Grand Old Partisan

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Charles Nagel, born in Texas, August 9th 1849. During the Civil War, his anti-slavery parents escaped with their children to Mexico and then to Missouri. He studied at Washington University Law School and the University of Berlin. Political activity began with a term in the state house, followed by chairing the St. Louis city council.  In 1908, Nagel became Republican National Committeeman. Recognized for "strong business instincts and large experience with industrial, fiscal and transportation affairs," he co-founded the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Nagel served as Secretary of Commerce and Labor during the William Howard Taft administration. His tenure ended after four years when the Department was divided in two – one for Commerce and another for Labor. He was delegate at the 1932 Republican National Convention. Back to Ba...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics – and condemns Democrat devilry. Political violence is nothing new for Democrats In the years following the Civil War, Slavery Party thugs formed terrorist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and the White League. They murdered thousands of African-Americans. August 8th 1868, a Republican newspaper published an editorial illustration entitled One Vote Less . It depicts a former slave murdered by Democrats in order to lower Republican voter turnout. 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 article. Here is an Instagram Video about this article. Here is my Substack about this ...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Daniel Morrell, born August 8th 1821. Age fifteen, he went to work for a Philadelphia bank. Having relocated to Johnstown, this industrious Republican became general manager of the nation's largest steel mill. Other businesses included a gas and water utility as well as a bank. He also chaired the town council. In 1866, Morrell won first of two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. He voted for the Reconstruction Acts and the 14th and 15th Amendments. President Rutherford Hayes named him envoy to the Paris Exposition. He was delegate to the 1884 Republican National Convention. Morrell is best remembered for his persistent warnings that a nearby dam could collapse. He even offered to finance repairs, but to no avail. The ensuing disaster was the infamous Johnstown Flood. In 1966, a Great Lakes freighter named for him sank during a stor...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I praise Horace Harrison, born near Nashville, August 7th 1829. Government posts included state senate clerk. During the Civil War, he remained loyal to the Union and opposed slavery. President Lincoln appointed him U.S. Attorney for Middle Tennessee. Union restored, Harrison served on the state supreme court. President Grant re-appointed him U.S. Attorney. Winning a congressional term, he voted for the 1875 Civil Rights Act. Harrison lost for re-election to a Democrat former Confederate. He was delegate to the 1880 Republican National Convention and won for the state house. 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...

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...