Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-12-23
Synopsis OF the Remarks OF Edward Moore,
ESQ, on tho Blue Ridge Rail Road. ~


Synopsis OF the Remarks OF Edward Moore,
o. ESQ, ON the Blue Ridge Rail Road. =
Ma. MOORE, said: He supposed this House. or
the friends of the Blue Ridge Rail Road, had no
objections to hearing the opinions of every mem
Der on this floor, inasmuch as they had challenged
the opponents of the scheme to make known rea-
SONS for opposing it, avowiug their readiness to
obviate every objection which could be urged
against the enterprise. Under this impression, he
yentured to trespass upon the time Of the House
for few moments only. He would not attempt
a thorough discussion of this wide and complica-
ted question. Not that the interests of the coun-
try and the great principles involved, would not
Justify such an effort, but simply, because he was
unprepared to do justice to this important subject
He owed il to his constituents and to the thorough
convictions Of his own mind against the policy Of
the proposed measure, that he should give in
short-h hand way, his views on the question.
He thought it davolved upon the advocates of the
measure, to give satisfactory reasons for its under
taking, and to show that the project would be q
practicable as well as profitable one. He had lis.
tened for these reasons in the course of the dis.
cusson, but had heard none. On the contrary,
at the outset of the discussion, we have been
greeted by graccless onslaught from the friends
of this measure, casting into our teeth tho impu-
tation that we were afraid to act according to our
honest convictions-that we were influenced BY
an unmanly fear of meeting the displeasure Of our
constituents in case VIC supported the Blue Ridge
project This maneuvre to induce the young
members of tho House to vote for this Bill, under
q false apprehension that they would thereby
evince their independence Of the wishes Of their
constituents he regarded as unworthy OF gentle
men holding high positions rs they do in the
State; and unworthy of the Legislature of South
Carolina. He regretted that he had 60 witness
such scene on this foor-he repelled the impu-
tation, and could say that he was untrammelled
By any pledge to his constituents on the subject,
and would vote according to his own convictions.
he could not appreciate the virtue of that inde-
peudence so earnestly commended by the member
from GrecnYille, (Mr. Perry which should prompt
us to sacrifice our seats on this floor, by msrepre-
senting the wishes of our constituents by acting
with faithlessness and pcrGdy.
The advocates of this Bill admit that if it were
an original proposition, they would oppose it
He could see no reason, why they should support
o measure which they regarded as unwise and in.
expedient at any stage OF its progress 1t were
certainly wiser and better to stop with loss OF
one million, than to proceed, until We had lost
seven or eight millions Of dollars in fruitess un-
dertaking; he was surprised that gentlemen advo.
eating this move should make such an admission.
He insisted that the proposition before the House
was On original one. The Legislature in 1854 had
subscribed 81 000 900 to this road and at the same
time guaranteed the bonds of the Company on
certain conditions for $l,000,0O0 more, with
which the Company had not complied. Now We
are asked, not TO carry out in good faith the un-
dertaking of the State then made, but to undo
what the Legislature then did, by removing the
conditions of this guarantee and thus to stultify
the action of this body in 1854 He was not pre-
pared to preserve the good faith and Vindicate the
honor of the State in this questionable manner
1t has been argued that the State had encour-
aped her citizens to undertake this project in con.
sequence of which they had invested their money
in it. and that if she abandoned it now, her honor
and integrity would be tarnished. He would en-
ouire if the State had induced her citizens to en-.
cage in this enterprise or whether her citizens had
not, time and again, memorialized the Legislature
for aid in this wild-goose scheme and if the pre-.
caution used ty the Legislature in the manner in
which she guaranteed the bonds of the Company,
does not prove that she mistrusted the practicable
ity and expedency of building this road then this
sort of argument in behalf of the Blue Ridge road
must strike the minds Of every one as mere soph-
ism. go
The true issue presented, was not simply wheth-
er the State should now remove the conditions up
on which she guaranteed the bonds of the Company
for ST. OO0 O0O but it is will the State build the
road OF all hazards For if the State gives the
81 900, 900 in the form of guarantee Of bonds of
the Company (which is equivalent to giving that
amount of money now, Of course, she must 60 on
and complete the road at whatever it will cost
The naked question then s will the State reckless.
" embark in an enterprise, the cost of which will
be so enormous as to defy any thing more than
SLIGHT approximation to correct estimate. From
the reports of the officers of that Company, how
ever it is apparent that four or five millions, or
most probably even more than these enormous
sums, will be necessary for its completion. He
believed it would be an unwise and inexpedlent on
the part of the State now, to proceed, or aid fur
tber. in this chimerical under taking. The people
are clamoripg against and are unwilling to as
sume the onerous burthen. Already, according
to the appropriation Bill reported to this House
by the Committee of Ways and Means, it appears
that On increase Of IS per cent on the rates of the
taxes of last year will be necessary to meet the
exiyencies Of the government next year. This may
strike some as the defamation OF q demagogue,
but he would warn gentlemen against the e1trava-
CANT exercise OF their power to tax the people.
Tbey might at some future time, more unpro-
pitious than the present, refuse to meet the obgs
tious assumed by the Legislature, aud actually
repudiate them This would be blacker tarnish
upon the honor of South Carolina than the fail
ure of the Blue Ridge road and it is what he
would above all other catastrophes avoid. He
did not believe tho Blue Ridge road COULD sustain
itself Fit were constructed; and it would be bet.
ter in his judgment, to abandon the project now,
than TO continue its construction ut On additional
cost of untold millions, and after its completion
to be compelled to abandon II. 1t would be bet
ter both for the wisdom aud Treasury of the State.
He did not believe that this road would draw the
produce of Tennessee or Kentucky to Charleston.
Knoxville the contemplated terminus, was now In
connection, by rail roads with Richmond, Balti-