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BORN IN GENOA, WAS IN REALITY AN IRISH NAVIGATOR FROM GALWAY NAMED LYNCH. AT LEAST AN IMPARTIAL AUDIENCE OF SCHOLARS AT THE FRIENDLY SONS OF ST. PATRICK ANNUAL BANQUET IN NEW YORK IN 1972 WAS SO PERSUADED. THIS PART OF MY TALK THAT EVENING WAS PRINTED IN THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD BY SENATOR BUCKLEY WITHOUT OBJECTION BY SENATOR PASTORE, SO I SUPPOSE IT IS NOW AN ACCEPTED HISTORICAL FACT. I SUGGEST THEREFORE THAT AL SMITH WAS A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF LYNCH AND 100% HIBERNIAN. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT, GO UP TO LYNCH CIRCLE AND LOOK AT THE STATUE OF THE MAN THEY CALL COLUMBUS. THE RESEMBLANCE TO AL SMITH IS STRIKING--PARTICULARLY AT DUSK.

MISTAKES BY IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS OF COURSE DO HAPPEN. MY RESEARCH DISCLOSED THAT WHEN CHARLES MCGILLIDODDY LEFT CORK FOR ELLIS ISLAND, THE LAST NAME WAS SO DIFFICULT TO TRANSCRIBE THAT THE OFFICER SIMPLY WROTE DOWN "SILVER". SOMEWHERE IN AMERICA TONIGHT THERE IS A CHARLIE SILVER WHO IS REALLY A MCGILLICUDDY.

AL SMITH'S ONLY FORMAL EDUCATION WAS AT ST. JAMES

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PAROCHIAL SCHOOL ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE WHERE HE WAS AN
ALTAR BOY AND EXCELLED IN AMATEUR THEATRICS. HE LEFT IN
THE 8TH GRADE, JUST BEFORE GRADUATION, IN ORDER TO SUPPORT
HIS MOTHER AND SISTER. HIS EDUCATION THERE WAS LEFT IN THE
TENDER HANDS OF THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND HE LEARNED NOT
ONLY THE CATECHISM BUT ALSO HOW TO DUCK A LEFT JAB. NOBODY
KNOWS MUCH ABOUT EITHER ANY MORE. HIS RISE FROM THE FULTON
FISH MARKET TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ASSEMBLY WAS METEORIC.
HE WAS A BRILLIANT STUDENT OF STATE GOVERNMENT AND HE WORKED
HARD AND LONG HOURS TO MASTER ITS INTRICACIES. IN THE STATE
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1915 SMITH WAS RECOGNIZED
WIDELY EVEN BY THE CITIZENS UNION, AS THE ABLEST AND MOST
KNOWLEDGEABLE MAN IN THE LEGISLATURE. HIS FOUR UNPRECEDENTED
TERMS AS GOVERNOR FOLLOWED.

IN HIS RISE TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE STATE, SMITH
WAS AIDED IMMEASURABLY BY A THEN UNBEATABLE COMBINATION IN
THIS STATE--IRISH POLITICIANS AND JEWISH INTELLECTUALS. THE
IRISH POLITICIANS HAD WONDERFUL NICKNAMES--MY FAVORITE IS

"BLUE-EYED" BILLY SHEEHAN, WHICH IS SO MUCH MORE MEMORABLE THAN "FOUR EYES" WHICH WAS THE USUAL FATE OF MYopic URCHINS LIKE MYSELF. SOME OF THE NICKNAMES WERE RATHER CRUEL LIKE "SNOW SHOES" SHANAHAN--SO CALLED OF COURSE BECAUSE OF HIS FLAT FEET. THE IRISH, HAVING TO SOME EXTENT BECOME AFFLUENT, HAVE DESERTED POLITICS AND TAKEN UP GOLF INSTEAD--A SPORT IN WHICH THEY HAVE DEMONSTRATED A PRONOUNCED AND ALMOST SPECTACULAR DEGREE OF FAILURE. I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT IT WAS NOT ANY NATIVE LACK OF ABILITY TO HOLD A CLUB WHICH HELD US BACK BUT RATHER THE UNNATURAL UNDERHAND SWING AS WELL AS THE SMALL, INANIMATE AND STATIONARY TARGET.

BY 1928 SMITH HAD REACHED SUFFICIENT STATURE TO BE NOMINATED FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES BY THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY GATHERED IN CONVENTION IN HOUSTON. RUMBLINGS THAT HIS ROMAN CATHOLICISM WOULD PREVENT HIS ELECTION HAS TO SOME EXTENT BEEN STILLED BY HIS RESPONSE TO AN OPEN LETTER WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY IN MAY, 1927. THE REPLY WAS PREPARED WITH THE

