Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-12-08
GOVERNORS ME:>SAGE,-No 5.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, !
>,rvrmbCr ~, lSl7,


EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT., !
November 229, ISl7,
Ia Tie UoAorG5ie Prcsi!,Gt and Members
o. lie .SraGie.
I'nu are not unaware. That the public
mind has been, through hc past summer.
and is sill. rnr.cr considerable excitement
on The srhIcct of hairuads; aud that large
>uns have hrcn subscribed towards lie
coas':ucIioa ul' some lIH, have hC"n pro-
jrctcI Nor can you be ignorant that the
pui,Iic treasury is relied upcn 10 contribute
in so:nc fDrm or Other. !G:Ti:f!I IL" con-
plrrion of these cHlc-priscg: and that vita e
out it, some or a,i oi them must fail; an! II
will be for yen IT, determine, whether these
fair prospects shall! hc b,iShled whilst IN
the bud, or expand ia full proportions under
your fostering band.
The civilians agree that the sovereign
! power in Il Slate, is bound 10 provide high
ways for its inhabitants and it is for this
purpose that The right of eminent domain
is implicitly reserved in every grant Of
territory. qualified 5y our Constitution with
the reservation thai aSr compciI'"ry. quail
flied by oar Constitution with The rescrva'
lion, that jnsl compensation shall hc award :
cd TO The individual owner if his property
is used for public purposes, No individual
has the ris hl 10 put even his foot ufHn The
soil Of another without his consent The
incapacity ofindividuals, and the absence
of concert among Them, oppose, generally,
-:-,---r.---L.--i4a n-,Lns The "t,.e-rise ri
| I,. tul.
lore, reserved for the Stale. But The right
TO exercise it dncs no! impose on the State
the obligation TO carry an highway 10 the
door Of every Individual; they are TIC main
! arteries. and communities and Individuals
must supply ,hc h:anc'icS.-rh" STATE
may delegate this power 10 in'!i"!dnaiS.
hut hcv will never undertake. the cX"cn-
culion ii, without the expectation nl Il,
least reasonable remuneration and when
The; will nOt, the questions. when aud
where. aGtI III what expense 0l'moncy aud
labor. the State ought to do ii, are con-
sranty addressing themselves 10 your
judgment and discretion. These questions
may be best examined by Keeping entirely
out nf view !Ec aid that may be calculated
on from Individuals ; and assuming that
the whole burden is 10 he hnrnc by the
State al large, what necessity and what
principle is 10 govern III tho selection g! Il
site for the road aud tho amount OF money
or labor to he expended in lis construction,
The solution may he drawn from the prac
Iical concerns Of every day lie: Il planter
living AT Il distance from Il market road.
finds The way leading 20 il OIL oi repair,
ntcrScctcd, perhaps, hy creek or river
frequently impassahle from high water.
and II" goes about; Ia estimate what il will
Cost in nuncy or lahnr 10 repair the road
and huiId bridges, and compares TINT with
the vaiuc OF The labor, or he amount Of
money it will cost To transport his pr"dnrr
over it in lis present condition and II III
III" rcsuItt appears that he will save by
the improvement, The interest on 'hc mon
cy, or value OF labor to be cxpcndcd about
them, he will. if wise, not hesitate to make
them; and the Stale ought to be governed
by the same princlplc, The only objection
10 it is, that lis benefits are partial. whilst
the burthcn bears equally throughout the
State. Let US meet this objection fairly.
The benefits are in Il degree unequal. lie
who lives on Tie road side, is murc lnrlu
nate lhan his nci,hnnr who lives five miles
distant, and he in turn, more fortunate than
he who lives n:nrc remote. Arc we for
this reason to have no public highways al
all Will not the traveller who goes ten
miles from home, realize thai the roads
over which he travels, wrclchcd rs thcY