The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-02-05
NEW CHARLESTON.
THE WONDROUs CHANG Fs WROUGHT
IN THE OLD CITY.

-
the Place and the People.
We find in the last issue of the great Bap-
tIst organ, the New York Examiner and
Chronicle, very interesting letter from the
Rev. ]. R. KendrIck, of New York, formerly
the pastor of the Citadel Square Baptist
Church, who has lately been revlsiting the
old scenes of his clerical labors. We copy
the letter entire. He says:
Never shall 1 forget my earliest visits to
Charleston. On one of these occasions
found myself, late In an afternoon, at the
great fashionable resort OF the city, known as
the Battery. There q vision of Bplendor broke
upon NV Young eyes to which they had been
wholly unu. ed The broad battery drive was
literally thronged with brilliant eQuipages
slowly cIrcling round and round to catch the
refreshing breeze from the sea. while the broad
promenade was filed with elegantly dressed
pedestrians. 1t was scene OF enchant-
ment. AT that day, while as yet Central Park
with its unrIvaled glories was not dreamed
of, no other city In the country could have
presented its parallel. Then the private car
riages of Charleston were numbered by hun
dreds, possibly by thousands; now, as am
Informed, there is scarcely half dozen OF
them In all the city. This single fact indi-
Gates the prodIgious change that has come
upon this people.
OLD CHARLESTON.
Undoubtedly old Charleston was one Of the
most Interesting and attractive cities In the
land. It was beautiful for situation, ana ID
this respect, happily, 1t remains unchanged.
Living between the Cooper and The Ashley, 1t
eynands northward from the Battery locus In
fan-like shape, much resembling New YORK
In lis general confgurailon. Its haroor, too.
Is sIikingly similar to that oil the great me-
tropolis, except In lls lack OF bold coast-lne
and background features. The Charleston
climate for eight or nine months 10 the year
Ia delicious. The mild breath OF the tropics
tempers its winter air and gives 1t much of
the porpeousness of tropical vegetation.
Through The open window OF which now
write my eye falls upon variety OF ricn ever
greens, and upon orange trees laoen Win
their golden frnit, thongn candor requires me
to aid that this iruit is OF the bllter-sWeet
sort and much more bitter than sweet
Charleston is lust now 10 her most amable
winter mood, and is lreallng us 10 an Inter-
lnde of lruly celestial weather. That famous
"sun of Austerliz" was nothing to the South
ern sun which here aud now Is glorlfylng ma.
ture and gladdenIDg the heart OF man with
such light as is rarely poured on land or sea.
When 10 Naples I was often reminded OF
Charleston, and now the cnarms OF Cnaries-
ton carry me back TO Naples.
The visitor here Is greeted at every turn by
the signs Of venerable age. He feels mat
he Ia in no mushroom town that sprang up
last year. Charleston is quaint place, as
we'll as old, with discriminating individually.
" such Us gives charm TO many English and
continental cities. Its domestic architecture,
In particular, Is Its own. Intermingled with
the regulation houses are not few noble
mansions of baronal size and grandeur. /
am at present enjoying the hospitality of
friend who is the fortunate occupant Of one oil
these palatlal homes, built some eighty years
ago, aud In style OF architectural solidlty
and fidelity rarely equalled In this tast period
of varnsh and veneer. Tneee ancient houses
are oflen rich in associations, tragic and
comic. Some of them are PROBABLY coeVal
with those ante-revolntlonary times When
Charleston was the capital OF ''Lhe pot colony"
and was the scene nj q gay and luGurious
provincial life. II has long history OF vivid
and romantic interest. The storm OF nre nas
swent over It again and again in desoating
Inrv the storm oil water has deluged II, The
storm OF shot and shell has battered and torn
II. ihe raven wing of peslience has often
shadowed it, and yet out OF all Its disasters 1t
has always risen In fascinating beauty.
The society OF Charleston was always ia.
nous for lis cultivation and refinement. LIB
people have been distinguished for certain
polIshed courtesy and quiet grace oil manner,
blending delicacy, dignity and conscious
though not offensive eeli-ap[ recitation. IL was
DR.. Jeter, l believe, who, some years since,
made the shrewd remark that the genuine
Bostonien seemed to say In his bearing, VI
know all things" while the typical Charest2-
MAN said, 'What l don't know isn't worm
knowing.n Charleston always prided ilsell
on ils careful observance OF the gentlemenn.y an;
DroprIeIies, and with no little re"snn. set
ling aside the weakness and absuru OF lts
chlValry afrtctalion. and iLs lingering par
ism of "Lhe code," 1t was undoubtedly, MS
respect, nearly model community:
conld hardly wish to meet hner specimen Il
manhood Than was presented in CharlestoL
an, whose native principles OF honor were
regulated by genuine Christian CONVICTIONS.
THE NEW ERA.
I have been writing mainly OF old Charles
ton-Charleston hey ond the flood, not Ihe
Noachian, but the Davls-Llncoln hood. hare-
Iv. in ihe revolutions and commissions Whlch
h,s,nrv records, has there been change 30
radical. 30 complete, so amazing as lhat
which has oyertaken this interesting city.
That bomb which, in April, 1851, was hurled
At Fort Sumter, and which started me from
nv f.yerish morning slumbers as If bursting
over nv own residence, initiated an over
turning ior Charleston which even now seems
scarcely credible. All old conditions and
relations have been destroyed or inverted.
To sum ND the whole matter IN word, the
,rnorant and coarse black slaves Of this proud,
r.6ned ana sensitive people have become
their actual masters AS l walk about these
fnmiiar streets, I meet black men standing
sentry as guardians of public order, with the
shield OF the policeman glitterlng on tneir
breasts. A black Judge Sits upon
the city bench, and 80 on 10 70 ns tae
end of the humiialing .chapter. ana YET
this shocking case ID not near 30
had as one might imagine. BY the consent.
ipg testimony of nearly all ]udicious and tenn
peTate persons with whom have .conVersed,
lhe negroes behave with extraordinary mod
eralion. While often complained OF as Idle
and useless, 1t is still acknowledged that they
are modest, respectful and cOnsiderate IN
their behavior towards The whites. Such GER
tainlv Ia The fact, 80 far as my own oosetVa-
lion goes. | have not yet witnessed the
alIoh,est demonstration Of colored insolence
or nresumplion. What the people chiefly
compIain OF is corrupt government and lntol-
| israble iaxation. of this, certainly, they have
| a ripht 10 complain. 1t is not strange, OF
conIse that negro legislators Just taken from
tbe nIa1lation or dray should be the easy
Snnps of unscrupulous white men, and accesi-
hia to bribes Ii Is whispered that some oil
| The learned and holy patriots VINO nave
| saorned New York Legislatures and
the National Congress nave actually
~arted with their votes for a pecunary
consideration. Can we greatly wonder lhen
that Cato and Pompey should not be proof
AGAINST like seductive persuasioDs? 1t is un'
asrstood here that the newly elected senator
from this state, Patterson, purchased hl6
honors hu the most shameless nse of money:
nou- - It. ,nratnh Oupht TO be WhfDDed