The Black Rock printer scoffed at the idea, and, while there was considerable notice of Riggs’s proposal, there is no evidence that a meeting took place. In 1828 another proposal was printed, this time in the Ontario Chronicle, Geneva, for “a state Convention of Printers at Auburn, on the 25th of September next for the purpose of adopting some effectual method of securing pay for papers, &c.” The Onondaga printer granted its desirability but doubted that rules would be adhered to or that printers could be secure until all men became honest. It is probable that the cool reception accorded this proposal was due in part to the general opinion that its promoter, Franklin Cowdery, was poorly qualified to speak for the printers. His Geneva venture had been but recently launched, and he had complained constantly about the public patronage and his own meager support.

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Cowdery [Coudery], [Benjamin] Franklin, 1790-1867, b. New Marlborough, Mass.; m. Amanda Munger, 1819; appr., Stockbridge, Mass.; pr. Moscow Advertiser and Livingston Farmer, 1817 (with H. Ripley), Olean Hamilton Recorder, 1819-1820 (with B. F. Smead), Angelica Allegany Republican, 1820-1822, Angelica News Record and Allegany Patron of Industry, 1822, Newport Patriot, 1824-1825, Geneva Ontario Chronicle, 1828-1829, Chronicle of Geneva, 1829, Geneva Chronicle, 1829, Albion Orleans Mercury, 1832, Cuylerville Telegraph, 1847-1848, Rochester Genesee Olio, 1847, Oberlin Evangelist (Ohio) ; jrmn. on American and Democrat, Rochester; d. Rochester.