The Daily Dispatch: April 1, 1861., [Electronic resource]

A Bostonian's view of affairs in Charleston.

‘ The steamer Massachusetts, Capt. Sampson, from Charleston, S. C., 16th inst., arrived here this forenoon with 2,033 bales cotton, 46 tierces rice, and 30 packages merchandize, and 7 passengers. Among the passengers were three gentlemen of leisure, who went from here in her for the express purpose of ‘"seeing with their own eyes and hearing with their own ears"’ the great commotion of the fire-eaters. They state that when they went to a hotel they booked their names ‘"of Boston,"’ and upon every occasion when they were introduced to distinguished citizens, they invariably spoke of themselves as Bostonians, yet their reception was all that they could have desired. They were not dogged as they had reason to apprehend from the tenor of the news received here, nor did any one ask them impertinent questions. There was plenty of soldiering, marching and countermarching, but they saw no rowdyism. Politicians spoke freely to them about the affairs of the country, but expressed no regret about secession; on the contrary, the people seemed determined to have nothing more to do with the United States.

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