The state journal., 1884-05-03
SMITHS CONVENTION.
NO PARTY ENDORSED; NO
CREED ADOPTED.
The States Convention at
Pittsburgh.

IITrSBURGH, may Z.-Iu reporting
the actions of the convention we are
necessarily compelled to begin with
@. S. Smith and perhaps end with
him, as he was the Alpha and the
Omega of the conference, and ap-
peared in the great double role of
Bombastes Furiosi ana Richelieu
Upon bis arrival in The city on Sstur
day he assumed the char ,cter of
Bombastes, and had himself inter
viewed by the reporters of the press,
in which he aired his grievances with
the local committee, which had failed
to secure Lafayette hall, at an ex-
pense of $3.50, His principal reason
for wanting that hall was that the
Republican party was born there,
and as he intended to try 10 kill it,
he thought it fitting that the place of
its birth should be the scene of its
death. He stated that the local COM
mittee had done nothing, and that he
would take it out of their hands, Sc
cure the hall and cancel all of the
twenty five cards of invitation which
had been issued to the citizens of
Allegheny county, including that of
W. I. Banks, who had been selected
to deliver the address Of welcome,
and had cards printed which ad-
mitted any one TO the floor who would
buy FIVE tickets for one dollar The
facts in regard to the committee were
that they had secured accommoda.
tons at the hotels, obtained two
third rates on all the railroads west
of Pittsburgh and secured the use of
Select Council chamber for the pur-
pose of holding the conference in,
and the fact that there was more than
ample room for the accommodation
Of all the delegates and members of
the press proved their wisdom. After
his interview with the reporters, he
found Banks and some of the cem-
mittee, accepted their arrangements,
denied the assertions of the press and
stated that they had misrepresented
him, restored five of those whose
cards of invitation he had Cancelled,
begged Banks TO deliver the address
of welcome, and as panacea changed
his programme SO as to give ALE
gheny county the temporary chair
manship, and declared Whoever
does my Boots displace, must meet
Bombastes face to face" and with
that declaration retired to appear in
his great character of Richelieu at
the convention. The slate, as pre-
pared beforehand, was carried out to
the letter. The first day Of the con
ference, on Monday evening, he in
formed DR.. Mitchell, of Chicago, that
he should be admitted as a repre-
sentative from the State of Illinois,
but subsequently learning that he was
not in favor of L. G. Wheeler for
permanent chairman, refused him
admittance as q delegate, thus assert
ing that the delegates must love no
mistress save the dear outraged and
oppressed people of color. The PEG
ple-that's G. S. Smith.
At half past ten Tuesday morning
Mr.. G. s. Smith called the conference
to order. Bishop Shorter, Of Ohio,
led in prayer. The Rev. G. s. Smith
then formally opened the conference
with an address which had been
carefully prepared for publication and
as he finished each page tossed il to
the reporters who were sitting in
front of him. He read in a clear full
tone referring TO the formation of the
free soil and republican party and
what they had achieved. He referred
to the injustice done to the race by
the party of later years; classed Of
fee holders as hireiings, at the same
time growing because the man and
brother did not have more offices
spoke of Ireland's struggle for no
rents, and showed that if he never
kissed the Blarney stone be could
rival those that had. His Adde'S
was frequently applauded. lie then
read off the names of the temporary
officers of the convention, as per
schedule, which was as follows
Temporary president, Robert Jack
son, of Pittsburg; temporary secre-
taries, E. W. Crosby, of the Buffalo,
N. Y. Times, and DR.. J. w S.
Simpson. of Richmond, Ind. r.
Henry Herbert, of the Trenton n. J.
Sentinel, attempted to submit the
name of Frederick Douglass as one
whose sacrifices and sufferings was a
guarantee of harmony, but the Rev.
Richlieu Smith kept hammering
away with the gavil until Mr.. Her
bert ceased when he declared him