The Brookhaven leader., 1891-08-06
BARKSDALE SPEAKS.
HIS CRITICISMS ON THE
STATE CONVENTION.
lie Shows that IL Transccndcd
Its Authority in Condemn
ing the Sub-Treasury.

| coursging u Third Party.
In his speech at New Albany Major
Barksdalc spoke as follows concern
ing the action of the late state Con-
vcntiOn:
"Om the 23d of March. 1891, the
! Democratic State Executive Commit
tee ordered that State Convention
should be held on July 18th for the
purpose of nominating three Railroad
| Commissioners to he voted for in the
November election. This was the only
object specified in the call. In ODE
dicncc thereto the Democracy of the
several counties held conventions and
conformcd strictly to the letter of the
call 10y appointing delegates to the
said convention to perform the duties
therein prescribed, viz; The selcc
ton of candidates for Railroad Com
missioners. They empowered their
delegates to perform this service and
no other. In no single county did
| they give an expression in regard to
any other matter whatever. In all
the counties, the great question of the
day was warmly discussed, but in the
conventions to appoint delegates to
the State Convention, they purpOscly
pretermitted an expression on the sub
iect and retrained from instructing the
delegates to take action in regard
thereto. Nevertheless, by what is
now believed to be prcconcerted
scheme to keep the issue ont of the
county conventions and at the same
time to surreptiOusly secure delegates
appointed with the view of fOrcstall-
ing opinion, Il majority of the State
Convention, in disregard of the real
purpose, announced in the call of the
State Committee, passed Il resolution
declaring what they have called the
"Sub-TrcasurN scheme" "violative
of the honored principles of the
Democratic party and the democratic
idea of Il proper construction of the
| Constitution"
"a delegate convention has no right
to go beyond the purpose for which it
is called. When the late Convention
nominated candidates for Railroad
Commissioners, and provided the nee
cssary machinery for electing them
and preserving the organization of the
party, its mission ended. Whatever
it performed in excess of this duty
was rank and indcfensiblc usurpation,
void and of no effect in binding the
conscicnces and controlling the ac-
lions of the large body of intelligent
and stcadfast Democrats who advo-
cate the measure which they dcnounc-
ed. These tried and true Democrats
will be foremost in supporting the
nominees of the Convention. They
will speak i'll no doubtful language in
dcnouncing and spurning the uSurpa-
ton; and its authors and abettors as
violators of the fundamental doctrine
of the Democratic party, that the ser
wants of the sovereign people are not
above the people, and are bound to
respect their wishes. He who vio-
lates this essential rule Of party dis
cipline and party creed places himself
outside of the pale of the Organiza-
ton.
"But after all, the unauthorized res
OlutiOn does not reach the position oc-
cupied by those at whom it Is aimed.
1t declares opposition to the Sub
Treasury scheme ) that is the details
of the Vance and Picker bills intro
duced i'll the last Congress, which
were never reported to either house
for consideration, and are not now be-
fore the country; but the main object
which the authors of those bills sought
to obtain are before the country, viz
An increase of the circulating me-
dunn commensurate with the necessi-
ties of trade and commerce upon a
safe and stable basis. The schemers
who originated and drove through the
convention the resolution did not
reach the mark at which they aimed.
They fell UNNECESSARILY below the
height of the argument
"The real motive of the denuncia-
| ton of the Sub Treasury scheme was
to strike down and destroy the Farm
ers' Alliance. They have selected the
scheme because they regard it as the
most vulnerable point. The sun did
not heed the Indian Chief who point
ed with his finger the way it should
take its course. The waves did not
obey the self-cOnceited monarch when
he babe them sink back from the
shore. The Democracy, needless OF
unauthorized interference, will move
with redoubled energy to the goal fol
which they are striving.
"Suppose the majority of the con-
vention had passed resolution de-
claring that resolution adopted by
the National Democratic Convention
on certain occasions that 'the Nation
owed a debt of gratitude to the sol
diers and sailors of the Union army
and that the party is thereby commit
ted to support the Dependent Pension
bill and kindred enormities at a cost
of many millions to the taxpayers.
would it be regarded as binding upon
the cOnciences and actions of the De
mocracy of Mississippi?
Suppose the same majority had
gone further and declared that the
prospective Service Pension Bill
which has been demanded bv the
Grand Army of the Republic should
be supported as matter of patriotic
duty and party policy, would it have
received the sanction of the Demo
cratic party of Mississippi
"Could the Blair Bill as it passed
the Senate by the vote of Senator
George, with all its imperfections on
its head, be made part of the Demo
cratic platform of Mississippi by the
dictum of unauthorized delegates
Sin either case the answer would
be, No; and yet if the majority of
the State Convention could prescribe
l e