Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-12-04

be discontinued, however proGtlcss it may
be to It's projectors. Indeed, where the
proprictorS i'll the vicinagc are stockholders
the road cannot be said to be proftlcss, even
although it be far from yielding IL dividend
The capital thus invested in South Carroll
ma may be put down at Sl8,000,000, { of
which sum the State holds shares amount
ing to S2,342,300,) and the extent of rail
way in working order at 900 miles. The
Charleston and Savannah Railroad beyond
the Edisto; the Union and Spartanburg
Railroad beyond Unionville; the Blue Ridge
Railroad beyond Pendlcton, are all under
the active agency of their skiltul and eff
Gent officers, III a course of successful CON
struction. | have confidence in every one,
aud trust to see, atno distant day the first
linking gourcommercial capital with the Gulf
OF Mexico and New Orleans, the second
aud third with the Mississippi and Ohio.
The work last mentioned, which visited
IN September, is progressing through its
barrier OF granite with much order, rcgu-
larity and certainty. Nothing seems to be
wanting to its completion in the course of
three years but an ample supply OF means.
Twenty-Five hundred feet of tunnel had been
H.,
ty-slN hundred remaining.) Since that
time the middle tunnel has been completed
so faras to admit the passage of horse and
cart. The masonry at Twenty-six Mile
| Creek, Seneca River and elsewhere is adj
vancing satisfactorily, and soon the cars
| will be stcaming up to the foot of the noun
tain. The change which is going on in the
region through which it passes, must be
witnessed to be realized Indeed it is not
sufficiently realized by the inhabitants of
the vcinngc generally, but the loss to them
| would be most sadly realized should the
work, by any possibility be stopped.
cannot bring myself to think of such pos
sibility to a work in which the pride of the
State, rs well us the welfare and ncstina-
bic value of closer and more direct asso.
ciation with our ncighbos of Tennessee,
Kentucky, Alabama and Mississippi, is con
ccrncd So important do | hold this inter
communication to us, that | believe it will
be the policy of the State, as soon as the
route by the Rabun Gap is completed and
III full operation. to lend her means, with
| the skill and energy of her engineers, to
| pushing forward another route of travel to
Eastern Tennessee, by either the Green
vile or the Spartonburg Road Bonds for
the last cnstalment Of the State subscription
to the Blue Ridge Railroad of 100000,
was signed byme on the 25th October last
MILITIA SYsrEM.-Thc militia system
though far from being perfect, and ad-
hitting of amendment in certain details,
we must not be induced to abandon because
| of its interference with the convenience of
Il citizen, or the eXaction of fines from de-
faulters oblivious of their public duties.-
1t has produced in the service of the coun-
try some of the best soldiers outside of the
regular army. The days of 177G-80, must
never become so remote, nor can the mem
ory of gallant ancestry be so forgotten as
to permit their postcrity. the men of the
day, however great the love of ease, to over
look the fact, that their liberties, as we'll as
the public peace, are in their own keeping,
and depend upon their own vigilance and
ability to protect and defend them At
any and all moments the citizen is liable to
be called into the field How important,
therefore, that he should not only cultivate
steady habits of temperance and obedience
himself, but also encourage them in others
how important, by ussociatng at muster
with the men in his beat to know who will
be reliable in the time of trial, upon whom
lie may depend for the confident touch of
the elbow when facing danger, or in COM
bat. This bond of confidence is soon form
ed among the members of the volunteer
company; the same may be realized by q
person who has done his~rcgular tour Of
duty in the beat company; upon the man,
| whose study is hDw TO avoid dutv all roo
sonihg will be lost.
Patrol duty is too generally overlooked
In reviewing the several regiments in the
State, | was gratified to find the officers
generally with whom communicated, IN
telligent and intent to know their duty, MS
well as willing and justly proud to discharge
1T. To their number, the graduating class
cs of the Citadel Acad my annually add
officers already instructed and trained -
i.mong the Generals of Division and Brig
ade, recognized proper estimate of their
position, together with knowledge ofand
attention to business, which canacs fail to
give increased confidence in the Usefulness
and value of the system. The late Briga-
dier General Pc cifer F,Smith, OF the Uni
ted Sites Army, one of the most efficient
and intelligent officers in the service, was
appointed from the militia of his State.-
he it was who planned the battle of Con-
trcras, the first which was fought in the
| Valley of Mexico--the critical event upon
which depended the fortunes of the Amer
lean Fhg, and the fate of the army. No.
thing could have been more boldly design-
cd, or more sliillfully executed, than this