The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1891-09-11

and their wives and children, and they
intend to do so.
After some other miners had |
spoken, the meeting adjourned.
Order being restored, and a suf-
ficient number of guards being left
to insure, as | thought, the protec-
ton of the convicts, | returned Sat
urday, July Is, to Nashville, and
directed Adiutant-G General Norman
to Briceville as my representative.
Before he reached Briceville, how
ever, the miners had gathered from
various quarters, armed forces com
ing from Kentucky to aid them, I'M
til they had sufficient numbers to
overpower the guards; and to avoid
a conflict against such odds, the
guards and militia, acting as depu-
ties, agreed owithdraw the convicts
to Knoxville.
Upon receipt of this information
| called out ten military companies
and ordered them to proceed to
Knoxville, and, as soon as arrange
merits could be completed, on Tues
day, July q, at 7.30 p. M, l again
left for Knoxville, before the tele-
gram stating that a committee of
miners and a committee of citizens
desired to have a conference was
received.
On Wednesday morning, July
%, the committee asked for a con-
ference, which was granted, and,
during the two days which inter-
vened, l heard all that they had to
say, but told them at the outset
that, as executive of the State | had
no concessions or compromises to
make, that my object was the res
toration of order and enforcement
of law, and that | most earnestly
desired to settle this trouble with
out resorting to conflict, but that,
unless the convicts were allowed to
go back to the mines unmolested,
and the status quo be restored, an
issue would be forced which would
result in bloodshed, trouble, and
probable disaster and ruin to them,
and that for their own good they
should resort to legal means Of
righting their wrongs; SO the final
result was the submission by the
miners to the supremacy of law, the
following resolutions being submit
ted to me by them:
Resolved, That we, the undersigned
; committee, acting on behalf of the min
ers and their friends, of Briceville and
Coal Greek, and in the interest of peace
and harmony, do submit the following,
trusting it will meet with your favorable
consideration;
1) Let the status quo be restored and
the guards and copvicts not be molested
on their return to the mines, and we will
, use ordinary caution and honorable
! means to prevent interference with them
~ Reposing confidence in our Gov.
ernor, and believing the general assem-
bly,, when they meet in extra session,
j, will give us the necessary relief from the
expressions that now hang over us, We
will endeavor to conduct ourselves as
, law-abiding people, so as to maintain
the confidence and sympathy of the pub
lie in the future as we'll as we have il
the past.
: (3) And we do hereby express oul
: thanks to Governor Buchanan for the
n kind consideration in holding the militii
: in this city (Knoxville), and thereby pre-
= venting conflict that might have result
g ed in bloodshed.
G (4) And to the committee of citizens
e we also express thanks for the interes
r they have shown by their counsel an(
k advice in their efforts to adjust the exist
l. ing difficulties.
s JOSIAH 7. THOMAS.
n j. W. HARDIN.
d S. r. PICKERING.
W S. D. MOORE.
W w. T. SMITH.
+? 1 have thus briefly stated to yol
e my connection with this trouble
:, and 1 have placed before you tn
d, =" miners grievances in their owl
words. They have appealed thei
IL case to you as the lawmakers o
le the land. 1t is your duty to hea
y them and to secure to them all tn
= rights guaranteed by law On tn
y, 70 one hand, the use of scrip in tn