The daily phoenix. (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, August 22, 1865, Image 2
COLUMBIA
Tuesday Morning, Aug. 22. 1865.
The Moral of-King Cotton.
We give place in the Phoenix, of
this day, to au essay, by an intelligent
correspondent, to some of whose opi?
nions we must enter a passing protest.
It is well that, he should teach from
tho text "NU desperandum"-perfectly
proper that we should all encourage a
cheerful resignation to the inevitable
011 the part of our people. Despair is
a cowardly sort of refuge from misfor?
tune-a sort of moral suicide, which
disgraces manhood. Om* correspond?
ent wisely counsels against such equal
cowardice and folly. And he is right
in counselling a prompt alteration in
our home policy and economy as a
people. Wo have already urged re?
peatedly upon our readers the substi?
tution of the farming or thorough til?
lage policy for the more slovenly staple
culture-the slovenliness being due
equally to the use of negro labor and
the .carelessness of the planter. We
counselled, besides, the diversification
of 'oar industry, urging the introduc?
tion, wherever possible or politic, of
manufactures, mechanics, and, indeed,
all the arts. We arc not prepared,
however, to endorse the glowing pro?
phecy of our correspondent with re?
gard to our magical progress to a rapid,
. grand and prosperous future in Caro?
lina, or the South anywhere. We
would encourage no delusions which
might mislead the hopes, or conduct
to extravagant expectations. Bettor
teach that we have to struggle forward
slowly and painfully, walking for a
season in the. paths of trouble and ad?
versity, companioned by humility
alone; for such, we take it, was the
design of God when he suffered us to
be subdued to our present prostrate
condition. Now, assuming this to be
the design of. God, the producing a
morid reform among our people which
is vitally necessary, it seems .strangely
absurd to fasten upon cotton'and negr o
slavery' the offence which lies in bur
popular morals. In regard to negro
slavery, we know that it has been the
common allegation of our enemies that
this was our great eurse. It comes
with a bad grace from those who s?ld
us the negro, pocketed the money, und
then tore their own signature from the
bill of sale. We shall suv something
hereafter on this head, satisfied, as we
are, that a few years will su luce to re?
hoye UK, in European opinion, from-all
.the present odium in this respect.
Cotton and negro slavery, however,
are described by our correspondent as
our tyrannies, the evil genii which de?
spotically ruled us ta our ruin. This
ean only be meant to signify that we
have been tyrannized over by our
wealth-wealth being assumed by the
-pious as the great corrupter of human
hearts. In this sense, we m ed say
nothiugt Cotton was gold-was mo?
ney-and its possession, like any other
treasure, was perverted from ah use
into au abuse. We mocked Cod in
the possession of wealth, and said in
our hearts, "There is no God." Wc
might write a thousand . homilies on
this subject, yet would fail to persuade
any people that they should not seek
the acquisition of wealth, which would
be as evd in its effects, by-the-way,
whether acquired through cotton, or
stocks, or trade, or labor of any sort,
or through any other material. But
it is a strange misuse of thought and
language to find that mischief in the
material, cotton, which lies only in
our minds and morals. What! Cot?
ton! That beneficial agency, given us
by God himself-clothing the nations
of the earth, giving innocent and use?
ful employment to millions. Cotton
an evil, a tyranny! What a monstrous
error! And how foolish were it to
abandon its culture wherever it can
still be pursued to profitable results,
in gopd lands ann healthy situations.
Aud negro slavery-in which* four
millions of creatures were rescued
from African savageism, and lifted,
gradually but certainly, into regions
of humanity in which they might gain
glimpses of a higher civilization, such
as shall correspond with all that is
susceptible of progress in their intel?
lect and moral. In the cultivation of
cotton, wc cultivated the negro, and
if he be now fit for freedom, it is be?
cause of ,the training of the hundred
years of his bondage in these ?South?
ern States. The innocent cotton, the
poor negro, as a slave, wore not our
tyrants! We were our own tyranuies!
You might rather chargeons our evil
genius, the great God himself who
?avo us fertile Lind's n genial sky, a
mild elimilta, groat forests, and ?very
variety of noil nnd surface.. We did
not deserve these blessings. In mak?
ing our toils light, and affording tis
great, capital at tho outset, God ?cor- i
taiuly conferred upon us no special I
privilege to bc lazy, to keep ourselves
ignorant, ami to exult in peacock
vanities in which we did not sec how
loathsome was our laziness, and
how leprous was our ignorance.
