The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-07-12

- 49,
.ancholy, gray-haired mulatto, with all the dig.
nifty and department Of the old school, lifted
his hat, and said /: "Welcome, gentlemen; to
Magnolia p On the border of a small lake
within the grounds, shadowed by the moss
hung boughs Of the oak, We lunchedi and then
bade adIeu to the place..
The day after our visit to Ashley Rlger % we
near Cooper River, and about seventeen miles
from Charleston. This church was built IN
It'll. It Is situated in the very heart OF
forest, Is approached by road scarcely better
than bridle-path, and is entirely isolated
from habitations of any sort. Aideep ditch
surrounds the building. lug as means OF
protecting the graves within 1t from wild anil
mails. This church was saved from destruc-
ton by the Tories during the Revolutionary
war n account of the British arms that are
emb. led on the wall inst above the pulpit.
The Interior Is very odd. Seventeen square
pews fill up the ground.aoor, which, Ike. all
old English churches, Is of stone. A gallery
and under this gallery are few more bencnes
designed for the negro servants. The altar,
the readIng.desk and the pulpit are so small,
and crowded in q space so narrow, that they
seem almost miniatures Of those church hx-
lures. The monumental tablets on the side OF
the altar are very oddly ornamented in torm,
and, what's still more singular, are higniy
emblazoned in color. Although these ta9iets
have. been In their places over enc hundred
and fifty years, the colors retain apparently
all their original brilllaney. The lion and the
unicorn over the pulpit also preserve their
original. tints. These specimens OF old-time
fresco gave us unexpected proof OF. the durac
tion of this method Of color-palnting, and the
whole chancelin Its gay tlnts and ornamental
carving seemed queerly out OF place ln'Cne
Otherwise plain and rude structure.
Goose Creek Church was once the centre OF
flourlshing settlements. but, with the decad-
ence that has come over the old Common
wealth, the plantations are forsaken, and this
historical vestige stands, In the midst OF VIII
derness, neglected and almost unknown Trees
and bushes have overgrown and hid the grave
stones, and the native iorest tnreatens IN a rtne
to obscure the very foundations OF the Dullo-
Ing. tits so usual with us 10 erect churches
In tie centre of settlements, with the school,
house, the parsonage, and either structures
linear, that this odd ,edifiee, standing 30 far
apart from habltations of any kind. seems sin
gular enough, But the system OF the settle.
nent Of the SOUTH with large paatatlons ana
\ sMagnelIa Cemetery Is one of the places IN
Charleston to which strangers are directed.
eIt isa new cemetery, and Its name ls rather
lderlYed from what is expected OF tt than WnaC
Flt exhibits. So far, very few magnollas adorn
it, but there are some live.oaks exceptionally
lfantastic and queer In form. In this cemetery
.ts a monument of Colonel Washington, whose
exploits In the Revolution are wen knowh; ;0, 70
Hugh SWfnton Legare, one OF the flpest
h Fscholars South Carolina has produces; and IN
.a vault repose theremaIns of Commodore Van
!derhorst, whose coffin, shrouded With tne
Union Jack, may be seen through the !atticed
door of the tomb. Y
Our visit to Charleston came, only too soon
|. to an end. We parted regrettully from the
friends. whose hospitality had been so gener.
GUS. and with q measure OF SORROW Tor the CITY
\ Lsaddsned with so many ma fortunes. We could
but recall the days when was at the height Of
its elory-Hhen IL was the centre OF q tar-ex.
tending clrcleSof brilliant homes, and Its old
mansions echoed to the tread OF famous
statesmen and renowned women. eve recali
the report ofthe noted Elkanah Wstson, VINO,
Einst after thesrevolutlen, travelled from Proyt
dence> to 0harlestonIn buggy, and whose de
scriptions of the towns and cities he visited
Aare usually accepted as Trustworthy. The
|lwealth and luxury of Charleston surprtsea me
1Rhode Islander, and he speaks OF t5o almost
spIendorn in which the citlzens
lived. Charleston was the centre OF some
what peculiar civilization, and oae highly la
vorable to the cultivation OF theieW. IL was
resorted to in summer as watering place by
the people of the country. The planners
brought with them wealth and leisure, and
these naturally led toluxurious taste and haD'
It's. We doubt. if any community of the
same number has produced 80 many men o.
distinguished merit. Plnckney, Rutedge,
Gadsien, Legare are but the leading names OF
host of WORTHLESS who shed bright lustre on the
place. We may hope yet to see the old plan.
tations on the Cooper and the Ashley attain
a prosperity under the new dispensation o o
brilliant as that they enjoyed under the old
we may trust that the old mansions within
the city shall renew the social triumpas o.
their brilliant past; and we may believe that
statesmen and men OF letters will. not iall q
nerpetllate that renown the famous city once
40 fairly won and 80 fully: enjoyed.
- - OLIVER BELL BuEcE.