The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-02-15
CHI ARLES TON.
FRIDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY Is, 1867.
THE SPRING TRADE.

FRIDAY. MORNING. FEBRUARY 15 1867.
THE SPRING TRADE.
We have reached the middle of February, and
the pleasant days Of Spring are upon us; the tune
Of all the year the most pleasant IN our chmate;
when the occasional and ftful rgors Oh WINTER aie
past, and ere yet the oppressive heat OF tne ouh
vertical rays gives our atmosphere tropical cnaf.
acter. The trees ore in bloom, the gardens Ian VI
fragrance, and resplen6ent in their wealth OF horal
beauty. Our parks and public promenades once
more are clad with virgin green. The BIRDS are
warbling their lenten carols; in short nature ls
CAV, and all her creatures glad, rejoicing IN tnelr
youth and beauty.
This IS the season when many Of our frlends
from the interior usually visit our CITY, Ihe haces
in the bright and golden days of yore, attracted
many strangers to the city. There was hne
fourishine Theatre also, now no more, that exer-
cised no small influence in bringing strangers to
Charleston. We are now deprived of these e1-
traneous attractions, but the pleasant climate Still
is ours, so the soft zephyrs of spring, and the ex
hilarating breezes waited in from the bosom OF
the broad Atlantic Our hotels are exceIently
fitted np, and offer to the traveller all the means
and appliances wherewith to take his comfort and
enjoy his ease.
But Charleston is a great commercial centre
the natural outlet Of large extent OF BACK coun-
try. The merchants of this and adjoining States
for years have come to Charleston to make their
purchases, and the leading houses of our city
were in business relations with every part OF the
South and. West. The several years of the war,
and still more, the general disruption OF the frame
work Of commerce, as OF society, consequent upon
the disastrous close OF our war, have done much
to derango this current Of trade But our rer-
chants have been up and doing. They set to work
promptly; fine stores were fitted up; large ana
we'll assorted stocks Of goods of every description
were brought here, and offered at reasonable rates.
The railroads have all been, repaired, and are,
many of them at least, in better order now than
they were before the wsr. The rates OF Helght
are reasonable, and every effort is made, We have
reason to believe, by the President and superin-
tendents OF the several lines Of roads radiating
here to facilitate the business in every possible
way and We have Of late heard but few complaints
on this score. There is now regular communica-
ton by rail with every part Of the country; and by
steamboat with Savannah, Florida, the eastern
and northeastern parts of this State, as well as
with all the leading ports Of the North. The ave-
nues are oil open, and there .is every inducement
for buyers to come here. .s..z .:.=s3.,J
We have importers and jobbers here in every
line of trade. Groceries, Dry Goods, Hats, Cloth
ing, Fancy Goods, Hardware, Straw Goods and
MillinerS, saddlery, Drugs Paints, Boots and
Shoes, Books, Crockery,-in short, every thing that
human flesh would wish to be heir to, can be had
here in abundance, and at prices as low as those
obtaining in New York, the price of freight and
insurance slous being added It is manitestly
therefore to the interest Of the country merchant
to purchase here, where he is known where ne
can come and select his goods every month, or.
every two months, rather than so on to New York
once or twice 9. year. The old credit system, al.
ways q great curse to the country, is abolished.
Transactions of all kinds, both North and South,
as rule, are for cash. This is found the best,
the safest, and altogether the most satisfactory
method Of transactiDg business now. Such ls the
Auctuation in the price Of gold, the standard OF
the circulating medium, that the credit system
must Of necessity be entirely incompatible with
it to say nothing Of the very unsettled condition
OF political affairs and the general loss of con-
fdence engendered thereby through every circle
Of trade, through every walk of Life.
Cash, therefore, is the word; or what is consid-
cred equivalent, short credit with city eccept-
ance. On these terms goods are purchased, and
on these they must be sold; and however inconve-
nient the system may be at the outset, in the end
il will be found that it works best to all parties,
infinitely to the advantage of the jobber, scarcely
less SO to the country merchant and SO likewise to
the retail purchaser and final consumer. It will
be easy, by following this plan, att all times for
each party to lake the measure of his standing
The item Of ssbad" and "dou btful debts" will no
longer disfgure the sproft and loss" side Of the
ledger; and the consumer will not be under the
diagreeable necessity Of meditating how topay for
what has already been consumed The old indls-
criminate credit system was impoltic, unfair, and
niquitous,-such as ultimately must prove: ruin
GUS to any country. Obligations between NOR
chants and merchants, or merchants and bankers,
are recognized the world over with scrupu1ous ex-
actness. But the moment the merchant enters
into any negotiations Of this character with an
unmercantile party, never mind what his occupa-
tion or profession, what his position in society, or
not feel the same confidence and security. This
fact is tcc well known to need any proof in further
elucidation. Commercial honesty is often sneered
at by the moralist; the poet long ago said: Honor
sinks where commerce long prevails" We shall
not undertake to say there is no truth in this.
But certain is that the merchant only OF all classes
Of society, feels asanred obligation to redeem his
pledge to the very letter. to meet his drafts on the
very day they fall due. How this is to be done,
when his debtors do not make similar exertions,
unless be have on exhaustless capital, We are at
loss to Indicate.
Let the merchants then from Florida, Georgia,
Alabama, Mississippi, South and North Carolina,
come to Charleston, as was their wont in other
days. They will find good market hore for any
produce they may wish TO bring to market; and
they will as heretofore, find large and e1oellently
assorted stock of goods and merchandise Of every
description, at as reasonable rates Us they can OBJ
tain in Now York, Philadelphia, Boston or Balti-
more. Let them come, and try US once again.
Our Merchants, Importers and Jobbers, all expect
q large trade this Spring, and we earnestly hope
they may fully realize their most sanguine expecta
tions.
PHILANTHROPY.