The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-01-29
THINGS IN COLUMBIA.
THE BLUE RIDGE FRAUD.
Provisions of the Bill OF fAbomfnattons-
A Sadly Humorous Burlesque-The
Senate Declines to Take Holiday
Gagging the House-The United breth-
rem Again Save Scott.
rFRcM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENCE

GagginS the House-The United breth
rem Again Save Scott.
[FRcM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBIA, S. c., January 26.
The proceedings to-day have been of no par
ticular Importance in either branch of tn
General Assembly. The Senate held brie
session. most of which was taken up with fiji
clustering upon the subject of the proposed as
sumption by TIE State of the debts OF the Blu
Ridge Railroad, Company. The senators eVi
dently looked upon this as sort Of masked
battery, and they confined their attack tt
light skirmishing at long range, without mucl
effort to force a general engagement. The
bill had been very quietly introduced day o.
two ago By the finance committee, under the
allurng lille of bill to cancel the liability o
the State on the guarantee of the bonds of the
Blue Ridge Railroad Company, and II had ther
been read by Its title only, postponed until
Wednesday next, and kept carefully out o.
sight ever siuce. This morning, however, the
senators found 1t lying upon their tables, and
reading as follows:
BILL TO CANCEL THE LIABILITY OF TIE STATE oS
TIE GUARANTEES OF TIE BONDS OF THE BLUE
RIDGE RAILROAD cOAPAEY.--
Whereas, The State Of south Carolina has, by
proved the 18th day OF September, 1865, entitled
IAN act to authorize additional aid to the Blue
Ridge Railroad Company. IN south Carolina, /" en-.
-dOrsed guarantee OF the faith ana credit OF tne
State upon four millions OF dollars OF bonds. Is.
sued by the Blue Ridge Ra1road COMPANY. com
pretending the "Blue Ridge Railroad Company
In .o1th Carolina; the B us ogs Railroad s,n Com
road Company 10 North Caroliua; the "Knox.
Vile and Charleston Railroad Company IN Ten:
nessee; and the "Pendleton Railroad Company"
In South Carolina, in order TO aid IN the speedy
completion Of said railroad. which onds are II.
able for the debts OF said railroad companles and
whereas, the present condition Of the finances OF
the State and OF said companiesis such as to make
ket unadvsable, and serious injury to the credit
OF tie State; and whereas, the existence OF the
said four millions dollars OF bonds, so guaran-
teed, Gates large liability upon me STATE.
which the treasury may be required to meet, at
unforeseen and inopportune times; and whereas,
the Liability OF the State, on account OF such guar.
-antee, should be promptly and faithfully dis.
SECTION 1. Be Il enacted, de.. That the State
OF South Carolina hereby assumes 10 pay all debts
and liabilities OF the said several railroad
companies which constitute the Blue Ridge Rail
road Company, upon the surrender to the State
treasurer Uf the bonfs 80 guaranteed oy ne State,
In the manner hereinafter directed; and that the
debts and liabilities = assumed shall be ascer'
the proper officers Of the "Blue Ridge Railroad
Company N South Carolina; and no debt or
liability shall be paid BY The Il, asurer unless as.
'certained by certificate so verified; and thaf, as
the said payments are made by the State treas.
!urer he .hall r.quire the company, TO deliver to
him such amount OF sntd guaranteed oo1ads as
soon as all OF said debts and liabilities snail have
been Gatd, the said company shall deliver over 70
the treas u.er The balance OF the said four mllons
OF dollars OF guaranteed bonds; and that the pay.
or said certificates OF Indebtedness shall be
made by he State treasurer. from the proceeds
or the sale ordny bonds Of the State In his pos.
session, which are authorized oy law. except tne
bonds known as sterling loan bonds; or ov ne
exchange Of any such bonds. at DadrEet TdteS,
en- payment OF suen certificates; or from any
moneys IN the treasury not otner wise apptoprl'
ated, except that t.e treasurer shall pay no
moneys, under this last clause, so aS 10 Interfere
with appropriations made Tor the current e&-
penses or the Stale government, and such sales or
exchanges the State treasurer Is nereoy auGnor-
lied and empowered 10 make; and the State
treasurer Ia also authorized and directed for said
purposes, II necessary. TO issue ooads O te Sldle
provided 10 this acr, In payment OF such cerun.
cate Of the indebtedne s; and that all OF sald
guaranteed bon ls Of the Blue Ridge Railroad
Company. 80 guaranteed oy Inc S.a.e sns aieg h5
him cancelled In the presence OF tne, president q
the "Blue Ridge Railroad Company" IN Soutn
Carolina. and In presence OF o int commttee
that, the sid Blue Ridge Railroad Com
pany, II 1t shall elect 80 TO do. may cor
bert, on. Jtind the said guaranteed oondS
or ann part thereof under any act 1ohtch has
already passed proptdtng for the co nperston OF
IState securities into State bonds or which may oc
funding OF the bonded debt OF the State; aad that,
II the said company shall accept the provisions OF
this scr It shall be authorized II the board OF dl
rectors may desire to change the corporate name
OF the company to that OF the Tennessee and
South Caaolna Railroad O. mpany,n and shall
aaue po,oer to erte1sd It's railroad, or 10 construct
branches thereof TO any points or places IN tnts
State with all the powers and privileges with
which the said company Is now Vested by the pro
yisions OF It's charter; aud the said company snail
also have power TO issue bonds, and to secure tne
ssmey 70 Sasa n9 an
And ELL sales OF stock IN the said Blue Rdge hal!.
road Company, In South taroltpa, snd it' assocl
ate companies formerly held oy tne State, anu
sold by the commissioners II the SINKING 1uno, oe,
and they are hereby, confirmed.
The bill came up to-day on motion by Mr..
Gaillard to reconsider the postponement until
Wednesday. This was carried by thirteen to
six, (the ayes and noes being called on this
and every step of the tlibustering) and i'm
medlately followed by q motion by Mr.. Arnim
to postpone the matter until tomorrow. This
was lost by a.vote of nine 10 twelve, and the
bill was therefore takea up, and debated at
some leQ2In Dy McSStes- Sa1uoEo, S"ohpt
Arnim and Nash. MIR. Hayes moved to amend
by the addition of the following section:
uSEc. Q. Provided, however, that the afore-
said assumption of payment on the part OF the
State shall not exceed the sum OF i've num-
.dred thousand dollars
Before q vote could be taken upon the
amendment, however, Mr.. Leslie took the
field and insisted upon postponement. He
had but little to say about the merits OF the
bill, and indeed made but few positive state
ments OF any kind; but he very plainly intt-
mated that there was very large cat IN the
meal tab, and that among other things that
the Republican party could not afford to do,
they could not afford to rush through such
measure with such indecent haste In the pres
ent. condition of the State finances and the
public mind The senator also indulged as
usual in little Orientalism Of ofexpresson, say
ing it wouldn't do 10 rush this measure through
30 hurrirdly, even If there were something al
Turing in the prospecllve-lt was like putting
q man on Chicago lightning express train,
checking him through at forty miles an hour,
and chaiking on his back sc. o. D." he
didn't mean anything ut all. he said, by this
remark; out he thought they had better be de-
cent. The public were al fools any way; they
didn't know anything about the mysteries of