The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-10-05
LETTER FROM THF SOUTH.
COLUMBIA, S. c., Sept. 23d, 1871

COLUMBIA, .. u, Sept. Sou, lotSs
DEAR WHIG:-From all appearances pre-
vious to the war, this city must have been
very handsome, as the ruins of some of the
buildings still standing would indicate;
being situated on slightly rising ground on
the right bank of the Santee river with
very wide streets laid off at right angles.
the pavements lined with number of trees
certainly makes this city highly pictur-
esaue in comparison to most southern
places. In regard to the burning of Co
lunbia, it is avered by the Inhabitants to
be the work of Sherman during his famous
march to the sea, but the facts are, that
the inhabitants fired this place when they
destroyed large quantity of cotton, to pre-
vent it from falling into the hands of the
Union troops, and which was stored on the
banks of the river awaiting shipment, the
wind was blowing strongly towards the
city, carrying large flakes OF ignited cot
ton. which lighting the roofs of the houses.
in short time kindled flame that was
beyond the power of man to subdue. On
every side can now be seen the ruins of
churches and dwellings, but had the same
misfortune happened any where North,
these ruins would have given place long
ago to fine stately buildings; as Chicago or
Chambersburg bear testimony; here they
.,er content to build fine house mostly
frame, although l saw in the course OF
erection couple of brick house, and the
novel manner of carrying bricks to the top
attracted my attention. Instead OF using
. bod as is the custom with us, the negro
with piece of board upon which he puts
about two dozen bricks, and lifting the
hoard on top of his head balances his load,
carving it up ladder as quickly as one Of
our hod carriers would their load on their
shoulders. One case is instanced in which
2 load was prematurely dropped, and that
happened when the tote" was carrying
himself outside of lot of whisky at the
same time, unfortunately, another negro
was passing, and received a number OF
bricks upon his head, stopping for only an
instant he was heard to exclaim: " Look
out up dar if you don't want dem bricks
broke Just keep dem off dis child's head"
The colored man has complete sway or as
one expressed it the other day by saying:
D" Debottom logs on top now" As they are
vastly in the majority and as they all have
she same political faith, they believe in
,lacing some of their own color in power
,lthough it seems singular to Northern
nan to find the Legislative Halls filled
nth colored men. Yet, l presume one
,ould very soon become accustomed to
his state of affairs.
At one time fight which witnessed
,tween colored man and white man
reatened to become serious by the use OF
lives, but colored policeman pounced
ION both billigerants, and marched them
= a colored Magistrate who fined each OF tue
ending parties $40 and bound them over
$500 bail for future good behavior, this
WINGED me that the colored dispenser OF
was impartial. In the afternoons the
.ets are lively with carriages owned by
:. ,red men, who take their families out
mp. ring. The handsomest equipage being
=, !. least, of the Lieut.. Governor of this State,
ally in, 10 ,Iso colored and who ia the proud
proved Is aiSo 'o'o''u gu" VIM 10 ~ :,
valve: ssor of span, which would be envied
urbne hany in New York.
Cham Chan. alking around the capitol ground to-
for sale i saw for the first time the palmetto
md for ..;o, ,,or. .xoelIant no
Mfrpc RI. Is branching out until it reached
a a. / twenty feet from the ground, the
}, nd. was beautiful green, being DESTROYS
- living it more critically, made CLOS
lspection and found it came from
hond Va. where it had been cast, as
,phdtH Cp.v REARD
Ib0R iron. VIVA D