Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-02-15


appropriate Committee, but was not reported upon
by the House Committee consequently the Bill
was not acted upon BY that body until the general
Road Bill was returned from the Senate, and was
taken up for third reading; 1T late hour of the
night, wien nearly half of the Members were alb
sent. Under all these favorable circumstances, it
Only passed by majority of FIVE, the vote standing
81 to &c. In the discussion which sprang up on this
Bill, took the position, that the Legislature should
never, under any circumstances, grant franchise
unless it was for the public benefit: that the parties
applying for such grant, should shew to the Legisa-
ture that they would furnish the public with safer
cheaper and more convenient passage across the
river than at present exist. which position was not
controverted. Did these parties make any such
shewing2 They certainly did aot to my satisfaction,
ard predicted that they would not furnish suffer-
cheaper, or more convenient passage across the
river, but that all persons crossing upon The Augns-
ta Bridge, would be required 70 pay more than they
did before.
How has the prediction been veri6el Let all
those citizens Of this State who have been in the
habit Of selling lumber and other marketable pro-
duce in the City Of Augusta answer the question
aud the answer will sustain Inc in the following
statement. Before this Act Of our Legislature,
lumber and wood wagons were only required to pay
fifty cents per load for the privilege Of passing over
the Augusta Bridge, in which City they found
market and ready sale for their various commodi-
tics; but now il costs dollar and ten cents, per
load sixty cents being required Mt this end Of the
Bridge, and fifty cents at the other and, let it be
observed, that Notwithstanding so much has been
said about the illiberality Of the City Council of Au
gusta, they charge ten cents more, per wagon load,
at the Carolina end of the Bridge, than is charged
at the Georgia end BY this odious tax upon wood,
an immense revenue is cut off from the citizens Of
this District: revenue amounting 10 Mt least thirty
thousand dollars annually, the greater part of which
is brought from the City of Augusta and distributed
among the psybe Of this District. Then there is the
lumber trade which is of great Importance to many
of the citizens Of, Barnweil, as well those Of
this District, who are entirely dependent upon this
Bridge, as highway, over which to transport their
| lumber to market will put down in round num-
bcrs the sum Of money accruing TO the citizens Of
this State from fire, wood, lumber and other market
able productions at $780, 900 annually: all of VIII ch
must be lost to our citizens, unless they submit to
double tolls. In fact, many articles Of produce are
taxed to prohibition.
The Town of Hamburg is also injured to very
considerable extent, by this Act; for many Of our
citizens who found ready cash market over the
river for the various commodities which they had
for sale, were in the habit Of purchasing their sup
plies in Hamburg, thereby making Augusta pay
tribute to Hamburg. Ii is, perhaps, not generally
known, that three thousand bales of Cotton were
actually " drayedn aross tine river, the past year,
ing to Carolina Planters, who shipped it by way of
the Canal to Augusta, but prefcring the Hamburg
market, were willing to pay twenty-five cents per
bale, to reach their favorite market but am au-
thorzd to say that they now have to pay fifty cents
per bale and the consequence is, that all this Cotton
will be driven from our own Town, and our citizens
deprived of an important privirge-that Of trading
where they please,
What becomes of those cherished Free Trade
principles in the. .pantenancc Of which S. Carolina
orce threatened to dissolve the Union, and imbrue
her hand in her brolher's blood Are these prin-
ciples about to be abandoned? Or are they only to
be asserted when our intercourse with foreign ma
tions is the least tranimeedl and rcpudiat,d and
ignored when it Is proposed to shackle our trade
and traffic with ncighboring City If the Con-
{, I. u, ,,o1
power to tax one portion Of the States for the benefit
Of tile others, then contend, that the Legislature
Of State has not the right, either legal nora to
tax large portion of her citizens, for the private
ben, fit Of two individuals. If the Congress Of the
United States has not the power to pass prohibory
tariff laws, by which the trade between this and
foreign nations is to be materially affected, then
contend that the Legislature Of State has not the
right to tax, to prohibition, the products of her citi
zens, when they wish to trade with City of sis
ter State. But yet the facts do show that this has
been done by the Legislature Of South Carolina
And for what, let me ask, must this great public
sacrifice be madel
1t is said that the rights of the State are endan-
despoilcd of her territory? BY whom2 BY the
City Council of Augusta? What startling an
nouncement! A single City in tho State of Gcor-
ria is about to despo the State Of South Carolina of
an important part of her territory! This is alto
re,hcr an ad eaptandum argument, in which, must
confess, cannot see any force. During the Session
of 1882 the Legislature of this State passed series
of Resolutions, instructng the Governor in connex-
ion with the Attorney General, to open a corrcspon-
dcncc with the Governor Of Georgia. upon this
question of boundary: and also pledgins the State
to sustain them in any action they might think pro-
per to take Gov MANNING in his last ANNUAL Mes
sage, uses the following language: perceive by
the late Message of His Exceency Governor Conn,
that he recommends to the Legislature of Georgia,
to submit the question of boundary between the
States, for final settlement to the Supreme Court Of
the United States, in compliance with proposition
from the Attorney General Of this State. suggest
to you the propriety Of asserting to such reference
as the most complete mode by which final settle
ment OF this question can be effected"
Now, it really seems to me, that after all this had
passed between the two States, it was impolltic, to
say The least to take any step that nigh, have the
appearance of rsshness, and thereby prejudice our
own cause. But then again, the interest of the
public must be sacrificed because, as it is alleged,
Messrs JONES & REMEDY, had out of their not
abur dant means advanced to HENRY SHU1Tz moneys
to large amount" Then, I ask, why in the name
of common justice, should this discrimination be