Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-06-18
members of the County Democratic Exec
tive Committee:
THE NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
THE RESOLUTIONS
Charm an G. w Gordon, of the Commit
tee IN Platform naIe the fnllnWinp renort ;


THE RESOLUTIONS.
Charm an G. w. Gordon, of the Commit
tee on Platform, made the following report;
wHEREAs. The Democracy Of Shelby county
have assembled in mass convention, al the cal OF
the legally constituted party suthorlLes' ioI tns
purpose OF taking such action as may be deemed
wise and expedient TO insure success IN tne aP-
preaching election for state ana COUNT! 2lleeI7'
and thereby its permanent sscencency IN the poll
1I1ity of the Democrat. party aud the ascendency
of It's principles in the conduct OF both state ana
national affairs considerations OF higher con
cTT tbsl, any oIe- 81 We it, honor and integrity,
we are anxious ioT the adoption OF platform
The,oseles to is ,-ns Of Justice fair dealing and
public duty inherent in the people OF al parties,
add which every true Democrat IL tennessee can
and will most heartily approve and adyo f.
heretofore divided the Democracy Of the state IA
respect to its public debt aud the dlsast5 32
equal sincerity of conviction and honesty
Of purpose 10 each and every faction or
Democrats of shelby county, respectfully
| submit the following a. the expression OF our
| views and opinions for the consideration Of our
brethren Throughout the State. when assembled in
convention on the 10Th Of June, Instant therefore
| Re,olued That the Democrats OF Tennessee, with
their majority Of 5000 are the rlghtfu! guaTllals
of the honor, credit and good name OF the state
| and that they willingly accept the duty and re
spoasibilty of protecting them from alnt OF sus
pcion, and that il IS equally their right ana Gut!
| to settle its Indebtedness. ..
Resolued That are opposed to me eh4c ~ 81
| of Lar extraordinary session Of the Leels41
ture known the sixty three-iour cam -
act, and that we favGr It's lminedlete s = Pa
hereby instruct our delegates TO vote LOT 10 me-
ure or resolution that looks to It's moo
ResoIred Teat there Is Po5u2 n1 S e5 dins The
capitol for the purchase OF The Herinita et,'
and commonly known the state deb, PI3ESl
aud which we consider d valid AMI sacred oDnsa-
ton of the State and which We are OPPOSE ~
Of the doubtful bonds of the state, but favor the
| payment OF the same in full. IT,. -, .,,, .,o,a,
Resolrcd, That the other portion OF the aHese eyed
of nrIaS
OF it now in litigation between the DondhoI9eIs
and the railroads, we deem II unWlse anu nn! ~
| pay this doubtful debt; that while we MAINTAIN
that the State has large equities against ms a.
legged debt we also recognize that there may be
equities on the other side; and, in view OF thlsI
| we would consent, in order 70 settle hnaiIy ana
| forever remove this veXing and disturbing ques-
ton from Dolitcs for our next Legislature TO COM
promise this questionable debt by paying one-half
| The principal and accrued interest by issuing
bonds of the State bearing interest at the rate OF
three per cent. per annum. W ME We "Oulu
t TO and sad ~ ed deb and
hereby instruct our delegates from TINS county 70
use ell honorable means 10 nave these NlSHs en-
grated in the party platform 70 De aooptsG ~ te
convention to meet at Nashville on the IOtn IN
slant yet we will submit to and abide the decision
of majority OF said Convention lot ths saAe ~, Vi
unity and harmony in the party; but the uelesates
from this county hereby instructed IN no event
TO vote for higher basis OF settlement oil me sara
alleged debt than fifty cents on the dollar ana a
graded low rate ofinterest tie average oil "hlch
Res5lued That the delegates from this county
shall in no case give their proxies to any one To
represent them in said State convention but that
ESduire James Coleman, chairman OF the Demo
cratic Executive Committee Esquire =; Z. onitil'
chairman of the LOwTaX Executive COMMITTEE,
aud the Hon Casey Young, chairman OF TINS meet
ing be and they are hereby made committee 10
FIJI al vacancies caused by delegates being unable
from any cause to attend said State Convention.
ResoIred That where delegates are not present IN
said convention to vote any question, the votes
ity OF the delegates present; ana me Heiegates
from this county are hereby instructed 10 vote as
a
platform, majority ruling.
THE STATE DEBT CLAUSES APPLAUDED.
The reading of the resolutions touching
the question OF the State debt was received
with applause, but the instructions to dele
gates met with decided opposition.
General Gordon stated that 1t was the
opinion OF msiority OF the committee that
these preamble and resolutions embody all
that is Just and right, and moved that they
be adopted.
CHOKE EN- OFF.
