Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-01-30
Remarks of G. W. Landrum, ESQ.,,

Remarks Of G. W. Landrum, Esq,
On the Bill to amend the Charter of the Saran.
nah Rirer Valley Rail Road, in the House Of
Representatives, Dec. i3, 1856.
Mr. SPEAKER | trust that the amendment
will be agreed to, ms haya proposed to amend
it. This is an important matter to US: we feel
Il very deep interest in it. And | wish, in
a very brief manner, 10 submit to the House a
few reasons, upon which We found our objection,
in the first place, TO the whsle scheme embodied
in this amendment. Il proposes an entire alter
alton of the original plan; proposes to cut off
from beneficial connection with this Savannah
Valley Railroad, TINT part OF the State of South
Carolina which gave birth 70 the enterprise. It
proposes to desert tie town of Hamburg, the
third commercial town in South Carolina. It
was the great interest which the town took in
this enterprise-now sought to be diverted into
the State of Georgia-whch gave the com.
mencement 10 the enterprise. And now to di.
vert il into the State Of Georgia, contrary to
the wishes, interests and well devised efforts of
the town of Hamburg, TO sacrifice that portion
of EdgefeId District, is very unjust, illiberal,
and in the judgment of tnat part of this State,
extremely unreasonable. This scheme, put on
foot within few days previous TO the present
session Of the Legislature, threatening, as it
does, to sacrifice that very people, who, by their
liberaty, zeal and generous public spirit, origi.
mated this enterprise, seems to me to demand of
this House due, deliberate and cautious consid.
Grafton.
Now this Road, as designed by the original
charter, and as was understood by all, was ulti-
mately to be constructed from Hamburg in
South Carolina to Anderson Court House. But
from some strange proceedure,an rs that portion
of the Stockholders, who reside near the lower
terminus of the Road, suppose, by mismanage-
ment on the part of the direction of this COM
pany, this Road is now TO be diverted 10 the
City of Augusta, in consideration of the pay
ment upon the partspf that City of S500,0Oo,
to build the Road from Augusta to Bull Suice,
eight or len miles above Hamburg. Now our
people are not sufficiently informed upon this
matter, and if this House shall ultimately come
to the conclusion that it is necessary to make
these alterations in the original charter, we beg
them to postpone it for twelve months, in order
that our people may understand what means
have been resorted TO, to sacrifice their inter-
ests and 10 force our fellow.citizens in the town
of Hamburg to transfer their capital into an
other State. We think we can satisfy the
House that there is something in these objec-
tons to this scheme, which is not in pursuance
of, or in keeping with the enterprise which my
people have so much at heart. We think we
can show that the people Of the State are inter
ested in this matter. And we hope the House
will indulge us, while we trespass thus slightly
upon their time and attention.
We think that we can show that the citizens
of Hamburg, that large portion of the peo.
pie Of South Carolina, have direct, pecuniary,
material interest in this matter 1; and we oppose
it upon principle,-upnn high principles of State
policy Now we have no objection to connec.
ton between the Savannah Valley Rail Road, on
this side of the Savannah River. We have no
objection at I'LL TO any advantage that the City
of Charleston may derive from the Connection
between this Road and the South Carolina Road.
We desire and wish the commerce of the State
to 20 to Charleston we have no design to throw
any Instructions whatever in the way OF the
stream of travel and commerce from the wes-
tern country converging and concentrating in
the City of Charleston 1t is to that point that
we wish it to 60, and we will legislate and do
every thing else in our power to remove obstruc-
tions and obstacles, in the way Of sending the
trade and trffic Of tho western States to that
City. We are all proud of Charleston, the
emporium of this part of the united States, and
will do all in our power TO build her up and
promote her commercial prosperity. But when
a proposition is made for the benefit Of small
portion of the country above and Of Charleston
below, at the sacrifice of all our portion OF the
State, we do object 10 it, and as we think for
the very soundest reasons.
Now, know it has been said. know it has
been thought by many, that Hamburg is an
insignificant commercial town, mere suburb OF
the City of Augusta, and Augusta n suburb Of
the City of Charleston. Now have no objec.
ton 10 regarding these places, if you please, as
suburbs Of the City of Charleston; and ! re-
peat that l hope Charleston will swallow up all
the trade and traffic of the Western country
and that no portion Of it will, by unwise legis.
lation, be diverted TO the Cities Of Georgia.
concurred, very cordially, in the proposition to
appropriate S2,250,00O, 10 aid in the conslruc.
tion of the Blue Ridge Rail Road, more espc.
cialIy for the benefit Of the City Of Charleston.
And would 60 further, and call upon the State
of South Carolina, 10 appropriate even more
literally for the completion of that Road, from
which my people expect no particular benefit
All this we did freely for the City of Charles
ton, not doubling that our own commercial
town of Hamburg and The citizens Of our sec-
tioneof the State would derive incidental adran
tages from the stream Of commerce as it flowed
through our midst. In order to show 10 this
House that we arc not mistakenin in our apprecia.
tion of the commercial Importance OF. the town
of Hamburg to the farming interests of oul
people, wish to state some facts, as know
Them to exist, and shall appeal to members
upon this floor, who are acquainted with thu
circumstances and the facts, who have traded
for the last twenty-five or thirty years with the
merchants of Hamburg-so insignificant in the
estimation of some persons-and who know
the advantages disappearing that town and keep
ing up the commercial competition which ex'
isis between Hamburg and Augusta, in relation
10 their private interests and especially in regard
to the Cotton trade.
Now, assert, that the average difference be-
tween the price of cotton, in the town of Ham.
burg, South Carolina, and the city of Augusta
Georgia, is from one quarter to one half cent
per pound. We have information from reliable
authority, that tho cotton trade in Hamburg
amounts to $4,000 or 10000 bales year. the
number of pounds amounting to ten or twelve
millions. If the amount of pounds be ten mil.
lions. and the difference in price be one quarter
of n cent, there will be n loss, to the people Of
my section of the state of S25,O0O annually, il
the town Of Hamburg be destroyed. If the
difference in price be taken at half cent in the
pound. and The amount of bales sold be put
down at 10000, the loss to my people would be
S50,OOO annually. Sir, after careful review OF
these facts, can it be said that the farmers Of my
District and of my section Of the state have no
interest in this matter, and that our objections
to the amendment of the charter of the Savan.
nah Valley Rail Road company are futile7 We