, ▁but ▁said ▁it ▁would ▁take ▁time ▁to ▁change ▁the ▁law . ▁ ▁The ▁min ers ▁thus ▁agreed ▁to ▁a ▁ 6 0 - day ▁tr uce ▁after ▁the ▁governor ▁assured ▁them ▁he ▁would ▁call ▁a ▁special ▁session ▁of ▁the ▁Tennessee ▁state ▁legisl ature ▁and ▁recommend ▁the ▁le ase ▁law ▁be ▁repe aled . ▁ ▁The ▁conv ict ▁labor ers ▁returned ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 5 . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁tr uce , ▁Mer rell ▁and ▁Irish ▁tra ve led ▁around ▁the ▁state , ▁giving ▁speech es ▁to ▁r ally ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁min ers ' ▁cause . ▁ ▁On ▁August ▁ 3 1 , ▁Buch an an ▁called ▁a ▁special ▁session ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁legisl ature ▁to ▁consider ▁the ▁conv ict ▁le ase ▁issue . ▁ ▁One ▁question ▁before ▁the ▁legisl ature ▁was ▁whether ▁or ▁not ▁the ▁state ▁could ▁terminate ▁the ▁le asing ▁contract ▁it ▁had ▁signed , ▁which ▁did ▁not ▁exp ire ▁until ▁December ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 8 9 5 . ▁Another ▁issue ▁was ▁what ▁to ▁do ▁with ▁conv ict s ▁should ▁the ▁conv ict - le asing ▁system ▁be ▁terminated . ▁ ▁After ▁three ▁weeks ▁of ▁debate , ▁the ▁legisl ature ▁adj ourn ed ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 1 , ▁taking ▁little ▁action ▁other ▁than ▁making ▁it ▁a ▁fel ony ▁to ▁inter f ere ▁with ▁the ▁le asing ▁system ▁and ▁author izing ▁the ▁governor ▁to ▁take ▁any ▁necessary ▁action ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁system . ▁ ▁After ▁this ▁set back , ▁the ▁min ers ▁held ▁out ▁hope ▁with