The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-10
Very Peculiar Peoplel

This is peculiar people-a very peculiar
people Charlestonians are light as air, or
heavy as lead. To them the middle path be-
tween the mountain and the deep is usually
unknown. They look OF Scylla and Charyb-
dis, and are downright certain that no pilot
can steer them into port. The least contrary
thing causes them to pout for months to-
gether, but, en- reoaache, they are inde-
scribably buoyant when any terrible bug-a-
boo ia found to be nothing more terrible
than lamp-black and foul linen. They play
the game OF see.saw with sHperhuman pa
tience. Up and down! Down and up!
Rarely content to rest quietly on the solid
centre.
Three months ago, no typical Charles
tonian had good word to say for Charles
ton. The city was going to the dogs. Trade
dull. Roguery fourishiug. Nothing GER
tain but death and taxation. Nine Charles
tonians out of ten strove hard, if uncon-
sciously, to give their city bad name. They
croaked and groaned, at home and abroad,
until this came to be looked upon as
doomed city, which, half century hence,
would at most be capable Of supplying black
berries and clans to population of squalid
whites and savage negroes
This is the way that Charlestonians talked
when things looked blue. But their works,
at all times, were better than their words.
While they vowed that oil was lost, they
still, when occasion came, worked manfully
for their redemption. They must be judged
not by what they say, but by what they do.
This is their idiosyncrasy. And it is as
conspicuous now as when there seemed no
chance OF breaking the back Of Radical mis-
rule. Then, all was gloom; now, all is
brightness. But as this people, while shout
ing that Trey left all hope behind, put their
shoulders to the wheel and hoisted their
wagon out olthe slough, 80 will they. now,
while protesting that the future Of the city
and State are assured beyond doubt, leave
no stone unturned in the effort TO make that
a hard fact which is now a pleasant proba-
billty. This is their strong point We must
make the most OF it!
And yet it would be better to take the
cheerful view, even when difficulty and dam
ger are truly great. This prevents u false
impression from going forth. 1t conceals
our weak places, and makes much OF our
strength. We know that there is nothing in
Charleston which should inspire doubt and
misgiving and this is the line of argument
which the people should take, whether Pills
bury or Wagner be, Mayor. The trade OF
the city is improving. Each year shows
substantial commercial gain. And this is
not the result OF the election last week.
That election will be of incalculable benefit
to Charleston, but it will not create pros
perity-1 aoin gtre the opportunity, and that
opportunity must be turned to good account
by the hard work and personal industry OF
the citizens. The door is wide open. 1t de-
pends on the people themselves whether they
enter in. We have every confidence that
the new administration. will carry out sa-
gacious, practical and liberal policy. But
wise laws no not make people rich.
Their function is to give all men fair play,
and no favor, in the great work OF life.
In the future, then, let US avoid too much
confidence as we'll as unwarrantable despair.
Acts should supplement words. This peo-
pie may talk cheerily, and justify their talk
ing by their business enterprise and tact.
They are tough. They are brave. Let no
rival community, nor any travelling capital
lat, have reason for saying that we write
ourselves down as far worse than we are,
and cry that the battle is lost before the
fighting begins!