and sympathy of Horace Greeley, the most influential and powerful journalist in America, and for his trumpet had the mighty voice of the New York Tribune, of which, in 1854, there were circulated more than 150,000 copies per week. So he succeeded.

It can not be claimed that Mr. Bovay is the father of Republicanism in America; for that is a principle as old as the Declaration of Independence, a document which, while declaring that all men are born free and equal, yet stood as the banner of a nation thriving and glorying in human slavery. But he is beyond doubt the author of the first premeditated and persistent movement to organize the Republican party, and the giver of its name, though he addressed the masses through Horace Greeley and the columns of the New York Tribune.

John Wentworth, of Chicago, furnishes the following letter, though who made the suggestion referred to in it has not been ascertained, and Mr. Wentworth says he has no knowledge of when the name Republican was adopted: EUREKA SPRINGS, CARROLL CO., ARK., March 20, 1882. HON. JOHN WENTWORTH-Dear Sir:

I came here a few weeks since with my brother, Gov. Cadwalader C. Washburn, of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, who is an invalid, but who, I hope, is receiving some advantage from the waters. But I write this to tell you how thoroughly I enjoyed the time this morning in reading to my brother your late lecture upon your life in Congress and the great men you knew there.

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Do you remember that impromptu meeting of anti-Missouri Compromise Repeal Democrats and Whigs at the rooms of Congressman Eliot and Dickin son, of Massachusetts, at Crutchett's on Sixth street, on the morning after the compromise bill passed the House, at which, in view of the attempted outrage upon Colonel Benton, we discussed the necessity of forming a new party from anti-slavery extension Whigs and Democrats, and the name of Republican was suggested? I remember distinctly that you were present and did not hesitate to favor the idea. I leave for Portland, Maine, in a few days. Yours truly, ISRAEL WASHBURN, JR.

CHAPTER XVI.

ORGANIZING FOR BATTLE-MICHIGAN LEADS.

Michigan Acts-Meeting of the Free-Democracy-Patriotic Resolutions-Historical Letter by Isaac P. Christiancy-First Meeting in the Office of the Peninsular Freeman-A Plan agreed Upon-A Call for a Mass-Convention of all Parties Drafted and Circulated -It Receives Thousands of Signatures-Copy of the One Published in Detroit-The People Meet "Under the Oaks" at Jackson -A Typical Gathering-The Organization-The Platform-A Ticket Nominated-Speeches-Victory-Record of Michigan. Having examined the origin of the name and banner under which the masses were to rally, it is proper to next consider the steps taken to organize the campaign-now pattalions and brigades were formed in the various States, skirmish lines thrown out and picket posts established.

The young and vigorous State of Michigan had held several large gatherings to protest against the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and also to discuss what programme would be most appropriate for the future.

The Free-Democracy met at Jackson on the anniversary of Washington's birthday, February 22, 1854, nominated a State ticket, and put forth a patriotic address against slavery and the passage of the Nebraska bill, and asked a general concentration of earnest thought upon the growing dangers to the Republic.

On the 22d of May the Nebraska bill became a law and the Free-Democratic Committee at once called another massconvention to meet at Kalamazoo on June 21. Stirring appeals were made for all patriots to cast their party prejudices and alliances to the winds and consolidate with them into one

great army to battle for freedom. Another address was put forth, the following portions of which illustrate the metal of the men:

Resolved, That the Free-Democracy of Michigan rejoice. to behold the indication of popular sentiment furnished by this convention: they are conscious that the deeply aroused feeling of the masses in this State will seek a suitable expression in a convention springing from thousands, irrespective of any existing political organization; and that if such a movement shall be animated and guided by the priciples expressed in the resolutions of this convention, and shall contemplate an efficient organization to give effect to our principles in this State, we shall willingly surrender our distinctive organization, and with it the ticket for State officers nominated at Jackson on the 22d of February last; and that we commit the execution of this purpose to a committee of sixteen-two persons from each judicial district-to be appointed by this convention.

The chairman of this committee of sixteen was Isaac P. Christiancy, though he was not present. A recent letter from him will show how the Republican sentiment sprang into life and advanced quickly to victory in Michigan:

LANSING, Michigan, April 11, 1884. DEAR SIR:-Having refreshed my memory by reference to correspondence and documents of 1854, and by reading your manuscript, I will add a few things further.

