The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-07-27


be directed to the whole matter, so
that it may be seen that our criticisms
we're not Incslled for and our asser-
lions not unfounded, in plain and
Ssubstantial fact. q
/ In tho Augusta Coustifsitiondlist of
Saturday last, there .waa published
communication :signed$ Paris, in
which the, writer while very pro-
perly laboring for the good of his
own city, Augusta, lays bare the COM
bination that is now organizing
against US. o."
Paris says that the Columbia and
Augusta Railroad, making an air
line connection between Augusta,
Columbia and Charlotte, will surely
be built Thoroughly imbued with
the revolutionary spirit of the times,
the writer says, in allusion to the
South Carolina Railroad, 'It is all
very we'll to talk about technical con-
struction of charters; the welfare of
the people is the higher law" He
cares not for right or wrong, he cares
not for charter or privilege, he cares
not for the reputation for consistency
of the Legislature of this State, he
cares not for the companies whose
property is Threatened. For no one
of these things does this Paris care,
but he assumes before the fact that
the competing road will be built, and
says that the people Of Augusta must
not be satisfied with that alone.
He is not satisfied with having road
to unite Charlotte and Augusta. He
is not satisfied with attempting to
deprive Charleston of the thousands
of bales Of cotton that now give pro-
fit to her factors, trade to her mer-
chants, cnrgoes to her ships. He is
not satisfied with seeing tho purpose
for which this State and people en-
couraged and assisted the completion
of the Charlotte and North Carolina
Railroad, wholly frustrated. He is
not satisfied with seeing the Charlotte
and North Carolina Railroad used as
q means of taking the produce and
trade of this State through North
Carolina to the North. He is not
satisfied with seeing the money and
credit of South Carolina used in
these ways for her discredit and i'm
poverishment. MOI he speaks in the
interest of Augusta, and says, "we
must not be satisfied with these
alone"
Paris shows that it is but twenty
five miles from Lofts Post Office, on
the projected Columbia and Charlotte
Road, to Station 90, on the Greenville
and Columbia Road. He asserts that
the trade Of the districts now accom-
modated by the Greenville Railroad
formerly went to Augusta and not to
Columbia, and that produce from
along the line of tho Greenville
Road, is even now wagoned to Au-
gnsta, because the charges on the
Greenville road are exorbitant, and
because Augusta is SO much better
market Mdn Columbia. He then
proposes that when the Augusta and
Charlotte Road is completed, branch
shall be run from Lofts Post Office
to Station 96, and says that, in that
manner, Augusta can drain Able
vile, Greenville, Laurens and New
berry, and in fact gather in the achole
trade that The GreenciUe and Columbia
Railroad is no'o getting, and arhich is
no,o going 10 Columbia.
4NOu OiliJ OOCo llC OeSlIS W uhh6
every Through" passenger and every
ton of through" freight, without
giving this State the profit to which
he is entitled, but he proposes to
make the Greenville Road null and
| of no effect as feeder of Charleston
and Columbia. The railroad system
of this State was intended for its
internal development, and the de-
velopment of Charleston; now it is
proposed to make the whole railroad
system of South Carolina the means
of building up Augusta and other
points beyound this State, in whose
advantages we are not expected to
share.
But it will be said that charter for
the purpose named could not be
obtained; that the Legislature would
see the peril of the plan, and, by op-
posing, end it. This reasoning is
unhappily of no avail. The Legisla-
ture of South Carolina has granted q
charter to the Charlotte and Augusta
Road, which is the parent of the far
ther complications with which we are
now threatened; and Paris says, with
bitter sarcasm, "the Legislature OF
South Carolina has already shown
its willingness to assist in the con-
struction of lines of railroad that aciH
Gieoelop resources of the State, and we
shall be able to make up such case,
| with the assistance of our friends.