The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1929-06-14

the same view, and also it had taken over a fac
ton Of the New York Democrats, called the Barn
burners, because their extreme views were COM
pared to the policy Of man who burned down
his barn to get rid of the rats. The Free Sellers
flung wide their motto, "Free Soil, Free Speech,
Free Labor and Freemen."
To the growing new party Of the Republicans
came many kinds of political faiths who had the
common bond Of opposition to slavery-all "Anti-
Nebraska or Kansas" men. Some had been Wings,
some Democrats, others had turned from such
short-lived organizations as the Free Sellers and
the Know Nothings. An informal convention,
which might better be called an organizing COM
mittee, was held in Pittsburgh early in 1856, at
which the name Republican as the title of ma
tional party was firmly fixed. Among those pres
ent at this convention were Horace Greeley and
Abraham Lincoln.
The campaign of 1856, the first one in which
the Republican party officially participated and,
incidentally, suffered its first defeat is described
in the volume Builders of the Republic in the
Yale University Press Pageant of America" as
follows:
Meeting in convention in Philadelphia in Feb
ruary, 1855, the Know Nothings the American
party found sectionasm intruding into their
organization. Indeed after angry debate, most of
the antisavery delegates Withdrew, leaving the
southern wing in control. With platform that t.
tempted divert attention from the slavery question
by crying up the foreign peril, the party went
into the campaign with Fillmore and Donaldson
its candidates.
ance OF harmony. Since the doctrine of popular
sovereignty to be their major plank, it was
expected that either the Little Giant" Pierce
would be the nominee. But the North so opposed
the proceedings in Kansas that the leaders were
passed over by man less closely connected with
recent domestic events AS minister to England
James Buchanan had been abroad during the most
trying times. His availability enhanced be-
cause his name was linked with that aggressive
foreign policy which had been employed to distract
the country from internal troubles. Acceptable to
sentative elements of the North.
The Wing party, practically defunct, contented
itself with indorsing the candidates of the Amer
lean party There was thus need for party which
would stand four-square against the Democrats and
the extension of slavery This need filled by
prising rapidly since 1854. To it had thronged
miscellany of malcontents fact of which it's
rivals made the most. In spite of its heterogenety
the party showed remarkable solidarity. Assem-
bling in Philadelphia on the anniversary of Bunker
Hill, the delegates. passing over the more prom
inent leaders-such as Chase of Ohio and Seward
of New York-selected John C. Fremont of CAL
ifornia young man little known in politics, but
with well-advertised record as an explorer of
the Far West. The platform vigorously denounced
the proslavery and jingoistc activity of recent
years.
vigor and spectacle resembled that of 1870. With
Bleeding Kansas" their cry. they appealed,
through the agency of newspaper editors such
Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune. James
Gordon Bennett, of the New York Herald. Henry
J j.
Watson Webb. of the Courier and Enquirer of New
York, to the Northerners' dread lest the "Buchan-
GERS" expand their domain of slavery The oppo-
sltion played upon the widespread dislike for the
Abolitionists as a means of discreditng the Re-
publicans. The eccentric personalities of the
formers, their extravagant acts and still ex-
travagant words were a heavy burden for the
party to carry.
AS the campaign developed 1t appeared that the
Republicans were too sectional in their appeal and
not sufficiently organized to carry the country
Buchanan gained many adherents who had become
alarmed by the apparent radcalism of the Free
mont followers. Fillmore took occasion an
nounce that Fremont's election would endanger
the Union In the South, 1t need hardly be said
"black Republicanism" identified by many
with all the "isms' in the dictionary.
The contest was rather close. Buchanan
ceived 174 electoral votes to ia for Fremont
while Fillmore received from Maryland. The
Democrats had had close call; and the size of
to worry for the future.
These leaders had even more cause to worry
four years later. For in 1860 the Republican can
didate was Abraham Lincoln and the new party
was swept into power-a power which it was des-
tined to hold uninterruptedly for quarter of a
century until Grover Cleveland, Democrat, was
elected in 1885, Cleveland was again elected in
1893, but at the end of his term Of Office in 1897
marked the beginning OF another period Of Repub
Ilcan domination unity interrupted BY Woodrow
Wilson's electior in 1912. And the seyentysifth
anniversary of the Republican partys birth finds
it still in power.