The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-07-22
CHI ES T ON.
THURSDAY MORNING, JULY "a, 1869.
The Bl.e Ridge Jos-seo,t'. Tactics.

THURSDAY MORNING., JULY ~, 1859.
Tho Blue Ridge Job-scott's Tactics.
The silence which Governor Scott and
his clsqusrs have maintained in regard to
the charges Of jobbery and corruption
in the award Of the. Blue Ridge Rail.
road contract, made several days ego by
our correspondent "Lux," is as discreet
Is It is significant. In fact, nobody is SO
we'll aware ss the Governor and his oopart-
nsrs, Of tho brszsn and shameless character
Of their attempt to plundsr the people Of
South Caroline; and they have wisely cho-
sen not to venture upon . discussion which
could only have the effect Of further uu-
masking the giant swindle they have in
view. If anything were wanting to fssten
lIupon our enterprising Governor the charge
Of wilful and deliberate .perrersion Of his
official powers for his individual enrich
msnt, the evidence is abundsntly supplied
in the second letter from our correspondent
"Lux," which we print to-day.
What are the facts A railroad is to be
built on which four millions have been al
ready spent The whole Of the capital stock,
excepting an inoonsid dersble fraction, is own
ed BY the State and the City Of Charleston,
and consequently controlled BY Governor
Scott and Mayor Pillsbury. The cost Of
completing the road having been calculated
at about six millions, the Legislature was
induced to guarantee four millions Of its
bonds. Thereupon bids were publicly in
vited for the work, to be paid for in 6 per
cent. coin bonds Of the road, guaranteed by
the State. Several offers were made by
contractors Of unquestionable standing, and
the bid Of . Pennsylvania firm was sccep-
ted at nine millions, notwithstanding that
this was the highest bona Jfds bid presented
ono Of the other bidders, every way as COM
petent and responsible, having been eager
to do the work for seven and half millions.
All the circumstances Of the award point
unmistaksbly to the fact that Governor
Scott was to be silent partner in the profits
that the Pennsylvania firm might be able to
make out Of the contract, and that the ac-
oeptanoe Of the Pennsylvanis offer being
predetermined fact, the invitation extended
to the other bidders, as we'll IS the oonsid-
Grafton seemingly accorded to their bids,
was magnificent sham throughout.
But this is not all. The whole scheme,
as it. stands, depends for its success
upon the ability Of those interested
to obtain from the General Assembly
the State guarantee for FIVE millions
more Of the bonds Of the road. Tho Gov
ernor has undertaken to make the modest
demand that the Legislature should change
the aot of the last session 80 that the
State guarantee may be made to cover
nine millions instead of four millions. Until
this is done the four millions already guar
anteed are unavailable; for, if they were
used, the additional five millions of bonds
to be guaranteed would necessarily come in
only as q second mortgage. In the delay
thus afforded lies the only hope of the tax.
payers Of the State being able to defeat the
boldest and most fagrant attempt ever
made to bleed the public treasury Of South
Carolina.
In this connection We hear talk Of q mon
strous proposition that the State and the
City Of Charleston should cancel the ST.
100000 worth Of the stock Of the road
which they now hold, and accept in lieu
thereof one, tfth Of the amount in second
mortgage six per cent. (ourrency) bonds,
which, in view Of the recent. operations of
the Ring in Columbia, We may safely say,
would be absolutely worthless. It is even
said in some quarters that this most out
rageous barter Of the peoples property has
already been consummated. But however
unblushing may have been the prooeedingss ST
Governor Scott in his manipulation Of the
State finances, we cannot aud will not ba-
lieve that Mayor P,llsbury, at the very
threshold Of his administration, would have
dared to share the responsibility Of so ini-
quitous transaction.
The Blue Ridge Railroad is public work
of incslculable importance to the future of
South Carolina, and We yield to none in eager
ness for its completion. But we call upon
the real friends Of the enterprise in every
part of the State to join with TIE News in
an earnest and persistent effort to rescue it
from the Ring of greedy and uuscrupulOus
adventurers who now control it. The LIE.
gisla,ure can block the whole game. And
the people will demand that it be done.
Tho Northern BondhOldor and the
Southern stockholder.
The Dragging announcements made in re-
gard to the finances of the State, and the
advertisement of the State Treasurer, would