Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-07-25
MINERS OFFER.
1t is Rejected BY Tennessee's
Governor.
He Says the Laws Must and
Shall Be Obeyed.

1he COnVlcts TO Be Put BACK to WOrk In
the Mines, Let the Cost he What 1t
May-The Miners VIII Resist This and
Serious Trouble is Hourly Feared.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn, July 25.-At a
mass meeting of the miners at Coal City
late Thursday afternoon, after long
and exciting session, it was decided to
offer these terms to Governor Buchanan: !:
l. That things be restored to their
former condition by letting the convicts
return in peace to the mines.
2. That the militia be ordered home
to Knoxville.
8. That the armistice be maintained
for sixty days.
session of the legislature and recon-
system.
8. On repeal of the lease system the
convicts shall be removed from Coal
Creek, Briceville and Oliver Springs
At first the miners wanted to include
all the mining districts in the last condi-
ton, but us only the three places men
toned were represented in the crowd,
the others We're lett TO shift for them
with only one dissenting vote. They
form the ultimatum of the miners to the
state government. The miners instruct
ed the committee to tell the governor
that if these conditions were rejected
there would be war, and any force sent
into the mountains would be wiped from
the face of the earth.
Tell him we p0cketed his militia
No
time"
When this business was dispatched the
meeting dispersed and the committee Of
seventeen returned to Knoxville with the
conditions of peace.
The committee returned here that
evening and at o'clock called on Gov
ernor buchanan and on Attorney Gen
eral Pickle and reported the decision of
the mass meeting.
"Tell your people" said Governor T..
chanan, in kindly but emphatic tCin
"that they must obey the laws of tins
state. They must submit quietly and
behave themselves The convicts will
be put to work in the mines again and
everything be as before. Your people
may well be assured of that If the leg
islature acts upon the convict law, and
But the state government has nothing
to do with armistices and all this that
you have been talking to me.
The committee argued and expostulat-
ed, entreated and even threatened, but
to no purpose. AT last they left, and as
they went out he said IL hope you will |
come back to see me tomorrow in bet |
ter frame of mind"
There is some question as to the con-
stitutional authority of the governor to
employ the state troops to take the con-
victs back to the mines without special |
legislation instructing him to do SO. TO
avoid the difficulty there is talk of |
swearing the militia in as convict |
guards.
Troops Object to Move.
1t seems that complications are arising |
on all sides. The troops object, and |
some say they will not 90 to the mines
as guards to convicts, and if they insist |
on this, there is no law compelling them
to go. There is great dissatisfaction
among them. The governor seems to
be non-pluSsed as to what course to pur-
sue, although he realizes that something
must be done, and quickly 1t is re-
ported that the sheriff says he has no
need Tor posse OF SOlulGfS, as ne mas no
process to serve and there is at present
no mob to put down.
Talk with the States Attorney.
State Attorney General Pickle said
Friday morning that the convicts would
be carried back to the mines and put to
work if there We're enough soldiers in
the state to do it. Every legal constitu-
tional means, he said, had been exhaust
ed to restore order, and no further par
leying would be had with the miners or
miners committees. 1t was the general
opinion that the soldiers would carry
the convicts back to the mines Friday
but so far no orders have been
issued.
Another Conference Asked.
A working majority of the miners
asked another conference with Gov