The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1882-06-24
Proceedings Of the Iazoo Delta
RIe LeFee Convention. =

Int uItehNiii6 opera House on
the 10Th day of June, 1882. The
convention was called to order by
Col. ]. +. Stokes, who stated the
object Of the convention and an
organization effected by the elec-
tion Of Col. J. f. Stokes as Presi-
dent, and r. j. Nugent as Secre-
tary.
Upon motion, all citizens of the
various counties present were in
vited to participate in the deliber-
ations of the convention, the vote
upon all questions to be cast by the
accredited delegates, and where no
accredited delegates were present,
hy the citizens Of the counties I'M
represented who might be present.
Upon the call Of theroll of coun-
ties the following were found to be
represented: Bolivar, Washing.
ton, Issaquena, Sharkey, Sunfow-
er, Holmes.
Mr.. Sherrod, President of the
Board of Supervisors of Coahoma,
was recognized as o representa-
tive from the 9th district of said
county in the absence of any dele
gate authorized to represent said
county by its Board of Supervi-
sors.
The convention having been de-
clarcd ready for business, Col. w.
A. Percy took the floor aud offered
the following series of resolutions
Whereas, the floods of 1882 have
washed away tho levoes on the
river front Of the Yazoo Delta In
many places, requiring heavy OK
penditures to replace the same
and whereas, 1t has been demon
strated that all parts of said Delts
are liable to overflow from the Mis-
sissippi river, and in justice should
bear the burden incident to prOtec
ton; and whereas, the situation
calls upon us to decide between
the policy of prompt, vigorous ane
concerted action for future pro
lection and development oil the
one hand, and that of trusting tt
luck, to the United States govern
ment or some other agency than
our own efforts on the other
therefore, resolved: e.
LIST. That prompt, vigorous ant
concerted action upon our part
and for our own protection, is Tho
policy which should be adopted by
q courageous, selfreliant and in
telligent people.
I'd. That whilst we believe the
protection from overflow of the
Mississippi Valley to be a subject
of National Importance, and upon
which it would be the wisest prac
tlcable craftsmanship to expend al
that might be necessary of the
surplus millions now in the Ma
tional Treasury, especially thai
portion of the tax on cotton col
lected by the United States gov
ernment from the Yazoo Delta
and whilst we believe that justice
wise policy and sound statesman
ship would all dictate to the STATE
of Mississippi, in the absence o
National aid, the wisdom of assum
ing in large part the protection o
this, the finest part of the terri
tory, yet we know that we, tn
citizens of the Delta, have the abil
ity, the intelligence and the resc
luton to protect ourselves, an
intend to do SO. Help will b
gratefully accepted when the jul
tice of our cause shall finally e.
tort it; but, until It comes, We wi
help ourselves.
Sd. That in order to meet an
withstand the floods of the ne'
and succeeding springs, 1t is exp
dient, necessary and just that tn
entire Yazoo Delta should, 9
speedily as practicable, be orgal
lied by law into one levee distric
embracing all of the counties an
parts of counties in this State Iii
BILE to overflow from the Missi
sippi river.
4th. That the law organizin
said district should levy and asses
for the construction and maintel
ance of levees tax upon cotto
and O moderate ad valorem ia
f upon all other property, equitabl
, apportioned and graduated anon
the counties of said Delta; tn
maximum of said tax not to excee
onc.fourth of one cent per poun
OH cotton and five mills ad vail
rem.
/. 9TH. That for the control an
management of said district sal
, law should provide for q Board I
! Levee Commissioners to be sele
+ ted upon fair and equitable bas