Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-09-03

men, men who lay loaing around sa'
looms, ward bummers and ward politi'
clans, fellows who had an Ak to grind by
representing some politician or chronic
O~fiee-seeker who was 10 the back ground
pulling the strings for himself. Several
solid business men we're preseut,.a few
city fathers showed their faces, a halt a
dozen ofice-holders watched the meet
ing, and last but not least the members
of the Fourth Estate, the boys of the
press were present making history for
all.
RESIGNATION OF Mr.. MERRINAS.
Mr.. j. E. Norman, who at a prior
meeting had been selected as perma-
neut president Of the Workingmon's
party, after the meeting had been called
to order by the temporary Chairman, Mr..
Fletcher, appeared in front of the sec
retary's stand and made a speech, read
ing from deliberately prepared notes. BE
declined to act as permanent president
for many reasons. He felt compli-
mented al the honor which had been
conferred upon him, but he recognized
his own inability; be had not enough of
frmness, toughness of skin or stiffness
| Of backbone to stand the ground. he
deliberately ridiculed the idea that the
Workingmen's party was engineered by
him and others into the embrace Of
Radicalism. He favored the organiza-
ton of a Workingmsn's party, and
recommended the adoption of a plat
form of principles and securing the sig
natures of all who wished to cooperate.
John Thomas, one the committee
moved that the committee be discharged.
This was opposed, but the reason why
was never explained. Several excited
individuals attempted to make speeches
but their voices were drowned in a storm
OF cries and yells and they we're left like
the toy jumpingjacks standing on chairs
aud swinging their arms wildly in thl
air.
The committee was Of course dis
charged, asst should have been, and oil
motion Secretary Rawlings read the fol
lowing deliberately prepared preambl
and declaration Of principles. III wa
: rumored that the drafting OF the plat
form of principles was the work of Mr.
Merriman and other gentlemen VII
have not as yet appeared as working
men]:
THE PLATFoRM-RULEs AND REGULATIONS
: i. This organization shall be known q
the Workingmen's club Of the city Q
Memphis.
2. All workingmen may become mem
bers by signing these articles. We reeog
nize as workingnfen all classes Of tn
r community who labor for an homes
/. maintenance in any capacity, and invit
n all such to unite with us, irrespective O
race or color.
/ 3 The officers Of the club shall cor
q sist Of a president, two vice presidents,
| recording secretary, corresponding sec
A rotary and a central committee Of tire
from each ward, chosen once in ever
. twelve months, from among the member
y of the club, and an executive eommitte
e Of ten, and a finance committee Of five
to be chosen by the central committe
from their own members.
A. 1t shall be the duty Of the presiden
. to preside at ell meetings Of the club
, preserve order, and call meetings of th
n club whenever the interest Of the cluI
Ct may require, or the executive committe
. may request it. The secretary shall keeI
a record Of all proceedingsin a boun
. book, and conduct all correspondent
under the direction Of the president o
IS the orders of the club. The vice pres
a dent shall discharge the duties OF tn
president in his absence.
" 5. The executive committee shall b
charged with the duty of organizing tn
workingmen Of Memphis into q compsC
body for efficient action in the next mi
nicipal election, and shall conduct tn
next municipal campaign Of the Worl
ingmen's party.
IS 6 It shall be the duty of the franc
e committee to look after the finances
IT the organization; provide the necessar
funds Tor carrying out the objects of Ii
\ organization, and shall receive and di
e burse all funds, and make a monthly r
e port thereof to the club.
k DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES.
lie Among the objects to be attained,
Immediate ard pressing necessity, is
reformation OF our municipal govern
3 ment. Our city has drifted deeper an
deeper into debt with the recurrence
each succeeding year. Though vast sun
u have been levied in the shape of tax,
II and many thousands Of fraudulent
illegal debt created, yet we have little
Id nothing to show for it. Our streets a
d~ilapidated, our policemen and 6remt
and laborers in the employ Of the CT
- are unpaid and forced TO sell their CO
81 tifcates Of dues at a fearful discount
buy bread; the interest on the city de
. unpaid and accommodating; the CT
pressed with writs Of m~andamus at d
suit of remorseless creditors; aud as
result of these manifold evils, all indJ
trial enterprise is paralJzsd and 4
a. workingman reduced TO the extremity
o bare existence.
as Another crying evil which deman
IS, immediate reform is the non-collectit
re Of taxes, thus placing the entire burde
Id Of government upon a few Of the poop
:, We demand a reduction Of taxes and
gu rigid collection of those which are levie
M past and future.
IN These are some of the evils which
,r. feet us locally; but beyond all these
recognize in the legislation Of the ID
~ fifteen years Of the State aud nation
lat =. .t..l- .-.k.-s II -.