Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1880-02-12
For the Advertiser.
4 Matter Of Peculiar Interest to Edge
field County.

MESsRs. EDITORS: Our Legislature
meets on the 10th inst, and we desire to
draw the attention Of our Senator and
Representatives to a matter in which
Edgefield County has a peculiar interest.
After having tailed for years about build
ing a Railroad from Edgefield G. II. to
Aiken, our people at last aroused them
selves and went to work to build the Road
from Edgefeld C. II. to Trenton. To
accomplish this work, they secured con-
vict labor from the State, and when they
had nearly graded their Road, the Cit.
zens Of Trenton and Aiken came for.
ward and our charter was amended so as
to continue the Road TO Aiken. Under
this amended charter, the corporators
met and organized a company by elect
ing a President and Board of Directors,
not doubling but that they would be al
lowed convict labor to carry on the work.
Just at this point, however, when all
parties interested were elated at the pros.
pect that the building OF our Road was
GU us ILdt We hClS ~ U6 put III
direct connection with the South Carolina
Railroad, and thus with Charleston, when
we were .fattering ourselves that at a
comparatively early day we were to be
relieved from the wpnton and uncon-
scionable eXactions Of the G.. C. e a.
Railroad, the Board in charge of the Peni-
Tertiary issue their mandate that the con-
victs, who had been employed IN our
Road, must be returned to Columbia.
Why this mandate? No special reason
was assigned, but the action of the said
Board at that time furnishes a clue to it.
The Board, in the exercise of the discre-
ton given to them by the Legislature,
determined that the public interest would
be better promoted by working two hun
dred convicts upon the plantation of one
of their number las / am informed than
in employing them on internal improve
ments of a public character, the object
OF which is to develop the and
add to the wealth of the State. Can it be
that the Legislature ever contemplated
or supposed that the Board OF Directors
of the Penitcntiary would embark in Q
ginantic scheme OF farming with the con
vicls. rather than allow them to be en-
ployed on works of a public character,
in which large portions OF the State were
deeply interested? IF SO, then the SOON
er those members who prefer to develop
private plantations, rather than build
Railroads., retire to private life, the bet
ter it will be for their constituents. We
do not know the sentiments of the men,
bors from Edgefield, but venture to say
that unless they attempt to regulate the
employment of convict labor, so that
Railroads and other Improvements of a
public nature shall be entitled to it IN
preference to any work on pirate prop
erty, in which the owner of the property
is a partner of the State, it will be worse
than useless for them to again offer them
selves as candidates for re election. We
do not impugn the motives of any men,
Der of the Board of Directors of the Peni
Tertiary, but If in the exercise of that
discretion vested in them in the employ
ment of the %convicts, they intenu to
adopt and carry out the policy in regard
thereto, which their action thus far indi-
Gates, we submit. that it is the duty of the
Legislature to deprive them of that dis
c%retion, and to pass an Act at once rcgu-
lating the employment of the convict la
bor-declaring what kind or class of
works shall have preference, and the
terms on which the convicts can he had
EDGEFIELD.