From Charleston.
[special Correspondence of the Dispatch.]There is evidently a feeling here to-day that we are not much "hurt," and that "nobody's suffering," and that "all will be right," even though we shall be compelled to take Fort Sumter after all.
Business is greatly on the increase here.--There is an active demand for rice and the "king," and Yankee vessel-owners are writing daily from Boston, asking if they may "seed down" their vessels, and whether we will burn them after getting here, and eat up the captains and crews, to which we reply, let them come loaded with anything they please, except recruits for Sumter, not even excepting a few thousand barrels of gun powder and Sharpe's rifles.
I beg to advise your Southern "fire-eaters" in Richmond to keep cool, and not go off "half cocked" because you have a few objectionable men in your Convention, and get up indignation meetings and go about your streets groaning because a gentleman tells you that he hates South Carolina. Mr. Moore, of Rock, bridge, I see, says he would take Georgia and Alabama back into his Union, but not South Carolina. Ha! ha! ha!
I see too, that Mr. Moore is still harping upon the African slave trade. Do tell him not to get alarmed, that even if Virginia does come along as no doubt she will--Mr. Moore's opposition to the contrary not with standing,) that she need not enter into the traffic; that we Carolinians will take all the blame and the profits, too. And free trade — that is a terrible beg-a-boo, too. Congress, however, has declared against both.
No doubt exists that the Daniel Webster is still hanging round about us, whether at the instance of the "Old Public Functionary" or that of "Hasty Plate of Soup, " I can't say; but we only laugh outright when we see paragraphs going the rounds of the papers, that fort Sumter will be reinforced.
The floating ark is nearly ready, and is the observed of all observers, and whilst, almost every body thinks there will be no need for it, I confess I am not so sure of that. Still the war stock has greatly depreciated since Abraham spoke through Baltimore for fear of being plug-uglied.
We have private, but perfectly reliable reports, of great financial troubles in New York and Boston. The dry goods jobbers, shΠdealers, rafters, and even silver-ware manufacturers, are all going by the board.--Not so here. There have been no failures of moment, and everybody regards the wants of his neighbor, and we help each other to the almost.
The city is very quiet, very healthy and very busy. All the young men have gone to the war except myself, and the old ones drill nightly in Military Hall, to take a hand, if needs be.
In my next I may have something more interesting to your readers. Good night.