These have been our tyrannies. Ig?
norance, idleness and that self-blind?
ing vanity, which never let the pos?
sessor hehokl himself in the mirror?
ing eyes, of other and * wiser nicu.
You may say that the possession of
wealth, cotton, slaves, or what you
will, is too apt to corrupt the morals
of men, make thom enervate, indo?
lent, serrsorious and arrogant. Ami
so it will be always, in nil parts of the
world, with numerous classes; but the
evil lies not in the wealth, thc gobi
which is good, or the cotton which is
as good as gold, or the hosts Of slaves
by which it is produced, or by any?
one of these valued "possessions of
mankind, which society builds with
and builds upon, and through which
she turns the bricks of her cities into
marble. The tyranny lies in tho MOM
?twi" of those superior treasures of
soul, and mind, and muscle, which
constitute the great endowment, the
natural capital of the individual man.
In proportion as we' neglect the use of
our own individual powers, we sub?
stitute, in their stead, the arch tyran?
nies of evil, which stand ever ready
to enter into those chambers of thc
brain and heart, when; the inmates
drowse and sleep over their possessions
The tenure by which we held our
slaves, was based upon the intellectual
and moral superiority of the white
race. If, in process of timo, we
trained the negro to a superior status;
and if, during the same period, by thc
non user of our faculties; our failure, ti?
work ourselves, each in his vocation;
the rejection of books and education;
by our idleness, and that self-blind?
ing vanity, that individual self-suffi?
ciency, which never penni's tho pos?
sessor to behold himself in the mir?
ri ring eye ; of other and be ter and
wiser ni ni;-f, by these faults and
foibles, vanities and vices, we have
lost the hold on pur possessions; let
us not be guilty of the faitUor offence
of charging the evil upon thc inno?
cent agencies by which God has
thought to confer a blessing, which
our wilfulness alone has converted into
a .curse. But we must resume this
subject on another ' day. There is
much that may and should ba said in
this connection, illustrative of what
I our tni" tyrannies heve been, and to
relieve the innocent from unjust im?
putations of evil and offence. We
think it can be shown that cotton was
a rightful bing, but that he had a
most wretched premier, und, too fre?
quently, a rascally cabinet. He is
still a sovereign, though somewhat
shorn of his power. .
KINO'S MOUNTAIN RAILROAD.-John
K, Erwin lias been elected President
of this railroad, in place of AV. A. |
Latta, deceased. E. M. Law, George
Steele, E. A. Crenshaw, J. S. Brutton,
J. H. Adams, Wm. Johnston, F. D.
Fanning and S. ll. Moore, were clect
? ed directors at the same time.
\_"- I
I YORKVILLEENQUIRER.-Weare glad
to see that thc publication of the
Yorkville Enquirer has been resumed.
It was, in old times, un excellent
paper, and we presume will reassert
its former characteristics. It is a large
and well printed sheet.
GEN. Cox ON THE NEGRO PROBLEM.
GHI. Cox, ?f Ohio, proposes a settle?
ment of the negro status question, of
which Northern journals express their
approbation. Believing that, for the
good of both parties, some separation
should be made between thc white and
black races, he suggests that, without
1 interfering with the existing organiza?
tion of any State, portions of the
country, perhaps of each State, bc
devoted to negro colonies. He thinks
that the blacks, being thus gathered
to particular localities, the degree of
civilization of which they are capable
may bo readily attained through the
patronage of the Government and the
assistance of the whites, nil motive for
intogonist being removed. The diffi
c lby of g deebing and securing thc lo?
calities is not solved.
The most popular paraphrase of the
seventh verse of the fourth chapter of
Proverbs, is: "Money is the principal
thing-therefore, get money; and with
all thy getting, get the biggest per
cent, you can."
Hon. Lewis T. Wigfall has reached
his home in Marshall, Texas. So says
the Houston Neves. Ho ' went in dis?
guise.
Mn. EDITOR: Believing that yo? ami |
some of your readers fcol au interest
in every good work, permit me to state
what has ?recently been done in my
field for thc great cause ol' thc Bible.
Testaments, to the number of 1,000
I volumes, were given to needy and
grateful soldiers, who are stationed in
the town of Orangebarg, S. < mid
its vicinity.
To meet thc urgent demand for the
holy scriptures, Bible committees
vero appointed at the following places
for immediate service, viz: Charles?
ton, Summerville, Orangeburg, and
Providence, Orangeburg District,'S.