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ASSISTANCE OF JUDGE JOSEPH PROSKAUER AND FATHER FRANCIS DUFFY, A LEGAL AND THEOLOGICAL COMBINATION WHICH WAS TYPICAL OF SMITH. THE RESPONSE WAS A CLASSIC AND THE PERCURSOR OF JOHN F. KENNEDY'S ADDRESS TO THE GREATER MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION IN HOUSTON, TEXAS SOME 33 YEARS LATER. MY FAVORITE SPEECH OF THAT GENRE HOWEVER IS QUITE OBSCURE AND IN FACT WAS NOT EVEN MADE IN AMERICA. IN 1906 HILAIRE BELLOC WAS RUNNING FOR THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND WAS ADVISED THAT HIS RELIGION SHOULD BE SOFT PEDALLED BECAUSE HE WAS RUNNING IN A DISTRICT WHICH HAD VERY FEW CATHOLIC RESIDENTS. IN HIS VERY FIRST CAMPAIGN SPEECH THE IRREPRESSIBLE BELLOC ANNOUNCED, "GENTLEMEN, I AM A CATHOLIC. AS FAR AS POSSIBLE I GO TO MASS EVERYDAY. . . AS FAR AS POSSIBLE I KNEEL DOWN AND TELL THESE BEADS EVERYDAY. IF YOU REJECT ME ON ACCOUNT OF MY RELIGION, I SHALL THANK GOD THAT HE HAS SPARED ME THE INDIGNITY OF BEING YOUR REPRESENTATIVE." HE WAS ELECTED BY A LARGE PLURALITY, A GREAT TRIBUTE TO THE ENGLISH AND I ADMIT THAT ADULATION OF THE SASSENACH DOES NOT COME READILY TO THE LIPS.

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As FRANCIS PERKINS LATER REPORTED "WE WHO CAMPAIGNED FOR SMITH IN 1928, AND ALSO THE CANDIDATE HIMSELF, WERE NOT PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THE DEGREE OF PREJUDICE WE ENCOUNTERED."

THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTED EDITORIALLY THAT THE ATTACKS ON SMITH WERE FEROCIOUS AND SENSELESS AND WERE PROVOKED PRIMARILY BY HIS RELIGION. FOR EXAMPLE, SMITH WAS GREETED BY BURNING CROSSES WHEN HIS PARTY VISITED OKLAHOMA CITY.

THEY WERE CLEARLY VISIBLE FROM THE WINDOWS OF THE CAMPAIGN TRAIN. SMITH, GAZING OUT AT THEM MADE A TYPICAL COMMENT TO JUDGE PROSKAUER "WELL JOE, HOW DID THEY EVER KNOW THAT YOU WERE ON THE TRAIN."

I REMEMBER THE CAMPAIGN OF 1928 RATHER WELL--THE KU KLUX KLAN EVEN BURNED CROSSES IN NEW YORK STATE. IN THE SUMMER OF 1928 I WAS VISITING MY RELATIVES IN GARDINER, NEW YORK, A SMALL HAMLET IN ULSTER COUNTY. ONE OF MY NUMEROUS UNCLES, JIM DONAHUE OPERATED A MEAT MARKET AND ONE NIGHT, WHICH I RECALL VIVIDLY, A LARGE CROSS WAS WHITEWASHED ON HIS STORE WINDOW AND ANOTHER ON THE STONE WALK IN FRONT.

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HE WAS FORCED TO CLOSE DOWN THE STORE A FEW MONTHS LATER.

I FREELY ADMIT THAT IT WAS NOT BECAUSE OF THE KLAN BUT
BECAUSE HE WAS A TERRIBLE BUTCHER. HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT
MEAT AND SELDOM EVEN ATE IT. HE LATER OPENED A SALOON AND
ENJOYED A MODEST SUCCESS.

I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER BEING EJECTED FROM A FORDHAM
ROAD MOVIE HOUSE THAT FALL, FOR NOISILY BOOING A NEWSREEL
OF HERBERT HOOVER. THE USHER WAS DECORATED FOR BRAVERY IN
ACTION AND YEARS LATER RETIRED AS A FULL COLONEL FROM THE
LOEW'S PARADISE USHER CORPS.

THE RUMORS OF SMITH'S STAUNCH CATHOLICISM AND
FANATIC LOYALTY TO THE POPE WERE LEGION. ONE POPULAR TALE
WAS THAT HE PLANNED TO BUILD A TUNNEL FROM NEW JERSEY TO
ROME SO THE POPE COULD COME TO AMERICA SECRETLY. I CHECKED
THIS STORY WITH BOB MOSES, A SMITH ADVISER, AND HE SAID THERE
WAS ABSOLUTELY NO TRUTH TO IT AT ALL. IT WAS A BRIDGE WE
PLANNED, SAID MOSES! BOB EXPLAINED THAT NO CHURCH/STATE
RROBLEM EXISTED--THE UPPER LEVEL WAS FOR THE POPE AND

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AND CATHOLICS IN GENERAL, AND THE LOWER SPAN FOR THE REST.

THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS THE EXPENSE OF COMPLETING THE LOWER LEVEL--THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO CLOSE A SUBSTANTIAL GAP OVER THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN. SMITH FIGURED THAT A STRONG SWIMMER WHO SURVIVED THE DIVE AND HAD ENOUGH STRENGTH TO JUMP BACK UP MIGHT HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF GETTING HERE.

