Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-15
A SOUTHERN CITY.

Of MIR. A. h. Mcclure, editor Of that
journal:
CHARLESTON, March 8. - There is
no CITY on the continent that is more
fragrant Of song and story or OF
field and forum than is Charleston, the
metropolis of the Palmetto state. Here
cavalier and Puritan we're side by side IN
founding the new empire beyond the
western sea more than two centuries ago,
and their affairs remain among the hoJeu
landmarks Of the earliest settlement ot'
Philips church gathered its Worsnlpers
of 1851 to their deV otions, ana us TOO
thickly settled cemeteries, with tnen
quaint and crumbling monuments to the
dead. brighteped by the magnolia, the live
oak the evergreen and the beauty and
fragrance of perpetual flowers, make the
ROMANCE of history lustrous. There among
the earliest sleepers of the colonlsts OF the
Lord proprietors, htly reposes the dust OF
Calhoun. whose square brick tomb, mark
ri bv plain marble slab, Is shaded by a
large magnolia that stands as central
guardian OF the dead OF five generations.
st. Michaers church has heard the suppl
cations of four generations, and its yet
noted chimes summoned the multitude to
prayer and praise half generation before
TGNOiuLlOus
British in 1882, and shipped back TO Eng
land as trophies Of war, again bought and
reshipped in 1888, and rang out their
sweet music from the old belfry until the
black cloud Of civil war came in 1861.
They were so highly priced as living and
speaking mementoes OF the founders OF
the proud Southern commonwealth that
they were shipped to the interior city OF
Columbia for safety, where they met the
fury of Sherman's avenging army and |
were made voiceless by the flames which |
desolated that beautiful capital. The |
tuneless metal was reshipped TO England, !
reeast in copy and quality by the same |
establishment that had furnished them |
century before. and in 1867 they rang out |
the same sweet chimes which had sung
the first sacred belfry song OF the colo
MES. The Huguenots reared their altar
two full centuries ago, and their church
has twice been destroyed by IRE, but its
unmixed Gothic architecture, neat finish
and many tablets in commemoration OF
its founders, as presented to-day. fully
prepare the visitor for the fact that it is
the only church on the continent that yet
adheres strictly to the Huguenot worship.
CITY OF ENERGY AND DECAY.
Charleston is at once city of energy
and decay, but its energy is in its bust
mem channels, where 1t is most needed,
and its decay is in its buildings, where
coming thrift can one day arrest it. It's
generally beautiful balconied and pill
Jared homes are externally faded and
musty from neglect, but there is beauty j
even in the long untouched, mOss-grOwn
walls and venerable ornaments which
tell the story OF the strange sacrifices the
people have suffered. In December, 1861,
soon after civil war had begun its march
Of destruction, a fire swept over a large
portion OF the city and consumed six mil
lions Of property. The four years
Of desperate, deadly, fraternal strife
that followed gave no time or means
TO repair the waste, and when war ended
in 1865 no community in the South was
more exhausted or more desOlated than
this people that had been to the fore front
in inviting and precipltating the unnatu- ,
raj conflict. Nor did the return OF peace
open the way to retrieve the unspeakable
misfortunes of war, for when the sword
was sheathed and the flags of the contend c
iug armies were furled, there came visi- [
tation even more terrible and destructive ;
than war. The adveRturer, the thief, the
carpetbagger enthroned themselves in
the chaos, and there was a decade of
waste, decentralization and paralysis that {
Slapped the vitals of every resource
and hope Of the people. The proud
patrimOny Of great commonwealth was
intellectually stained with dishonor; the
ignorant freedmen were publicly invited
TO despoil their former masters by theft
and oppression; and for ten wears the
plunderers of high and low degree held
ceaseless carnival amidst the hopeless
poverty OF every honest home. The whole
machinery of government. including the
Executive, the Legislature and the courts,
was made the mere agent of adventures
10 rob and shame the State, and popular
elections we're but a mockery of the voters.
At last relief came in the memorable
struggle OF 1876, when peace was born in
the throes Of smothered revolution at Col
umbia, and the considerale student Of the
decade Of carpeJbag infamy that deepened
and widened the desOlatiOn and sacrifices
OF war will Judge In generous justice the
passive assent to the electoral fraud of
1876 that gave South Carolina, Florida, and
Louisiana home rule. 1t was thus fifteen
years after the SORROWS and sacrifice of |
war began, and ten years after the tread |
of hostile armies had ceased, that Charles
ton began the work of rehabilitation, and |
even the presumably more energetic and |
versatile people Of the North, with like |
prOstration, wasted resources and slug |
gish surroundings, would have progressed |
little If any better than has the city of /
Charleston. Instead Of repining over the |
countless woes which befel them in the /
discontinue of war, the emancipation Of /
slaves, the destruction OF wealth and |
III pO 'uitI koNei W WHICH
they we're not only strangers, but trained |
10 misunderstand, they have rapidly |
rebuilt their commerce, enlarged their |
industries, quickened their surrounding |
producers, and entered the race TO regain |
their position and wealth with a herOism
and steady endurance that have accom-
plished marvellous results. But 1t will |
require years TO restore the thrift that |
reared the beautiful homes and churches |
and schools and other monuments of |
wealth and culture by which old Charles
ton marked her magnihc Mt progress, and |
there Is pardOnable decay in the external |
signs OF the city, while energy aud grow |
ing advancement are visible in all the |
channels OF business enterprise. There is |
now uncl0uded peace and trust between |
the North and the South; the advent |
Of national revolution in politics |
has dissipatedtthe last hope OF the partisan |
demagOgue aud the last fear Of the sensi- |
i've capitalist. as Il has proved that with |
President elected by the solid vote Of
the South, there 10 thoroughly loyal deyo- |
tion not only TO the Union but also TO the
irreyOcable judgements OF the war. IN
the administration OF Cleveland were 10
fail In all lie confidently expected govern.
mental reforms. II would stil leave one
priceless blessing 10 the whole nation In
the absolute and stable faith It has estab.
lished between the material interests of
the two sections OF the country.