Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-09-14
fErom the Edyeficla Advertiser. 18th Feb.)


persons passing over the Augusta Bridge. no
ordinary degree Of excitement has been crea-
ted, not only on the other side of the river,
but also amongst large and respectable
norton Of our own. citizens, whose interest
has been seriously affected by such extraor
dinary legislation.
And, as perceive by the Advertiser OF the
25th ultmo, that our Honorable Senator has
deemed it necessary that he should appear
before the public, in an article of considera-
bic length, in vindication OF his course upon
the sub bject; and as | felt compelled, by a
high sense of duty, to oppose an Act which
| regarded as unwise, inexpedient and un.
called for, it is but just TO myself, as well as
due to my constituents, that should state
the facts and give the reasons which govern.
cd mo upon that occasion. In so doing, |
shal notice some of the arguments OF our
Senator, who endeavors to prove that, by
the strict law, the one.half Of the Augusta
Bridge reverted to the State, at the expira-
ton OF the Charter granted 10 the City Coun-
ell of Augusta, by this State. While | will
not presume to argue lie legal question. as
am not a lawyer, | am satisfied 10 learn from
the argument of the Senator, that while the
law did rot exact and require e!an; to
aIessrs. JONES d KENNEDY. there were. i.
my view, many considerations OF jus':'e a0!
good policy against it. Oar own Cna'ts
have always respected :he tile Of the li:y
Council of Augusta 20 their Bridge; for in
every case that has arisen betweea them and
the other pa!t;as claiming the Bridge, our
Courts, as we'll as the Supreme Court OF the
United States, have invariably decided in IA.
vor of the City Council of Augusta: aud it
will be seen that the Legislature of South
Carolina has heretofore regarded the whole
Bridge us belonging to that Corporation;
hence in the act OF lS't5, granting l'e Char.
Ter to the South Carolina Rail Road Com
pany, it is provided, that that Company
should make compensation to the City Goun-
ell Of Augusta, for that portion Of the Bridge
within tie jurisdiction Of this State.
Again: in lS46, Charter was granted to
SHrLrz g. MckIHNiE, in the event that the
sai, then pending should be decided against
the City Codnci of Augusta; hut the title OF
the City Council was sustained BY the tie.
eision Of the Supreme Court OF the United
States, and, consequently, SiCLrz IL :lc-
KrSSlx's Charter fril to the ground. In
lS49, it was enacted thu. .&nUaTz Il Mcl>lH
ME shonld be authorized TO take tolls from
all persons passing over lhe 3ridSe hOM
South Carolina to Georgia, rroci;!c'! such
collecting Of tolls did not subject the conn
muuitv and the Rail Road Company to dou
Bile tolls. Now, it will be perceived, that in
every one Of these Acts, rrovsos are insert.
ed, hy which the rights OF the City Council
are respected, and the interests Of the pnF,lic
are protected Col. CAHRoLI. adai's that
the Charter granted to the Rail Road Com.
pany was only intended to strengthen that
Company in their negotiation with the City
Council of Augusta; but it seems that such
legislation only tended to weaken the posi-.
,ion of the Company. For in 1870, the
City Council paid one hundred thousand dol.
lars for the Bridge, and soon after offered ii
TO the Rail Road Company Tor the same sum,
which they refused TO give; and thus mat
ters stood unit! 1915, when the Legislature,
as already stated, granted the Charter to the
Rail Road Company rs coercirc, bnt un'
successful measure. Nor were these ncgo.
,ia,icns fairly entertained until the right OF
the City Council had been tested and in'-
pliedly recognized by a decision of our own
Court, enioning iiessrs. JONES {. kENNrDY
from collecting tolI--but leaving the tolls TO
be collected by the City Council exclusively,
where it was thought the matter had ended.
All the former difficulties having been re
moved by this decision Of the Court, in the
action of the Rail Road Company who had
brought the suit. the City Council soon map
ifes,ed disposition to make an arrangement
with that Company by which their purposes
might be accomplished. Accordingly an
agreement was entered into, TO the effect,
that the Rail Road Company, by paying to
the City Council Of Augusta SlG0 1000, were
to have the privilege Of crossing the river
upon Bridge to he erected by themselves.
] have not alluded to these facts for the pur-
pose Of defending the City Council of Au
gusta, but to disabuse the public mind, and
remove as far as possible those prciudices
which, in my view, are unjus!ly excited
against neighboring City: and more par
,icularly to show that all these efforts upon
the part of our Legislature TO frighten, or to
force that City into terms, have proved un-
availing, and have recoilcd upon our own
citizens,
Much has been said about the grasring
rapacity of the City of Augusta; and the
price the Rail Road Company had to pay
for crossing the river, is often adduced as
evidence against her, Now, if that Compa.
ny refused the liberal offer which was made
TO them by the City Council Of Augusta,
shortly after they purchased the Bridge, it
was certainly their own fanl:, for then they
had au opportunity of purchasing the Bridge
for 100000, the sum which they eventual.
ly had to pay. merely for the privilege o!
building Bridge upon which to cross-and
,hat tho City Council of Augusta were thus
exac,ng, may justly h" a'''in':ted to the un-
wise action Of the Leg c!sllt;ira Of South Caro-
Ina, which induced them to believe that tho