Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-09-07

the road can be built for the estimates, then
the aid asked from the State of her guarantee
Of one million, and an additional subscription
Of one million, will be enough, with the aid
from Tennessee and the credit of the compa.
ny, to finish it.
The Greenville and Columbia Rail Road
was commenced with capital of about one
million Of dollars, and it has cost three mil.
lions. How was this done? By the credit
Of the company. Bonds were issued, and
debts incurred, to double the amount of the
actual capital subscribed, and they have been
met, and are being paid off by the income Of
the road. This is the history of all rail roads
in the United States. If the enterprsing
and public spirited citizens who projected
them had waited till sufficient amount oi
capital had been subscribed to build them be-
fore commencing the work, it is doubtful
whether q single rail road now traversing the
republic would ever have been commenced.
1t is said that the Ohio and Baltimore Rail
Road, which has cost thirty millions Of dol
lars, was commenced by the citizens Of Bal
timore at period when the whole of that
now magnificent city had not an actual capi-
tai Of twenty millions But Mr.. Thomas,
the venerable protector of that great and
stupendous work, has lived to see the city Of
Baltimore become, by means of that road, one
of the greatest commercial cities on the con-
tinent of America!
The Charleston and Hamburg Rail Road,
the longest rail road in the world, at its COM
mencement, was actually begun with capi-
tai of few hundred thousand dollars. 1t
went on improving, and being rebuilt by its
own credit and resources, till its stock has
become a profitable investment, and the road
in good substantial condition. Would that
rail road ever have been commenced, had Mr..
Black, its protector, waited till he had obtained
subscriptions sufficient in amount to the
present cost of the road
There canEot be shadow of doubt that the
Blue Ridge Rail Road Company, after ex-
pending six or seven millions of dollars in
constructing this road, will have credit sufh-
cient to supply any deficiency Of funds which
they may need. There is no danger, then,
Of the road being stopped and abandoned at
some future time, if the present aid is given
by the Legislature. The route is practicable,
the estimates show its cost, the work done
proves the correctness of those estimates,
and the funds and credit Of the Company,
when the aid sought is given, will complete
the work.
Let us now consider the other reason which
influenced MANY members of the Legislature
to vote against the stock aid, who were we'll
wisherS 10 the success Of the road. 1t is the
duty of member OF Legislature to respect,
in all questions, the wishes and opinions of
his constituents. But as faithful and wise
Legislator, he should, in the end, pursue his
own conscientious convictions Of public policy
He hears arguments and receives information
which his constituents have not. Thus might
change their opinion. But obedience in all
cases to the opinions Of ones constituents
would entirely dispense with discussion, and
destroy the great beauty and virtue Of the
representative feature Of q republic.
But it is respectfully urged that the consti-
tuents of these members had either formed
no settled opinion in regard to the Blue Ridge
Rail Road, or if they had it was formed with=
out sufficient information to come to correct
conclusion. 1t very often happens in every
community that afew prejudiced, active, clam
orouS men, will create what seems to DE pub
lie opinion. They oppose and talk loud,
denounce and boldly assert their opinions,
whilst others less noisy and less active, though
twice as numerous and efficient at home, arc
never heard or considered in this formation
Of public opinion. We had remarkable in
stance of this in South Carolina a few years
since From all that was said and done in
the State, it was supposed that the people
were almost unanimously in favor Of seeding
from the Federal Government except a hand
full of Union men in Greenvile District. But
when the question was submitted to vote
in the election Of delegates TO Southern
Congress, more than two.thirds of the people
came forward and voted against secession. So
it will be with the Blue Ridge Rail Road
whenever the question is fully discussed be-
fore the people and vote taken on it. Two
thirds will be found opposed to its being
abandoned, and all that has been spent on it
of public and private subscriptions being for
ever lost to the State. 1t is stated already
in the public newspapers, that the great Dis
trct of Edgefeld, whose Senators and Rep
rescntatives voted in conformity with what
they supposed to be the wishes of their con-
stituentS, against the Blue Ridge Rail Road,
has given unmistakable evidence Of being in
favor of the enterprise; and it is said the
whole delegation will next winter vote for
the aid required to finish the road. No doubt
similar misconceptions Of public opinion have
taken place in other districts.
Let us now consider the reasons which in
fucnced those members who are unfriendly
to the enterprise. Some Of them urged that
the route was utterly impracticable, and never
could be built, even with all the labor and
all the money in the world. A friend OF
mine, gentleman of great intelligence and
distinguished national reputation, once told
m, that if all the men in the world, since the
days of Adam, had been employed on the
StuMp House Tunnel the work would not
yet have been completed! This was bis opin-
ion about the time Arson Bangs s. Co., had
gone ten or fifteen feet into the mountain,
and expressed after seeing them ut work. If
my friend were to return here now and see
the progress which has been made by the
present energetic contractors, / am sure he
would admit lie was mistaken. The Tunnel
is now more than half through the mountain,
and a very small proportion Of Adams de-
cendants have been employed on it only two
or three years.
In reply to all who say the work is imprac-
ticable, would repeat the language of dis
tingushed engineer, who once said to me
" Give an engineer money and he can build a
rail road anywherc.n Some of our rail roads
crossing the Blue Ridge and Allegheny noun
tains fully illustrate the truth of this remark.
The Blue Ridge Rail Road is not only prac-