Grand Old Partisan

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Melvin Evans, born on St. Croix, August 7th 1917. He studied medicine at Howard University. Eight years, he was Virgin Islands health commissioner. July 1969, President Nixon appointed him Territorial Governor. Following year, Dr. Evans became the first Virgin Islands resident elected Governor. His administration built roads and strengthened the local police. Evans was Republican National Committeeman and twice attended GOP national conventions. In 1980, he won for congressional delegate. President Reagan named him Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago. 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 Vide...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Wallace White, born in Maine, August 6th 1877. His grandfather, William Frye, was a powerful Senator. He started out working for the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee. Next step was law studies at George Washington University. In 1916, he won first of seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. A newspaper opined: "By inheritance, education, culture, initiative and personality, Mr. White is all that the voters can ask." Among his accomplishments were the Radio Act and the Merchant Marine Act. In 1930, White was elected U.S. Senator. He would twice be re-elected. Colleagues named him Minority Leader in 1945. "His chief function is to hold the balance between two much more dominant and vivid men, Robert Taft and Arthur Vandenberg." He voted against confirming to the U.S. Supreme Court a Klansman, Hugo Black, nominated by FD...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I commemorate Emancipation Party advances toward freeing slaves. August 6th 1861, President Lincoln signed An Act to Confiscate Property Used for Insurrectionary Purposes . The federal government was authorized to seize property of anyone who participated in the rebellion. Page 70 of  Back to Basics for the Republican Party explains that as this so-called property included slaves, profound were the implications. Republican Senator Lyman Trumbull introduced the bill, and Republican Representative John Bingham wrote its final language. Democrats were united in opposition. It became known as the "First Confiscation Act" a year later, when Congress passed an improved confiscation act. 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...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute Thomas Tipton, born on an Ohio farm, August 5th 1817. He studied law after college. Whig President Zachary Taylor named him to a position at the federal land office. His next career move was becoming a Methodist preacher. Tipton relocated to Nebraska and won election to the territorial legislature. During the Civil War, he served as chaplain with the 1st Nebraska Infantry. This regiment battled through Missouri and Tennessee and Arkansas. Tipton was delegate at the 1867 state constitutional convention. Nebraska admitted to the Union that year, the legislature elected him a U.S. Senator. His policy priorities were agricultural colleges, railroads and voting rights for African-Americans. Sadly, he left the GOP to support the 1872 Democrat presidential nominee. Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quo...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute Thomas Haughey. The teenager immigrated from Scotland, eventually settling in Alabama. He attended New Orleans Medical College. Prior to the Civil War, Haughey opposed slavery. In his words: "Having taken a prominent part against secession, and having thus made myself exceedingly obnoxious to the leaders of that movement, I was compelled to abandon my home and family and take refuge within the Union lines." He enlisted as surgeon with the 3rd (U.S.) Tennessee Infantry. Peace restored, Dr. Haughey was delegate at the state’s 1867 constitutional convention. Upon readmission, he won election to the U.S. House of Representatives, as a Republican. The 15th Amendment received his vote. While delivering a speech, Haughey was shot by a political opponent. He lingered five days before dying, on August 5th 1869. Democrats cheered the murder, calling him "a vagab...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I highlight the Emancipation Party defeating the Slavery Party. August 4th 1965, Minority Leader Everett Dirksen led his Republican Senate colleagues in overcoming Democrat opposition to the Voting Rights Act. All but one Republican Senators voted for it, while only 74% of Democrats did so. Dirksen had co-sponsored a motion referring the bill to the Judiciary Committee with instructions to report back no later than April 9th. Enforcing the GOP's Fifteenth Amendment, the 1965 Voting Rights abolished illicit measures used by Democrats to prevent Blacks from voting. 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 Yo...