Grand Old Partisan

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor James Rolph, born in San Francisco, August 23rd 1869. He worked his way up in the shipping business from office boy to head of a large company. "Sunny Jim" also headed banks and an insurance agency.  Rolph was elected mayor in 1911 and continued throughout two decades. His administration oversaw building projects, a new water system, streetcar expansion and other infrastructure improvements. He was delegate at three Republican National Conventions. In 1930, Rolph was elected governor and faced worst of the Great Depression, alleviated somewhat by success of the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. His popularity faded after praising the lynching of two white kidnappers who tied up their victim and threw him off a bridge. He died midway through the term. Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights history of t...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I praise a classic address that President Abraham Lincoln delivered on August 22nd 1864. His audience was the 166th Ohio Infantry regiment, but he was also speaking to us: "It is not merely for today, but for all time to come that we should perpetuate for our children's children this great and free government, which we have enjoyed all our lives. I beg you to remember this, not merely for my sake, but for yours." "It is in order that each of you may have through this free government which we have enjoyed, an open field and a fair chance for your industry, enterprise and intelligence; that you may all have equal privileges in the race of life, with all its desirable human aspirations. It is for this the struggle should be maintained, that we may not lose our birthright. The nation is worth fighting for, to secure such an inestimable j...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Emma Smith DeVoe, born in Illinois, August 22nd 1848. She taught music. Attending a speech by Susan B. Anthony inspired her to strive for women's right to vote. DeVoe and her husband, a railroad administrator, moved to South Dakota, where she championed passage of suffrage legislation. In 1895, the National American Woman Suffrage Association hired the skilled organizer to form suffrage clubs in Idaho. This soon led to women being able to vote there. Her next success was heading the Washington State Equal Suffrage Association. She also delivered effective presentations in Oregon and Kentucky. DeVoe supported a Republican for governor of Washington and was vice chairman of the state GOP. She cast an electoral vote for Warren Harding and served on the RNC. She campaigned for Calvin Coolidge in 1924. Back to Basics for the Republican P...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute James Flick, born August 28th 1845.  During the Civil War, he served with the 4th Iowa Volunteers. His regiment fought at Vicksburg, Chattanooga, Atlanta. Peace restored, Flick studied law, while a county recorder of deeds. Next steps were state representative and district attorney. In 1888, he won first of two congressional terms. The Antitrust Act, the Land-Grant Colleges Act and the Forest Reserve Act received his vote. 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.grandoldpartisan.com .  Here is a YouTube Video about this article. Here is an Instagram Video about this article. Here is a TikTok Video about this article. H...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I denounce Democrat devilry. August 21st 1863, Slavery Party militants attacked a town which been founded by anti-slavery activists. Hundreds of gunman descended upon Lawrence, Kansas. They slaughtered nearly two hundred men and boys. Among the dead was the Republican mayor. A friend of freedom targeted who managed to escape was James Lane, a Republican U.S. Senator. Another survivor was former slave Blanche Bruce, who went on to be a Republican U.S. Senator. Leading the assault was William Quantrill. He later plotted to murder President Abraham Lincoln. Decades later, Harry Truman delivered one of his first speeches where Quantrill's Raiders held their reunions. 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 abou...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I spotlight  The Prayer of Twenty Millions , an editorial published on August 20th 1862. Its author, Horace Greeley, criticized President Lincoln for not having yet issued an emancipation proclamation: "As the first servant of the Republic, charged especially and preeminently with this duty, that you EXECUTE THE LAWS… you are strangely and disastrously remiss in the discharge of your official and imperative duty with regard to the emancipating provisions of the new (Second) Confiscation Act. Those provisions were designed to fight Slavery with Liberty... All attempts to put down the Rebellion and at the same time uphold its inciting cause are preposterous and futile." Page 71 of  Back to Basics for the Republican Party  explains that Lincoln had already drafted the Emancipation Proclamation, but was waiting for a good opportunity to issue it. In the ...