Grand Old Partisan

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute Elisha Dyer, born in Providence, July 20th 1811. After graduation from Brown University, his career began at the family merchandising business. Five years he served as chief administrative officer of the militia. He established an anti-slavery society and was on the Whig Party state committee. Dyer co-founded the Rhode Island GOP. In 1857, he won the governorship for first of two one-year terms. During the Civil War, this patriot enlisted as captain with a regiment assigned to defend Washington. Later years, he was director of a bank and a railroad. President Ulysses Grant appointed him commissioner to an international trade conference in London. 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...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute Frederic Greenhalge, born in England, July 19th 1842. Age twelve, the family immigrated to Massachusetts. Denied enlistment during the Civil War because of ill health, this patriot worked as a civilian quartermaster for the army in North Carolina. Peace restored, he studied law.  His political career started on the Lowell city council, followed by municipal judge and mayor and state representative. Greenhalge was delegate to the 1884 Republican National Convention. In 1888, he won a congressional term. In 1893, Greenhalge was elected Governor. His administration stressed education and fiscal prudence. He died in office, age fifty-two. "His strong character, his experience in public life, his patriotism, his courage, his leadership, seemed to be almost invaluable to the State." "He had the qualities which ...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor William Wallace, born in Ohio, July 19th 1811. After studying law in Indiana, he moved to Iowa and served in the territorial legislature, as a Whig. In 1853, Wallace relocated again, to Washington Territory. Soon, he was militia captain and territorial legislator. He went on to be county prosecutor and county school superintendent. In 1861, the steadfast Republican won election for congressional delegate. March 1863, President Lincoln appointed Wallace territorial governor of Idaho. Later that year, residents elected him congressional delegate. Remainder of his life he devoted to his legal practice and to local politics. 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 the...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor James Monroe, born in Connecticut, July 18th 1821. While an American Anti-Slavery Society lecturer, he joined the Liberty Party, then the Free Soil Party. He was a professor at Oberlin College. In 1855, Monroe helped establish the Ohio Republican Party and won a seat in the state house. His legislative priorities were education and safeguarding the rights of free Blacks. He was delegate to the GOP's 1860 national convention and campaigned tirelessly for the Lincoln/Hamlin ticket, delivering dozens of speeches. Outbreak of civil war found him president pro tempore of the state senate. President Lincoln appointed him Consul at Rio de Janeiro. In 1870, Monroe won first of five congressional terms. He served on the banking, foreign affairs, appropriations, and education and labor committees. This resolute Republican advocated human rights and economic grow...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Sara Spencer Washington, born in Virginia, June 17th 1883. She studied hairdressing and opened a shop in Atlantic City. Washington developed her own line of beauty products. This grew into Apex, a business empire of salons, sales agents, an hotel and even a golf course. The 1939 New York World"s Fair recognized her as a Most Distinguished Businesswomen . She became one of the first African-American millionaires.  Washington financed lawsuits against racial discrimination and devoted much of her fortune to philanthropy. She was delegate at the 1940, 1944 and 1948 Republican National Conventions. Her death prompted tributes from newspapers. The state senate commended her as "an international citizen of merit." Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know a...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I lament Democrat Vote Fraud. Were it not for Slavery Party Evil, this dire warning would not be today’s reality. July 17th 2020, Mike Pence spoke on behalf of a visionary: "Allow me to begin by bringing greetings from another great fan of the Badger State. He’s a man who loves the state of Wisconsin, he’s been fighting to keep the promises that he made to the people of this state every day for the last three and a half years, and he was in this state just not too long ago. So allow me to bring greetings from the 45th President of the United States of America, President Donald Trump. "You know, in our first three years, President Trump did keep every promise that he made to the people of Wisconsin and people all across this country, and the results were extraordinary. I mean, we rebuilt our military. We cut taxes across the board. We rolled back regulations ...