Grand Old Partisan

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Augustus Straker, born July 11th 1842. He immigrated from Barbados at Civil War's end to help educate emancipated slaves. After teaching school in Kentucky, Straker studied law at Howard University. Frederick Douglass published many of his editorials. Four years, the Ulysses Grant administration employed him as a Treasury Department auditor. He visited Republican Senator Charles Sumner on his deathbed. In 1875, Straker relocated to South Carolina. Three times, the young Republican won election to the state house but Democrats refused to seat him. He and his law partner, former congressman Robert Elliott, discussed their plight with President James Garfield. Straker was the GOP's 1884 nominee for lieutenant governor. In 1887, Straker relocated again, to Detroit. His book, The New South Investigated , exposed the racist policies of Democrats who opposed Republic...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Wilhelm Thielepape, born near Frankfurt, July 10th 1814. He studied engineering. Age thirty, he emigrated to Texas, for work as surveyor and architect. Other ventures including teaching secondary school and editing an anti-slavery newspaper. Thielepape was a music enthusiast, performing and composing in his native German. He designed a 400-seat auditorium in San Antonio as well as a popular hotel. Outbreak of civil war, Thielepape managed to evade rebel authorities. Union restored, this patriot was among those who raised the Stars and Stripes over the Alamo. November 1867, during the Reconstruction era, Thielepape became mayor of San Antonio. The general who appointed him was trying to establish GOP control over the state. He was re-appointed by a Republican governor. In office more than four years, his administration repair...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I commemorate the launch of Abraham Lincoln's second campaign for the U.S. Senate. He was in the audience when Stephen Douglas, the Democrat incumbent, promoted slavery. Next evening – July 10th 1858 – Lincoln addressed supporters from the same spot, the balcony of Chicago's Tremont Hotel. Clearly and logically, he advocated freedom. Most notably, he said: "I think that the Republican Party is made up of those who, as far as they can peaceably, will oppose the extension of slavery, and who will hope for its ultimate extinction." Amid a chorus of cheers, Lincoln concluded his remarks: "I thank you for this most extensive audience that you have furnished me tonight. I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal." ...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Angus Cameron, born near Rochester, July 4th 1824. He studied law with a future Republican nominee for governor. Entry to politics was chairing a local Whig Party organization. Cameron moved to Wisconsin and joined the state GOP at its formation. He served in both legislative chambers and attended the 1864 Republican National Convention. February 1875, the legislature elected him to first of two terms in the U.S. Senate. Cameron chaired a committee investigating Democrat Vote Fraud and Democrat Voter Intimidation. 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 a TikTok Video about this ar...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I appreciate Republican focus on America paying "its debt to the past by reclaiming the purity of its air, its waters, and our living environment." Richard Nixon said that. July 9th 1970, the President submitted his Reorganization Plan 3 to Congress, which soon approved it. Consolidated into one agency were "a variety of research, monitoring, standard-setting and enforcement activities now scattered" throughout the federal government. This directive created the Environmental Protection Agency. William Ruckelshaus, the first Administrator, said the EPA would be "an advocate for the environment with individuals, with industry, and within government." Following a legal challenge, in 1984 President Ronald Reagan signed specific authorization for the EPA. Back to Basics for the Republican Party is m...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I condemn yet another Democrat outrage. July 8th 1876, Slavery Party thugs murdered African-Americans in Hamburg, South Carolina. Enraged that former slaves had dared celebrate the Fourth of July, a Democrat mob attacked a unit of African-Americans serving with the state militia. They killed a captain and five enlisted men, then looted the town. The administration of the Republican Governor indicted ninety-four Democrats for their crimes, but charges were later dropped by the incoming Democrat Governor. Two of those Democrat thugs went on to be U.S. Senators. 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...