Msior Minor Meriwether moved to restrict
discussion 10 five, ten or fifteen minutes to
each speaker, which opposed by several
from various parts of the house
Judge ]. w. Clapp arose IN his seat and
stated that as one OF the delegates recently
appointed 10 attend the convention at Nash
vile, he wished to understand the sense OF
this meeting, and also wished to present his
own views. He did not want to be sent 10
Nashville armed with fire brand with which
10 disrupt that convention. Ii his views
were at variance with the sense of this meet
ing he felt it mis- duty TO remain at home
A vote was taken on Major Meriwether's
m0tion. which the Chair decided carried, but
on call for division it was lost.
A GOOD MAN CHARGED AS "GoNE WRONG"
Colonel VIM II. Carroll was presented by
the chairman in most complimentary terms
NJ nj
and of his own previous record, but, referring
TO his high-tax procliyities, limited that he
had gone a little wrong in latter years. The
pleasant alluson drew forth prolonged APP
plause. -,
Colonel Carroll opposed the principle OF
instructing the delegates recently selected TO
represent Shelby county in the coming State
Convention, where more than ever before
the harmony Of the party is at stake. He
was in favor of maintaining the integrity of
the State and honor of the party by paying
each and every bond outstanding dollar Tor
dollar, and opposed the resolutions because
thew instruct to settle at compromise not
exceeding half the principal and accrued
interest, with either a graded rate OF inter
est or a rate not to exceed four per
cent. Colonel Carroll then referred to the
existence OF Low and High-Tax elements IN
the Democratic party, and declared himself
one of the latter class because he believed
that every bond was issued in conformity
with the law and be believed they ought to
be paid in full The other element were OF
opinion that a portion of the debt Is not
valid, but was forced upon them under CIR
over which they had no control,
and they favored scaling the debt. One or
the other is wrong, but he thought that these
differences of opinion could be harmonlzed;
The representatives of either element could
meet together at Nashville unhampered and
free to act as the situation would allow. One
could say to the other, you concede some
thing to me, and will concede something 10
Won in return" and thus could be brought
about a settlement forever OF all dIfhcultes
the State debt.
During Colonel CAROLS discourse MIR. +.
l.. Belcher interrupted him with the ques-
ton: "Did understand you to say. you are
in favor of the sixty and-four act oil the last
LegislatureW
Colonel Carroll-Yes, sir; L certainly do
favor that measure.
CALLS FOR CLAPP.
When Colonel Carroll . had concluded, the
desire to hear more from Judge Clspp was
m anifested in general call for that gentle
man, but
MAJOR MINOR MERIwETHER
was recognized as entitled to the floor by the
chairman. Major Meriwether delivered
speech OF several minutes in support OF the
resolutions presented by the committee. lie
referred to the meeting recently held at the
courthouse, at which the sentiment prevailed
favering a compromise OF htty-and-four. lie
understood that the differences formerly ex-
listing in the Democratic party had been har-
mouizsd upon that as Il middle ground. which
had been incorporated in those resolutions
iust read. He questioned the good Democ-
racy of Mr. Carroll if he refuses to meet on
that middle ground, and failing TO do SO he
thought he ought to resign.
sUPPosER.
Major Meriwether was interrupted by
gentleman in the audience, whose name the
reporter failed to get, with this question:
Suppose the State Convention chose TO adopt
The one hundred-and-six proposition, will
Won favor .ettlement on that basis?"
Major Naturalization are supposing
impossibilities.
GENERAL CONFUSION
followed this interruption, caused by num-
Der irving TO speak at once. The chairman
finally succeeded in restoring order, in which
he was aided by Judge J. r. Morgan, who
proposed that the speakers be not inter
rupted The silence that followed was evil
dence of consent, and Major Meriwether re-
sumed. stating that he was ready and willing
to abide by any platform that the State Con-
yeniion might see proper to adopt, but he
supported these resolutions because he be-
lieved the party could unite on them.
MORE INTERPRETATIONS,
and another bedlamic OF confusion so inter-
rupted the proceedings that the speakers
voice could not be heard, and he retired 10
his seat.
ANOTHER DEMAND FOR JUDGE CLAPP.
Loud calls were again made upon this
gentleman, TO which ne responded by COM
ing TO the stage. He began by reference to
his fealty to the party and the battles he
fought. He declared himself Democrat
from principle, but he was grIeved to see the
grand old party going to pieces upon az
issue involving no political principle what
ever. He declared that if the dissensions he
had heard in this meeting were carried to
Nashville they will result in fixing Repub-
licau domination upon this State for years
to come. He was opposed 10 instructing
delegates in any manner or form, and APP
pealed to every one present that there had
been enough war Of words; enough crimina-
alton and recrimination. He demanded who