The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-16
MEREDITH AT The CASE
CHIEF OF BIG GOVERNMENT b.
REAU AN INDIANAPOLIS MAN.
Tells Some stories OF Early Days
when He Was a journal Printer
The Nashville Convention.
Washington Post.

Washington Post.
Yes. l was many years a printer, and
I'm very proud of it,"
This was the observation of Capt. William
NJ. Meredith. chief OF the big Bureau of
Engraving and Printing. where the money
of the government is made and where hun
dreds of employees are kept busy year in
and year out on important work for Uncle
Sam, at the beginning of a chat in his Of
flee.
After signing a few papers that were ly-
ing on his broad desk. the captain reverted
to typographical affairs of almost half a
century ago. why, / joined the union
back in a." said he, lat Indianapolis, when
1 was twenty years of age. 1t was union No.
i. The unions drew lots as to what their
numbers should be. The Indianapolis union,
of which / was subsequently president,
drew the first number. But l could set type,
as a boy, long before L joined the union.
My father was editor of the Wayne County
Record, the leading paper of the county,
and / was sticking type as far back as 1S47
and the Mexican war.
1.-The printing office of those days was
very primitive, as compared with printing
offices now. A lot of frames and cases. two
80 49, NChNR
ton hand press comprised most of the out
fit. / worked as roller boy at one time; then
it came time for me to work the hand press.
In fact, l went through the entire rigma-
role of a country printing office.
READ NEWS FROM Horseback.
During the war with Mexico, news from
the front was eagerly awaited Our latest
intelligence then was derived from the Gin
os--.ts r,or -l,. -o~~ l,,-tt ~
stage coach. 1 can see my father now,
mounting the horseback, in front of his
newspaper Office, Immediately after the
stage coach had arrived, and, after the
mail bag had been thrown out, to read the
dispatches to people assembled there"
Captain Meredith has a vivid remem-
brance of the national convention of print
a delegate. THAT, you must remember" he
explained. was before the international
union with Canada. Civil strife was even
then foreshadowed, and the delegates at
Nashville were not unmindful of the acute
stage of public sentiment, North and South.
The national convention had just been held
at Charleston, and some of the delegates
from there tarried in Nashville, while the
printers were i'm session. AS a rule, we
avoided discussion Of political topics, lest i'll
feeling within the union might be engen-
dered. The news of the nomination of Bell
and Everett on the American ticket reached
Nashville the night of a banquet, where the
delegates, to the printers convention at
tended. 1t was a memorable banquet for
wit and oratOry, and, after the speaking
was ended. many of the boys sat around in
groups and related anecdotes.
Late that night, when most of us had re-
tired to our beds, and. like the rest of the
town, were fast asleep, we had a rude
awakening by the sound of cannonading. A
few Of the printers, among them a delegate
from Savannah, who had served as an ar
tilleryman, went out celebrating, and
thought it would be quite the thing to fire a
few rounds to signalize the nomination of
the candidates for President and Vice
President on the ticket of the American
party. The cannon were on the Capitol
grounds. The artilleryman. from Savannah,
who fired the salute, subsequently entered
the Confederate army and was killed in
battle.
BRISK CAMPAIGN FOR FARQUHAR.
II do not recall that any important ques-
tons were discussed vigorously before that
early convention continued Captain Mere
dith, answering a question, but / do recall
that great interest c~entered i'm the election
of officers. The campaigns for national Off
GERS in those days were more heated and
were fought out with greater energy than
now. John F%arquhar, then straight as an
arrow and with black. curly hair, was a
delegate in the convention, as was Senator
Gallinger, of New Hampshire, who came at
that time from Cincinnati. The controversy
for the presidency of the union had been
raging long before the convention assembled.
The strife was chiefly as to whether the far
East. the Northwest or the South should
be recognized. 1 know that we caucused for
Farquhar at Louisville on the way to Nash
vile. and he was elected.
Not a few of the delegates to that con-
ventiOn went into either the Northern or
the Southern rmies a few months after
ward. 1 remember that one of the delegates
from Massachusetts, whose name has just
now escaped me-, was killed on the battle
field. 1 became quite friendly with a dele
gate from the vicinity Of Louisville during
the convention, and we exchanged letters
during the Immediately succeeding months
In one of these communications he ex-
pressed the hope that he might not see me
i'm the Southern country, wearing my blue
uniform. That was after / was commits
stoned captain of a company in the Seven
teenth Indiana Volunteers, and after he had
entered the Confederate army. Later on,
J after his term of service had expired, being
at Louisville with my company, / went out
to visit him. We had a very delightful
meeting"
SETTING UP PIERCE'S MESSAGE.
Captain Meredith was a printer on the
| indianapolis Journal long before the war.
! One of his experiences as a substitute there
was amusing. Great rivalry existed between
| the Journal and the Sentinel to be first on
the street with the Presidents message.
The document was brought from Cincinnati
| by train, and the Journal, as a bit of en-
| terprise, sent a man to meet the message
and cut Ii up into small takes, ready for
distribution among the printers without de-
lay the moment the train reached Indian
apolis.
take" says Captain Meredith. There was