The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1906-05-05

opera and concert. and all the greatest
prima donnos, including such world
marvels as Malibran and Jenny Lind
have sung within its walls.
While the convention of the then in
FAINT party, which assembled ut Musical
Fund Hall June II, 1856. was certainly
not inferior in mental capacity or pat
rotism to any of its successors, it was
one of the most spontaneous gatherings
known to American political history.
intellectual giants, leaders who have
since taken a place among the great
men of the nation, assembled to make
common cause against slavery and to
formulate some such action as would
assure it's ultimate abolition.
To "a considerable degree the new Re
publican party was the successor and
the lcgatce OF the old Wing and free soil
parties, and there were several other
factors proximity concerned in its in
ccption.
These elements We're divided into six
main classes. They differed radically
on many details. but were unit in
their unalterable opposition to slavery.
such noted leaders a,s Wilmot. Hale,
Chase. julian. Sumner. C. f. Adams
and Preston King. of New York.
The remnant of the old Wings went
into the new party bag and baggage
under the leadership of such giants as
Lincoln. Seward. Greeley. Fossendcn.
Thaddcus Stevens and Sherman. The
antisavcry party had little in common
mt first with the new organization. but
Joined it as being the only one which
offered any chance of successful oppoSi
ton to slavery.
The most prominent leaders of this
section were Banks. Wilson. Burlin-
game and olfnX Similar but different
in that they acknowledged even less
fralty to the various tcnctS Of the new
party. aside from the question Of human
bondage. wcrr such brilliant writer's
and original thinkers as Giddings. Love
joy. Wendell Phillips and Garrison.
This great quartet did yocman service
by maintaining n constant hrondside of
almost incontTovcrtihle writings against
the wrongs of slavery.
In addition to those already cnumer-
atcd. great number Of Democrats sep
amtcd from their parent organization
on the vital issue and threw their in
iucncc with the new movement.
The most prominent were Simon
Cameron. Of Pennsylvania; TrumhuIl.
of Illinois: Dool1ttlc of Wisconsin: Viii
liam c. Bryant. of New York and Gid
con WcllcS of Connecticut.
The East section was composed of
the war democrats many of whom
returned to their original fcalty ut the
termination of the struggle. Among
these were Butler. Stanton. Logan. An
drew Johnson, Dix dickinson, Coch-
rane. Sicklcs. of New York. &c
OF these the first three were for many
years commanding figures in Republican
councils
When the old convention assembled
on that midsummer day it faced some
Of tn" most mom"ntouS questions that
ever involved the attention of man.
1t had first to deal with the slavery
issue, then the large question of the
constitutional rights of Congress to un-
dcrtukc internal improvements, and f.
nally the then mootcd problem concern
ing the building of II railroad to the
Pacific Ocean.
There were many able men in the
ranks of the new party. and there was
no lack of available candidates when
the time for balloting approached.
The three most formidable aspimnts
were conceded to be Seward of New
York; Chase, afterwards to figure so
prominently in Llincoln's administration