The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-12-01
jackson, Michigan, GLAZING the
;, Party Was BORN There.
FIRST REGULAR CONVENTION
Said to Have Met IN Thut City--t)thcr
Men aud Places May Hnvo oIigin-
atcd the Idea, But 1IiuhiGnS Was
the First State TO Take Definite
Action..organization OF tho First
Public Gathering of AvowodS 10.
publicans.

Blair, Michigan's war governor, very
iorcibly rcsents the statements OF Ger
tain Republicans OF Chicago ny to wisan
and where tho "grand old party w,ts
formed, So also does ]. c. Richardson.
q member OF tho Board OF Public Works
Of the city OF jackson, as It is thought
the Republican party had its beginning
in his back yard. The legendary oaks
under which the party was formed were
cleared away twenty-five years ago. The
"AIorgan Forty" MS it was then called,
is now the heart OF the residence por-
ton Of the city. A quarter OF u century
ago the land was purchased from Mrs.
Morgan, who then lived ut Ann Atbor,
by Wood, livermorc & Eaton, real estate
agents, the historic oaks cleared away
and the grove plated ont IN lots. The
grove was situated at the present inter-
section OF Franklin and Second streets.
The doughty governor has never been
known to give up, and hc now quotes
from the newspaper life OF Xachariali
Chandler, to prove that the Republican
party, OF which he has ever been so
proud, was born right here in the city
OF jackson, and while he quotes he re-
joces that he was present at its birth.
Tho call for all OF the opponents OF
slavery extension TO meet in Il mass
meeting ut Jackson July 6, 1851, was
issued during the last days OF June and
was signed by several thousand leading
citizens III all parts OF the state, includ-
ing Iachnriah Chandler, Jacob NJ. How
ard, II. p. Baldwin, Austin Blair, Isaac
7. Christiancy, and others. The sigma
lures filled two newspaper columns in
close type. The gathering is described
MS follows: The response TO this APP
peal was the gathering at Jackson OF in
tlucn!ial men from ali parts OF Michigan,
representing every shade OF anti-savery
feeling and thoroughly alive TO the i'm
portance OF the occasion and the dihi-
cC!ty OF the task projected. The con-
vention far outstripped in numbers the
preparations for its accommodation,
and, after filling to excess the largest
hall in the town, it adjourned to meet
in n beautiful oak grove, situated be-
tween the village and the county race
course, on tract OF land known rs
"Nlorgan's Forty" Tie growth OF Jack
son has since covered this historic
ground with buildings.
\ rude platform erected for speakers
was appropriated by the officers OF the
convention, and about throngcd mass
OF earnest men, tho vanguard OF the Re-
publican host. The Hon. Levi Baxter,
OF Janosville, was temporary chairman.
jeremiah Van Rensselaer, was chosen
temporary secretary. The committee
on permanent organization was APP
pointed. While they were delibernt-
ing the convention adjourned to the
oak grove and there listened to brief
speeches until q permanent organiza-
ton OF the first Republican state con-
vention ever held was effected. David
S.Walbridgc, OF Kalamazoo, was selected
10 preside, while ]. Van Rensselaer,, J.
F. Conover and A. d. Turner acted as
secretaries. Jacob NJ. Howard, Austin
Blair and fourteen others served OH the
committee on resolutions.
The craftsmanship OF the important
Detroit, the first Wing Congressman
from Michigan. He had prepared a
draft Of the platform in advance OF the
convention, and the committee met to
consider it under q clump OF trees on
the outskirts OF the grove. No material
notifications were made in the docu-
ment, which was adoytcd substantially
rs written by Mr.. Howard except that
Two resolutions, drafted by Austin
Blair and relating to state affairs purely.
were added. Over the resolution for
mally christening the new party ere
publican" there was no especia, dis
cussion. There had already been suc-
gcstions made throughout tho country
that for the new organization about to
be born it might be eXpedicnt to revive
the name OF that wise conservative
party, whose aim and purpose were the
welfare OF the whole Union and the
stainless honor OF the American name"
The history OF this resolution in tho
Howard platform has been thus given
by Mr.. Joseph Warren i'll published
letter: "Thc honor OF having named
ami christencd the party belongs joint
~ to Jacob NJ. Howard, Horace Greelcy
and myself. Soon after the writer be-
gan to advocate through the columns OF
the Iribane the organization OF NIL oppo.
ncats OF slavery into u single party,
Horace Greeley voluntarily opened 4
correspondence with him in regard 10
this movement, in which he frankly
communicated his views and gave him
many valuable suggestions rs to the
wiscs: course to DO pursued. This cor
rcspondcnce was necessarii" Every short,
as it began and ended in June, it being
only five weeks from tho repeal OF the
compromise, May 80, to the jackson
convention. In his last letter, received
only 4 day or two before the conycn-
ton was TO assemble. Mr. Greeley su.-
gestcd 10 him Republican, according 10
his recollection, but Mr.. Howard con.
tended 'Dcmocrat-Rcpublican was an
appropriate name for the proposed new
party. The material fact is that at this
meeting the writer cordially approved
Mr.. Grecley's letter containing the sur-
gcstions to Mr.. Howard on tho day oi
the convention, after he had been ap-
pointed chairman OF the committee on
resolutions, and strongly advised its
adoption. This was done and tho plat
form adopted"
Tho christening resolution read MS FOL.
lows:
Resolved, That in view Of the necessity
OF battling for tho first principles OF Re.
publican government and against the
schemes OF an aristocracy, the most re.
voting and oppressive with which the
earth was over cursed, or man debascd,
We will corporate and be known rs Re.
publicans until the contest be termin.
atod.
The claim that Michigan was the first
state to organize and name the Ropubli-