The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-29
REPUBLICANISM IN INDIANA.


contention that the f8rty was NOt
Organized Until 1855.
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal
The Journal asks why Indiana may not
unite with Michigan next summer in the
celebration of the semi-centennial of the
Republican party. We may not, for the very
good reason that the Republican party was
not organized until 1856. The anti-Nebraska
parties of 1854 were local and wholly in
dependent of each other, having nothing
in common except opposition to the extern
sion of slavery through the repeal of the
Missouri compromise, and the purpose to
divide the Nebraska territory so as to make
a slave State of the southern part, but this
was not purely a Democratic measure, for
all the Wings in the South were as Jealous
in it's behalf as were the Democrats.
Some of these local organizations took the
name of Republican as a catch name. for
1t was the Republican party that elected
Jefferson and Madison and Monroe, and
some where known as the anti-Nebraska
party. I'm Indiana the party was known Of
ficially as the Peoples party, but in less
than a month after the convention it was
known in common parlance as the Fusion
party, for it was composed of everything
that was not Democratic. Some were old
time Wings, and they meant to die in
Wing harness; many were old-time Demo-
Gratis. and they wished still to be known
as Democrats with the 'anti-Nebraska"
prefix, merely for temporary purposes. Not
one of these renowned his allegiance to the
Democratic party on any OF the economic
measures which had divided the people for
a quarter of a century; they meant only
to protest against it's defense of slavery
When that was closed they expected to
return to the party whose general policy
they had long Endorsed, and they conducted
the canvass of that year distinctly avowing
this purpose. A large contingent were
Know-nothings, who merely agreed to act
with others without deserving their own
party, and who returned to their party al
legiance for the campaign of 1856; and not
the least element of strength was the Free
Soil party, that wholly suspended all its
political movements to join in the Flu
sion" But the most potent factor of the
combination was the prohibitory element.
1t had never been organized as party,
but for five years 1T had been growing as
a political factor. In 1s4S Schuyler Colfax,
with more wisdom than most of US, so Wig
orously opposed the proposition made in
the Grand Division OF the Sons OF Temper
ance to demand more restrictive laws
against the saloon to defeat it, but the
Grand Division of lS49 almost unanimously
resolved to demand legislation. which. by
1854 had eliminated in a demand for a
duplication of the Maine law, and this was
backed by such men as c. +. Clarkson,
d. Z. Holloway, Fabius M. Finch and Con-
rad Baker, and they entered that People s
convention to demand a recognition of their
prohibition sentiment; they got II, and a
Legislature pledged to prohibition was
elected and the prohibition law of 1856 was
the result.
That was no Republican convention; it
was simply an anti-Nebraska convention,
with national question before it except
the extension Of slavery. 1t did not de-
nounce slavery at all or ask for its abolish
ment only its restriction to its then bounds.
yet the Free Soil party went into 1t heart
lily. When George w. Julian was twitted
later on because of his zeal in its interest
he answered. IF / start from Centerville
afoot and alone for Indianapolis, and am
overtaken by a man with an empty seat in
his carriage and he asks me to ride with
him far he goes, do you suppose / am
such a fool as to refuse because he is going
only to Cambridge City? / go with these
men far as they go, trusting to Provi-
dence for the balance of the way. In 1856
the Peoples party met and nominated cam
didates for state officers and adopted sub
prohibition and all, but the party of in
congruities had gone to pieces The Know
nothings ran their own candidate for Pres
ident, the saloon element went in a body to
the Democratic party, some old Wings went
into the Democratic party and some of the
anti-Nebraska Democrats gravitated to
their own and the Peoples party, now
merged into the Republican party, which
was defeated but the Republican party as
it now exists was not organized until 1856;
therefore we cannot celebrate it's semi
centennial in 1904 Z. L. SEE.
Indianapolis, July q.