The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-19

BIRTH OF THE REru sLIoax PARTY.

BIRTH OF THE REPt gLICAS PARTY.
Pittsburs Is celebrating the forty-firSt
year OF the state organization OF the old
Fremont or Republican party. The Penn
sylvanIa newspapers are very justly max
ing mueh Of IT, and there have been few
yeas Ia which the birth OF that party
could be more appropriately celebrated
than in the year 1896. The famous editor
Of the Philadelphia Times takes a par
iieuiar interest in the anniversary. because
he Is one OF the few delegates now Iiv-
Ing who attended the first meeting in
his state Of the new party. His remin-
Iscenees form a very important part of
the history Of that period when, as he
says. the name was Kissed with contempt,
not only throughout the entire ranks Of
the Democracy. but largely throughout
the old whig and American ranks of that
day, and the term black Republican"
was heard in our national senate and
house of representatives as the most OPP
probTious epithet that could be applied
10 a public man.
The party was born amid most IN
promising surroundings. but 81 was Graded
On principle and IL throve upon opposi-
ton. The memorable address laying the
foundation for the national Republican
party came from the pen Of Henry j.
Raymond one of the most brilliant jour
nallsts Of American history. The party
was not formed Immediately by the men
who afterward became leaders. History
Informs us that forty-fve years ago the
old whtg party was going through the
throes Of disruption. and the whole party
was eventually diSintegrated. Then the
Know-Nothing craze swept the country
like a prairie fire. 10 use the language OF
one OF the foremost Of the new party. only
10 be afterward consumed by It's own
heat, The Free Sellers were In a hopeless
minority, and the Republicans were few.
scattered and disorganized. and consist
ing merely Of a few local and state or
eanizatlons. II was while things were in
this demoaalized condition that two men.
salmon p. Chase and David. y White.
editor Of the Pittsburg Gazette. got to-
gether and determined to lnaugurate
conference looking toward the coalition Of
their parties The conference was held
n Pittsburg IA November. lS5l
At the same time Republican move
r.ent was being started In another quarter
IN Pennsylvania. and as q matter OF fact
50 rather antedatcs the PittsburE con-
ference jhat l. now To Dc celebrated
Republican state convention was called
So meet at the same place In 1850. and Il
terminated Psssmerc Williamson Tor canal
commissioner. lie was then in prison.
having been committed by the supreme
court % Pennsylvania fer refusing 20
surrender the body OF fugitive slave.
and his nomination was made with the
Widest enthusiasm. The Williamson fam
iiy Il may be remarked. had attained
some notorisJy or account OF one or The
family having been connected very act-
bely with the underground railroad"
many 81 the members of which oreanira-
uoa were severely punished Tor the all
they rendered 60 runaway slaves There
were then three candidates in the upld
opposed 30 the Democracy- the
American. the Whg and the Republican
but before the election they wcre ID!
withdrawn by mutual arrangement and a
new candidate substituted, who was de-
fcsted al the election by & small majority.
The state convention was the forerun-
meg 81 the conference % 1855 that formal
iy founded the Republican party OF the
Uuion. and which event is row being
celebrated. "a WAS not until January Of
che following year that the famous dec
larAtiou vas publishes. There was gem
er4 Dissatisfaction with an The them ex-
tetng political parties The territory of
Kansas was TIA the midst Of q clvjl strue-
sic over the slavery question. and the
t.-ne seemed very propIuous fer a new de-
pa~turc
john SacEmsn. SEQ his rrco.lec,lons. says
that the state convention held u ono
eu JUfv f2 1865 formally declared stself
Is convention or ;he Republican party. hat
afmlts that gne long struggle in Kansas
tae e}ectlons IN tSSl and sas contest sc-
tAA speakershiP * she house added
streakth % th's movement ana che rarae
Terao}icen Was adopted Tor the new party
~ sac uasieisai convention bella az Fhi.a-
dsipaia. June T. 50. IS the best ex-
preston 81 fts views ana principles
Bul even before that time the word had
besa used go designate faction. a strong
uapuiav uave aeat WAS initiated iu some
50 Ghe WcsterH states es esvN as 1854 ga
fsver 81 a new party. J. IS rot smr-5b-
aa'e tAat 81 she state 81 Mlealgaa belongs
'hs eonav 20 having conceived ire new
arfr Css. fhe e1h ~ Tulv rV.4 a rra.trs~
convention vas hsi1 SO Jacksca. Mica-.
composed 90 hundreds - -nen e All Har-
tics MO denounced slavery as e gre4t
moral se<.al aad rosice} esa aad rs-
SOLVED that. possg aslirE and saspeadias al
Differences Nt,A regard to political ecoa-