IN THE FALL OF 1928 I WAS A STUDENT AT OUR LADY OF REFUGE GRAMMAR SCHOOL IN THE BRONX. SOME CRITICS HAVE MADE THE CLAIM THAT CATHOLIC EDUCATION IS "DIVISIVE." NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. IN 1928 EVERY SINGLE STUDENT AND NUN IN MY SCHOOL WAS SOLIDLY BEHIND AL SMITH.

I WELL REMEMBER THE FUNEREAL ATMOSPHERE OF OUR CLASSROOM THE DAY AFTER SMITH'S CRUSHING DEFEAT WHERE HE WAS REJECTED BY THE DEMOCRATS OF THE SOLID SOUTH AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE OF HIS OWN STATE WHO STRANGELY NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME, FOUND SMITH WANTING ALTHOUGH ELECTING A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR.

SMITH WAS A CLEAR VICTIM OF BIGOTRY, A WICKED SPORT WHICH NEVER LACKS FOR NEW PLAYERS SINCE THE VICTIMS ARE ALWAYS

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CHANGING. I REMEMBER OUR GOOD DOMINICAN NUN TELLING THE CLASS WITH TEARS IN HER EYES THAT AMERICA WOULD BE PUNISHED FOR REJECTING AL SMITH. NOBODY IN MY CLASS WAS A BIT SURPRISED THEREFORE BY THE STOCK MARKET CRASH OF 1929 AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION WHICH FOLLOWED. TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK, MOST OF US DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A DEPRESSION ANYWAY.
THINGS WERE MOSTLY THE SAME BEFORE AND AFTER. NOBODY JUMPED OUT OF ANY BUILDINGS IN THE BRONX.

AFTER CONSIDERABLE RESEARCH INTO THE CAREER OF AL SMITH, I THINK THAT ONE WOULD HAVE TO CONCLUDE THAT HE WAS A UNIQUELY GIFTED MAN. HE WAS A LIBERAL IN THE TRUE SENSE, AND DECADES AHEAD OF HIS TIME IN PROPOSING SOCIAL LEGISLATION. HIS EMPATHY FOR ETHNIC AND ECONOMIC MINORITIES WAS REAL AND NOT FEIGNED. WHEN THE JONES BEACH DEVELOPMENT WAS PROJECTED SOME OF THE LANDED GENTRY PROTESTED THAT THOSE SACRED PRECINCTS WOULD BE INVADED BY THE RABBLE. SMITH THUNDERED BACK "I AM THE RABBLE." HE NEVER FORGOT HIS HUMBLE ORIGINS AND HIS DAYS IN THE FULTON FISH MARKET. IN THE ASSEMBLY

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THE COMPETENCE OF THIS MAN FROM THE CITY TO DISCUSS
FISHING AND GAME LAWS WAS QUESTIONED BY AN UPSTATE LEGISLATOR. HIS RESPONSE IS RECORDED:

MR. SPEAKER, IF ALL THE FISH I HANDLED IN FULTON
FISH MARKET WERE PUT INTO THE CAPITOL BUILDING,
THEY WOULD PRY THE ROOF OFF, BULGE OUT THE WINDOWS,
COVER THE LAWN AND CASCADE DOWN THE HILL TO THE
HUDSON RIVER IN A STREAM FIFTEEN FEET DEEP. I AM
THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE ASSEMBLY WHO CAN TALK THE
FISH LANGUAGE.

THE CRITICISMS OF SMITH WERE INDEED PETTY AND MEAN--
FOR EXAMPLE, IT WAS SAID THAT HE SPOKE WITH A DECIDED NEW
YORK ACCENT. SINCE HE WAS BORN IN NEW YORK I CANNOT
IMAGINE WHAT OTHER KIND OF ACCENT HE COULD PROPERLY HAVE.
TO THOSE OF US BORN AND BRED IN THE BRONX, SMITH'S RADIO
SPEECHES WERE PERFECTLY UNDERSTANDABLE--AS FAR AS I AM
CONCERNED IT IS THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T COME FROM NEW YORK
WHO HAVE THE ACCENTS--NOT US.

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ANOTHER CRITICISM OF SMITH WAS THAT HE DID NOT HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HIGHER EDUCATION. LIKE ABRAHAM LINCOLN, THEREFORE, SMITH WAS FORCED TO GET ALONG WITH THE NATURAL EQUIPMENT OF A FIRST-RATE MIND, A GREAT INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY AND ENERGY AND AN INNATE HUMANITY WHICH WAS NEVER MAUDLIN AND ALWAYS TEMPERED BY A SENSE OF HUMOR. SMITH ESTABLISHED HIS CREDENTIALS BY HIS PERFORMANCE AND ALL OF US HERE ARE THE RICHER FOR IT. HIS VIRTUES WERE HOMELY--HE LOVED HIS GOD AND HIS COUNTRY AND HIS WIFE AND HIS FAMILY. THIS MAKES HIM, I SUPPOSE IN TODAY'S PARLANCE, A SQUARE. ON BEHALF OF ALL THOSE SIMILARLY SITUATED I SAY, LONG LIVE THE SQUARES AND OUR MEMORIES OF ALFRED EMANUEL SMITH.