The sun., 1892-12-18


While tho Kansas Nebraska bill was pending.
meeting OF all citizens opposed to the extern
sion OF slavery into the Territories was held In
Wisconsin. This differed from other meeting
held throughout tho North In that the
organization OF new party on the sla-
very issue was recommended. and the name
suggested for It was Republican. Five woeks
after the repeal Of the Missouri Com
promise a more authoritative declaration
was made by body representing wider con-
stituency. In response to call. signed by sew
eral thousand leading citizens OF Michigan. a
State mass meeting was held at jackson on
July 9. 1854. Those who took part In this
meeting resolved that. postponng and sus-
pending all differences with regard to poiiti-
cal economy or administrative policy. they
would cooperate to oppose the extension
OF slavery. and would be known as Rspubli-
cans until the contest ended. Conventions
which passed resolutions Of similar tenor were
held soon afterward In Ohio and Indiana; in
Wisconsin and Vermont the name Republican
was formally assumed. Under the stimulus
applied by the attempt OF the slave power to
gain possession OF Kansas the Republican
movement gained strength. largely at the OK
pense OF the Know Nothing order. In july
1855, an Ohio Convention. which accepted the
name Republican. nominated for Governor
Salmon p. Chase. and he was elected. The
Republicans also carried Vermont In tho same
year. and in New York fusion Of the anti
slavery elements WAS effected under tho name
Republican. That year. however. they were
unable to elect their State ticket in New York.
1t is pointed out that from the beginning two
different impulses actuated men to join the
Republican party. The one impulse repre-
sentod devotion to the cause OF the slave;
It was an expression OF a humanitarian spirit.
and had its most conspicuous embodiment
in Summer The other current OF opinion was
exemplined in Seward: It was protest against
tho increasing and encroachihg political power
OF the slave oligarchy. No doubt the Sumner
and Seward sentiments ran into each other.
but a study OF the political literature OF the
time has brought Mr.. Rhodes to conclusion
which will commend itself to the survivors
OF the period In question. namely. that though
the moral sentiment was preponderant with a
considerable action. In the case OF a much
greater number the political sentiment
weighed down the balance.
The election OF Nathaniel P. Banks as Speak
er Of the House Of Representatives was recog-
nized rs practically triumph Of the young
Republican party. and concentrated attention
on tho first Republican National Convention.
which assembled at Pittsburgh on Feb. %.
1855. There were present delegates from
twenty three States The address. which was
written by Henry j. Raymond and unanimous
~ adopted by tho Convention. closed with a
declaration Of the object for which the men,
bers OF the new party united in political
action: I'VE demand and shall attempt to
secure the repeal Of all laws which allow the
introduction OF slavery into Territories once
consecrated to freedom. and will resist by
every constitutional means the existence
OF slavery in any OF the Territories OF
the United States. We will support by
every lawful means our brethren in
Kansas. and we are in favor Of the Immediate
admission Of Kansas as q free and indepen-
dent State. 1t is. finally. a leading rurnose Of
our organization to oppose and overthrow the
present national Administration" About four
months later a second Republican National
Convention was held at Philadelphia to nomi-
nate candidates for President and Vice. Presi-
dent. and Fremont and Dayton were made tho
bearers Of the party. It Is notswor-
thy that on an Informal ballot at this Conven-
ton Abraham Lincoln received 40 votes
for tho nomination for Nice-President.
Thaddeus Stevens maintained that II Nc.
Lean had been put forward at this Con-
vention he would have carried pennsylva-
mia: on the other hand the editors Of tho New
York Tribune insisted both before and after
tho election that Mclean would have received
100000 fewer votes in New York than did Fre-
mont From Republican point OF view
the doubtful States wero Pennsylva-
mia. New jersey. Indiana. Illinois. and
California. In the Convention a majority OF
the delegates from all these States. except Cali
fornia. voted for Mclean. Buchanan carried
every one OF them. 1t is Mr.. Rhodes's opinion
that Seward would have carried as many
States as did Fremont and no more. In that
event he would have probably been the Re-
publican candidate four years later. referring
to Stewards failure to obtain the support OF
New York in the Convention OF 1856. Thurlow
Weed used to tell the following story: Heand
Seward. it seems. were passing the hronze
statue OF Lincoln in Union square and Seward
said. weed. II you had been faithful to me
should have been there instead OF Lincoln"
Seward" replied Weed. is 1t not better to be
alive in o carriage with me than to be dead
and set up In bronZe?"
In the chapter devoted to John Browns raid
the author takes q middle ground between
and condemnation. On the one
hand we are reminded that at the National
Republican Convention held In the May fol-
lowing the event. the Harper's Ferry invasion
was denounced as among the eravest OF
crimes" On the other hand. the author does
not fail to reproduce the very different verdict
delivered mt the time by philosophers and poets.
including such men as Emerson. Thoreau. and
Victor Hugo. Mr.. Rhodes is disposed to think
that n century must pass before an historical
estimate acceptable to all lovors OF liberty and
justice can be made Of John Brown. Infinite
indeed is the variety Of opinions regarding a
man who on the one hand is compared to
Socrates and Christ and on the other to
Orsini and Wilkes Booth. Our author
revolts at the likeness drawn between Brown
and men who had done the work OF assas-
sinaton: yet he acknowledges that the COM
parison to Christ and Socrates strikes a dis
cordant note. Immeasurably removed are the
apostle OF peace and apostle OF truth from the
man whose method OF reform consisted in
shedding blood. Rather should We say, 1t is
suggested. that the teacher who uttered the
injunction Render unto Cnsar the things
that are Cnsar's" and the philosopher whose
long life was one OF strict obedien to the
laws. are silent rebuke to tho man whose re.
nown was gained by the breach OF laws deemed