Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-04-30

our Kansas fights and labors. the Law
renee massacre. etc.
The practical repeal by congress OF the
Missouri compromise OF 1890. in May, 1854.
aroused all the free states, and the shout
went up in a universal chorus, mo more
slave states! No more slave territory
II united the north, as did the first can
non shot fired on Fort Sumter IN the
spring OF 1861. The great imperial state Of
New York had always taken the lead in
the foundation Of free soil and anti-slavery
parties. II really held the first regular
delegate state convention OF the repub-
lican party, at Saratoga Springs on the
18th day Of August, 1854. and permanently
established the party on a solid founds-
ton. The city and county Of Albany, the
natural head Of political and free soil
movements las we'll as Of the democratic
and whig parties) took the lead In the
state OF New York.
Conventions in New York.
All of the fifty-six counties Of the state
of New York except three were represented
by their delegates. appointed at mass
meetings, sometimes attended by more
than 1000 persons Horace Greeley was
chairman of the committee on resolutions
John A. King was temporary chairman
anu Vice CndnC6llOTt WllllaIn MCCOun
was permanent chairman Henry j. Ray
mond, editor of the New York Times, was
a delegate. William Cullen Bryant. editor
Of the New York Dvening Post, was also
q delegate.
The convention adjourned to meet at
Auburn, on September 2e 1854 for the pur-
pose of nominating . state ticket, when
Myron H. Clark was nominated for COVER
governor. The name Of republican" was
unanimously adopted for the new party,
and a state committee was appointed and
the full machinery and mechanism of an
active political party was organized. The
ticket was elected by small plurality, in
November, 1854.
A very important national republican
convention was called by the chairman Of
the republican committee of eight free
states, to meet at Pittsburg, February q,
1856. Ali the northern states and four
southern states were represented. It was
attended by about 800 delegates of high
standing and character. The Pittsburg
convention called the first national re-
publican convention, at Philadelphia,
June H. 1856 which nominated John C.
Fremont, the first republican candidate for
president
The sporadic mass meetings held at
Jackson, Mich, and in Their states, how
ever creditable, all combined, did not have
the moral weight and influence which at
tached to the Saratoga Springs regular
delegate republican state convention.
Thurlow Weed and William H Seward
(the whig leaders, gave their support and
great influence to the newly organized re-
publican party, and the whig party was
formally dissolved at joint meeting and
republican state convention in 1855.
The following New York state editors
and newspapers had great influence and
power in creating and organizing the re-
publican party than all the other news
papers and leaders In the United States:
Horace Greeley and the New York Tribune,
Henry ]. Raymond and the New York
Times, William Cullen Bryan and the New
York Evening Post, Thurlow Weed and
William H. Seward and the Albany Even
ing Journal The foundations of the party
were laid not at Jackson, Mich, as has
been incorrectly claimed but at Saratoga
Springs, in the state of New York
Why should the imperial great state of
New York surrender to the state Of Michi-
gan the credit and honor of holding the
first regular republican delegate state con-
vention, when 1t held it. and also orig
mated and nutured the liberty party of
1904, the free soil party of 1S4S, as we'll
as the republican party of 1896? New
Workers are so cosmopolitan and metro
politan that the state of New York seems
to have lost all pride in her own cred
liable record.