The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-04-03

The uFIrst Cfrclesn of the State Capital
An Interview with the Leaders Of
the Colored Ton-Their Contempt for
the GLOW White Menu of the Radtcsl
Party-What they Think of Moses,
Whtttemore and Governor Scott
Their Admiration for Brooklyn and
Reecher, &c. Z.
Correspondence Of the New York SUM-
COLUMBIA, S. c., March ls. =
ssIf you want a thorough posting upon politf-
cal affairs in South Carolina, you must call Oh
the Rollins" said a gentleman with whom
was conversing the other day.
1.-THE Rollins who are they%'I inquired
"oh, they know everything about the pollti-
cal machine here, and they are the leaders Of
the colored ton, you must know" said the
gentleman. "'society here, since the advent OF
the new regime, has been completely reor-
gained. As In New York, so here, money
exercises a most potent influence In fixing the
status of the people socially. and the money
lust now is in the hands Of carpet-bassggers and
their colored brethren"
TIE RoLLIN FAMILY.
.But who are the Rollins ?" Inquired.
"They are the elite of our colored society.
There are three Of them unmarried, and they
reside near the State House. Their names are
Catharine de Medicis, Charlotte Corday, and
Louisa Mnhlbach-very aristocratic names,
| are they not? The young ladies were educat-
ed in Boston. and they have imoibed many
New England notions, not the least OF which
is the idea that white men were created ior
the cole purpose of aiding aud supporting the
blacks. Their house is a kind Of a Republican
headquarters. They entertain very handsome
". and they are, as / said before, leaders OF
the ton here-that Is, among q certain class.
The government meets at the ROllin house
almost nightly, and in the parlors OF that man
sion much OF the wisdom which controls our
affairs is generated. General Whipper is a
brother-inlaw, and as he is the old Thad Ste
vens OF the lower House, the Legislature
flocks there to meet Hun.
REMARKABLE CoLoRED LADIES.
eAre these young ladies highly colored ?"
inquired.
tsWell, no, not black exactly. but q most bead
tfnulchocolate. They are very bright, however,
and, aside from certain little faults OF a per
sonal nature, which you will not fail to detect,
You will ind them entertaining. They can tell
know " with regard to this Legislature. They
know 1t all. These people used to talk all thelr.
secrets before the young ladies, and now that
the colored element is at swords points with
the carpet-baggers, the ladies' don't hes
tate to tell oil they know, and l can as
sure you some of their remarks are very
rich. You see the spells haven't been
fairly divided, and your intelligent olack
man hegins 10 see that he Is only being made
q catspaw. He naturally rebels. and trouble
are e' constantly occurring q mar the social har
mony of the leading people of both complex
ions. There are some white o1lceholders hers
who, while they were perfectly willing TO meet
Pompey' Augustus at the Stateholise on terms
| OF social equality, were not willing to invite
| Mrs. Pompey Augustus to their residences to
meet their wives and daughters. 1t Is true
that Mr.. and Mrs. Pompey held the balance OF
power and finally forced them info 1t, but then
the fact that 1t was done with an Ill grace Was
apparent. The principal cahse OF discsrdance
between the two races, however. Ia the unwll-
lincness on the part OF the whites to make q
fair and equitable division of the loaves and
fishes. But the Misses Rollin can tell you more
about these things than can.
~ will certainly call upon the Misses Rollln,"
I Haid, shut who Will introd"oo moi' -,
IT win dc It myself" the gentle man said, ii
nm not afraid OF losing caste; besides l ike TO
hear them talk"
THE RESIDENCE OF THE ROLLINS.
Accordingly, when evening arrived we set
out to call upon these secret springs Of the
government of South Carolina. Passing
through the State House grounds, we branch
ed off into O side street and soon arrlyed al tue
Rollin mansion. It Is o large double house,
snugly empowered in shrubbery, and has an
air OF great thrift. AS we entered the gaze, l
remarked to my companion
s.These Rollins must be wealthy"
II don't know lSw that Is" he replied;
sthey came here very poor, but they all have
their hands In the State Treasury. The young
Indies ure engrossing clerks; General Whipper,
their brother-in-law, is in the lower House,
and Mcintyre, to whom another Of the girls IS
engaged. is u white senator from Barnwell.
Yon will see stheln nearly every day OH The
streets driving In splendid style. They own a
beautiful carriage and horses" And so say.
ing, he pulled a silver.plated bell handle oi
most enormous size and elaborate design.
The pull brought to the door q small African.
He bore In his hand O silver tray that nearly
touched the floor as he carried 1t.
"Are the young ladies at home ," said my
companion.
.sGuess dey Is; walk in de parlor," was the
reply, and the inmens silver salyer was
brought to q dead level to receive our cards.
They were placed upon 1t, and Scipio, as |
afterwards heard him called, departed for the
Inner apartments.
NTERIoR OF THE ROLLINS MANSION.
Unlike The parlOrs Of the Intelligent wnlle
USObuC llSkCs anu VIM hefN VIVA
the public purse, was the room into which we
were usEered. l have been invited to the
houses of those In Columbia who formerly
were rated among The wcallhiest In The land,
and who were then surrounded by every luxury
that money could afford. Now, however,
their circumstances are sadly changed. Bare
walls and bare floors greet the visitors eye,
and the plainest Of furniture constitutes the
| only household comfort. Not so. however.
the Roiliu mansion. Beautiful carpets, elegant
| furniture. tasteful pictures, u $1,000 piano, anu
| other evidences of wealth and prosperity met
our gaze as we entered The parlor. Photo
graph albums illed with the choicest Rem-
6ranuis lay in prolusion on ali Italian marble
table, and legislative documents, bound in
| rich morocco, gave evidence Of the tastes and
incllnaliuns OF their lair possessors. While
aamiring all this luxury, O pleasing although
somewhat affected voice was heard at the door:
"Good evening. gentlemen"
Ny friend turned INSTANTLY.
"Ah Miss Kate; good evening. Permit me
to present my friend, Mr.. p. OF the New York
Sum-"
Miss Catherine de MedicIs made a most i'm
presslve sweep OF her train, and courtesied In
a very elegant manner. Recognizing the lin
porlance Of the occasion: l made my very best
bow.
N am delighted 10 meet Miss Rollin."
Before this ceremony was finished Misses
Charlotte Corday and Louisa Muhlbach enter
ed the room, to each of whom I was presented.
TIE QUEENS OF SOUTH CAROLINA SOCIETY.
The eldest of the young ladies' is q bright
mulatto of about Is. She Is tall, somewhat
spare, and affable and agreeable 10 her man.
ner. She was dressed in a black silk dress