Immediately after the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska bill the State committee of the Free-Democrat party, as such, issued a call for a mass-convention at Kalamazoo, for the 21st of June. I fully sympathized with the committee in the object but could not resist the conviction that they had adopted the wrong means to accomplish that object, viz., the thorough union of all men of all parties opposed to the extension of slavery and its influence.

I felt that cordial union of this kind could never be effected under a call issued by any party organization as such;-that, though we might thus obtain larger accessions to our party, we should not obtain enough to carry the State, the prejudice of party and attachments to party organizations being too strong.

But I also felt sure that if a movement for a mass-convention should be initiated by individuals of all parties agreeing

As

in the object, the pride of party associations would be overcome and all could unite with us without laying themselves open to the charge of having gone over to the FreeSoilers, or "Woolly-Heads"; aud that all who might take part in such a movement would feel that they entered the new organization upon exactly equal terms. early, therefore, as the 27th of May, I opened a correspondence submitting these views to the candidates of our party, nominated the winter before, and to the committee, as well as with other leading men of our own and of the Whig and Democratic parties whom I knew to be anti-slavery in sentiment. A small minority, at first, both of our committee and of our nominees, saw at once the justice of my reasoning; but, to my surprise, the majority, both of the nominees and the committee, were opposed to them, and seemed to cling to the idea that we could bring to our organization all the anti-slavery sentiment in both the Whig and Democratic parties, and thus carry the State under our organization.

But, finally, I succeeded in getting the consent of the majority of the candidates and the committee to meet at Detroit at the office of the Peninsular Freeman (then, I think, changed to the name of Free Democrat) to consider my proposition, with K. S. Bingham and some other leading men present. A part of the committee and a part of our candidates met me there, and Bingham and a few other leading men were present. I submitted my proposition to them anew and at first the majority of the candidates, and all the committee, except W. M. Murphy, who was with me from the first, were opposed to it. But one after another came over. Bingham fully approved it; and finally all came over, with this single proviso: That the Free-Soil party should not disband, nor their candidates be withdrawn until the mass-convention had met and adopted a platform embodying the principles of our party.

I readily assented to this because I felt sure such a platform would be adopted. Many of our party had little confidence in the Whigs, while I felt sure the great mass of them would place themselves on such a platform, and I knew that many Democrats (the best in the party) were ready to do the same. This understanding having been arrived at late in the afternoon, some of the leading Whigs of Detroit (who had been notified of what was going on and were known to be in sympathy with the movement) were invited in and fully concurred in our views, and assured us that the great

mass of that party would cordially unite in the movement. I then suggested that the better mode of calling such a massconvention, was to draw up a call to be subscribed to by those who approved the principles set forth in it, and of the convention, numerous copies of which should be distributed as far as practicable through the State to the right men, who would procure signatures, and that the call should not be published in the papers until numerously signed. This was to prevent the force of party discipline in the Democratic party and among those of the Whig party who still clung with tenacity to their organization, from being brought to bear to prevent their members from signing the call and joining in our movement, until after the call had been so numerously signed, and so many had already committed themselves to it, that the force of discipline would be exercised in vain.

I had already prepared a draft of such a call, which I read, and the principles of which were approved. Some additions and amendments were made to it by Jacob M. Howard and Samuel Barstow, and it was left with Messrs. Howard & Barstow to be struck off in hand-bill form, and sent to trusty men in all parts of the State for signatures. This was done with a promptness and efficiency worthy of all praise.

In a few days one of the calls circulated in Detroit and numerously signed, was printed in the Detroit Tribune, and was followed by the publication in different parts of the State of the calls there circulated. That in Detroit was published about the time of the Kalamazoo convention of June 21, or perhaps a day or two after the proceedings of that convention were published.

Several of the Free-Soil committee who had attended the Detroit meeting, and others of the same party who had learned and approved its action, attended the Kalamazoo convention, taking with them copies of the call for the Jackson convention for July 6, and explaining the result of the Detroit meeting.

This Kalamazoo convention was not largely attended, though many men of prominence and ability were there. The call for the Jackson convention, got up at the Detroit meeting, had led the great body of the Free-Soil party to look upon this Kalamazoo convention as of comparatively small consequence, its purpose having been superseded by the broader and more general movement initiated at Detroit. This was appreciated by that convention, as their resolutions. sufficiently show, and so well satisfied were they of the propriety of my course, though I had opposed their plan of acting