Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-03-03
Proceedings of the Legislature.

COLUMBIA EcD. 90, 1Ci hc CoHhtbl
tee appointed to Investigate the affairs Of the
Blue Ridge Railroad Company made report,
which was ordered to be printed and to lie
over under the rules. The report embodies
tho testimony Of Gen. Harrison, Gov Scott,
II. II. Kimpton and j. l.. Ncaglc
The Governor becomes very angry in the
course of tho Investigation, and pitches into
the Legislature pretty heavily. Among 9TH
or things, he says: IL know of the fact, or
have been told 80 by hundred different per-
sons, that money had been paid to get Ger.
tain report through at the last session.
want to say: DO you suppose that if our Sa
viour would come here with q bill ever so
good, and want to get it through, or it was
thought best to get ups committee to invcs-
tigate him, do you suppose he wouldn't be
crucificd again if he didn't pay something to
prevent it. That railroad has been conduct
cd as asjudiciously snd economically as possible.
won't charge this committee, but the COM
mittees that have been gotten up heretofore
were simply for the purpose. Itwns public
ly stated by the members that composed
them that they didn't get enough out of the
Blue Ridge Railroad when tho bill passed,
und they were determined to get something
out of it now. They met three or four days
and wouldn't make report It was plain
what their object was. I learned afterwards
thnt they privately demanded of the Prcsi.
dent of the road $500 apiece. There were
six of them. l told General Harrison, be.
forc | would pay them cent | would let
Blue Ridge go to perdition. He differed
with me. lie thought it was better to sub
sidzc them; for if those bonds were blacken.
cd at that time, it would destroy their value
A. ~ az 4
tcct Mr.. Steers, it was better to do this
When the bill bamc up, member of tho
JIouso came to one of the parties aud said
THAT report cant so through until get
$500 You may bring up any kink Of bill,
and the committee can make report that
will damn tho character of any one connected
with it," The Governor also stated that
Leslie had proposed to withdraw the iniunc.
ton he had brought to stop the endorsement
of the bonds if S25 900 would be paid. The
report shows that the following disposition
has been made Of the bonds: Deposited with
loan and Trust Company, Now York, 81
792. 900; pledged to II. II. kimpton for nd.
vances, 100000; pledged to Henry Clcws
for advances, 0,Oo0; in hands of Mcssrs,
Gourdin & Cameron, $S,000-total, 81 ,0O0,-
O0O
The following passed to third rcadng:
A bill to incorporate the Workingmcn's NIu.
tual Benefit Life Assurance Association of
the State, and House bill to declare 100
acres Of land in Fairfield cschcatcd to the
State, and to vest the title thereof in the
trustees of the Ridscway Academy
A joint resolution to sell the State lands
in Darlington for S4.33 per acre, was, after
long discussion, laid on the table The land
Mad been purchased by one Iunpcy, agent
of the Land Commissioner, for 81 SO. and
charged by him against the State at $7.75 per
acre, aud the money drawn from the Trcasu-
ry-somc $4,000 was realized by the swim
dcr-and Ilunney in sworn statement
shows that II. j. Donaldson was connected
with him in cfecting the fraud, and received
half tho profits. During the debate strong
personalities were indulgod in by Messrs.
Leslie and Corbin against each other, the
latter throwing up the Land Commission af
fairs to the former, and he charging Corbin
with swindling the State in the framing
of the code Of procedure. Upon a proposi-
tion by Leslie to "cal it square" between
them, Corbin replied "Whcn I've stolen as
much as you III be willing to call it square"
COLUMBIA, Feb 23.-Alr. Leslie rose to
question of privilege, and asked to have read
n portion of the testimony made by Gov.
Scott before the Blue Ridge Railroad Com
mi'tce, as reported in tho |hmnic of day,
and which reflects upon himself in stating
that he offered to take &25 900 to stop his
prosecution against the Blue Ridge Railroad
bonds. Tho article was read. Mr.. Leslie
then rose and said, first, that The testimony
of the Governor was untrue and, second,
that it was impossible, from the nature of the
case, to be true, because the plaintiffs in the
suit were Col. Wallace, Capt Stanley, Col
Hope and others. and L consequently had
no control over the proceedings, and could
not have proposed, therefore. to stop proceed
ings This testimony of the Governor was
uncaled for, and opens to me most advan-
tagcous opportunity to attack him, but will
restrain myst If, heing satisfied that from what
have shown, it is impossible for the charge
against me to be true. must say, however,
that it scarce becomes man of the Govern
or's record to impugn my intcrity-he who
was himself the father Of the Blue Ridge
swindle, to fund the bills of the Bank of the
State-of which he owed $40 900 or $50 900,
purchased at five cents on the dollar---and
who has ever been engaged since his Undue.
ton into Office in using his official influence,
and secretly and openly bringing all undue
means to bear upon the Legislature, in order
to effect his private and personal ends. His
charges, however, cannot injurc me, for my
character has been already blasted with the
people, and they have right to think me
rascal J; but rest confident that when the
true statement of the conduct Of the Land
w., hol Al,