Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-26
FIRST 6. O.P. MEETING
HELD 66 YEARS AGO
Was Called TO Consider Alarming
Slavery Situation by Whig
and a Democrat.

Chicago, MAY 90 In assembling at
Chicago in June the Republican National
Convention will he sitting in the section
where the Republican party was first
named and within 200 miles OF where the
first recorded Republican meeting was
held 66 years ago The approach OF The
convention recalls this early history,
though with the passing Of the years and
the development Of new ISSUES the hrst
steps Of the party have passed from
common view
at will probably not 10 possible to
trace to the earliest date the first positive
meeting which led 10 the formation OF
the new party" writes Francis Curtis, IN
his history Of the Republican party.
1T is quite likely that there was no
gathering OF men, nor dis
c,isslon OF plaus and policies, until Mr.
4 f. Bovay, 4 Wing Of Rlpon, WISCONSIN,
together with MIR Bowen q Democrat,
and MIR Baker. a trec-soIlcr. issued a
call for public meeting to consider the
now alarming situation.
The great Issue Of the hour was the
extension of slavery OF the political
situation prefacing the formation oi the
Republican party, Mr. Curtis says, No
political party was able to eject enough
members of Congress to overrulc the
ualted Will Of the shareholders, and until
the anti-slavery sentiment ot the North
should lie 50 welded together, and ITS
opponents should hc 50 united IA ono
party rs to lie able to send to. Washington
enough men to outyote the representatives
0f the Slave Power there was no hope
that its advance could he checked
Reference was made to the hpon
II " Af,t- Xs-bF
prcsifcnt uf the United States. in his
hook Rise and Fail of The Slave Power,
published IN 1871 One Of he oarlist
II tot tie earliest, az the movements hc
said. that contemplated definite action
and the formation Il i noW party was made
Ill Ripou. Fond du lac County. Wis, n
the carly months Of 1851, n consequence
of Il very thorough canvass conference, and
general comparison ot views nanguratcd
ny A T. Eoya>. D prominent member Of
the Wing party, among the Wings. Free
oilers and Democrats Of that town \
call was issued for a public meeting 70
consider the grave ISSUES which were
asst lnlng an aspect If such alarming
proportions
The meeting thus called. wrote Charles
VI Harvey n the Chautauquan. Sepicm-
hcr, 1897, 'was held IN the Congrcga-
tional Church al RIpop February -
IS51 \ resolution Was adopted III The
meeting ihal Il the blIl tbcn pending IN
ne Senate to throw open 10 slavery he
territories If Kansas and Nebraska should
pass the old party organization IN Rpon
,huuld be cast of and a new rarty "a be
called The Republican, formed ON the sole
issue 81 opposition ~ slavery extension
" Fae hili PASSED the senate IN which
body Il originated. on March 3 1851. and
on March 20. tie second meeting. partici-
patod n b> men # ajl parties was held
tins tino Ia g school house 8 | Which BoVay
was thc icadIng -plrit
Il Rv vote u inc as~emblagc the town
committees III he Wing ana ETce Soil
parties we're dissolved and committee
a hye three Wings. ono Democrat and
one i~ce-~atler, Was chosen "a begin the
task q forming d rev party
Af those tH-0 meetings was started the
warlIee1 ~tematIc work begun anywhere
ii he country q bring ahogt tho coalition
of Ike enemies of slavery extension who
were eventually fused into i homogeneous
party adopting the name Republican
Alr Harvey quoted i letter Bovav later
wrote o hum about tins meeting, IN which
hc sald
i went from honse to house and from
shop 3 shop and haltei men On the
streets ta gel their uamc- For the meeting
of March, 20 1854 At Thar time there
we're nor more than hundred voters in
Ripqn and hv a vast deal of earnest talk
ing . obtained IS of them We went into
a little meeting, Wings. Free Soldiers.
and Democrats We came out of Il Re