Grand Old Partisan

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I commend Thomas Hicks, born in Maryland, September 2nd 1798. He prospered with merchandising and boat building, and served in the state house. After his Whig Party faded, he joined the American Party and in 1857 was elected governor. Outbreak of civil war, Hicks advocated "a neutral position between our brethren of the North and of the South." Within days, however, he made a choice, devoting "himself with untiring industry, and an ever watchful patriotism, by every legal means to crush out the spirit of secession, and to retain the State in her allegiance to the Union." December 1862, a Republican governor named him to a U.S. Senate vacancy. Hicks voted for the GOP's 13th Amendment to abolish slavery and endorsed Abraham Lincoln's re-election. President Lincoln attended his funeral. Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights histo...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I laud William Hoppin, born in Providence, September 1st 1807. He attended Yale College and Yale Law School. Entry to politics was city councilman, then state senator. In 1854, Hoppin won the governorship, as a Whig. During his third one-year term, he was delegate to the first Republican National Convention. This notable statesman campaigned for John Femont and Abraham Lincoln, and represented his state at the Washington Peace Conference. He contributed funds for Union army recruitment. Later years, Hoppin returned to the legislature while managing various businesses and charities. Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know about the history of our party, the more Democrats will worry about the future of theirs. For more information, see www.grand...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute Leverett Saltonstall, born near Boston, September 1st 1892. He graduated from Harvard University and Harvard Law School. He was an artillery lieutenant during WWI. The young Republican entered politics as town councilman then county prosecutor. In 1922, Saltonstall won election to the state house, later becoming speaker. After a narrow loss for lieutenant governor, he was elected governor in 1938. His thrifty administration lowered taxes and reduced state debt. Grateful voters re-elected him twice. In 1944, Saltonstall won first of three U.S. Senate terms. He was among American officials to inspect Nazi death camps after liberation. Colleagues named him caucus chair. Laws receiving his support included the 1957, 1960, 1964 Civil Rights Acts and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights ...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Jacob Brinkerhoff, born August 31st 1810. He began practicing law in Ohio and soon was elected county prosecutor. In 1842, Brinkerhoff first won election to the U.S. House of Representatives, as a Democrat. Being opposed to slavery led him to join the Free Soil Party. During the Mexican War, he drafted a resolution barring slavery from any territory that might be acquired. By arrangement, whichever of several congressmen recognized by the Speaker would introduce it. Fortune smiled on David Wilmot, for whom it became known as the Wilmot Proviso. Back to Basics for the Republican Party   explained that this proposed legislation divided the American people into two groups, pro-slavery Democrats – and friends of freedom who would soon establish the GOP. Brinkerhoff attended several Republican National Conventions. He served twelve years as Chief Justice of...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I denounce Democrat devilry. August 31st 1864, the Slavery Party's national convention nominated for vice president a racist who opposed emancipation. George Pendleton also advocated Confederate independence. In the movie Lincoln, heroic Thaddeus Stevens confronts villainous George Pendleton : "How can I hold that all men are created equal when here before me stands, stinking, the moral carcass of the gentleman from Ohio? Proof that some men ARE inferior, endowed by their maker with dim wits, impermeable to reason, with cold, pallid slime in their veins instead of hot, red blood! YOU are more reptile than man, George, so low and flat that the foot of man is incapable of crushing you! "Yet even YOU, Pendleton – who should have been gibbetted for treason long before today – even worthless, unworthy you ought to be treated equally before the law! And so...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I spotlight the 2005 Republican Freedom Calendar . Thousands of these documents were distributed at the 2004 Republican National Convention, which began on August 30th in New York City. Additional calendars were delivered to Members of Congress and other officials around the country. After reading  Back to Basics for the Republican Party , my history of the GOP, Representative Christopher Cox hired me at the House Policy Committee. He wanted to help inform people about the book's theme, that Republicans should appreciate the heritage of our Grand Old Party. The result was this calendar, celebrating 365 achievements and heroes of the Republican Party. The entries were re-published, though not credited to me, on many websites. Cox made sure to give credit where credit was due. At his insistence, the back cover of the calendar says: "Text based ...