Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-01-15

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sentiment in the Wing party was so
strong that it could not be trusted
by the South; and it was SO strong
it could not itself survive the plat
form of 1852. The campaign was
fought without heart on the part OF
a large portion Of the Wing party,
and of course lost. In Wisconsin
the Wing party never rallied alter
wards. This statement seems prop
er as showing the condition Of poll
teal affairs prior to the organiza-
ton of the Republican party in this
State, which for the past eighteen
years has been the ruling party, and
which surrenders its power to-day
to what is called a Reform party,
but what in reality, as it seems to
us, is nothing but the old Democrat
ic party revived. OF this, time will
determine.
IN the campaign of 1858, Mr..
Barstow was the Democratic candi-
date for Governor. He was OPP
posed by a combination of the Wing
and Free Soil parties, on a "Peo-
pies Ticket" headed by f. d. ll0l-
ton. The Democratic ticket sue
ceeded. In June, 1894, call was
issued for peoples mass State
Convention, to be composed Of all
men opposed to the repeal OF the
Missouri Compromise, the extension
of slavery, and the rule of the slave
power" to meet at Madison on the
18th Of July, "to take such meas
ures as may be deemed necessary to
prevent the future encroachnents
of the slave power, to repeal all
compromises in favor of slavery,
and to establish the principles OF
f'CcdOm as the rule Of the State and
National governments the conven-
ton was held and largely attended
by men of all the old political par
ties who were ready to resist the
demands of the slave power. 1t
was then the Republican party of
Wisconsin was organized, and the
| following condensed platform was
adopted with great unanimlty:
Resolved, That the repealed and long con
tmucd encroachmcnts of the slave power
eliminating at last in the repeal of the law OF
freedom in all the hitherto unOrganized terri
tory Of the Union, forces upon us the conyic
! ton that there is no escape from the altcrna
,I Freedom Slavery : nGliIip1l Is
sue which is to determine whether the future
| administration Of the Government shall be
| devoted To the one or the other.
Resolved, That we accept this issue, forced
upon Us by the slave power, and in the de
| Tense of freedom, will cooperate and be known
II, Republicans, pledged to the accomplish
ment of the following purposes:
70 bring the administration of the Govern
mcnt back to the control of first principles.
70 restore Nebraska and Kansas To the pO-
sition OF free territories.
70 The repeal and entire aborgation Of the
| Fugitive Slave Act.
! 70 restrict slavery to the States in which it
! exists,
| 70 prohibit the admission of any more slave
| States IN the Union.
TO exclude slavery from all the territories
! over which the General Government has eX-
! cluslyc jurisdiction md to resist the acqnisi-
ton OF any more territory, unless the prOhi-
hItion of slavery therein forever shall have
been first provided for,
Resolved, That for the furthcrance of these
purposes, we will use such constitutional and
lawful means ~ shall seem best adapted to
their accomplishment and that we will sup
port no man Tor office under the General or
state Governments, who /, not positively and
fully committed to the support of these prin-
Cip.cs, and whose personal character and con
duet is not guaranty that he is reliable.
The new party took into its ranks
the entire Free Soil party, a large
portion of the Wing party, and
considerable number of the liberal
minded members of the Democratic
party; thus forming a strong COM
pctitor with the once powerful and
the then ruling party in the State.
The campaign OF that fall was warm
" contested. c. G. Washburn and
Charles BiIlinghurst, Republicans,
and Daniel Wells, Democrat, were
elected TO Congress the State Sen
ate had small Democratic majority,
and the Assembly was carried by
the new party, so that in Joint ballot
the Republicans had one majority.
This was the commencement OF Re
publican power in Wisconsin, and it
was only partial; the State officers
being all Democrats, and that party
controlled the Senate.
In the fall of 1893 the two parties
entered the field with tickets for
State officers, Mr.. Barstow heading
the Democratic, and Mr. Bashford
the Republican forces, The contest
was an active and somewhat bitter
one, resulting in the election OF the
Democratic ticket excepting COY