The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-12-11
COLIUTlNI.BIA!. il
Wednesday Morning. Dec. ii; 1857,
,IHard Vines---A Remeiy.

cry Of ..'hard times, in its locality;
but this cry 10 not confined to any
locality, or Scity--it is universal
throughout the country, every SEQ
tion suffering to q greater ior less
degree from the depression of bust
ness and trade in every department
of industry. In the Southern States,
OF course, this depression is greater
than in other sections, because of
want of capital, diminished resources
and scarcity of reliable labor; but no
people should despair and sit down
Signobly to lament their hard fate,
without putting forth their best
energies to recover what they have
lost. The truth is, that in the South
we have always lived too easily and
too irnprovidently. The habits of
the Southern people, their peculiar
system Of labor, and, above all, the
destructive policy of long credits,
have leftour people sadly unprepared
for the terrible reverses which have
come upon them, and hence the
universal cry of ''hard times" which
is undoubtedly well founded, so far
as they are concerned. But the very
privations they are now subject to
will, if properly used and appre-
oiated, result in permanent good, and
hay the foundation of q more lasting
prosperity than they have ever en-
joyed.
But how? AS the credit system is
played out, there is little danger of
that over-trading induced by credit,
which was the bane of the business
relations between the planter and the
merchant. The country customer
will stay at home until he has some
thing to bring to market, and thus,
in spite of all his desires to live
sumptuously or in luxury, he is
forced into system of economy,
that, in the end, will prove advan-
tageous to him and his family. His
sons will find employment on the
farm, instead of leading listless and
useless lives, spending time in various
amusements and spending money for
segars and other luxuries, and, as has
been too frequently the case, con-
tracing the vice of gambling. His
daughters will likely find useful en-
ployment at home, instead of gad-
ding about in search of the latest
fashion and styles of expensive dress
goods. In this way, even under the
present embarrassing circumstances,
the planter must have some little
surplus capital left, which can be
judiciously expended in making use
full purchases. Make home the head
quarters of the united industry of
the family, and but few years will
elapse before the most favorable
change will be realized.
The condition of our section at
this time, imperatively demands the
most rigid economy, the most per-
sistent toll, and the most patient
self-sacrifice. It is related that Gen.
Jackson, when President, being call
ed upon by delegation, and his
opinion solicited in reference to the
financial troubles of the country, re-
piled in his peculiar abrupt style,
that the remedy was this: "Live at
home on your own bread and bacon,
and buy nothing. He maintained
that the energy and endurance of the
people, and the fertility of the soil,
could correct all the evils of bad le-
gislation. The true remedy, and we
believe the only one now at all ap-
plicable to our condition, is to stimu-
late industry, repress all political ex-
citement, pay the honest laborer
every cent due him, and thus create
confidence between man and man.
Discountenanco ali who attempt TO