The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-03-08
COLUMBIA. S. c.. March 4.

and Slnce-The Legislature,
White and Black-Taxation.
business, dc:
COLUMBIA, s. C, March A.
Editors IntellIgCnccr:
Resuming my notes in regard to mat.
tiers and things down in this part Of Se-
cessia, | am told that before the
war S20000,000 Of cotton was annual
ly shipped from this point. Now the
amount is 100000. A great change. The
effect is quite visible in the prosperity Of
the place.
The Indebtedness of'the State and the
city is another element Of depression. II
amounts to about 30 per cent OF the value
Of tho real estate, and Of course calls fol
heavy taxation. Money loans at one and
a half to two and a half per cent pei
month, which OF course plays havoc with
enterprise. So much for secession. i,
THE LEGISLATURE.
This body has been in session for some
time. From another correspondent (Mr
Irwin you have already had some nc
count OF its complexion. The House Il
composed Of 122 members, Of whom "a
are colored. The Senate contains 50
members, Of whom IS are colOred. One
half Of the clerks and employees are also
colored. How's this for color2
Hon. 4. 3. Elliott is speaker Of the
House. He is n graduate Of Eaton Col
lcge. England, and is considered law.
yer OF fine ability. He presides with
ability and impartiality. l suppose you
know that he Is lawyer Of note in this
State. In the Senate, Lieut.. Gov. Il. Fl.
Glcaves presides, and certainly does his
part with much promptness and dignity,
lie is really fine looking man. The
pay OF members Is
SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS
per session, and good pay it is for most
OF them. To us OF the North, lockers
on here, it seems incredible to see the
whilom slaves OF naughty, disloyal South
Carolina now helping to make her laws,
II reminds us OF what Abraham Lincoln
said during the war in regard to the pos.
sible intention Of Providence to avenge
the wrongs Of his sable children in their
days Of bondage. Why may not this be
the case, just ~ we'll rs in days OF old,
when the Jews were slaves? AS the Bible
says, "hath lie not made OF one blood all
the nations OF the earthW
TIE coLoRED MEMBERS
are as well behaved in their seats us the
whites, and there are a number in both
houses that would compare favorably
with number in our own Legislature.
The State finances are in such condition
thai at the opening OF this session loan
OF $4,000 had to be made in order TO en-.
able the wheels Of government to run at
all. The Capitol building is unfinished.
A large number Of beautiful flute columns
are ready TO be put in position, but the
eIcvating power in the shape Of green
backs is wanting. Thereare also n num-
Der of immense blocks ofgranite, measur.
ing from q to 81 feet in length by A to
5 feet square in thickness. These stone
were brought from n quarry within three
miles Of the city, and will make splen.
did building some day. The marks OF
oEH.sHERMAN's CANNON BALLS
are still visible on the building. In the
destruction OF the sheds around the Capt..
toI many thousands Of dollars worth oil
sculpture and statuary were destroyed by
the fire. The Postoilice is beautiful
building and fitted up with all the mod
ern convenieaces. The Postmaster is
Charles NJ. Wilson, n colorcd man, n
person OF good information, very gentle.
manly and polite in his manners. Before
the war he was n boss. carpenter, and after
the war was the first Deputy Marshal ap.
pointed in the SOutlt.-slIe acted as such
at the risk Of his life, rs the idea OF q
"nigger" holding an office was intolerablc
10 the old regime. But they are getting
bravely over that feeling nowadays.
TIE SCHOOLS.
The State Superintendent Of Schools is
Mr.. j. X. Jillson, from Mass, who is M
business man, and one who gives
his entire time TO the performance Of his
duties. There are n number of colored
public schools here, one containing $50
scholars, and they seem to be getting
along very we'll.
THE COUNTRY ROUND ABOUT.
Recently made n trip Of II miles into
the country around Columbia, and
could not help noticing the gone to
seed appearance OF everything. Not
muck signs Of thrift, | tell you, but in
stead thereof tumble down houses, poor
fences, and some farms without any fences
lt all. The cultivation OF the soil looks
like farce to a Northern man, as, for
instance, n negro driving one poor mule
hitched to a plow, merely scratching the
ground instead Of blowing it, 1t strikes
ne that they are 80 years behind the
great East and West down here.
CURSED WITH LAWYERS.
Columbia is, like your own city, cursed
with n surplus Of lawyers. With pop
lIation OF only 10000, Of whom two
birds are colored, she has So lawyers.
And still they come, like the locusts Of
Egypt, to devour the substance Of the
people. |
In my last letter you make me to say
hat the Sprague purchase OF the canal
rom the State was for 100000. Not
hat much by good deal. 1t was for
5000, under certain conditions. A
Our Wheeling people are, Tor the most
part, improving. The climate is genial,
md nature is putting on her spring garb.
J. II.
4 Zancsyille Preacher Steps