The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1929-06-14
RZP1Y c0Z LEGE
G4ZhpLES-NOW

the same vew and also it had taken OVER fac
ton Of the New York Democrats, called the Barn
burners, because their extreme views were COM
pared to the policy of man who buried down
his barn to get rid of the rats. The Free Solers
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 whq had the
common bond of opposition to slavery-4 AL ANTI
Nebraska or Kansas men. Some had been Wings.
some Democrats, others had turned from such
shortlived 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 inl 1856, at
which the name Republican as the title| Of a ma
tional party was firmly fixed. Among those pres
ent at this convention were Horace Grfeley and
Abraham Lincoln.
The campaign of 1856, the first one lin 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 Amfrica" as
follows:
Meeting in convention in philadelphia in Feh-
ruary, 1856 the Know Nothings or the American
party found sectionalism intrudng even into their
organization. Indeed. after angry debate most Ct
southern wing in control. with Plato |n that att
tempted to divert attention the slave question
by crying up the foreign peril. the rty went
into the campaign with Fillmore and Dgnalson a.
its candidates.
The Democrats tried hard to present an appear
ance of harmony. Since the doctrine df popular
sovereignty was to be their major plank. Z was
expected that either the Little Giant" PIERCE
would be the nominee. But the North 40 opposed
the proceedings in Kansas that the leaders We're
passed over by man less closely connected Win
recent domestic events. AS minister tn England.
James Buchanan had been abroad during the most
trying times. His availability was enhanced Pc
his linked with that aggressive
foreign policy which had been employed 70 ulstract
the country from internal troubles Acceptable to
the South he could be supported also by the con-
sentative elements of the North.
The Whig party practically defunct. contented
itself with indorsing the candidates Of the Amer
lean party. There was thus need for a party which
would stand four-square against the Democrats and
the extension of slavery This need was filled by
prsing rapidity since 1854 70 it had thronged
miscellany of malcontents, fact OF winch It's
rivals made the most In spite OF It's
the party showed remarkable solidarity Assem-
bling in Philadelphia the anniversary OF Bunker
Hill, the delegates. passing over the more prom
inent leaders-such as Chase of Ohio, ana seward
of New York-selected John C. Fremont OF Cal-N
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 jingoistic activity OF recent
years.
The Republicans launched campaign that in
vigor and spectacle resembled that Of 1870 with
bleeding Kansas" their cry, thy appealed.
through the agency of newspaper editors, such as
Horace Greeley of the New York TRIBUNE. James
Gordon Bennett, of the New York HFrald. Henry
]. Raymond, of the New York Times ana Cen J.
watson webb of the Courier ana Enatirer OF New
York, to the Northerners dread lest tne Buchan-
GERS" expand their domain OF slaverk The oppo-
sition played upon the widespread Nnke Tor the
Aboltionists means of discredHng the Re
publicans The eccentric personality OF the re-
formers, their extravagant acts and sill more ex-
travagant words were q heavy buiden for the
party to carry
AS the campaign developed It appeared that the
Republicans were too sectional in tn appeal and
not sufficiently organized to carry the country.
Buchanan gained many adherents wi had become
alarmed by the apparent radicalisra OF the Ere.
mont followers Fillmore took OCCASION to
nounce that Fremont's election wHIld endanger
the Union In the South it need htrdly be said
"black Republicanism" was identlsd by many
with all the 'isms' in the dictionaN
The contest rather close. buchanan re-
ceived ia electoral votes to Ii for Fremont
wh1e FILLMORE received from Nhryland The
Democrats had had close call; akd the size OF
the Republican vote gave the old linz leaders
to worry for the future.
These leaders had even more se 20 worry
four wears later. For in 1860 the RNEublicap can
didate was Abraham Lincoln and nle new party
was swept into power-a power WI U, II was des-
tined to hold uninterruptedIy for barter Of a
century until Grover CLEVELAND emocrat. was
elected in 1885. Cleveland was a1in elected In
$685. but at the end of his term OiIofnce In 1897
marked the beginning of another pefod OF Repub-
lcan domination until interrupted BY Woodrow
Wilson's election in 1912. And thd seyenty-ffth
anniversary of the Republican parys birth finds
it still in power.