A History of the Republican PartyPlatt, George Washington
History
A History of the Republican Party
Platt, George Washington
Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ) -- History
The State Central Committee was chosen and the first Republican State
Ticket in the United States was nominated, headed by Kinsley S. Bingham
for Governor. One week later, on July 13th, chosen as the anniversary of
the day on which the Ordinance of 1787 was adopted, State Conventions of
the Anti-Nebraska members of all parties were held in Ohio, Wisconsin,
Indiana and Vermont. In Wisconsin and Vermont the name Republican was
distinctly adopted, and in these two States, as well as in the others
mentioned, platforms similar in sentiment to that of Michigan were
agreed on. In Massachusetts the Convention met on July 20th and adopted
the name Republican and an Anti-Nebraska platform, and nominated Henry
Wilson for Governor, but the peculiar political situation in this State
led to the election of the Know-Nothing candidates, but as far as
opposition to slavery was concerned, the Know-Nothings in Massachusetts
were Republican in sentiment, for they selected Henry Wilson for United
States Senator.
Ohio was the first State to suggest a State Convention of the
Anti-Nebraska sentiment; a preliminary meeting was held at Columbus
March 22d, and was attended by Whigs, Free-Soilers and Democrats. The
political situation was thoroughly discussed, and afterwards, as the
passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill became assured, a call was issued
for a State Convention to be held on July 13th. At this Convention the
name Republican was not formally adopted, but throughout the State in
the Congressional Districts that name was common. In New York the Whigs
refused to give up their party organization, but an Anti-Nebraska
platform was adopted and the Whig candidate was elected on it. New York
joined the Republican party in 1855, and Mr. Seward took his place as a
leader of the party in that State. Maine was engrossed with local
issues, and did not adopt the Republican organization in 1854, but
returned Anti-Nebraska Congressmen. Pennsylvania also held to her old
organizations, but returned Anti-Nebraska Congressmen, and the same
situation occurred in Illinois. In Iowa the situation was peculiar, but
nevertheless emphatic for the new organization. The Whigs held their
Convention in that State on February 22d, before the Nebraska Bill had
passed the Senate, and before the sentiment in the North had reached an
acute stage. But before the election in August the Whig candidate, John
W. Grimes, declared himself in favor of the Republican platform and
name, and he was practically elected as a Republican Governor, the first
in the United States. The South, of course, was solid for the Democratic
Party, and no attempt at a Republican organization was made in the
Southern States. In the other Northern States not already mentioned the
sentiment gradually, but with some slowness, solidified in favor of the
new party.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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