C. Tlie committee in Charleston has
a temporary depository, kindly-loaned
by George W. Williams, Esq., Chair?
man, at tlie store of George W. 'Wil?
liams & Co., corner Hayne and Church
streets. Janies A. Williams, Esq.,
has the depository at the Baptist
Church, Orangeburg, S. C. Dr.
ltobert W. Burnham has the deposito?
ry in Summerville, S. C. The Kev.
J. S. Connor is in charge of tile Pro?
vidence Bible Committee, in the Pro
videncd'OTcuit of the Methodist Epis?
copal Church, Oraugeburg District,
S. C.
The Santcc Baptist Bible Society,"
Oraugeburg District, under th?; direc?
tion of its efficient president, Kev.
Thomas W. Melliehitmp, was granted
one hundred Testaments and a box of
Bibles and Testaments will soon be
sent to this society for distribution.
Several Sabbath schools, 01 thffor
ent. denominations, in the town and
District of Oraugeburg, were supplied
with Testaments, amounting in all to
three hundred volumes.
Letters were received from promi?
nent Bibb; friends in Columbia. S. C.,
and elsewhere, requesting a supply of
?Bibles and Testaments for sale and
for distribution. These applications
will be supplied in due time.
, Bible societies, Bible committee1;,
Churches Sabbath and day school.-?,
and individuals, may apply to mc for
grants <?f Bibles and Testaments for
.distribution. For this purpose apply
to mo at Oraugeburg, S. C., and also
to Wm. A. Hughes, Esq., depository,
Charleston, S. C.
Let every one that loves the Bible
pray, and give, and labor, "that thc
word of the Lord may have free course
and be glorified."
Truly yours, E. A. BOLLES,
General A^ont American Bible So?
ciety for South Carolina and Georgia.
J .ORANGKIUR?S, S. C., Aug. 10, 1SU5.
The confession of the Swedish
clergyman Liubateh, wi o murdered
several of his parishioners with the
communion wine, is published. It is
a curious document.. These sentences
indicate its character: "When one
stands beside au incurably sick and
dreadfully pained fellow-creature, one
wishes, of all his heart, that he might
bo released from his heaat-reuding
misery. * * * I, therefore, be?
lieved that the merciful God would
not condemn me if 1 shortened the
sufferings of a miserable fellow-crea?
ture. This action is certainly, to out?
ward appearance, against all law, but
hi reality it rests upon grounds of
compassion. My God, before whom I
shall finally answer, knows this, and
with dtjcp contrition I feel myself
worthy of the sore punishment of the
civil'law for the sinful compassion I
exercised towards the dead persons in
the ease. * * * You have now
enough, my erinn; confessed, my
house destroyed, my grave opened.
Farewell! farewell, 'Carlstadt! Tl nit
day I was ordained your pastor, I was
ordained to death. O God! have
mercy upon me!"
THE NATIONAL DF.PT.-Estimating
tin; national debt at twenty-five hun?
dred millions of dollars, abd appor?
tioning it according to tf?e number of
white mah* adults over twenty years
of age in the different sections of the
country, it has been found that the
proportion of the New England States
is $308,689,352; of the Middle Stiles
$74O,lO0,:U2; of the Western States
SH93,2?X,781; of tlie Southern States*
8461,929,84?; and of the Pacific States
$95,890,677. This calculation makes'
the South responsible for over four
hundred and sixty millions Q? debt.
i IMPORTANT TO THE TRAVELING Pun
I Lie.-The Atlanta ImeUif/encer, of the
i 13th says : We ?ire advised tlTat on and
: fter tc-day the Montgomery aud West
j Point Railroad passenger trains, rnn
I liing in connection with the trains
from Atlanta, will arrive at Shorter's
Station, twenty-two miles from Mont?
gomery, daily, at 9.HO p. m., and will
leave that station, daily, at 'J. 30 p. m,
This arrangement saves six hours in
the travel from this point to Mont?
gomery, the staging distance, towards
tin; last named city being reduced by
i it to twenty-two miles.
[Aumtsla Constitutionalist.
? >!?????..i i 11 mgm SBSSSrSSBSSS
Siurrcn OP TTTE LISE AND S-2nv2c.ES
OP CAPT. P. DOVETON, U. S. N.-Ou
Friday, after un illness of only a few
hours, departed this life, Captain
Percival Drayton, U. S. N., au officer
universally respected and esteemed.
