The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1839-12-07

r2;nns should i,c issacd ,n tic otliccrs:aud 2
lsergcanl$,. al Brigade EHcamrmcn,s.
herewith transmit sLc Report OF the hd-%-
utan AID insrrc:cr General, for the Year
1850. ...-s,, 49,,
FerIsap: noi',irs c.:;s::',;:s The rragrcssof,
civili2r' II more sri!;ingJv, .llan we'll
consI' i highways throughout coun::tss
try; surely no;hirg conduces moreto
The case ana comfort Of The citizen. Ina
community like ours, where the articles
transported by the planter 10 market, are
heavy and bulky, ,hc'neccssity, isdonbly
urgent, to construct such kighyaysas will
facilitate the transportation. The repairs
of the roads, by the existing law ), depend
upon the labor OF tie inhabitants, for'not
more than lweIc days IN tie year. The
system operates unequally. While the 10
Dor bestowed upon certain portions of the :
roads is sufficient to maintain them in
good order, in other portions, the same:,
labor would be wholly insufficient. From
the face of the country, its uncvenness,
and the nature Of the soil, more labor will !.
be required in some sections, than in
others. Again, those portions of the
country, which lie more contiguous to the !.
market towns, from tbs greater amount
of travelling over them with heavy wa:
gons, and often from the nature. of the
soil, and irregu!arity Of surface, require
vastly more work 10 put and keep them
in good order, Than in other portions, more
remote, and more favored, in the circum.
stances mentioned. Hence, one portion
Of the inhabitants, is Subjected to- great
er degree of labor, than another, aid not
exclusively J. for their own benefit, but for,
the bcneEt of perhaps more numerous
class, wlo have expended no labor on:
these roads. TO remedy this inequality.
and injustice, presents adillicult question:.
If, however, the twelve days labor, most
faithfully expended, wlieh the inhabitants
are bound to bestow, would place The.
highways in serriceable condition, tue
Inconvenience complained of would he
the less regretted. Bat, from theidifIicul-.S
ties already pointed out, this amount of
work, however faithfully executed, would,
in many places, be insufficient to effect.
the object. Hence, it often happens,
that the planter has 10 encounter such.a
wretched state of the highways, as9yto
cause great damage Of vehicles and,horscs,<
and much consumption Of time; and, i'm.
many instances, tho bad condition .oi, the
roads presents an utter obstacle to further
progress. 1t is probable that the induce.
ment which the Legislature, by late act,
has held out for the formation of con:pa-
nies, to establish turnpike roads, will fail
Of its purpose, as men cannot be rersuad-~
cd to yes. money in any enterprise, with
out fair prospect Of IL profitable return..
in the shape Of interest, or dividends. /
trust your wisdom will be able 10 devife
some remedy, for these greet evils. Be-
fore leaving the subject, l would recon-
mend what has already been pressed upon
your consideration, by one of my prede-
ccssors, that the Commissioners Of the
Roads, throughout the State, should be
allowed 10 commute labor, for money, in
all cases where the person liable to road
duty, might prefer if: The money thus
raised, 10 constitute fund, to let out, in
contracts, for repairing, and keeping. in
repair, certain portions of the roads.
The Legislature, in 1897, by an Act
entitled San Act to lend the credit Of the,
State to secure any loan which may be :
made by the Louisville, Charleston and
Cincinnati Railroad company" authorized
the company to borrow two millions of
dollars and pledge the faith Of the state to
secure the payment of the principal and
interest; and. as an indemnity to the state, =.
the estate, property, and funds within the
state, which the said company then pos
sessed, or might afterwards acquire, were
pledged and nortgagcd to the state for the
performance on the part Of the company,
of such contract, i'll priority ard prefer
cnce Of any other debt which t!,e said
company might then. or at az c::i.ier time
owe. But, a: the same time: :hc company
was allowed in case it should purchase
the Railroad OF the South Carolina Canal
and Railroad company, to mortgage the
said road to the said South Carolina Ca
nal & Railroad company, fer any susa not
exceeding two-tl:rls Of the purchase mo-
ncp, and give to the said South Carolina
Canal and Railroad company. lien there