The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-02-13

ZOE 6eV6fAL squares IN aimObt every OiteC-
tion, the escape OF q building was excep-
tionai. a beautifpi opurch was fired,
because it was supposed to esthe place
where She secession convention met, but
its parishioners suffered for the sins Of
another. The old weather. beaten brick
church that entertained the fathers OF
secession. still stands in painful solitude.
surrounded by charred walls and the
shade trees that beautified the streets. I
have walked through the ruins of the
main street in Chambe1sburg, and heard
the shrill greeting of the owl from the
broken columns and withered bowers of
the fated village, and felt that sorrow
had reaped its fullest harvest there; but
I did not know how greatly the people
of the North were blessed above the
people of the South. Chambersburg has
recovered. Her people had energy, in
dustry and hope, and they reared new
homes over the ashes of their old ones.
Here and there, the blow was crushing;
but, as n rule, the same people are there,
enjoying the beautiful structures they
have reared to retrieve their adversely.
Not SO, in Columbia. Her people still
sit, in despair, in the midst of their
desolation. Her men walk tho streets,
from day to day, in sullen, hopeless
helplessness, and her mothers and
daughters seem to be widowed in pride,
poverty and hate. A few of the more
enterprising, chiefly of the despised
industrial classes, have built stores on
the broad avenue of trade, but still four
fifths of the street lies in horrid vacancy,
and the houses which escaped oil bear
the marks of Incidence and decay Not
until the Northman comes, with his capi-
tai and energy, or until another genera
ton supplants the present, can Colum-
bia be restored to her former beauty and
prosperity"
We shal! let this fine writing pass. WE
have only to remark how beautifully con.
sistent this correspondent is. It was n
pious thing for Southern cities, villages
and towns to be consigned to flames
1t was good thing-a righteous pro-
ceeding-when the valley of Virginia
was laid waste by Hunter and by Shcri-
dan. 1t was right for Atlanta to be
burnt. But when, in single instance,
the work of retaliation was indulged in,
and Chambersburg was partly fired, then
we hear of "the blow OF the Nandal, .
and the crime of the burning, the pillage
and the sack of Columbia is sought tc
be excused by the story of Chambers.
burg! But one more point: Observe the
extract from Col McClure's letter, in
the latter portion of which he says
speaking of Columbla-"Her people sit
still in despair in the midst of their dc.
ISOLATION" Is this tho case? Has Col.
Mcclure given the result Of his observa.
tion in this statement? We are of this
people. We know them. and We know
nothing of this "despair" On tho con
trary, our people generally have gone to
work with rare energy, have rebuilt
many q waste place, and in spite of tho
political incubus, which so grati6es thi.
Pennsylvania Republican, we are hope
full, resolute, self-reliant, and with God:
favor, intend to live and not die. Agair
he says: "Her men walk the streets from
day to day in sullen, hopeless helpless
ness, and her mothers and daughter!
seem to be widowed in pride, poverty
and hate" This is equally fancy
sketch, conceived and brought out il
simple prejudice and passion. We SCI
no Southern men walking the streets
thus; but we do see others, for whom, nc
doubt, Col. Mcclure has more sympathy
riding the streets in costly equipages
bought, not unfrequently, with -gotter
gains and money filched from those very
persons that he imagined he saw walking
the streets "in sullen, hopeless helpless
ness" But Col McC. has remark tt
make about the women of Columbia
''her mothers and daughters seem to b.
'cido,ced in pride, poreriy and hate" All
This, indeed, is "adding insult to inju
ry." It is true, that we have widows
whose husbands fell at the hands of tht
Northern invader. 1t is true, that al
unsuccessful war has made many OF then
poor in worldly goods. 1t is true, tha
they are proud with q just pride. But i