Alonzo G. Smith

Alonzo G. Smith (born September 6, 1848 as Alonzo Greene Smith in Meigs County , Ohio , † August 6, 1907 in Indianapolis , Indiana ) was an American politician . Between 1887 and 1889 he was acting lieutenant governor of the state of Indiana.

Career

Almost nothing is known about this American politician. One thing is certain: he belonged to the Democratic Party and was a member and President Pro Tempore of the Indiana Senate in 1887 .

The year 1887 was overshadowed in Indiana by an event that went down in state history as Black Day of the State Legislature. It began with Governor Isaac P. Gray declaring that he would be elected to the US Senate by the General Assembly . This began a dispute between the two major parties, which escalated when the Democratic-ruled State Senate denied the newly elected Lieutenant Governor Robert S. Robertson this office. Even a ruling by the Supreme Court of Indiana did not change that. When Robertson tried to enter the Senate boardroom on February 24, 1887, there were violent clashes between Democrats and Republicans . Robertson was assaulted and gunshots were fired. The governor had to call the police to stop the tumult. The result was a stalemate: The governor renounced his candidacy for the US Senate and Robertson could not take office. These events were one of the reasons why the 16th Amendment to the Constitution introduced direct election of US Senators. Acting lieutenant governor was Senate President Alonzo G. Smith, who then held this post until 1889.

Between 1890 and 1894 Smith held the office of Attorney General for his state. After that his track is lost.

literature

• American Bar Association : Annual Report: Including Proceedings of the Annual Meeting,: Volume 31 , EC Markley & Son, Philadelphia, 1907, p. 771.
• Los Angeles Herald. : Volume 34, Number 309, Herald Pub. Co., Los Angeles, Calif., Aug. 6, 1907, p. 2.
• Law Notes. : Volume 11, E. Thompson Co., Northport, NY, 1908, p. 115.

Web links

• Indiana public office list shows Smith as Attorney General
• Statements on the election of Smith as lieutenant governor (footnote 1059)
• Article about the political turmoil in Indiana in 1887