, Ho entered the naval service as a mid?
shipman, ?~on the 1st-of December,
1851, and was ordered to the frigate
Hudson. In 1831, he was sent to the
Naval School at New York, and after
a f.yoar of study he wa* to join the
Mediterranean Squadron. In 1838,
lie wsw* promoted to be a lieutenant,
and ordered to command the schooner
Enterprise'. In 184.), he joiiied the
sloop-of-war Yorktown, and went out
to the Pacific. iTetuiming the follow?
ing year, he* was ordered to the naval
rendezvous nt Charleston. In 1846,
he was ordered to the Columbus 74,
of the East India Squadron. In 1850,
he was ordered to the steamer Missis?
sippi, cf the Mediterranean Squadron.
Two" years after, he was transferred to
the Independence, and* returned to the
United States in her, and was detach?
ed for ordnance duty at the Brooklyn
Yard. On the 14th of September, he
was promoted to be a commander. In
1659, lie was assigned to duty with the
Paraguay expedition, as aid to Flag
O?licor Shubriek. In i860, he was on
ordnance duty at Philadelphia.
He commanded the Pocahontas in
tim attack upon the forts- at Port
Boyal, S. C., und distinguished him?
self for his intrepidity and bearing in
an engagement where his own blood
relatives were his opponents.
On the Ililli of July, 18t'?2, he was
promoted to a captaincy, and ordered
to command tho Pawnee.
In October, 1302, he WHS ordered to
tin' command of the monitor Passaic,
and in her attacked Fort McAllister,
and participated in the attack upon
Fort Sumter, on the. 7th of April,
1863. Ile returned with the Passaic
to New York in May, 1883, and wad
detached from her.
In 18(54, Captain Drayton was ap?
pointed Fleet Captain to Admiral Far?
ragut and participated in the glorious
victory at Mobile Buy. After Iiis rec?
tum from tUe "Wost Gulf Squadron in
the Hartford, in December, 1864, lu
was ordered to Washington to.duty as
Chief of the Bureau of Detail' and
when Captain Wisc was granted. loav<
o? absence, li?; took charge of the Ord?
nance Bureau.
Captain Drayton was one o? tin
finest officers in the. service, a mitiv?
of South Carolina, and one of tin
most devoted patriots, who never foi
a moment questioned his duty whet
the rebellion first bogan to nu?J:e itsel
known. He was beloved by ?ill win
knew him. He was of a lull, com
maudiug figure, his features express
ing much determination and menta
strength. Possessed of ninny socia
virtues, he was a general favorite. 1I<
was brave, kind and attentive to thoSt
under him, and his loss will be dcepb
felt by the Navy Department and ai
who knew him. 1
TnocBi.E TN PEUSSTA.-It appear
that trouble is looming up in Prussia
owing to tho suppression by the (io
vcrnment of certain public meeting
near Cologne, in favor of reform, ii
more than ono casi, tho military hov?
appeared on the ground und disperse?
the people at the point of the bayo
net. Sympathizing with thc latter
the Liiberals of tho free city of Bro
men had appointed a committee, fo
the purpose of inviting the Libera
Prussian deputies toa banquet in tba
city. All the arrangements for tba
festival had been made, and we lool
forward with some interest to the re
snit. "Suppressing banquets" ari
perilous experiments for crowne<
heads to make. Louis Philippe trio.?
it once, and it cost him his throne. I
the King ?>f Prussia a Bourbon, too
that he should thus learn nothing?
[JVtf/r York Express.
A SHOOT ROMANCE.-About a yea
ago James Sullivan courted a girl ii
Sonia Troy, but was "cut out"*b;
William Crawford, a returned volun
teer, who married the "apple of dis
cord." Subsequently, tempted by th
large bounty, Crawford again voluu
leered. Months passed, and Mrs. (
growing lonesome, end Sullivan bein
quite watchful and attentive, the ol
lover and the new wife became mor
intimate than ever; and when Crav
ford returned home the other nighi
minus an arm, he found that he ha
lost his rib too. He broke the bed o
which tho two were lying, beat Sall
van unmercifully, and bade a lastin
farewell to his faithless spouse. Ala.'
how many such eases has the war d<
Veloped !
The Boston Post says: The essentia
of a watering-place alliteratively sun
med up are thus: sea, salt, sun, sam
ships, shells, sailors, swimming; <
which may be added a thunderix
i big bill and scandal enough to lastlt
i nino months.
XJ-OO.I*.! ?toms? ?1
To insure insertion, advertiser* tre re?
quested to hand in their notices before it
o'clock p. ll!.
This evening, August 22, th^ f,m of a ne
ries of entertainments by T. T. Stawinski
will take place at tho old College Chapel.
Ail who have had tho plearmrt- of attending
StrawinskiV Soiro< t heretofore will bail thia
opportunity with pleasure, and we feel con?
fident he will ba*<- a large attendance.
