Daily National Intelligencer

STATISTICAL.- CAMDEN, S. C.

The following accurate and minute statistical notice of a place little known in the northern states, is copied from a neat little paper just commenced there, by the name of the Camden Gazette.

Camden, S. C. is situated in latitude 34° 16' N. and in W. longitude from Washington City, 3 21', on the North side of Pine Tree Creek, and on the East side of an extensive navigable river, which rises in the mountains of North Carolina, under the name of Catawba; but at its junction with an inconsiderable creek, called Wateree, about 30 miles above Camden, by an unaccountable caprice in nomenclature, the great Catawba loses its name, and that of the creek prevails, and thence the creek is called Wateree till its confluence with the Congaree.

Camden is regularly laid out, on an elegant site, the streets, which are wide, cross at right angles, and there are public squares thrown out for various uses. The place was first settled by the name of Pine-tree, in the year 1750-it received the name of Camden from Col. Kershaw, its founder, in 1760, and was incorporated in the year 1791, and has ever since had a regular police. Camden suffered extremely by the ravages of the British in the revolutionary war--it was the scene of some of the most sanguinary conflicts, and is the grave of the brave and ever to be lamented De Kalb.

Dr. Ramsay, in a statistical account of Camden, in the year 1809, has the following passage: " Camden languished for a considerable time after the peace. It now appears to be in a flourishing state. It was incorporated in the year 1791, and has ever since had a regular city police. There are about 150 dwelling houses in it."

And also, " Camden is one of the largest inland cities in Carolina, and bids fair to become a considerable place of trade and business." Camden has probably increased one-fourth, or more, since the Doctor wrote; in point of size it is probably the fifth place in the state. Its increase has been mostly in the length of Main street, which, at this time, extends about one mile, and contains about 120 dwelling houses, stores and shops. There is one considerable collateral street to the eastward of Main street, but it is mostly occupied by private families. King, York and De Kalb streets are the principal cross streets. There is about 30 stores, including wholesale and retail, in Camden, and a considerable portion of useful artizans and mechanics. There are three flouring mills on Pine-tree creek, adjoining Camden, together with saw and grist mills. Flour of the finest quality is manufactured from wheat, mostly brought from Lancaster and North Carolina, and exported down the river in large quantities: the particular amount of the exports of flour, cotton and other products will be noticed at another time.

The religious societies of Camden are as follows: one society of Protestant Episcopalians; one society of Presbyterians; one society of Baptists; and one society of Methodists; all, except the first, have settled ministers or regular preachers, and convenient houses of worship. There is also a society of Free Masons, who have built a valuable and handsome brick house for a Masonic Hall.

The other public buildings of Camden are a large framed court house, an elegant brick market and library room, a large wooden building, originally intended for an academy, belonging to the Orphan Society, a handsome brick arsenal, a jail, and two fire engine houses.

The court of common pleas and sessions for Kershaw district, hold their sessions in Camden, on the third Monday after the fourth Monday of March and October. The court of equity for Camden district is held on the third Monday in June and February.

The river low grounds in the vicinity of Camden, are exceedingly fertile, and a very extensive capital is employed in agricultural pursuits. The valuation of lands and slaves in Kershaw district, under the law of the United States laying a direct tax, amounts to 2,930,294 dollars, and this sum is probably far within their present value; the tax on this property for the year 1815, amounts to 7,075 dollars.

The situation of Camden, in regard to its convenience of navigation, and its facility of intercourse with the interior country, may justly be compared with Augusta on Savanna, Columbia on Congaree, and Fayetteville on Cape Fear, all being alike situated at the head of naturally boatable waters, all having nearly equal difficulties to encounter in the importation of merchandize, and in the exportation of produce. Those towns are naturally rivals in trade, and none, excepting Augusta, is so advantageously situated for the competition as Camden; with equal facilities of water conveyance, it has a greater extent of interior country to the east of the mountains than either Columbia or Fayetteville, if we attach to each place those districts and counties of each state which are more contiguous to it than to any other place of commercial importance : if doubts exist as to the accuracy of this position, a reference to the map of the United States will dispel them.- The appropriate circle of Camden, upon the principle of contiguity and convenience of trade and commerce, will, upon a geographical view of the circumjacent country, with a proper regard to the neighboring commercial places, be found to comprise nearly the whole extent of territory between the Pedee and Yadkin river in North Carolina, and Broad river in South Carolina, yielding to Columbia the district of Richland and part of Fairfield and Chester. Within this circle is
Contains 17 or 18 large, populous and wealthy districts and counties, and in most of them cotton is the principal staple of agriculture. Why then, it may be asked, is Camden, possessing those advantages, still kept in the back ground in regard to commercial importance: Why does not Camden hold a superior grade, in this respect, when its natural advantages are superior? These are questions for which no answer is prepared; they are referred, with great deference, to those who have an opportunity to observe the progress, and who know the history of Camden from its infancy. But it may not be amiss to remark, that Augusta and Fayetteville have probably four doubled their population, their capital and their commercial importance within the last fifteen years! their growing prosperity has, by many, been attributed to the early establishment of banking institutions, which are very justly considered as the handmaids of commerce. If errors in policy have existed, it is hoped they are dispelled by experience; if institutions necessary to the prosperity of the place have been omitted, it is not too late to embrace them. The enterprize and improvements of Camden have, for the last few months, exhibited a considerable degree of elasticity, and it is fervently wished that they may not again droop or subside till the place shall arrive at that degree of extent and importance, to which its natural position and advantages seem to indicate that it is destined.