The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-02-17
COLUMBIA.
Sunday Morning, February II, 1867
The Second Anniversary.

peaceful day, we would fain dwell on
some other theme, and place before
the readers Of the Picnic some more
cheerful subject for reflection than
the terrible scenes of the seoenteenM
Of February, A. d. 1865; but they
are written on the memory of most
of us with q pen OF FIRE, and the
burning record there traced, two
years changes and events have
failed to obliterate. Although tie
people of our stricken city have
gone to work with will, and hume
rous substantial and stately struc-
lures stand, to-day, where, even on
the same day of last year, there were
nothing but piles Of blackened ruins,
yet there still remain, scattered in
various sections of our city, S, 'icient
standing and sad mementoes of the
terrible and widespread destruction
with which our beautiful city was
visited, on the night Of this date,
1866. We will not now attempt to
portray the fearful scenes of that
night-they have already been faith
fully chronicled, and, indeed, are
still frightfully vivid in the memory
of many Of those who read these
lines.
But while we write words Of com
mendation of the energy and public
spirit Of the people Of Columbia in
building up the waste places Of their
city-and give them all possible Gre
dit for their untiring zeal in the
work of recuperation, it sorely grieves
us, as faithful chroniclers, to say to
them that the events of the past
twelve months, and those now trans
piring with fearful rapidity, instead
of inspiring hope or affording any
ground for words of encouragement,
throw the shadow of deepening
gloom over the future of the people
of the whole South. Two years, in
stead of softening the hearts of those
to whom we are compelled to turn
for relief in the form of just and wise
legislation, have only quickened their
animosity against their own fellow
citizens, whom they have already
overwhelmed with distress and suf-
fering rarely endured by any van
quished people. In the midst of
their suffering, with 5lighted hopes,
with property and fortune swept
away, with their whole system of
labor destroyed at single blow, the
latter have quietly submitted to their
destiny; and not only this, have ac-
cepted conditions naturally repug-
nant to the noble and brave spirit
which peculiarly characterized them,
and whose high-toned generosity was
universally acknowledged and ad !
mired
The Southern people, when they
grounded their arms and furied their
banners, did so in the full faith and
belief that the blessings of an honor
able peace would speedily follow the
entombment of the cause they had
struggled for for four years. They
did not, they could not, believe that
the fires of fierce partisanship and|
sectional hatred, instead of being ex-
tinguished by the convention bel
tween the two gallant generals of the|
contending armies, would burn with
still greater fierceness-with an in
tensity which threatens to bring still
greater evils upon the Southern peo-'
pie, and, in fact, to destroy the Go
vernment. We need only refer to!
the intelligence from Washington
which we receive and publish daily,
to confirm these gloomy forebodings.
Measures arc even now concoctingI
for the overthrow Of civil govern
ment and the liberties Of the people!
Of these States, which, if perfected
and put into execution, will not onlvI
overwhelm us with woe, but will, asS
Tar as poor human and finite wisdomS