Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-08-27


the members of Committee of imitation.
PRlNEE WILLIAMS, Aug 2nd. 1889.
TO Mr. VIA. 5 Gr;sham and others of Com
mittcc of Invitation.
Gcntlemcn: Your kind invitation request
ing my presence atfunncl Hill, ON the l9tli
inst ut the Blue Ridge Barbecue and Mass
Meeting, has just been placed into my hands,
for which kindly thank you and the people
Ut PIckcnS, whom y0u represent.
l regret however, to inform you that will
be prccludcd from participating with YOU ON
the occasion, from circumstances entirely be-
yond my control. But rs infer that the
friends Of the Blue Ridge Railroad desire me
to give uttcrancc rs to what will be my
course on tho Bill pending before the Leg
laturo in relation to tho said Road, | will q.
deavor to do so
1t is well known that opposed the grant
ing of any aid to the Blue Ridge Railroad
by the State, for many reasons that would
be glad to communicate. Dut to arrive ut II
proper conclusion MS to the claims the Road
or Company has on the State, or whether the
Legislature can possibly benefit the State by
giving the desired aid, or not, it would be
necessary to 20 into nn elaborate invcStiga-
tion OF the whole subject Such one, how.
ever, could not be expected in II communica-
ton like this. And if were to consult my
own feelings on the subject, it would suffice
1or me to say that hnvc seen no cause why
should change my mind. am ready how.
ever, to admit that WE live in an age fruitful
of cvcnts--that Railroads have developing
tendency; that tlcralvnutagcs can scarcely
he estimated; that they are one of the mighty
agents that has given TO the world it's power
tul progress. For, the expansive power of
heat directed iudiciously, has given an I'M.
pulse to our progress truly novel and anna
HrnS, But with all of this, ann constrained
to oppose any aid to the Blue Ridge Company
by tho State
My first objection is, the great probability
that the Legislature would have to levy an
enormous tax on our people for an enterprise
that would perhaps be of but little or no
benefit to them, as | believe the sequel will
prove; nay, as is already indicated by cir
cumstanccs connected with the whole enter
prise. First, contract was made bv which
near four millions of the cost of the Road was
provided to be paid in the Bonds and Stock
of the Company. The contract has been re-
cindcd, and the Contractors dismissed, after
having been ovcrpaid the snug little sum of
one hundred and twenty-five thousand dol
lars. Is the State willing to employ such
agents to carry out such scheme of internal
improvements, and that beyond her means |?
But, gentlemen, is it not enough to with
hold State aid from an undertaking that in
dividuals will not touch? For there is every
linSness on the part of the people of the State
to subscribe their money to this enterprise
What means all of this? Is it because they
have no confidence in the enterprise as a
profitable undertaking? But it is said that
the undertaking is too extensive, and the
profits too remote to induce individual sub
Scripton" that Tennessee and South Car
oina alone arc interested in the Road, and is
clear that if the Road be made at all they
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build y Railroad that capitalists will not
touch. That Tennessee, though interest
cd" refuse to subscribe to. except pitful
sum not worth naming in the category
Surely not And can it be that the pco-
pie of Charleston refuse to take stock in
road, except the comparatively small sum of
two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, to
build Railroad that would cost eight or ten
millions? That they believe would bring to
their city the amount of trade that the friends
OF the enterprise pretend to say that it would /?
why reason will not spurn the assertion that
they too have but little or no faith in the en-
terprise as n profitable Investment That
tho Prize" after all, is not believed to be
no great. For if Alabama, Mississippi and
Louisiana are all to connect themselves
with the region which the Blue Ridge Rail
road reaches" and the profits of the trade to
be divided among them, we may receive but
II small share. And if either Road looses a
part of the trade, then in vain was it built,
us might be the case with ours. For the
trade of the West might not be so easily
turned to Charleston with all this competi-
ton; and if equally divided, it seems to me
would not warrant the building of SO expen-
sivc Road. Again, if the income of the
Road leading from Chattanooga to Knox
vile, is proper measure of the income to
be carried over the Rluc Ridge Road | sup
pose it would not near warrant the building
of it..
am aware, however, that this standard is
objected to, but think it approx mates near
enough to throw light on what might he cx-
pectcd from transportation in that region.
am one who think that State should use as
much discrction and economy as an indivd-
nal. Therefore, | will not consent to vote
State aid TO work that the people have no
confidence in, and are unwilling to assist
Again, this Road is to be made from Ander-
son, in this State. to Knoxville, Tennessee,
and is authorized by four States, and the
work to be carried out, therefore, by four
distinct and separate Corporate Companies
and each under a separate Board of Direct
ors, having separate and distinct interest,
connected only by the mutual operation of
the general time of Road running through
four States, which / hnmby conceive il
enough to bring about confusion, and there
fore, Objectionable.
MIR. MEMMINGER says that eff the State
shall embark two millions, the taxes will be
increased one fourth, or just about nineteen
cents n head on each negro, and so in proper
tion on land" This sum is called small but
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