The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1869-05-20
THE EFFECT OF SOUTH CARO-
LIMA RECONSTRUCTION ON
NORTHERN CAPITALISTS.

Every one knows that the South Caro-
lima l.. gi<lature is composed of loyal
ty in which ignorant negroes and DO
signing carpet, baggers and native scala
wags predominant, and that charges o'
corruption and bribery are freely utter
ed in private and have been just as free
Iy baudied, like the shining ball OF the
scho"l boys, between the Reconstruction
Governor Of the State aud the President
uf the Grceuvile Railroad Company.
And everybody. also, knows that Sen
ator Sprasue, of Rhode Island, has pur'
chased from that State magnificent
wa,cr-power on the Congaree, about two
miles distant from the once beautiful
capital, with the design of erecting a
frst-class cotton mill-of developing the
large water power and of making useful
to the State anil profitable to himself the
large accompanying land interest.
Very recently Senator Spraguc has
infurmcd Black Tom Robertson, the
scalawas Senator from South. Carollna'
who has been branded Radically loyal
and wears the dog collar of RadIcallsm
as bprn,thrall of the negroes OF South
Carolina. that he should make. no more
improvements eat present." The water
power was magnificent. The site is just
that which would invite capital and en-
terprise. The requisite dam across the
Congarce had been built. A canal for
distribution Of power, several miles In
length, had been partially completed.
The situation possessing pure atmos'
phere, free from all miasmatic infuen-
ces. and abounding springs of the purest
water. is all that could be desired. The
cost OF the property Was utterly insls-
niGrant; in fact gift up"n condition
Of forfeiture upon failure to commence
certain specified improvements, within
Twelve months from date of purchase
Five mouths of the time allowed has
elnrsed, and "Little Rhody" announces
10 Black Tom Senator he shall 'make
no more improvements for tire present. y
This reply seems to have excited won
der, and to provoke further inquiry from
the scalawag. He knew that bricks
had been made, aud preparations had
been made 'to 60 ahead" and innocent,
ly ask why the Rhode Isl'nd mauufac,
tarer "dida't e, ahead - To Black
Tom everything seemed pr"pitlous. The
people desired to see work progress
Tie country contiguous and close con-
ucctivns by railroad with large markets,
secured al ample supply Of the raw ma
t., rial aud imposed no condition of heavy
stocks to be carri. d, while similar close
connections with the extensive farm re-
gion reaching from Grecnville on the
South to Charlotte, North Carolina, or
the North, puurs in all the necessaries
Tor cheap living Why, then, does ho
Yankre enterprise, proverLial for activ
ity, go ahead %
The tcrsc reply of the shrewl Sena
tor is as <ag .c'ous as diplomatic. IL,
tells Bl,ck Tum he will d. do nothing
$50 long as money c"inu,ands twenty
ivc per cent. dOlcR tte e
This repl. f Is Bl ok Tom with won
dcim ut. What hindranced or irapedi
lucnI co I'D rate Of Interest OF twenty
per cent. down there" to he wealthy
Rh Dc Islander, commanding millions
whusc credit is unlimited iu the grea
money centres of the North, and whose
cummrrcial capital and credit is classec
A \ K In all the mercantile agencie!
vi the la d. doubtless Black Tom.
ute cstcd question ar">c in tho appre
cla,ion Vi IN, property yin. near by
Aud b,y,nd doubt, he chuckled owe
his growing Importance aud exaltatior
as chlel ut the do niiant faction uf the
State, ol scaluw 'gs, pel.bag=e,s, anc
Ignorant ucsrvcs, whom he had dc
cclred, and dupcd into the belief tina,
amo < la%--lvrrS he Was Muses., anon!
slate III Webs er, au Adams U
"arsraIl III pu.i'y Of character, aud Il.
Otls ur ll,ury III eluqucnce, and tina
he surpassed ali Ut thuse ia lottluess O
purl use and devotion t" Rcpublicanisu,
He cou d not >ce that which had raise,
hun fro " otscurit, aud made him
counterfeit masnale, was the cause 10
distrust on the part Of the wary Rhod