Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-12-18
Legislature of South Carolinn.

plc, yeas, ~ nays, ~.
A bill for the repeal of tllcusury laws was
discussed 10y Mr.. Malyck fvI a.,d NJ. West
moreland against it, and postponed for fur
thcr consideration
In the House, o bill with favorable report
thereon) to repeal a certain proviso in an act
to authorize aid to tho Blue Ridge Railroad
in South Carolina. (Bill by Mr.. Memmin-
ger)
Mr.. Memmingcr said; Mr. Speaker: 1t is
dde to the House, and to the country, that
the committee who recommend the PASSAGE
of this bill should enter upon its discussion,
ana explain the reason why they have been
induced to recommend its passage. In do
ing this do not intend to discuss the great
responsibility feel in the position I now
occupy. This is q great measure, and of
great Importance to the State of South Caro-
lima 1t involves the existence of this road.
and you are to decide whether South Carroll
na shall discontinue the road. When | como
! to discuss the merits of the bill itself, | will
show the House the precise matter upon
winch the bill is intended to operate. Before
doing so, wish to impress upon the mem
bcrs OF this House the responsibility that
awaits vote upon this question A mega
tive vote destroys the road, and terminates
its existence, and therefore it is important
to keep in view all the reasons why we should
aid the road. You not only lose the money
already laid out on the road. but in great
degree you lose the character of the State of
South Carolina. The loss of the money IL
one great itcm, and will first direct the at-
tentlon of the House to what has been al
ready laid out-namcly, the sum of So 126.-
oS9 that is the money spent upon the road,
actually expended in the construction of Il.
1t therefore follows as matter of course. If
you refuse to go on and continue the road
TINS money is actually sunk. OF this is one
million by the State, one million by the city
OF Charleston, and the remainder by indi-
nearly the whole of the money is to be lost
! therefore, if you vote against the bill you
sink to the State and to the inhabitants of
South Carolina nearly S2,l0O,OO0. l appre-
bend that the Legislature will draw no dis
tinction between the city of Charleston and
the State. We have embarked nearly one
fourth to the AK of the State and Charles
ton is, therefore, to be considered one-fourth
portion. 1t you destroy her means you have
virtually destroyed that amount to the State;
therefore, IN any aspect, you have to take it
for granted that no man votes no bu$ rath.
or prefers the destruction of $2,000000
property in preference to going on with an
enterprise. This is not all. We have much
more embarked. The State of South Caro-
lima has entered into this enterprise, and
gwen money to encourage us. Her citizens
have been told from time to time to go on,
and they have only been carried forward by
her. If the proposition is made to abandon
her work, would it not be declaration that
she cannot pursue that which she originally
intended. We have done part of the work,
and still itstaDds az but monument in the
mountains. We have all read of nations
that erected monuments to their skill and
valor.
Mr.. Ncmminger then inltanced the monu-
ments of Egypt the Appian way of the Ro-
man, aud paid an eloquent tribute t. the
dauntless energy and skill of those heroic
people even to the Grecian we were COM
PEELED to bow in reverence to their skill and
taste. These monuments were all erected to
the skill and intelligence of the nation. But
If VIC leave the Blue Ridge in its present con-
dltion, we shall have to write that South Car
olina as nation made monument to incon-
stancy, that she began tho work. bored hole
in the Blue Ridge, which was intended to
make road to the West, and had neither
the constancy nor perseverance to finish it,
for one am willing that my State should be
taxed again and again hAfre this should be
said. lam willing to give of my money and
my property. am willing that every effort
should be made to finish the work, rather
than stamp upon the State character which
shall bear its name down as the only nation
which has failed to carry out it's attempt to
do honor to itselfas State.
We ecannot, at this late hour attempt any
thing more than faint outline of this able
appeal. 1t produced great impression up
on the House, and will no doubt be placed
before the public in full
The bill was then rejected Yeas, 62; nays
46.
In the Senate, Dec, 8, Mr.. Cannon offered
resolution in relation to the expediencS of
procuring additional numbers of Seotgs Tae-
tics, the Militia, Patrol, Road and Negro
laws.
The Senate proceeded to the general orders
of the day.
A bill to regulate the commissions of Tax
Collectors was agreed TO.
The Senate agreed to the resolution for ap-
pointing Special Committee in relation to
the Bank of Newberry.
a bill to provide for the appointment OF an
additional magistrate for Spartanburg Dis
trict was rejected.
a bill TO secure to mechanics, tradesmen
and material-mcn payment for work done,
&c. Agreed to, and ordered tn. be sent to the
House. of Representatives ~,
In the House the Senate returned to the
House, anact to amend tho 37th section of
an act, entitled an act for the better ordering
of negroes, passed in tile year 1910. Com
mittec on Engrossed Acts. Also, an act pro-
viding for the punishment of priyily stealing
from the person. Communicable tho Commt-
tee. on Ehgrossed Acts. st rt
The House, atter discussion, reconGdored)I
tho vote yesterday on the Blue Ridge Rail-
road, by q vote Of 20 yeas, nays 81. This !
subject was made the special order for Fri |
day ut o'clock. 'ie
MIR. Gadberry asked leave to introduces n
billto affcrdsaid in the construction of the
Greenyille and French Broad Railroad in |