The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1878-01-30
Mississippi Legislature.
NINETEENTH DAY.
SENATE.

~.
PREsENT-Messrs. Barry, Bills Bridges.
Carter lst District, Cowln. Currie DoWt
Parish, FITZGERALD, Foote, Furlong, Gayles
Gibbs, Gitert, Griffin, Hooker, jackson
King. Lanneau, Lowrance, McCaskll, Mont
aomerv, Morgan, Oldham, Pratt, REYNOLDS
Rogers Terry and West.
ABsENT-Messrs. Allen, Callicott, Carter
9th District, Jewell, Peery, Thompson
and Vance.
THE SILVER RESOLUTION.
The unfiHishei business pending upon
adjournment last night, viz: The Senate
Joint Resolution requesting our Senators
and Representatives in Congress to use
their influence to cure the repeal of the
resumption act, the act demOnetiZing sill
yer. etc, together with the substitute OF
Mr. Reynolds and an amendment by Mr.
Gibbs, was taken up.
Mr.. Foote moved to table the whole sub
ect subject to call. Lost. Mr. Meas
kin called the previous question. Mr.. Gibbs
amendment was lost Mr. Reynolds sub
sti u5e as amended by Mr.. Kings amend
menC instructing Senators, etc., was adopted.
YEAs-Messrs. Bill 6, Bridges, Carter lst
District, COwan, Currie. Dowd, Parish.
Foote, Gayles, Griffin, Hooker, jackson,
King, Lanneau, Morgan, Oldham, Rogers,
We It's
NAYS essrs. Barry, FITZGERALD, Fur
long, Gibbs, Gilbert, LOwrance, McCaskilI,
Montgomery, Pratt. Reynolds, Terry-1l
Absent and not Votiug-Messrs. Allen,
CalicOtt, Carter 9th District, FeWel Peery,
Thompson, Vance,.
And the resolution as amended was adOp-
ted as fellows:
Whereas In the judgment OF the Legisla-
ture of the State of Mississippi, and the peo-
pie whom they represent the acts now
pending before the Congress of the United
States, remOnetizing silver and repeating
the resumption act, will restore public con-
hdence and relieve the existing public dis
o.,,1 t.tiH viz ta fuif of 4 he
General Government, nor impair the Ma
tional credit; therefore
l. Be it Resolved By the Senate of the
State of Mississippi, (the House of Repre-
sCntatives cOncurringO That our Senators
be Instructed and our Representatives re-
que,tcd to vote for the ac.s remonetizing
silver and repeating the resumption act,
and to use their efforts to secure their pas
sage.
,. Be it further resolved, That the Secre-
tarv of State transmit imm ediately a copy
OF these resolutions to our members oil
Con 5ress.
Adopted by tie following vote:
YEAS-Messrs. Bills, Bridges, Carter lst
District, Cowan, Currie, DOwd, Parish, |
Footc. Gayles Griffin, Hooker, Jackson,
King. Lanneau, Morgan, Oldham, Rogers
and West-lS.
NAYS Messrs. Barry, FITZGERALD, Furlong, |
Gibbs, Gilbert, Lowrance, McCaskilI, Mont |
gomery, Pratt, Reynolds and Terry-1l.
n "A II,
CaIlicott. Carter 9th District, Jewell, Peery,
Thompson and Vance,.
The following explanations of votes were
spread upon the journal:
By Messrs. Gibbs and FurlOng: That
they voted against the resolution of in
structOn, not because they differed with the
majority on the main question Of the re-
mOnetiZatiOn of silver and the repeal of the
Resum ption Act, but because they deemed
it unwise to peremtorily instruct Senators
on the subject and especially unwise and
ineXpedient to Instruct them to vote for
particular measures.
Mr.. Montgomery desired, in explanation
of his vote, to say that, recognizing the pre-
sent Representatives of Mississippi in the
United States Congress to be gentlemen of
admitted culture, talent and integrity, whose
devotion to the true interests OF their State
cannot be questioned, and whose duty it is
to thoroughly study aud master the tinan-
cial problems now agitating Congress which
duty they have doubtless performed. lie
deemed il unwise to instruct them, or by a
legislative expression OF opinion attempt TO
influence their action upon the financial
measures now before Congress.
BY Mr.. Griffin
| voted for the bill remOnetizing silver and
repeating the resumption act, and instruct
ing our Senators and requesting our Repre-
sensatives in Congress TO vote for and use
their influence to pass the above mentioned
acts. etc voted to instruct our Senators
because we have precedent for so doing, |
rs old as the Government itself, ana because
our Senators are creatures or the Leglsla- |
ture-can the thing CT Gated be greater than
the creator? If not, Their we certainly have
the right to instruct our Senators and re
quest our Representatives to reflect the will |
of the Legislature and of the people.
Bv Messrs Barry and McCaskill: The |
reasons why we vote against the resolution |
as amended, are these:
LAT Tt 81 otC Senators vote for
the bills and measures now pending before
Congress looking to the reconciliation OF
silver and the repeal of the Resumption
Act In our view this expression of opln-
ion is too Imperative and directory, abrldg-
ing if not utterly denying, the free eXer-
else of thoughC and speech of our Senators
in Congress on the topics of pre- eminent
Importance, when they are reasonably pre-
sumed, under all circumstances, to have de-
voted more time to the consideration OF
these topics than the members OF this body,
and to be better inform ed with regard to
them. Their freedom of opinion would
thus be infringed on, and their lndivldu-
atty as legislators destroyed.
1t is proper and just to presume that our
Senators in Congress will be guided solely
by solemn conviction of duty to the peo-
pie ofthe State, in the exercise of their
official functions at Washington, especially |
do we claim this for Senator Lamar.
I'd. The various provisions of bills and |
measures in Congress relative to. the fore
going issues are unknown to us. and not
knowing their details and various bearings, |
We decline, by our vote, to "inStract" Sena.
tors to support them.
3. 1t is cur opinion that silver should be |
remOnetzed and the Resumption Act re-
pealed, but in this belief we are not forti-
fed against any and all reasons that might
be shown to the contrary.
If, as some thoughtful minds assert, the
RECOMMENDATION of silver would be hnrtiul
TO the South, and TO the whole United
States, we would be opposed TO it, especi-
ally so if it would injuriously effect the in
terests of the people South who are striving
10 emerge from the desolating influences OF
war and late ci vii miSrule.