The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-07-24
SENSIBLE MINERS
Resolve to Settle the Difficulty in
Tennessee in a Lawful Manner.
THE MILITIA TO Be CALLED OFF
And the convicts Permitted to Work
Until the Extra Session of tho LcGts-
lature RepcaIs the Convict Labor
Law---The Men Take the Advice of
their Leaders and Bloodshed is
Happily Avertod.

KNOXVILLE, TENN, July 2S.-This
morning tho miners committee left
Knoxville for Coal Creek with the de-
cision given by the Governor that if the
convicts were allowed to be placed in
the mines from which they had been
evicted by the miners, the militia
would be withdrawn and the Legisla.
ture would be convened in extra session
for the purpose Of taking such action as
it saw fit on the convict lease system.
Coal Creek was reached at IL o'clock a.
m, and the miners committee and the
Associated Press correspondent stepped
from the train. A thousand miners
were assembled to meet them. AS soon
as the committee alighted from the train
loud voice was beard: "All miners
go to the big grove" The big grove
was about o mile from the station and
thither tho large crowd rapidly made
its way.
TIE COMMITTEES REPORT.
A rude platform was hastily con-
structed, and upon it was placed the
committee and Hon. ]. O. Williams,
who represented the Knoxville arbitra-
ton committee. The crowd was called
to order by a miner and two spokesmen
OF the committee related the incidents
of their trip to meet the governor, how
he received them and his decision.
They stated that the committee had re-
ceived concessions and that in their
minds the miners ought to grant some.
This did not meet with anything like
universal satisfaction, but the'implicit
confidence the miners have in their
leaders was shown by the unanimous
vote to accept the report Of committee
on resolutions, which had been up
pointed, and which had been in session
while the speakers were being heard. i.
FAIR RESOLUTIONS.
The gist of the resolutions was that
the convicts should be returned to the
mines, the miners guaranteeing that
they would not be molested. The
militia will then be ordered home.
Sixty days will be allowed to convene
the legislature, during which time no
convicts shall be molested and no
property shall be destroyed, and the
miners, if necessary, will place guards
TO see that the promises are kept good.
The miners committee returned to
Knoxville at 5:45 p. m, and are now in
conference with the governor and the
Knoxville committee. One little Incl
dent noticed by the Associated Press
man will show the discipline in effect
and explain how well the miners were
in the hands of the leaders. A burly,
bluff miner stepped up to one of the
leaders and said: II want to change
the number of my gun; I've swapped."
Immediately out came q long list of
names, opposite to each Of which was
the number of the winchester rifle
which had been assigned.
The conference held tonight lasted
three hours and ended without any Wis
iole result. Governor Buchanan de-
clines to consider the prosition for an
armistice, on the ground that 1t would
be an implied compromise with q
violation OF the law that might
ensue at the end of that
time, in case the Legislature declined to
comply with the demands of miners.
The representatives, of the miners dis
claimed any threat and proposed to ac-
company the proposition with an ex-
PLANTATION which would relieve it from
such a construction.
The governor was firm, however, in
his position and declined to yield.
There is no longer any doubt but. that
the governor will return the convicts
to the mines at Coal Creek and
Briceyille. 1t is only q question
Of how it will be done. The
miners present at the conference
express the opinion that if they are re-
turned with only such guards as are
necessary to keep them in custody, not
militia, and placed in their stockades
there will be no interference with them
until the legislature has been convened
and has acted upon the repeal OF the
lease system.
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