Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-13

party OF JEFFERSON and Jackson
In the very first year Of It's birth the
republican party gained rasny Victories.
and In
Gained Many Victories state cleo
in the Very First Year. ,s% !, ; had ID
become SO strong in the north and east
that the democrats were forced to fuse
with the remnant Of the old whig party
In last stand against the common
enemy. republican was elected Speak
er of the House Of Representatives in
1855. although the party did not have a
majority and no organization. The Re
publican Association OF Washington City
took the first step toward formins ma
tional organization by calling q meeting
to be held in Pittsburgh on Washington's
birthday. 1850 That convention was
opposed to the dominant democratic or
ganization. II decided to Tight formed
national committee and called q national
nominating convention to meet In Phila-
delphia June IL.
Between February and June there was
evidence that the north and west were re-
ceiving the now party with even greater
enthusiasm than was expected. and the
delegates to Philadelphia thought they
could name q man who could defeat
delegates were opposed to slavery, they
obeyed tho stern dictates OF political ne
cessity and adopted q platform making 1t
clear that tho new party stood. not for
abolition. but only for the restriction of
slavery to its present boundaries and for
the admission Of Kansas az a free state.
~.
Tho convention was attended by dele
gates from all Of the free states and
few Of the bor-
Several EavOriteS der slave states.
for the Presidency. 81 = mass meet.
ing than a delegated convention. as there
was no orderly system Of apportionment.
William II. Seward, John Mclean and
Salmon p. Chase were the favorites for
the presidential nomination. but they did
not share the enthusiasm Of the delegates
and all three of them withdrew their
names even before the convention met.
Still true to the old whig instinct for
choosing q war hero. the convention nomi-
mated John c. Fremont. the pathfinder
and the conqueror Of California.
For Vice President William L. Dayton
of New Jersey was chosen, receiving 253
votes to ITO cast for Abraham Lincoln
If Lincoln had been nominated it may
have been that the ticket would have
been strong enough to have carried Illi
nois and Pennsylvania, and thus to have
defeated Buchanan. But that suggestion
probably has been made by those who are
thinking OF Lncoln's later strength.
Thu nthAr national canuontfonc ~ 1874
were the American convention. commonly
called the
Other National TX n o w-noth-
Conventions of 1855. Ing Ing vh and ns .ne
ing. The know-nothings met ip Philadel-
phia Washington's birthday. The party
was stronger in the south than in the
north because OF the fact that the old
southern wings had generally gone into
this new party rather than to join the
democrats. as they could not become re-
publicans. The southern element domi-
mated and the convention nominated ex-
President Fillmore for President and An
drew jackson Donelson Of Tennessee for
Vice President The northern element Sc
coded and some weeks later met In New
York and nominated Nathaniel p. Banks
Tor PRESIDENT MS cOuVcutlOu LOOK the
name Of the North American party. But
even 1t was not harmonious and some of
its delegates bottled and nominated Com
modore Stockton for the presidency.
These conventions were spoken Of as the
regular know-nothings," the 'seceder
know-nothings' and the seeding sece-
der know-nothings." Mr.. Banks declined
the nomination Of the North Americans
and later that organisation adopted the
republican nomination Of Fremont.
The wings, In September. met in Balti
more They adopted a platform bewail-
ing the confusion Of the times and pray
ing the people to return to the safety and
sanity Of the old. old days. They then
contented themselves with indorsing the
nominations of Fillmore
and Donelson. It was the last national
gathering under tho historic name of
whig.