Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-28
Origin Of tho Republican Party Of
Iowa.

The Republican party Of Iowa
was organized at Convention held
at Iowa City, which was then the
Capital, on the 22d of February, the
anniversary of Washington's birth
day, in 1856. The Convention met
under the following call, which was
first published in the Mt. Pleasant
Observer, and thence passed into all
the papers Of the State which ia
vored the movement:
TO THE CITIZENS OF IOWA:
Believing that large majority Of the
citizens of Iowa are opposed to the polit
ical principles of the present Administra-
ton, and to the introduction of slavery
made free by the Compromise of 1920;
and that the party styling itselfthc Dem
ocratic Party" are striving to make
slavery great national institution, con-
trary to the principles laid down in the
Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution as taught by the Fathers Of
the Republic; we would call upon all
such free citizens to meet in Convention,
at Iowa City, on the 22d of February,
for the purpose Of organizing Rcpubli-
can party, to make common cause with
similar party already formed in several
of the States of the Union.
January 3, 1856. MANY CITIZENS.
OF the proceedings of the Con-
vcntion, and the manner in which
the party" was organized, the Bur-
lington Huwk Eye has the follow
ing account:
"When the Convention met, Phil
ip Nelie was chosen President, with
Luke Palmer, d. S. Davis, Henry
Temple, w. w. Woods, Il. J. Tai
bot, c.. Il. Kelsey, J. w. Cattell and
e. II. Williams Vice Presidents;
and J. L. Lane, N. NJ. Hubbard, J.
B. Stewart, G. c. Nourse Secreta-
ries. Something over fifty counties
were represented. The platform
adopted consisted of ten ringing
resolutions, re-aflirming the funda
mental truths of the Declaration of
Independence and the Constitution
of the U. s., and denouncing the eff
forts of the Democratic party to
make Slavery national and freedom
sectional. Among the Committee
on Resolutions were Francis SPRING
err, Samuel A. Rice, Fitz Henry
Warren, J. w. Cattell, J. b. How
ell, A. II. McCrary, Hiram Price,
VIM. NJ. Stone, Jacob Butler, and
other prominent citizens. On a
committe to draft an address to the
people of the State, were J. B. Grin
nell, J. A. Parvin, S. J. Kirkwood
and Alvin Sanders. The State Cen
trail Committee consisted of a. J.
Stevens. J. p. Grantham, w. +.
Miller, Jno. Cassidy and S. NJ. Bal
lard. The Presidential Electors
chosen were Reuben Noble, Henry
O'Conner, Daniel +. Miller and
VIM. NJ. Stone. The Delegates to
the National Republican Convention
were +. Springer, S. ID. Carpenter,
+. IL. Warren, ii. A. Witt, Jos. W.
Caldwell, J. II. Il. Armstrong, J. b.
Howell and E. Mayne. For State
officers the following nominations
were made: Secretary of State, Eli
iah Sells; Auditor, Jno. Pattee;
Treasurer NJ. l.. Morris; Atty Gen,
Samuel A. Rice. The Convention
adjourned with nine hearty cheers
for the success of the Republican
cause
The State election that year was
held in August, and the Repub-
Leans carried the State by about
5000 majority, which they increas-
ed in November for Fremont to
something over 1000. From that
year to this our State and very
large majority Of the counties com
posing it have been in the hands,
politically speaking, of the Rcpub-
licans. The affairs of no State in
the Union have been so judiciously,
economically or periodically admin
istered, as have those of Iowa. No
State has prospered more, no State
has brighter prospects to day. We
point to it with pride as living
cxcmplitication of the wisdom, the
justice and the prudence Of a con
tinuous Republican administration"