The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-06-15
Now 1Oc. All GrOcers

out being delegates and of having ever
votes counted:
1--WE who went to the republican ma
tional convention in 1856 from Mont
gomery county had always acted will
the wing party, and had urged that
meeting be called to name delegates to
attend the Philadelphia convention, bu
the party leaders refused; they were
shy of the slavery question apprehen
sive that it would damage the viii:
party.
"A few of lis determined to 60 as
lockers on. Edward F. Roberts, tn
youngest of the quartet, was there the
| first day, and upon his return was en-
thusiastic over the prospects. MI
Jacobs, the Rev. NJ Aaron and mysel
followed next day. We did not eXpec;
to participate, but we found the en-
and as we all were anxious for hi,
nomination, it became impossible to re
sist the urgent demands for our vote
as representatives of Montgomery coun
ty We were assured that others in thu
convention occupied a similar position
Our votes were accepted without hes:
tation. and John C. Fremont was mad
the first standard bearer of the repub
lican party. We were there again tn,
third day and while our preference TO
vice president was David Wilmot o.
Pennsylvania, yet we finally went will
the tide in support of William L. Day
ton of New Jersey"
I'm connection with the celebration O.
the republican jubilee of republicanisn
and the nomination of Fremont as it
first candidate, it is interesting to turn
back to the history of the first republi
can association formed in Philadelphia
John C. Fremont was chosen as tn,
standard bearer of the new party OF
Wednesday, June Is, 1856, and on Sat
urday evening of the same week, June
III, 1856, number of patriotic Phila
delphia citizens with progressive ideas
and hatred of slavery in their hearts
got together in a practical way to as
sist in carrying out the work the con
vention had mapped out for its adher
ents to do. One of the prime movers
and active spirits in that primitive lit
tie band of Philadelphia republicans
was Charles Humphreys of Cpl West
York street. He is still living and thus
describes the way in which the first
republican association in Philadelphia
came to be organized:
positively the first republican assO
citation formed in Philadel phia after the
nomination of Fremont and Dayton for
president and vice president by the re-
publican national convention was organ
lied on the night of June 81, 1856. The
following gentlemen met for conference
and organization at ClarksOn hall, Cher
~ street, above Sixth street, at that
time: William F.. Thomas, fourteenth
ward; Charles Humphreys. fourteenth
ward; William S. Pierce, tenth ward ;
James Alcorn, fourteenth ward; James
Trueman, tenth ward; William Kenney.
tenth ward; Joseph Trueman, thirteenth
ward; John NJ. Kennedy, ninth ward;
George A. Coffee, eighth ward; AleXan
der Walkenshaw, eighth ward; Benjamin
l. Huckle, fifth ward; James Waterhoue,
third ward; David Foy, first ward.
"The republican organization organ
lied by electing Charles Humphreys
president and Joseph Trueman secre-
tary. They Endorsed the nomination
and platform made by the national re-
publican convention. A committee was
appointed to canvass every ward in
Philadelphia and organize republican,
clubs. A committee of five to visit the
newspapers and see which would in
dorse the nominations and the platform
of the republican party. This committed
visited all of the papers; but one paper
would indorse the republican nominees.
and platform. After long conference
with Morton McNIichael, proprietor of
the North American, he agreed to place
Fremont and Dayton at the head of his
paper and support the platform of the
republican party. From this time and
date commenced the great struggle for
the victory of the republican party which.
came in four years after. There are
but two members of this association
now living. They are Charles Hum
phreys, Cpl York street, and James
Trueman, 1896 Chester avenue, Philadel-
pha."
Among the many letters of interest
Mr.. Moore has received in relation to
the jubilee, is one from Major Francis
p. Fremont, a son of the first presi-
Dental nominee of the republican party.