The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-06-24
COLUMBIA, IS. g.
Thursday Morning, June "a. 1869.
ZINC Celulnbin canai.


the developments by Governor Sprague,
the millionaire of Rhode Island, will
materially advance the interests Of Co
lumbia," !" seems TO be at stand.still.
The good time coming. to which the
PHGNx of that date looked forward so
confidently, seems en- route on an ex-
atremely slow train. The merry hum
of the spindle and busy click OF the
I loom" has not yet-nor is there any evil
dence of it-been heard along the ''banks
of this useless stream" The PHGN1x
-=Ras sanguine; the PHOENIX confesses the
"best laid schemes gang aft aglee." The
sluggish stream of the Columbia Canal
flows undisturbed with its torpid current;
the busy throng of active workmen, who
were to widen and develop this great
work and water power. are still tho crea-
lures of speculation. The first condition
of the purchase was that the buyer
should, six months after date, commence
the work Of widening and deepening the
said canal; and that, twelve months after,
$4,000 should have been expended by
-yfI p . s.f
him for that purpose-,the conditions of
sale being thirty days after acceptance of
bid, one-t third s'of purchase money to be
paid; six months therefrom one-third,
and twelve months after the remaining
third; titles and money paid to be for
feited in case Of failure of any conditions
Of sale by purchaser. At this late date
there is not the faintest indication that
Mr.. Sprngue intends to develop the
great purchase from which we hoped so
much; not a sod has been turned on the
banks of the canal; not the faintest move
been made to mark the introduction of
change.
We fear the name of Sprague is omi-
nous The gentleman of that name from
Chicago, suffering from ''Arisepilis," is
guilty of breach of promise lin marri-
age,) and breaks the heart of Amanda in
exceedingly bad grammar; whilst the
gentleman from Rhode Island is guilty
of another kind of breach of promise
breaks his obligations, couched in ex-
ceedingly good English. and willingly
incurs the forfeit, which we are told is
but of triAing value That there is O
reason for this. is perfectly clear. AL
though the six months dated from the
purchase have not expired, it is plain
that Mr.. Sprague does not design to
complete his bargain The preparations
required for engaging in such an enter
prise are so great that they could not be
in formation without at some period its
being known to the world, or vigilant
press. The unbroken silence of the pa
pers and private information warrant us
in believing and asserting that Mr..
Sprague has abandoned his purpose, and
that the dream of active spindles and
busy looms is dream indeed.
That there is money in the project
that the bargain is valuable. is beyond
doubt. To what, then, shall we ascribe
the cause, when shrewd business man,
as this Rhode Island manufacturer is,
abandons his enterprise, and prefers to
pay forfeit rather than risk his money
further? The political situation of our
State, OF the entire South, is the true
solntion of the question. A common
wealth under tho control and govern
ment of itinerant adventurers, of native
and foreign carpet-baggers, with SCALA
wags of high and low degree, and Le-
gislature composed almost entirely OF
negroes, suffering under the cruel exac-
tions of rigorous and infamous system
OF taxation, in our opinion, is sufficient
to deter the outlay of Northern capital
in our section. MIR. Sprague elbows the
indigenous prudence Of the Yankee, and
wisely determines to pay his forfeit ra-
ther than hazard his dollars to the tender
mercies of this piratioal crew.
The golden stream of prosperity and
wealth, We grieve to believe, will scarcely
flow into Columbia through the banks OF
the canal, under the able management of
Governor Sprague. And we think it
w of ofk - IL L.