Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1909-02-05
He DREW THE BLADE
slowly FROM THE
cSCABRfRD.


that he might send some to the other generals The
battle Pitsburg Landing Shiloh, had been fought
and almost lost. Three months before the country
had dubbed the victor of Fort Doneson Unconditional
Surrender" Grant and had made hero of him. Now,
with the disputed responsibility for the Pburg Land
ing surprise, there mighty clamor the part
of certain newspapers and politicians, that Grant be
superseded Representative Blow talked freely with the
president. He told him what he had known of Grant
before the and mentioned the fear entertained by
persons that Grant drank much to be ntrused
with high command Mr.. Blow smooth spoken
man. with sharp black eyes, quick appreciate humor
He had been very successful business for years
before he became interested in politics. He rather
below the average height President Lincoln listened
houghfuly until Mr. Blow had expressed himself and
then asked with apparent seriousness what brand of
whisky Grant drank Explaining why he sought the in
formation he used the language about sending
the other generals which has become historic.
Some who knew Lincoln" do not believe the po-
cal history which has been written credits him with
his full in the genesis of the Republican party They
remember where Lincoln stood toward the last Whg
conventions They recall the movement to make him
vcepresdent the ticket with Fremont in 1885, which
fortunately abandoned grounds of eXpedency.
And they mention political acts of Lincoln which
no small Significance when taken with subsequent
events John r. Spears of Tallua knew Lincoln from
1885, when he a surveyor. He prominent in the
politics the day He heard Lincoln speak the
rson convention Illinois in 1910 and in support the
nomination of Clay before the Whg convention Ii
in 1874 and other occasions before the Republ
party organized Mr. Spears has this recollection Of
the beginning of the Republican movement
Lincoln called a meeting of few friends at q coun-
try store where Tallula is He had been surveyor
when the county (now Menard) part of Sanga-
He knew almost everybody There were 40 or so
in the gathering at the store Mr. Lincoln made talk
reviewing political conditions and offering suggestions
the future. He called for paper write down
what position he thought should be taken the
tions of the day. especially slavery. There
paper to be had. Lincoln drew a newspaper from his
pocket lay down the cellar door and wrote the
margin the of the principles which formed the
Republican party This, believe the first meeting
of the kind in the United States 1t year
before the convention at Bloomington where the Repub
lican party of Illinois started and where Lincoln
made of the best speeches of his life, which was
lost"
Spears does not recall the exact time of this meet
ing which Lincoln wrote the margin of newspaper
the first Republican platform. He knows that the meet
ing called by Lincoln two years before the
national convention which nominated Fremont in 1856
knows that this enunciaon of Republican principles
before the Bloomington convention.
Martin L. Bundy wrote from Newcastle, Ind, to tho