Grand Old Partisan

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Jasper Blackburn, born in Arkansas, July 24th 1820. Having apprenticed as a printer, he published several local newspapers. Unlike most neighbors, he opposed slavery. His was the only southern newspaper to denounce a Democrat Representative for beating a Republican Senator nearly to death.  During the Civil War, Blackburn only narrowly avoided being hanged by Confederates. He declared himself a Republican once Union soldiers occupied the area. Peace restored, Blackburn relocated to Louisiana and published another newspaper. He attended the 1867 state constitutional convention and was appointed county judge. Following year, he won a term in the U.S. House of Representatives. The 15th Amendment received his vote. Later years, Blackburn served in the state senate and published two more newspapers. He was remembered as "an intense abolitionist," "a patriarc...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I commemorate the Judicial Circuits Act, of July 23rd 1866. Republicans thereby blocked Democrat President Andrew Johnson from nominating anyone to the U.S. Supreme Court. It was passed by the GOP-controlled 39th Congress, following the recommendation of Chief Justice Salmon Chase, who had been appointed by Abraham Lincoln. Specifically, this legislation lowered the number of Justices from ten to seven. The reduction was to be achieved by attrition. Republicans fixed the number at nine once Johnson was out of office. 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...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor John Adams Hyman, born enslaved in North Carolina, July 23rd 1840. He worked for a jeweler until sold to an Alabama plantation when discovered that he had been taught to read and write. Freed at Civil War's end, Hyman returned home and managed a store. He was delegate to the 1865 state equal rights convention and to the 1868 state constitutional convention. While a member of the GOP central committee, this civil rights activist served three state senate terms. In 1874, Hyman won election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Later years, he worked for the Treasury Department and the Post Office and the Agriculture Department. 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. Fo...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute Socrates Sherman, born July 22nd 1801. He studied medicine and settled in upstate New York. As a Republican, he won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1860. Among the GOP achievements receiving his vote were the DC Emancipation Act, the Homestead Act, the Transcontinental Railroad and the Land Grant Colleges Act. During the Civil War, instead of running for re-election, Sherman enlisted as surgeon with the state’s 34th Volunteer Infantry. His regiment fought at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. Peace restored, he practiced medicine back home. A school named for him is now a bed & breakfast. 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 inf...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute Bob Dole, born in Kansas, July 22nd 1923. He left pre-med studies to enlist in the army during WWII. The courageous lieutenant suffered grievous wounds while leading an attack. After three years recovering, Dole studied at University of Arizona and law school in Topeka. Entry to politics was a term in the state house, then eight years as county prosecutor. In 1960, Dole won first of four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. There followed five terms in the U.S. Senate. This principled conservative was Minority Leader and Majority Leader. Two years he chaired the Republican National Committee. His second wife, Elizabeth, led the Red Cross and also won election to the Senate. Dole was President Gerald Ford's running mate in 1976 and presidential nominee in 1996. "As a young man in a small town, my parents taught me to...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I appreciate Republican reverence for our nation’s heritage. July 21st 1892, Benjamin Harrison issued the proclamation making Columbus Day a national holiday. In addition to boosting patriotism, the President’s motivations were honoring Italians and all immigrants. "Now, therefore, I, Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States of America, in pursuance of the aforesaid joint resolution, do hereby appoint Friday, October 21, 1892, the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus, as a general holiday for the people of the United States. On that day let the people, so far as possible, cease from toil and devote themselves to such exercises as may best express honor to the discoverer and their appreciation of the great achievements of the four completed centuries of American life." "Columbus stood in his age as t...