The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-08-16
From the Charleston Courier
OUR SUMTER CORRESPONDENCE
from our Own Correspondent


Sumter is central and easy Of ac-
cess, aud heuce it is often selected by
the various religious denominations in
the State as the place Of meeting for
their annual Councils. The Baptists
have recently held here a Sunday School
Conventios, composed of delegates from
all parts of the State, presided over BY
Rev. W. D. Rice, Of Society Hill, which
continued its sessions for nearly a
week. The Methodists have just closed
their annual District Conference, pre-
sided over by Bishop Wightman, of
Charleston, and in his absence by Rev.
w. H. Fleming, the Elder in charge OF
this Conference District. Both Of these
meetings we're pleasant reunions 10
the ministers and lay delegates
attending them, and occasions of great
interest to the resident population, who
crowded the churches at almost every
service. The Presbyterians look for
ward to the meeting Of the Synod of
South Carolina, which assemblies here
in November. And in this connection
it may not be amiss to state that the
earnest and able pastor OF that church In
this town, Rev. D. Mcqueen, has re-
Gently received from Georgia Universi
ty the Doctors degree in Divinity,
which, while it makes him no greater
as scholar and pulpit orator than he
was before, is gratifying proof that
he is known and appreciated outside of
his own State and Synod. Dr. Mcqueen,
in addition to the care Of very large
congregation, lectares weekly to the
pupils of the Sumter Female Institute,
(hlrs. Browp's,) during the sessions,
on History and other instructive topics.
He has recently delivered a lecture
before the Cheraw Lyceum, which is
highly spoken Of, but which was not his
first effort there. On former occasion
he was preceded in the lecture course
by Bishop Lynch, of Charleston, and
Bishop Gregg, of Texas, who, together
with himself, all originally hailed from
Cheraw-a learned and gifted trio, to
whom that place can point with compla
cency, as illustrations Of its native talent.
The inevitable excrescences which
mar the comeliness Of the body pclitic
everywhere in this State are visible in
Sumter. The negro militia, which has
been disarmed at some other points, is
here more rampant than ever before,
and is not only armed with guns and
ammunition, but With what is to many
a much more offensive weapon, big
drum, which is allowed but little repose.
A black brass band sometimes attends
the muster, and plays very often when
there is no muster; and iu fact they
play so oft and so loud the few tunes
they have learned that if the entire
population Of the town has not learned
them as well, it is certainly not the
fault of the band. Many weary citi-
zen has had cause to exclaim Of nights,
'.Music has charms to drive all sleep
while the band keeps up the
endless refrain of"Shoo fly. don't bodder
me-" There are also United States
and cavalry stationed here.
and some of the cavalry have had difi
cnlties with the cOlored population, in
which the latter have been roughly
handled but alter the law was invoked
and there seemed to be no further
trouble between them, the cavalry are
to leave tomorrow for Atlanta, to
appease, by their removal, the black
Nemesis. Whatever ills We have, the
people are barring patiently, and the
reccn: triumph Of Conservatism iu
Charleston induces the hope that, by
similar efforts, the rest Of the State may
be, in time, delivered from the rotten
mushroom political organism, which has
brought blight and mildew upon this
once fair commonwealth.
In the domestic establishments n. the
South the changes which late years
have effected, in all our economy, are
very apparent. kitchens and yards, are
no longer crowded with oftcatimes USE
less servants, and housekeeping ar
rangemeu,s are ON a basis now Of
economy, cleanliness and comfort, which
would charm even tidy AID thrifty New
England mr,frr .ftn.tzas 1t w.s at FIRST
said that the refined aud accomplished
Southern niatron or maiden never could
maintain such independence Of sable
"'tendauts. but FIVE years Of facts have
proved the contrary, and, in many
things, they wait upon themselves with
more satisfaction than they often felt Of
y"re in being waited upon 1t is we'll
known that one skilled hand can do
more and better work, with certain
labor saving machinery, than was for
lnerly done by fifty or more operatives
without such mechanical appliances.
Steam and machinery, and the skill to
direct and control them, can accomplish
And so the many convent
rnces which modern ingenuity has fur
nished to render light and easy the
duties Of the housekecper 60 very far
'owards superceding the necessity for
servants Let kitchen, wash-room,
&c, be provided with |
these, and the labor in each of those |
iicl stments is rendered comparatively |
light. Cooking, for example, when |
rarried on over large, open fires is what