The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-03-21
COLUMBIA, S. G.
Saturday Morning. March 2l. 1874.

On this, the ninth anniversary Of oul
newspaper existence, it ia pleasant and
instructive to reour to the gloomy day
of our birth. Columbia then lay in
ashes. The accommodations of genera.
tionB had been lost in the fatal issue oi
civil war, and the beautiful structures,
public and private. which had arisen to
sTaos ouo os s,.e s1os. beautiful and
prosperous OF Southern towns, had been
destroeed by avenging fires. Our sol.
diers in battle, after unparalleled exer.
tions Of valor aud oonstanoy in the
field. against overwhelming numbers
and the most perfect appliances of war.
had been compelled to lay lown their
arms. All classes were depressed and
impoverished. The contest for princi.
Piles Of government was lost in the strug-
gle for bread. Men were filled with
grief. The black track of desolstion
.
and disappointment over which they
looked back, cast even darker shadows
far into the future. It was gloomy be-
yond expression. But the men who
had experienced these reve1ses were not
without fortitude in bearing them brave
~. Distressed they were, their hearts
corroded with anxiety about those
dearer than life, but they took courage
) from despair itself. They girded up
their loins, and went manfully to work.
They mingled their labors with their
prayers, and the God OF tenderness, who
will not always chide. answered the one
in prospecting the other. We recall with
satisfaction that the first appeal rung
out in the columns of tho infant PHOENIX,
was to rally from dependency, and seek
cure Of the hurts of fortune in honest
.and strenuous endeavor. It met re-
sponse from the hearts of the people. It
was true augury, and to-day we look
upon city rebuilt, and it's citizens in
the enjoyment Of fair share of pros
perity. Oommodious stores and hand
some residences replace the ashes and
smouldering ruins which then every.
where met the eye and chilled the heart.
But for causes which We need not elabo-
rate here, ne might number thousands
of population, where we now only nunl-
ber hundreds. and Columbia be hive
of manufacturing industry, and the
focus of rich surrounding agricultural
prosperity.
The PHOENIX has been the steady
friend Of all enterprises which have sue
oeeded here. and Of many whose success
yet lies III the future. Adverse circum-
stances, want Of capital and political
troubles have served to crush, for o
time, many promising schemes Of deve-
lopmeu:. The immigrant population,
which might have been introduced, and
which would have aided in repairing our
waste places in town and country, has,
Up to O few months ago, held back. or
gone into Lore inviting directions. But
the barriers which kept them out are
breaking down, and they are coming in
now in gratifying numbers. The policy
OF manufacturing, which We have ur-
gently advocated for years, and for
which Columbia and many other points
in the State has unrivaled advantages,
owing to the same or similar causes, has
likewise been banked and logs behind.
But We have q law passed at last, which
practically cxempts capital employed in
manufactures from taxation for ten
years. Interest is increasing in the sub
ject, and companies have been char.
tered to engage in the business. 10
these hopeful signs we may aid the con-
viction which is entering tho ageicul-
tursl mind, that exclusive cultivation of
cotton must be abandoned. Let us hope
TINT we shall have hereafter more diver.
sified crops, increase Of comforts in the
country, renovation Of it's homesteads,
and the independence which will result