The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-08-18
SOUTH CAR0LINA'S CAPITOL.
II ls One of the Most Historical Build
lngs In the South.
From the Philadelphia Times.

In this day Of various societies,
masculine and feminine, for uncarth-
ing and pcrpetuating the chivalric in
cidents of the Colonial and Revolu-
tionary periods Of American history
we are continually on the lookout for
some hidden find of fact or fancy, and
when so discovered we reverently
blow the dust away, rub the old piece
of silver, smooth out the %crumpled
sheet, dccipher the fading ink-all,
no doubt, in very bad En~lish-and
periodically dispatch these heroic en-
blems to our fayorlte store room Of
national preserves.
In a recent visit to South Carolina
I was told to be sure and visit the
State House. I did so and found it
the most imposing building and the
most interesting archive Of history in
that picturesque and noted town, Co.
lumbia. The State House of es very
State is always a centre of interest,
but the State House of South Caro-
lima, like the State House of Boston,
strikes one as the great heart Of the
people, and, like all people, it bears
its scars and hides it's skeleton. The
State House of South Carolina may
almost be called a national corner
stone, for indissolubly connected with
it are the names of Lord William
Campbell, Rutledgc and Moultrie. In
the early days Of the colony the seat
Of government vas at Charleston.
Lord Campbell tried to remove it to
Beaufort, for some British policy, but
the plan failed. When the colony be-
came a State it was considered neces-
sary to secure a more central capitol,
and for safety, one farther from the
coast. This was in 1890, and the spot
selected was that on which Columbia
now stands. Some one has said that
Columbia, like Washington, was CAPT
tol city from her birth.
In the State House there now hangs
a photograph taken from an old print
of the original State House. 1t is a
quaint wooden structure, and seems
to stand alone amid its primitive sur
roundings. In a recent open letter
written by one of Cardinals most
charming women, who has made the
study of her State a pleasure, she tells
us that many were the hardships of
the Legislators in the old days mo
accommodations for man or beast, or
next to none. were to be found in Co.
lumbia proper. Her one tavern held
but the Governor and his suite, if
they were not entertained by the
neighboring planters. The majority
of the lawmakers were lodged at Gran
by, and compelled by the scarcity of
horses, they frequently walked to their
legislative duties. Their patriotic en-
thusiasm never tagged, though most
of them were accustomed to ease and
luxury when at home. How would
our present Legislators stand a return
to such ultra-Jeffcrsonian simplicity
In the early part of this century the
original State House was replaced by
a larger and handsomer building, also
of wood, but she adds "Its walls
heard the eloquence of Hayne, Lee
care, Preston and many other gifted
orators, who in the eos and 30's add
ed lustre to the already brilliant repu-
tation enjoyed by the State
A still more worthy memorial was
desired, and in 1853 the South Caro-
lima Legislature passed a bill to con-
struct a Capitol which should compare
favorably with any other building Of
the kind in the States. The first floor
of this building was nearly completed
when the foundations gave way and
the work was not resumed until 1857,
when the site was placed a little west
of the old one. This is the founda-
tion Of the present State House, and
the work of building has been carried
on at an enormous cost and prosecuted
in face Of difficulties that might daunt
a less patriotic spirit. In 1861 two
million dollars had already been ex-
pended, and only a few years ago
three hundred thousand more were
used in handsome interior decoration
and for repairing the effects Of abuse
during the days Of reconstruction.
The building is now complete except
the dome and two porticos, which are
to be placed at the back and front.
The original design calls for a flight
of marble steps to each of these por-
ticos, and when completed will project
one hundred and fifty feet from the
main building. The beautiful col.
umns intended for the porticos and
the statues of Agriculture and Com,
merce and the bas relicfs lay in the
State House grounds ready for place
mcnt at the time of the breaking out
of the civil war. All this beautiful
work, done in Italy by the Sculptor
Kirk Brown, was destroyed in the wal
with about $50, 900 worth of other ma,
terial ready for use. The marks of
the cannon balls arc still to be seen
on the west side Of the State House.
1t is said half a million dollars will be
needed to finish the building as origi-
nally designed.
The State House stands at the head
of Main street, the principal thor,
oughfare Of Columbia, and reminds
one Of a light set on a green hill or
like a diamond in an emerald setting.
The mass Of white stone can be seen
for miles around, and as one draws
near the grass which covers the beau
tiful sloping elevation seems startling
ly green and fresh and smooth, but
nature seems to spread this beautiful
carpet over all Columbia.
The Offices of the Governor and 9TH
or State officials and the Supreme
Court rooms and library occupy the
first floor. The Senate and House of
Representatives and State library are
on the second floor. 1 believe South
Carolina is the only State which still
preserves the old-time flavor of royal
ty in her State House ceremonies. At
the Inauguration of the Governor
there is the same pomp and display
observed as in the time of the colony.
The sword of State and the mace are
presented for the reverence of the pco-
pie, and the President of the Senate
and the Speaker of the House appear
dressed in purple robes of silk and
velvet and heavy embroidery. l have
been told that the Speaker of the
House finds the robe so heavy that
during the proceedings Of the body
oyer which be nresides he has bis