D.vvrnsox COLLEGE.- -This institution, un?
der good manag-rf.ent, lias been kept in
bu *cessfnl operation during the whole war;
not hading suspended its exorcists for a
single day during the regular session. Tin;
President, Professors and Trustees,/leservo
infinite credit for the performance, rt v.i:l
be seen, by the advertisement tn thi? dav's
Phoenix, that the institution still continue*
in operation. Davidson College ranks well
among similar institntiohs in onr Southern
State?, and parents will do well to consider,
."'bether in the suspension of our own col?
lege exercises, those of our Northern sister
may not be desirable for our sons.
BrROLARY.-Mcre burglary abroad. Vir?
tue triumphant. The schools, churches
and ' colleges, are having their full effect.
Mr. Troy's store was broken into on Satur?
day night, and Ids goods and chattels, were
freely conveyed away by tito most dextrous
robbers in the world. No man's home is
sacred, where he is presumptuous enough
to have'mo'-e than twenty thousand dollar*.
Mir. Troy mnstt know, by this time, that,
tber- is an awful interval bi-tw"in S:itn"Iay
night and ?fonday morning, in.whicb shop?
keepers have no right either for sleep or
rest. Pogues never rest, on the Sabbath-a
carious fact-knowing how unworthy they
are to obey the law.'
XEw AnvEimsEMEXTS.-Attention is calif jd
to the following advertisements, which aro
published for the first tine this morning:
Cen. ('.filmore-General Orders No. lb.
J. G. Gibbes-New ( roods.
44 4* . -New Flour.
Townsend *v North-Plank Dooks.
Richard Caldwell-Groceries, Shoos,r?Vc.
Oraugeburg and Columbia Stage Linc.
"S."- -Young Man Wanted.
M. M. Cohen-Goods for Ladies.
-Cheap Ligl. .
Colle;:'' Chape'- Soiree Mi.::, ale.
J. P. Kirkpatrick-Davidson College.
,T. H. Wells-For Sal? or Kent.
I P. C. Clarke --New Goods.
C. M. Collin- -Dry Goods and Croccriea.
Jacob Bell- Citation. .
FROM MEXICO.-Late intelligence of
interest from Mexico is contained in
despatches by the steamship Manhat?
tan from Vera Cruz, <>n the '2Srh ult.,
and Sisal, oif the'30th ult., and Hava?
na on the 3d inst. In the city of
Mexico, thel mpcrialists were congra?
tulating themselves cn tlie fancied
bright, prospects of the Empire, and
their expectations of its earle recogni?
tion by thc United States, for the
ptupose of seeuring which latter desi?
deratum, it was reported that G-eneral
Almonte was ^preparing fora trip to
Washington; lott correspondents de?
scribe the present condition of the
country as anything but flattering to
the mtv Government. The Kepubli
Ciin armies art; still large an l efficient,
and hold undisputed possession of H
great portion of the territory of tho
country, while tho guerrilla bands
roam through nearly every section,
still giving infinite annoyance to tho
Imperial troops, and the friends of
Juarez are said to be gai liing ground
everywhere." Kx-Unitcd States Sena?
tor Gwiu had left the capital and goao
to Matamoros, after having had his
plans for eolonizipg tho Northern
Mexican States completely squelched
by Maximilian. Yera Cruz correspond?
ents give "ac'omits of most atrocious
vandalism and outrages committed by
orders of the Imperial anny officers.
GurRAGEs!-The following otitrages
occurred in Augusta, Monday night:
George Deas, of this comity, was
knocked down and brutally beaten
over'the head, in the vicinity of tin?
factory, from the effect of which ho
died yesterday. The deceased was a
ciipple, having lost a leg from a rail?
road accident during the war.
Wm. Phillips was knocked down, and
severely beaten and rescued by a few
colored men who happened in tho
neigborhood. before the assailants,
who were white men, could rifle his
pockets.
?.A party going home in ti buggy was
a accosted on Creen street by three
white men, who attempted to pull him
out of the vehicle, but he fortunately
succeeded in making good his escape
' after a short struggle, in which he gave
at least one" of the party a few hard
knocks on the hoad.
Another eitizen was attacked by
three white men on Kollock street,
between Ellis and Broad street, by
rot being of a pugilistic disposition,
and being fortunately swift of foot, he
succeeded in retreating in good order.
[Augusta CoustUutionalistt
From seVcn to eight hundred thou?
sand meh have been discharged from
the United State3 Army, which, on
I the first, o? May, numbered one million
and fifty thousand -enrolled men