The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-11
Republican Conventions.

Republican Conventions.
The Republican convention meets in
Philadelphia one week from tomorrow.
and one OF Its most interesting features
will be the presence upon the platform
of some Of the veterans who partici-
pated In the memorable gatherings for
ty-five years ago. when the Republican
party was organized and placed its first
national ticket In the field. The greater
number OF those who were prominent
IN those first Republican councils have
long since passed away. but there are
a few remaining. among them the ven
erable Galusha A. Grow. who Is still
serving the state OF Pennsylvania in the
national house OF representatives.
The first Republican convention was
determined upon at a meeting at Pitts
burg OF the Republican committees OF
Ohio. Pennsylvania, Vermont. wiscon-
sin and Massachusetts. who issued the
call II is claimed. however. that the
Republican party organization had been
previously decided on at a meeting OF
representative wings. Democrats and
Free Sellers In = church at Ripon, Wis.
on February rs. 1854. and on March 20
at another meeting 1t the same place
the name Republican" was adopted.
The party organization spread rapidly
after that. interest In II being stimu-
lated by the Introduction In the senate
by stephen A. Douglas OF his Kansas
Nebraska bill which extended slavery
90 the territories
adelphia In 1856 was memorable for sew
erai reasons. The party which II repre-
scented was great party from the very
beginning. 1t was not a mere side is
SUE. to come upon the stage and dis
appear. Az many other political organ
ixations had done and have done even
up to the present time. II united for the
first time all the opponents OF slavery
extension. for the Free Soil party which
preceded II never comprised the whole of
those who objected 20 the growing pre-
tensions OF the slave states To the
Republican party came men from many
Organizations, and when It's convention
met forty-fivo years ago II was made
UP OF the old political sbolitionists ot
the Liberty party. the Free Soilcrs the
snti-slavery sections Of the Know
Nothinss and OF the Democrats. with
the great bulk Of the Northern Whlgs
The convention nominated Fremont
and Dayton and the ticket was defeat
ed. But the new party showed that Il
had strength. for It east a popular vote
OF l.3si. s5A as ssainst buchanan and
Breckenridge. whose popular vote was
iSsS. iee. with ia electoral votes as COM
pared with the Republican electoral
vote Of iit Four years later the new
party triumphed. and with two cNcep-
,ions u has been successful in every
presidential election since that time The
Democrats have had president on two
eccAsions, bat the party has never been
able 10 change Republican policies ON
the first ooeasion they lacked one ~
the houses % congress, aud on tho SOC.
end. although they controlled congress,
they we're hapeloss,x divided In thr az.
tempt 60 put pvmAcratie professions
into Democrats practice.
purlus the past forty hye Yeas the
Republican party has been the only
Political orsaniEstion that has show n
itself equal 10 all emergencies as they
have arisen, the only party that has
progressed With the times ana has been
able 60 enact legislation through which
the country could advance and prosper.
All Of the laws out 81 which has FOL.
lowed the stupendous growth OF the
las; part ~ the present century have
been Republican creations. and Il the
necessities Of the future are to BE- met
that party must sian Ne relied upon.
TIE Republican party is the only party
that can satisfactorily settle the prob
tens that are now pressing for d so