Charles Emory Smith (February 18, 1842 – January 19, 1908) was an American journalist and political leader.
Charles Smith | |
|---|---|
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| 39th United States Postmaster General | |
| In office April 21, 1898 – January 8, 1902 | |
| President | William McKinley Theodore Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | James Albert Gary |
| Succeeded by | Henry Clay Payne |
| United States Minister to Russia | |
| In office May 14, 1890 – April 17, 1892 | |
| President | Benjamin Harrison |
| Preceded by | C. Allen Thorndike Rice |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Dickson White |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Charles Emory Smith February 18, 1842 Mansfield, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died | January 19, 1908 (aged 65) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Union College (BA) |
| Signature |  |
Early life
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Charles Emory Smith was born in Mansfield, Connecticut on February 18, 1842.[1] In 1849 his family removed to Albany, New York, where he attended the public schools and The Albany Academy. He graduated from Union College in 1861, was a recruiting officer on the staff of General John F. Rathbone (1819–1901) in 1861-1862, taught in the Albany Academy in 1862-1865, and was editor of the Albany Express in 1865-1870. He joined the staff of the Albany Journal in 1870, and was editor-in-chief of this paper from 1876 to 1880. In 1879-1880 he was a regent of the University of the State of New York. From 1880 until his death he was editor and part proprietor of the Philadelphia Press.[2][1]
Career
editHe was active as a Republican in state and national politics; was chairman of the Committee on Resolutions of the New York State Republican Conventions from 1874 to 1880 (excepting 1877), and was president of the convention of 1879; and was a delegate to several Republican National Conventions, drafting much of the Republican platforms of 1876 and 1896.[2]
In 1890 to 1892 he was United States minister to Russia, and during that period had charge of distributing among the Russian famine sufferers five shiploads of food and other supplies, valued at an estimated $750,000. In November 1892, he gave a speech "addressing the problem of immigration" to the Patria Club. He expressed concern over the changing trends in immigration to the United States, and specifically called for the acceptance of Anglo-Saxon immigrants over Slavic immigrants.[3]
He was Postmaster General in the cabinet of Presidents McKinley and Roosevelt from April 1898 until January 1902, and did much to develop the rural free delivery system.[2][1]
He died at his home in Philadelphia on January 19, 1908.[4] He is buried at West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, River Section, Lot 726.
Notes
edit- ^ a b c The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. Vol. XI. James T. White & Company. 1909. pp. 17–18. Retrieved January 5, 2021 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Smith, Charles Emory". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 25 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 259.
- ^ "IMMIGRATION PROBLEMS; EARNEST ADVOCATES OF RADICAL CHANGES IN THE LAWS. MEMBERS OF THE PATRIA CLUB LISTEN TO CHARLES EMORY SMITH, FREDERIC TAYLOR, AND SENATOR CHANDLER -- DANGERS OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM FULLY SET FORTH". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
- ^ "Noted Man Dies". Pittston Gazette. Philadelphia. January 20, 1908. pp. 1, 6. Retrieved January 5, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
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- Men of Mark in America Biography & Portrait
- Charles Emory Smith at Find a Grave