Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-05-27
Accumulated Misfortune.

49, ACCumuldtou lnAo1ol tuuo'
A tide of calamities sometimes sets in upon
people, and flows with II steady and almost
,unbroken current which, at lust dcadens tho.
over-straincd sympathies. Ten years ago q
prospective glance over the decade of woe
which has kept the South in suffering and
mourning, would have burdened tho heart
with a consciousness of human inoaracity
to endure such fearful ordeal as. was in store
for our people.
We have suffered and endured, with pa.
tience and fortitudc, which have fitly crowned
the fabric of lofty virtues, which the world,
now recognizes as the Southern Character
The severity Of our Christening has been en-
hanccd by the constant renewal of the vista
ton of disappointment and anxiety at moments
when we arc apparently upon the very TIRES
hold of deliverance from the cruel and tedious
travail. How frequent have been our mo.
monts of buoyant hopo and cxuitant anticipa.
tions Of an carly dawn of comfort und happi.
ness, in some measure to compensate Tor the
bitterness of the recent Past. How sudden
and overwhelming have been tho visitatons
of consecutive cnlamitics for which human
sagacity failed to provide.
At the present moment the State Of Vir-
giuia is typical of the long and cumulative
agony of the South. She is tho symbol Of
Southern woe, aud MS she weeps over the sor-
row which dcsolate her lircsidcs, the heart Of
the South is moved in sympathy for once of
that historic sistcrhood of Commonwcalths,
which, but few years ago, won the pluudits
of the universe in recognition OF herosm
unexamplcd in human history. In that her
ilagc of Southern glory, each Southern State
| is participant, and each is also an heir in
tho caamities which fall thick and fast upon
one Of the sistcrhood. No longer is Virginia
to be known, only as the "Mothcr of States,
for her weeping, which is never stlled, also
proclaims her to be the Niobc of Common
wcalths. The dead Of the calamity at the
Capitol in Richmond have hardly yet been
removed from public gaze; the funeral cor
tcgcs have hardly ceased to move through the
streets of tho mourning city the wall Of the
widow yet rises upon the air, and the sobs Of
the orphan still utter their pitcous appeal
when the tidiugs OF another fearful disaster,
within the limits Of the same State, arc flash
cd over the land. y pleasant and thriving
village is in ashes, and hundreds of deserving
people arc rendered homeless, by Il calamity
which is only less sickening than the appalling
event at Richmond, by the absence Of the
sacrifice Of human life.
On Friday night, the 9th instant, the town
Of Fincaste was visited by u connagration
which destroyed over sixty houses, among
them two hotels, printing Office, several
business establishments and very large pro.
portion of private residences, turning out
whole families, pcnnlcss aud destitute, at
midnight, to the tender care of the charitable
| We read that so rapid was the progress of
the flames, that in many instances ladies'
barely escaped with life by flying from their
burning homes in their night clothes but
we are also informed that these heroic women
formed in the line afterwards and worked un
tiringly with the men III passing up water in
IL vain effort to stay the progress of the
flames.
The loss by the fire at Fincastlc is cstima.
ted ut three hundred thousand dollars, with
but little insurance. Great rs was this sac
rIhco OF properly, it becomes paltry indeed
besiac,thc fact Tint sixty families arc home
) rs without clothing, without habitations aud
'''''os without provisions. The noble re
sponse n o1 r.e country at large to the appeals
% n'ch'ho''u caves little doubt that the
S'f'cKch conmu'i's of Eincastlc will not be
neglected. Inc gre4 cities of the North
from Their abundant stoi>s, and animated by
an Impulse of Christian chuitv, have striycn
in noble emulation for the relief e thc Hich
mond sufferers, and the cries of Finu,st,c will
net he uuhccdcd.
! Ii Christian duty thus animatcs those Who
but lately were the enemies of Virginia, car
rying fire and sword across her boundaries
how hearty and enthusiastic should be til,
traternal sympathics Of Southern communities
No Southern community can afford TO hav
it recorded, that lis citizens had no respons
for the cries of Virginians for help in TIM
OF calanltics which have shocked civilization
Poverty will not excuse the dclinnucncy tin
selfish maxim that "Charity begins at home
cannot soften the sting of Il conscience zorro
dcd by the bitter memory that it was silent
when not humanity alone, but consanguinty
a common heritage Of glory and sacrifice, anc
every noble impulse of the human heart ap
pealed to its generosity. And this too whc,
aliens and recent enemies We'd with each 9th
or in the tender of help. 1t is incredible tia
any Southern community will be recrcant t,
this present duty to Virginia.
Wilmington Star.
WASHINGTON, May 20.-In the Senate
the Pacific Railroad bill was placed on tn,
calendar next to the bill reducing taxation
The Senate is fliibustering over Adjournment
The House Committee on the Pacific Rail
road considered the Trans continental M
result. The clerk Of the committee says they
arc fighting among themselves, and tho result