The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-08-04
Grue Norttermer.
Paw Paw, MICHIGAN, AUG. 4, 1876.
From the Evening News.
Il Bn Of Political History.

IL MT ~ AOUtsC0t hsStoENs
The republican party Is not yet so oil
that any portion OF it's history has bee
forgotten by those who have been fami
lar with the political events of the pas
twenty years. But the important plac
that the party has occupied in the nation
renders it of interest to have that his
tory, especially of the earlier days O
the party, placed on record in a con
venient form. We are indebted to tn
jackson Patriot for q new chapter OF
the subject, in which the main facts il
the case are set forth in an interesting
style. In the summer of 1854, say
the Patriot, pursuant to call of promi
pent public men in the state, large
body of men, representing the thought
and ability of the opposition to the theI
dominant democratic party, assembled
in this city. They were composed chief
ly of wings and freesoilers, with few
disaffected democrats scattered among
them. They met, not as the delegates
Of district constituencies, but each indi'
vidual came of his own choosing. They
came together en- masse, an incongruous
assemblage, with gigantic task before
them-the consolidation of many dis
oordant views aud interests into one
harmonious whole. AS in all such as
semblies, there were those whose whole
aim was for the success Of the princi-
ples to which they were welded. Of
these there were prominent Judge Da'
vid S. Walbridge, of Kalamazoo /,
Judge Isaac p. Christiancy, of Monroe !;
Hon. Jacob NJ. Howard, of Detroit !;
Hon. Fernando G. Besman, of Adrian :
Kinsley S. Bingham. of Livingston coun-
ty, and many Others There were an
other class who were in attendance,
whose personal aims and ambitions
were the great moving power of their
actions.
Chief among these was Hon. Zach.
ariah Chandler, of Detroit. At this
time he was bitter and uncompromis-
ing whig. His personal friends were in
that party, and to them he looked for
his future advancement. He feared
that an amalgamation with the free.soil-
ers would materially lessen his chances
for coming position, and he came to
Jackson fully determined to prevent the
party nuptials. But when he arrived
on the ground he found that the senti.
ment for the wedding had set in so
strong that no obstacle he could inter.
pose would stem the tide. His only
course was to hold himself aloof from
the acts of the convention. The men
who were struggling for principle and
success by combination early got the
strings in their hands, and for the want
of nall to accommodate the assem-
blage, they convened in the oak grove
that stood on track of land then known
as " Morgan's Forty" and which was
afterwards purchased by Messrs Liver
more, Wood DC Eaton, and is now what
Is called " Livermore, Wood &c Eatons
plat of a part Of the city of jackson
Mich"
The place of the meeting of the con.
vention was about thirty rods southwest
of the present high school building, in
the immediate vicinity of where the Sec
ond alley west of Blackstone street,
crosses from CORTLAND to Washington
street. Here under the shadow of the
oaks, that body of men assembled which
was to give form and vitality to an or
gauization that was destined to hurry
forward the impending clash of arms
and to hold undisputed the reins Of gov
eminent for sixteen years. Judge Da-
vid s. Walbridge, Of Kalamazoo, after
wards a member of congress for two
terms, was chosen to preside over the
deliberations of the convention. There
was no committee on credentials, the
presence of each individual being taken
as a guarantee for his future faithful la
Dor for the success of the party. After
the permanent organization was effected
Jacob NJ. Howard arose and delivered
an address full of fire aud eloquence.
His audience were of the enthusiastic
class, whose minds and hearts respond
cd cheerfully to his utterances. The
differences of the two parties were lost
sight of in the bright pictures OF victory
which Howard painted SO wildly.
A large committee on resolutions
was appointed, with Mr.. Howard as
chairman. The same spiri: that per-
vaded his speech was interpreted
throughout the resolutions, and they
were greeted with outburst after out
burst Of applause. One of them con-
tanned the name of the new organiza-
tion, 4" The National Republican Party"
1t was greeted with hearty cheer.
And here, as well as anywhere else, the
question as to who named the republi.
can party may be decided, and the facts
made public. After the call of the con-
vention, and prior to the time of its
meeting, Horace Greeley, of the New
York Tribune, was written to on the
subject by Mr.. Howard. For some
time previous Greeley, the acknowl-
edged leader of the wings, had been
using all the influence of the Tribune to
Al &c tba tmo mr.