The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1872-02-08
FROM Charleston, s, [.

49, AAH
center Of the capital, intelligence, and
refinement Of the State. The bright
waters OF the bay still ripple against her
magnificent promenade-the same peo-
pie are here-the streots designated as
iormerly-but alasl how changed in
other respects-yast areas with Gaping
cellars choked up with weeds and fallen
masonry, silently, but e~loquently recall
the horrors of wal and couhagation.
The houses arc dingy and Imprinted
the very churches look battle SCARED
and forlorn; one Of the most sacred and
celebrated Of them, the noble old CTR
cular," remains a mass Of pondrous and
imposing ruins; great even i'll its down
fall. The Capital" that massive pile,
whence the chivalry Of Carolina drew
inspiration, and which has sent to the
field II host Of gallant spirits, is now
garrisoued by Federal troops and its
splendid parade ground bristles with u
whole park of artillery, planted there to
intimidate a crushed and ruined people.
Midway in the harbor, grand old Stump
ter yet rears its frowning front, her death
dealing guns, sleeping amid the ruins
which remain precisely as they were,
when her peerless flag went down in n
blaze OF glory. Search as you may the
annals of modern warfare not even Acre,
Sargossa, or Sebastapool, can challenge
comparison with the unparalleled de-
fence Of this Confederate stronghold
sand bags and science, supplemented by
yalor, for long months, and even years,
defed the concentrated power of n Nigh
ty navy, its countless shells, and iron
hail, pattering like rain drops against
the simple walls Of the beleagured for
tress. Every man of that heroic garrison
was q pNladin, and thoir deeds will live
in history and song, like tho worthless of
ancient Troy, when empir es and dynas-
ties have crumbled into dust, and Fed
eral vandalism and oppression have had
their just reward. Not far from the bay,
in the centre of the city, the old custom
house, with its gloomy dungeon be-
meath, still rears its massive walls, to tell
OF the old colonial regime, and the
bloody days OF the first revolution. Here
was enacted one Of those military TRACE
dies which rendered forever Infamous
the rule Of CORVALLIS, and his lieuteu-
ants, Tarlonton and Random. This was
the incarceration aud execution Of the
lamonted Haysse. The prison is a small
excavation beneath the surface, with i'm
mensely thick walls, audlighted by mar
row windows strongly grated, and bare
ly sufficient to admit air enough to pre-
vent death from suffocation. I saw the
iron ring and steepie encrusted with
rust Of nearly q century, still pendant
from the low, r0oking roof Of the prison,
whore the great Patriot had been chain
ell like II wild beast, for daring TO do
battle in freedoms cause. Just in front
Of this dismal cell, was erected the scat
fold, upon which he met u felou's death,
Who does not remember all the scenes
of this bloody drama, as delineated in
the graphic and vivid style Of the gifted
biographer of Genl. Francis Marion ?
Alas! that history should be repeating
itself in the suffering and prosecutions
of the hundreds Of u~nofIending victims
at this present hour, who languish in
prison by the odiets Of an unprincipled,
tyranical executive. At that day this
devoted little commonwealth was over
run by q foreign soldiery-now 5000
glittering bayonets in the hands of So
called c%ountrymen, trample upon the
rights Of a defenceless people. Which
Of the two masters was the least odious!
Ask the overburdened people of this city,
whose dwellings are still torn and dis
mantled by the shot of these brethren ?
whose streets are patrolled by their own
slaves, whose ancient seat of learning is
no more, whose legislators are thieves
and assassins, whose treasury is bank
rupt and credit ruined, whose wives and
daughters are degraded, whose best citi-
zens L DISTINGUISHED, and many Of
them in letters. Go ask these people
and doubt the response if you can.
Inc late yellow-teyer was far more
malignant and fatal in its ravages than
it was believed to be abroad-as late as
22nd OF November, eight fell victims to
it; two hundred and twenty deaths are
officially reported. and these figures are
probable not strictly correct; the pesti-
lence has left a deep seated gloom upon
community, and has acted like a
nightmare on the trade and enterprise
Of the city. The present cool change
will doubtless revive the spirits of this
unfortunate people.
The Market is a structure half q mile
in length, and shows an abundance of
vegetables, and the finest West India
of every description on sale, the
beef and mutton look inferior, but of
fsh there was the greatest ~profusion,
and at very reasonable rates, near q doz.