The state journal., 1884-03-08

which will be held on the IOtn lnst.
Mr.. VIM. Brown, of Wilkes.Barre,
is spending few days with Mr.. and
Mrs. David Prime at Tarrytown, New
York.
Mr.. D. NJ. Prime, of New York,
paid a flying visit to Wilkes Barre
with his sister Miss Josie Prime and
aud was the guest Of their aunt MRS.
Katie H. Brown.
What G. A. Smith, Chairman of
the Executive Committee, Ar
ranging for a National Conven-
ton, Says Of Blaine, Arthur, and |
Logan for the Presidency, and |
the Object of the Convention.
Special to STATE JOURNAL.
PITTsBURG, March &C. A. Smith,
colored, and ex-member of the Ala
bama Legislature and Chairman OF
the Executive Committee, which is
arranging for National Convention
or colored men, was 10 this city to
day. The convention is to be held
in Pittsburg on May 30 and 80.
Representative men will be here from
all the States. Its object is to for
mally ask the Republican Party to
make an effort this year to carry the
Southern States by taking active
measures in preventing white coercion.
Speeches will be delivered by Fred.
Douglass, Prof. Scarborough, E.
Thomas Fortune, and other colored
leaders. When asked what the ne
groes think Of Blaine's candidacy for
the Presidency, Mr.. Smith said:
"They have no use for Blaine. His
course on the Force bill, in the Forty
third Congress, Q874-50will kill him.
The colored people all remember that,
and so do white Republicans in the
South. The general scope of the
Force bill was to compel the Southern
States to accord the negro his rights.
Blaine made fatal mistake when he
opposed that bill, and l don't see how
could vote for him if he were nom
mated. The defeat of the Force bill
had very depressing effect upon
Republicans in the Senate. was
member of the Alabama Legislature
then. The Legislature remained in
session six weeks longer than the
time fixed by law, doing no work,
drawing pay, and awaiting the action
of Congress on the Force bill.
When the news of its defeat came
one afternoon the Democratic legisla-
ture had glorious drunk, fixed up
their affairs the next day to suit, adj
journed, called a constitutional con-
yention, and adopted measures that
make it impossible for the Repub-
licans to ever carry the State. We
regard BIaines opposition to the
Force bill as not arising from prin-
ciple, but actuated by fears that the
measure would help Gen. Grant in
his canvas for a third term"
"What do the colored people
think of Arthur
"The general feeling is that Gen.
Arthur has made good President.
His administration has been clean,
and there are no adverse criticism TO
be made against him, but the pecul-
lar circumstances about his induction
into Office might hurt him. That
seems to be the general drift of senti-
ment, though just why Gen. Arthur
should be held responsible for Gar
fields assassination is more than I
can comprehend. 1t is not right
"No doubt Illinois is solid for
Logan?''
Seen. Logan, certainly, will carry
Illinois and other Western States,
too"
"Do you see any indications of
help in the political horoscope?"
"Well, it is this way: The liberal
element of the Republican Party
thinks there are only two issues, viz,
cival service and the tariff. We
think differently. The Republicans
of the West are ready for an agrees
i've movement in behalf of the color
ed people. There is generation of
free born colored men, both North
and South, who will have the right
to cast their vote next November.
They have been born since the eman-
cipation proclamation freed their
parents. They have had the advan-
tage of schools, and many of them
are fully as capable of exercising the
franchises as the avera ge citizen
THE