The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1891-03-12
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
Proceedings of the National Legislative
Council at Washington, February to o,
1901

Proceedings of the National Legislative
Council at Washington, February to o,
1891.
Pursuant TO an official call issued by
l.. L. Polk, president N. F. A. and /. u,
ex-officio chairman of the national leg
islative council, the council met in the
Feudal building, Washington, d. c., on
February4 f.
The following members were present
and participated in the deliberations
and actions of said body: L. L. Polk,
national president; Frank McGrath,
president Kansas State Alliance; I. S.
Adams, president Louisiana State Ali
ance; U. S. Hall, president Missouri
State Alliance; Hugh Mitchell, president
Maryland State Alliance; w. s. McAllis-
ter, representing Mississippi State Alli--
ance; Elias Carr, president North Caro-
lima State Alliance; j. w. Stokes, presi-
dent South Carolina State Alliance; j.
III. Mcdowell, president Tennessee State
Alliance; Mann Page, president Virginia
State Alliance; H. s. Snavely, president
Pennsylvania State Alliance; A. S. Hous-
ton, president West Virginia State Alli-
ance; A. E. Cole, president Michigan
State Alliance, and s. M. Adams, presi-
dent Alabama state alliance.
There were also present as visitors
and welcomed to seats in the council
hall: c. w. Macune, chairman of the
national executive board; j. III. Turner,
national secretary; Ben Terrell, chair
man of committee on confederation;
Hon. Z. T. Stackhouse, congressman
elect from South Carolina; Col. Robert
Beverly and Mr.. J. Brad Beverly, of
Virginia; Hon. r. f. Kolb, of Alabama,
and Mr. J. J. Silvey, secretary Virginia
state alliance.
The council was called to order by the
chairman. Ii. w. Aver, of North Caro-
lima, secretary to the national president,
was elected secretary of the council.
The chairman addressed the council
briefly, touching upon prominent and
important economic questions, and urg-
ing that the council take some action
toward influencing legislation by con-
gress in favor of the free coinage of
silver. He also submitted for the con-
sideration of the council plan looking
to the organization of thorough lect-
ure system and Legislative councils for
the entire country.
On motion of Mr.. Adams, of louisiana,
the plan was referred to committee OF
five, the members of which were Messrs.
Stokes, Carr, McGrath, Hall and Mitch
ell, with the request that they report at
the earliest practicable time.
A motion was made by Mr.. Mcdowell
that committee of five be appointed
by the chairman on free coinage of sill
yer. The motion was adopted, and
Messrs. Mcdowell, Page, McGrath, Nc
Allister and Adams, of Louisiana, were
appointed on the committee.
Mr.. U. S. Hall formally announced
the death of r. C. Patty, president of
the Mississippi state alliance. U. S.
Hall, J. III. Mcdowell, w. S. McAllister
and Frank McGrath were appointed as
a committee to draft n memorial in
honor of the deceased.
Mr.. Stokes moved the appointment of
a committee of three to take into con-
sideration the demands of the supreme
council and report to the national leg
islative council such demands as should
be presented and urged before the pres
ent congress for immediate action, and
what action should be taken on such de-
mands as might admit of deferred ac-
ton. The motion was approved and
adopted and the following committee
appointed: Messrs. Stokes, Houston
and Page.
The committee on free coinage of sill
yer made the following report:
We. your committee on free coinage of sill
yer, beg leave to submit as the result of our
deliberations the following:
Resolved, That we regard it as high duty
enjoin ed upon congress by the constitution
to prov de for the unlimited coinage of both
the precious metals, gold and silver, to the
end that the people of the several states may
be provided with circulating medium. We
express our surprise, regret and Indignation
that this duty has been so long delayed and
neglected, contrary, as we believe, not only
to the duty we have mentioned, but to the
best interest of the masses of our people,
who are suffering the pangs of poverty and
sta2nation of business caused by want of
sufficient circulating medium. We believe
and charge that such delay and neglect has
been occasioned by an undue influence in
our governmental policies by those whose
interest it is to contract the currency and
subserve monopolies and money lenders
Wetherefore urge upon congress the demand
heretofore made by the National Farmers
Alliance and Industrial Union of congress,
for the free and unlimited coinage of silver
upon the same terms and conditions that
gold rs now coined We express our earnest
condemnation of the exercise of arbitrary
power which prevented a fair consideration
of free coinage bill at the last session of
congress, and in this connection we give ex
preston to the hope that the free coinage
bill which passed the senate during the pres
ent session, and is now being considered in
the committee on coinage, weights and
measures of the house, shall not be sup
pressed, but shall be speedily enacted into
law. ...t
with proper respect and Difference to our
representatives on the committee in the
house, we say that any efforts TO unduly de-
lay report on that bill so as to prevent
action thereon by the house in the few re-
manning days of this congress will merit
and receive still further condemnation by
the farmers and laborers of the country We
have waited for many years for the simple
justice of having both the precious metals
restored to free coinage, and hereby declare
our determination to press the fight on this
line until this relief is accorded to the labor
ing and producing masses of our nation, and
to hold responsible the men, Irrespective of
party, who obstruch in any way the legisla-
tive enactment of the just measure so strong
ly demanded by the laboring classes of all
parties.
(signedD J. III. MCDOWELL,
Chairman
FRANK McGRATH.
I. s. Adams,
MANN PAGE,
w. s. McALIsIER,
u. s. HALL,
Committee.
The report was discussed and adopted.
Mr.. Stokes, chairman of the commit