the mart re-
sounds with the busy hum of trade, while cot
ton and rice are coming in daily by all our
avenues of rsnsportationAwhile draymen,
merchants, drummers, packers, bankers and
brokers, all have experienced the evidences OF
an accession of trade, we cannot shut our eyes
to the fact that we are not doing the business
We did in other days, nor the business we
ought ~ w INV, CE0h nAtSA 'eAAA6 AANS WV
sideraton all the circumstances that have
effected great and radical changes in our COM
mercial, no less than in our political relations
during the past seven years.
Our losses have been great, far beyond all
calculation; still, had the close Of the war not
brought with it also the entire annihilatiOn OF
our industrial system, and had the failure of
the crops through untowsrd seasons not tend
ed yet further to paralyze the efforts of the
husbaudman, already much discouraged, we
might ere this have been near the end OF our
disabilities 1t was, however, net to be thus.
An inscrutable Providence decreed otherwise
and after three years of hard, patient, hope
ful toll. great many Of our farmers find
themselves no better off to-day than they we're
at the close cf the war in April, 1865
So much of this distress is unmerited, as
far as finite perception can discern, and there
fore unavoidable, that We scarcely have the
heart to find fault Iet, as the surgeon must
first probe the wound before he can intelligent
y apply his remedial agents. SO it becomes our
duty to examine into some Of the causes that
have produced the present stagnation of bu
sness In saying this we know We seem to
contradict ourselves; but such is moi the case;
for however brisk trade is al present, as COM
pared with last Spring or the long and dreary
Summer just passed, as we have said before, it
is not what we have right to expect. One
reason of this, we believe, is that our mer
chants have not made the same efforts TO ex-
tend their business, in sending out agents
through the country, and in advertising large
ly and constantly in the metropolitan and coun-
try press, as they were wont to az before the
war. Some. we know, are not open to this
criticism, and upon examination. We doubt
not it will be found that they are reaping the