Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1844-01-31
g [BY. RequE5T.]
From The ,Hambug Journal.


Of history, and were master of:lbe Ian
guage, aud could handle the goose quill as
well as l can, a jack-plane, or sledge-
hammer, would make :rue aud interest.
ing picture Of the case. But as it is, |
must contenrmyself with making such as
my narrow limits will dictate.
That notorious Bridge Case is in ques-
lion, viz john w. Marlborough, Trus-
lee, and Henry Shultz, vs.. The Bank of
the Stale of Georgia f; the City Council Of
Augusta. andfG. b. Lamar" | have,
since The Decree iD The case has been pro-
nounced by the Chancellor, aud confirmed
by the Cour,Sof Appeals in this State,
seenin several public journals, expression
oe hope tha, this discussion might finally
and forever setle This questions. The
Chancellor thought proper To make silni-.
lar remarks in.iis Decree; and L hallered
myself with the hope, that such might he
The event. But the result has pr"ven 9th
rrwise. ISL
The Case has TO go back to The United
States Court, where i, originated, ard
where it never has been finally settled, and
for which removal, preparations are now
in progress, and in which. Court | am glad
to say, the case will be beyond tile iuAu
ence of sectional prejudices-beyond tho
influence Of Banks, and beyond the inau-
ence Of Town Corporations, and where the
facts. and lhelaw alone will prevail ~
II has been MY fate to be in law these
twenty-five yeats, and it may be my fate
10 die in law. Belt so! Now, sir, lei US
look at the cause! Am / attempting to
take The labor and the property of my fell
low men? No, not so They are at.
tempting. TO take my labor and my prop
erty, without money and without price;
and | am endeavoringto resis, their cruel
intentions: Fdrif I had built no Bridge
and no Town. tberu would have been no
con,esl fora Bridge, aud for Town, aud
l would not have been in law, nor in tor.
ment these series Of years. What are The
facts? There came q man from beyond
tbescas, with talent; with spirit, aud will,
perseverance,. AID accomplished an en-.
terprisc which natives after two unsuccess.
ful attempts, had abandoned as impracii.
icable-tlie ruins OF thsir Hdefeat bear wit
ness to The present day. A Bridge! a
structure that tgrapples powerful States
A Bridge that bids defiance 10 mighty
foods. A Bridge IA highway over a re-
heflious stream, for man and for beast by
day and by night. Even when the lace of
the earth is submerged by floods, you fad
a safe passage from one State ilto an.
olber. And can there be ;nan with COM
mon sense, living, who would from his
hear, say, that ! should ever surrender this
structure, with thecnormous sum Of S664,
10000. to The power or chicanery Of man
Kind uaiuslly, or thai am not deserving
10 enjoy the benefits Of its fruits myselr2
No! | do moi believe that there is; and
we're to say otherwise, feel that
would do injustice 10 the human race.
There are many, very many, who ap-
preciale this structure very highly, with
hearty desire TO be masters, Or the owners
Off. And is it not nalural-does not com
mon sense say. that father loves his child
better, aud appreciates its qualities higher
than stranger? do not crave one dol
lar more than what's my own. My own,
and nothing bu, my own do Iwant; aud
for thar shall contend during my natural
life, if / donol obtain it before aud after
that, hope that Others will proceed With
it, for which purpose, prompt arrange
mems are made, so that not even my "oug
hoped for death" will benefit those persc-
cu,ors. | prefer that part Of this money
should go to finish tho Monroe Rail Road,
than for those usurpers to keep it.
There is one paragraph in The Chancel-
for's Decree 10 which request attention,
it is as follows :-"Then as to any right
Of the Complainant in the Bridge itself, it
would be sufficient TO say, that all the
Complainant Shullz's right and interest
therein has passed away 10y the expiration
of his Charter. The franchise or exclusive
privilege which constituted il Ills properly,
no longer exists, and The material structure
is attached to, and part Of The soil, and
would be The properly of The S,aes, the
owners of the soil, il The franchise had no,
been renewed to apolher."
This is con6scaling citizens property.
1t gives our Bridge after The expiration Of
Charter, TO the State, without money aud
without price. True. the franchise be.
onsed TO the Stale, and the State may,
after the expiration of our Charter, give it
to another person; but can the Stare take
our Bridge aud give il away. too7 Sup.
poseit 10 be ferry! The State may
grant the franchise to another, but can the
ferry-boat be taken and given away also by
The State? According to this principle
every Rail Road, and every Banking
house would, after the expiration Of their
charters, be the property of the State
Saylhey bought lhepremises, upon which
they build-and so did we. for we paid 10
:he former prcprie,ors of The ferry, $500
for he laud on which the Bridge stands,
aud the ferry right; aud then we paid s73,-
900 for the building of The Bridge, and af-
ter twenIy.one years all belong TO the
Stale! and besides which, we built The
Bridge under the authority of lhe State al