The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-07-06
GRAND DEMOCRATIC BARBECUE.
SENSIBLE SPEECHES FRoH TWO FREEDMEN.
PLEASANT RAILROAD CELEBRATION.

A PLEASANT RAILROAD CELEBRATION.
COLUMBIA, S. c., July Awhile the 4th of
July has been observed in Charleston and else
where with the usual festal teuz-dejoie and
pyrotechnic displays, q goodly proportion Of
the citizens Of Columbia devoted the day to q
celebration of the opening OF the Columbia
and Augusta Railroad to Batssville-a little
| village So miles from this city. The usual .sa-
Ilutes and ringing Of bells took place in town,
and at 10 o'clock few hundred colored people
assembled to listen to an address by DR.. A.
g. Mackey, on party topics. This speech
viii, it is understood, be published in full,
and be used as campaign document. 1t
| was intended to influence the nomination
and election Of the speaker as United States
senator, and is doubtless an offset to q
speech delivered Gu Friday night in the
GLIB House, at Charleston, by MIR. F. A. Saw
yer, his opponent for the senatorship. MIR.
Mackey was followed by Captain Niles G.. Par
ke-, A. j. Ransier, F. L. Cardoza and others.
In the afternoon the negroes, to the number
of $50, formed procession, and preceded by
b.nd Of music, paraded through the city,
dressed in the most fantastic and peculiar COS
tunes, and making the city look very unlike
Rome in carnival time. At 6 O'Clock P. NJ. the
troops paraded in force, and SO terminated the
4th Of July in Columbia.
The multitude who participated in the rail-
road celebration left the city at9 A. N. in long
train Of cars, which had been provided for the
purpose, and we're accompanied by the Presi-
dent Of the Columbia and Augusta Railroad,
Col. VIM. Johnston; the Auditor, Col. Dorsey;
the Chief Engineer, Captain Moore. and other
officers. The company embraced many Of the
most influential citizens OF Columbia. who, for
the first time, ayailed themselves of an oEpor-
tunity of seeing part Of the interior OF the
State which ttas been heretofore to most Of
them te71'z incognttG. Proceeding through
Lexington District the living freight was large
ly increased by additions from every station
and cross-road, until each car was as tho
roughly packed as a Lox Of sardines. At last,
and not too soon, Batesyine, formerly Leesvile,
was reached, the scene presented to the eye
being not more surprising than picturesqe.
The woods adjoining the depot on one si1e Of
the track literally swarmed with vehicles Of
every description, from the old.fashioned one
horse shay, held together by straps and
strings, to the more pretentious carriage,
which kind Providence had spared from the
spoliations Of war. The large and handsome
depot building, recently erected, was filed to
its utmost capacity, while on both sides the
dense fringe OF humanity. which looked Won
deringly on the longest train Of cars ever seen
in that locality made one marvel exceedingly as
to the place whence they came. There were
old and young, modish and rocco, comely and
eweet, "anxious and aimless, maids and ma
trons-each with husband or sweetheart and
basket of provisions, the majority Of the fair
sex dressed in white, the sterner stuff showing
the honest country homespun on their backs
all these moving among the luxuriant foliage,
now with.the beams of monday sun scorch-
ing their varied head gear, now grouped under
the trees in home-ike circles, which seemed to
invite even from strangers the most easy and
familiar of intercourse, made the entire scene
one well calculated to impress upon the mind
memory for the duplicates Of which ne must
look back to the great country barbecues and
camp-meetings Of the ante-war history Of the
State.
Accompanying the excursionists was a string
band, which was taken possession Of by the
young people Immediately upon the arrival Of
the cars, and impressed for dancing purposes.
It may be added that for such broiling day,
the dancing was provokingly vigorous.
SPEECH OF COLONEL JOHNSTON.
In the meanwhile Colonel Johnston and the
cf6cers Of the road were formally received
by committee Of citizens and welcomed to
Batesville. Colonel Johnston briefly expressed
his thanks, and was then escorted to a stand
which had beer erected in fine grove. Colo
mel Johnstn vas thenantrodlced by Captain
Bates, to tha So audience which had assem-
bled in front, and said that among the vast
range Of topics which might constitute theme
for such an occasion, none would probably be
more acceptable than some reference to the
history of the Columbia and Augusta Railroad.
Commenced under great difficulties, it had re-
ceived the steady support of the citizens OF
the State living along the line of road, until it
had reached that stage from, which they
could bok forward to its early completion. he
explained hat every mile OF railroad was esti-
mated to add fifty thousand dollars to the
taxable value of the lands contiguous thereto,
and that measured by this calculation, three
millions would be added to the wealth of the
State by the road now constructing, while it
would personally benefit every farmer and
lanfhotder' along the line. by enabling him to
economic the expense Of travel, and the
transportation of material, provisions and
fertilizers. Colonel Johnston sa;d that .hs