Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-11-05
From our Travelling Correspondent.
South Carolina.
The City Of COIumbia--Its Appearance
The Condition Of Political Anairs-The
Radical acknowledgements Control
In the C1ty-wade Hampton, &C., &c.
NICKERsoN's HOTEL,


COLUMBIA, S. c., Oct. 9th, 1869.
Dear Journal Il reached this beautiful
city this morning, and for the first time
tramped over the pavements of tie gallant
Palmetto States Capital. AS / walked
along, my eye rowing with pleasure from
one to another sweet smiling landscape,
the thoughts that were aroused at the call
of memory were far from affording me
any satisfaction; for / recOllected what
South Carolina had been in the happy bye
gone years, and remembered the tradition
that it had been seat Of luxurious refine
ment and high social culture, and what its
capital was before that infamous scourge-
WI. Sherman, itits horizon with the flames
from the burning dwellings Of its citizens
and wrought desolation where there had
been an unbroken prospect of loneliness;
and then shuddered to think that the m
varying answer to all my inquiries, to the
effect that those things were OF the past,
was true. The families that once were
enabled by an unbounded wealth
to supply themselves with all the
means of gratifying the most fastidious
tastes and OF dispensing q most lavish hos
pitality, are with very few exceptions great
but poor thin shadow of their former
opulent and we'll conditioned selves. Oh
how many elegant homes have been made
desolate by the bummers of the North =
How many fortunes were destroyed by the
results OF the defeat of the South ! What
terrible consequences have been entalled
upon our people Gentlemen penniless,
aud dashing about IN such style as they
used to splurgo, tho most miserable speci-
mems Of the Cape Cod Yankee, fatten upon
the riches Of which they have been robbed.
In the Office of the Comptroller of the State
[ saw high public functionary in conf.
Dental conversation with big, black, buck
negro, who was talking with an air of self
sufficiency and indulging in familiarities
that even the most Intimate friends would
have been disguised with, had they been
used towards one another.
Che condition into which political affairs
have been plunged in this State is worse,
if possible, than in any other common
wealth Of the South, for the negro MAORI
ty is SO disproportionately large that
the Democrats are obliged to despair
Of regaining control for many years to
come. Such corruption and protiigacy as
exists, unrebuked in the highest official
quarters has never been known before at
any period of the world. Athens, in the
age of that consummate and extravaganza
demagogue Pericles, was situated no worse;
for then, although the liberties of the
people Of Attica were fast losing their hold
1,no off &c hn l
though the expenditures of the prodigal
friend of Aspasia were rapidly depicting
the public treasury and necessit lting heavy
taxation, at least there was redeeming
feature in the refined manner in which the
most insidiOus OF the Grecian rulers
sQuandered the means and subVerted the
institutions of his country.
Richland District (of which Columbia is
the seat of justice) is in the hands of the
Philistines. All the county officers are
Radicals of the most pronounced sort, and
some OF them are natives, who have gone
over to the Republican party for the loaves
and fishes. l have not been here long
enough to inform myself thoroughly con-
cerninr them, but am told that some of
them behave with great generosity and
courtesy towards the white people with
whom they have dealings. But am glad
Columbiais in the hands Of the Democrats,
and that the Mayor and Aldermen are ali
of the right stripe.
Gen. Wade Hampton, whose family is
residing at Wildwood, the old family seat,
has been here within the lats fewIdays; but
l understand that he has gone just now to
Mississippi, where he is planting largely
and with excellent success. God bless the
peerless gentleman, and award him an
abundant prosperity that will insure him
thrift and profit in ali his undertakings i
Ii there Is one name that eXcites admira-
ton and evokes the wild plaudits of the
entire Southern people, it is the name of
the noble, chivalrous Hampton.
Ex-Governor Orr (who is now Repub-
lican judge has been recently holding q
special Court at Newberry. His regular
circuit is the one that has Greenville for its
centre. Is it not astonishing that such man
as Orr-one who has been so honored by
his sState-should connect himself with
such a set of adventures as ore now in
power in South Carolina.
Ex-Gov. Perry is quite i'll and fears are
entertained that he may not recover.
Nickerson's Hotel, at which I am stop
fleet credit on any city. It is we'll manag-
ed; kept by courteous gentlemen who look
carefully to the comfort Of their guests;
and is supplied by polite attendants, who
do their work thoroughly and with affa-
bility. The rooms are large, we'll furnish
ed and pleasant; and the table is supplied
with all the substantialo and delicacies and
dainties that are to be found upon the
boards of other houses of the same rank.
The Phoend.c is the only daily newspaper
at Columbia, and is doing good business.
It's editor, Mr.. Julian A. Selby, is cour-
teous and frank gentleman. Your CORES
pondent called on him, ascertained these
facts, and consequently speaks by the
book. Adieu.
NOSNIBOR.