Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-12-18
Letter from the Mountains.
For the Advertiser.

Year be near at hand. And as the skill
full mariner, who traverses the trackless
waters of the ocean with his ship, occa-
sionally takes his reckoning" that he
may ascertain where he is, how far he
has gone, and whittier his craft is head
ing; so it is meet and important, that we,
as individuals, communities, States, or
countries, being yoyagers too: on the
great sea of life and ocean Of time, should
now and then-once year at least-"cast
about u.s." review the past, consider the
present, and endeavor to forecast some
what the future.
In the midst of the amusements and
festivities which usually usher in Christ
mas-the natal day of the blessed Re-
deemer of mankind. and the "Happy
New Year''-the beginning of another
annual measure of time, let our mirth
and joy be tempered by prudence and
moderation. While ave have great cause
as individuals, as people, and nation,
to be thankful to the Supreme Ruler of
the universe for that goodness and mer-
cy, and that loving kindness, with which
we have been followed during the year
that is now near its end, and should
evince our gratitude and gladness in eve
ry proper manner, let us mingle there
with sober and solemn reflection, and
shape our actions and future course in
life in accordance with the dictates Of
sound reason and the teachings of true
wisdom.
The year 1873 has not been marked in
our own land with any great and start
!, ling events With the exception of short
conflicts with the poor Indians in the
far West, no war or bloodshed has visited
our borders. While contending hosts
have met in the shock of battle on the
classic field of portions of Europe, and
the people of France and Spain have suf-
fered all the untold horrors and calami-
ties of war, we have enjoyed all the
blessings of peace. tits true that por-
tions of the great valley of the Missis-
sippi have been visited by those terrible
scourges, the cholera and yellow fever;
sbut theirsravages, were confined to limit
ed sections of the country, and the suf-
fering resulting therefrom, though great
and truly distressing, were only tempo,
rary. For the most part throughout our
extended country, there has been the
usual measure of health among its in
habitants; abundant harvests have gem
orally crowned the labors of the hus-;
bandman, and apart from the financial
convulsion and the temporary evils aris
ing from it in the great commercial CEN
tres of the country, the people OF tho
United States should feel that they arein
the enjoyment of an unprecedented de-
gree Of prosperity and happiness.
Il look upon the financial crash, which
was doubtless caused by reckless specu
lation and senseless extravaganza, as q
blessing in disguise. The greatest mis-
fortune it, produced, and the one which
is most to, be regretted, is the fact that
the evils and hardships which have at
tended it thayefallen most heavily upon
those who had but little or nothing to do
with bringing it about.
limo one suffered from monetary
crisis of}this kind except the money
kings, wild spectators, and dishonest
stock Sjobbers of the great cities, who live
and fatten off the hard earnings of the
honest working men of the country, it
would be no great misfortune to have
such panic every year or two. But un-
fortunately for the country, from the
present arrangement Of things, such can
never be the case. So interviewer are
the interests of the farmers and producers
and the honest trading public with the
banks, and so great is their dependence
on them, that when these reckless specu-
lators pull down the pillars of the COM
mercial temple, and there is a crash
which shakes the commerceof the coun-
try from New York to San Francisco,
they generally manage to escape from
the ruins without serious injury to them
selves, while the calamity falls with
crushing force upon others.
This panic, or rather such state of
things as it has developed, is to my mind
but another argument in favor of the
doctrine which I have long advocated,
namely, that the Southern people should
raise less cotton and more provisions
and home supplies, and manufacture
more OF the necessary articles of life
which they require, that they may be
less helplessly dependent upon the bank
ers and brokers of Wall Street and other
cities. Something had to be done to
check the profuse and absurd extrava.
gance and the wild speculation and fast
living that were fast running the country,
and in this point of view, I look upon
this convulsion Us public blessing.
These evils have not yet become as
prevalent in the South as they are in the
North, and if our section will now adopt
that policy which our magnificent re-
sources, and the teachings of sound po-
litical economy, as well as the dictates of
common sense, so plainly point out,
when the next financial panic sweeps
over the country, we will be compare
lively exempt from its hardships and
calamities. 49,
The presentpolitical condition of South
Carolina, though bad in the extreme, is
b. no means a hopeless one. The very
enormity of the evils from which We are
sufft ring is gradually working their cure.
There is limit to even official corrup-
ton and public plumber. ana there is
every indication that tho party in power
in this State have at length reached that
limit. There are now elements within
the Republican party in South Carolina,
which together with the conservative
agencies and influences that are brought
to bear upon it from without, must either
bring about reform and amendment, or
tho patty will have to 90 to pieces and
give way to better men and measures.
While therefore there Is much to sadden
the heart of the patriot In the past and
present condition of the commonwealth,
the future is not entirely devoid Of hope,
and taking lessons of wisdom from ex-
perience, and scorning to despond or