The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-08-04
The States Capitol.
1T is One of the Most Historic
Buildings in the South.
LEGISLATORS IN EARLY DAYS
TIE Original Building and the Nep
of eay-Historic Relics Care
fully Preserved.

In this day Of various societies, mas
culine aDd feminiae. fov unearthioe
aud perpetuatiog the chivalric incident:
ofthe Colonial aud Revolutionary period:
Of American history We are continually
on the lookout for some hidden fod o.
fact OF fancy. and when so discovered
ne reyerently blow the dust away, rut
tie old piece Of silver. smooth out the
crumrled sheet. decipher the fading
ink-all. no doubt. in very bad Eng
l;sh-and partiosicaliy dispatch these
heroic emblems to our favorite store
room OF national preserves.
10 recent visit 70 South Carolina |
M Was told to be sure and visit the State
s House did so aad found it the most
imposisg building and the most inter-
esting srchive of history 10 that pictur-
esque and Doted town, Colum sia. The
State House of every State is always a
centre Of interest, but the Safe House
of South Carolina, like the State House
Of Boeton, strikes one as the great
heart Of the people, and, like all peo-
use, it bsars,iis scars and 0ides its skel-
eson. Thesis Haues of South Caro-
Z lima nav almost be called national
cnrnerstcDe, for indissolubly connected
with il areshe names Of Lord William
Campbell Ratledges aud Moultrie 10
the early days Of tie colony the seat OF
Of gcserpmens was at Charleston
Lord CaDpbell tried TO remove it to
I Beanfort, for some British policy. bat
the plan failed Wien the colony be-
came State It was considered necss-
/. cary TO secure more central capitol,
aud for safety, one farther from the
coast. This was iu 1890. and the spot
4 selected vas that on which Colombia
now stands Some one has said that
Columbia. ike Washington, vas capi
I tai city from her birth.
To the State House there now bangs
photograph taken from an old print
Of the original State House 1t is q
quaint wooden structure and seems to
stand alone amid lis primitive srrfound-
is,gs. Ii recent open letter written
BIZ one Of Garolina's most charming
women, who has made the study of her
State pleasure, she tells US that many
we're the harships of the Legislators in
The old days ..No accommodations
! for man Of beast, or next TO none, we're
to be fousd IL Colnmbia proper. Her
one tavern held but the Governor and
BE suite. # they were not entertained
by the Deigh6oring planters. The ma
ioriig Of tie lawmakers we're lodged at
Granby and compelled by the scarcity
Of horses. they frequently walked to
their legislative da,ies Their patriotic
enthusiasm neysr tagged. thought most
sof them we're accustomed to ease and
luxury when at home How would oar
pseseDt legislators stand return 70
such ultra JeSersonion simplici,y 2
Ia .hs early part Of this century the
o1ig;;aal State House was replaced By
larger and bandsoner building, also Of
wood. bat she adds .sIts walls beard
the esoqaence of Haype, Legare, Pres
J ton and other gifted orators, who IN the
2o's and 3e's added lusture 'c the al
ready bril!ians repn.asion eeioyed BY
the State =
A still more worthy memorial @as de-
sired, and 10 1858 the South Carolina
Legislature passed g bill to construct
Capitol which should compare favor
ably With any other building Of the
kind 10 the States. The FIRST focr Of
this building vas nearly completed
when the fonndatio0s gave way and the
work was nc. resumed until 1857. when
the site We placed little west o. the
old oue This L. the foundation Il the
presen. State House, and the a'.s';; ef
building has been carried on at an
eoormeus cost aud prosecuted IN face "f
difficulties taa. might dannt less pa
srsosie spiris In 1861 TWO million dol
lars had already been expeaded. aud
few years ago three hundred thousand
more were used 10 handsome interior
decoration aud for repairing tne effects
Of abuse during the days Of recons;rcc-
tion. TIE building IS now complete
except the dome aad two porsicos.
which ere 10 be placed at the back and
sraat The original designs call for
aisa. OF ..srhle steps 70 each OF these
psfaisos, aad shen completed will pro
;ses ore aaodtea a:.d 6fly feet fror tue
maia building Tee beautiful columns
isseaded for the pcrticos aud the s;atn-
es of Agriculture 2sa Commsrce and
ths bss reiiefs lag il the State House
grounds read sor placement as the tine
Of the breakiug ou: os the civil wsf-
All shis beau.lfr! work dooe iu Italy
By the Sculptor Kirk Bfo@o, vas de-
sisoyed in the war with abon: $4,000
worth of other material ready for use.
Tie marks Of the carnon balls are still
20 ba COON nm the vest side Of the State