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THE SUN'S REPORTS OF CONVENTION WRITTEN
BY FRANK A. RICHARDSON
The announcement in The Sun that this book was about to be
printed resulted in the disclosure that the reporter of The Sun who
wrote the accounts of the convention was Frank A. Richardson, prob-
ably the only person now living who has personal knowledge of its
deliberations. Mr. Richardson, before he retired some years ago, was
acknowledged to be one of the best newspaper men in the country.
For 35 years Washington correspondent of The Sun, he was the
personal and political friend of many of the notable figures in recent
history, and his articles in The Sun, signed "F. A. R., " were widely
read. The information that Mr. Richardson reported the convention
was contained in the following letter to The Sun:
To the Editor of The Sun—Sir: The interesting article of "H. S. 8. " on
the Maryland Constitutional Convention of 1867, in The Sun 'Of this date,
brings back to me a flood of recollections. The anonymous reporter of
whom he speaks was your humble servant. I was the representative In
Washington of the Baltimore Sun at that time. As Congress was not In
session, I was requested by the proprietors of The Sun to go to Annapolis
to report the proceedings of the constitutional convention. This work I did
from the first to the last day of its session, continuing from May to August.
The membership of that convention was solidly Democratic. It wag a
choice body of men. I am quite sure that in all the history of the State of
Maryland there was never an assembly under its authority that was more
representative of the culture, the wisdom, the refinement of the Common-
wealth. I was then, as now, accustomed to the debates in Congress, and I
tell you these men of Maryland did not suffer by comparison.
Very few, if any, of these men are alive today, but my memory retains a
vivid impression of the grace of oratory and pause of logic possessed by
many of them. I remember that so far as possible in the limits of news-
paper reporting my endeavor was always to give these men a fair showing.
There was at one time a proposition to have an official reporter for the con-
vention. It was discussed for several days and finally laid on the table.
The greatest influence promoting this action emanated from the late Judge
Albert Ritchie, the father of the present Governor of Maryland, and a mem-
ber from the city of Baltimore. He said the convention would not be Justi-
fied in putting the State to the heavy expense of an official reporter that the
reporter of the Baltimore Sun gave an accurate account of everything that
was worthy of record. Perhaps I should ask pardon for mentioning this.
The visit of Andrew Johnson and his reception by the convention was
intensely dramatic. President Johnson was in the midst of his conflict with
Congress over the brutal oppression of the South and the trampling on
popular rights and liberties. There were in that convention men who had
been put in prison for opinion's sake, men who had been dispelled of their
possessions and for years had ben denied all political rights. The president
of the convention had been dragged from the bench and knocked senseless
with the butt end of a pistol by Federal officials.
So you may imagine how enthusiastic they were over a President who
was trying to bring back the happier days of the Republic. Judge Car-
michael, the president of the convention, with a lively sense of his own
wrongs, welcomed the President of the United States with a voice deep with
emotion. President Johnson responded in a similar vein, serious and sin-
cere.
The times were perilous, It was not a scene for bravos and handclapping.
It was solemn and earnest and thrilled all who1 were present. F. A. R.
Washington, D. C., May 12, 1923.
It is a coincidence that Frank R. Kent, one of the editors of The
Sun, who assisted in making the files of the paper available for this
work, is a nephew of Mr. Richardson.
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