Austin Blair – War Governor of Michigan


Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Austin Blair, born in upstate New York, February 8th 1818. He worked the family farm, then attended local colleges. After passing the bar, the ambitious Whig relocated to Michigan. His political career began with election for county clerk, soon followed by the state house. He attended the Free Soil Party's 1848 national convention.

At the first-ever Republican state convention – July 6th 1854 – Blair chaired the committee that wrote the platform. That autumn, he was elected state senator. In 1860, he attended the Republican National Convention and was elected Governor.

Outbreak of civil war, Blair pledged that: "Michigan is loyal to the Union, the Constitution, and the laws and will defend them to the uttermost; and to proffer to the President of the United States, the whole military power of the State for that purpose." His administration recruited more regiments than the War Department requested. He attended the Loyal War Governors Conference, in support of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Peace restored, Blair won three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. His advocacy for racial equality and women's suffrage was ahead of his time. He later served on the board of regents for the University of Michigan. There is a statue of this titan at the state capitol building.

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 article.

Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement.


Each day, his YouTube videos and TikTok videos and Rumble videos and Grand Old Partisan blog celebrate more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states.

Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision.

"This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!"

"Your book is a national treasure. I'm always recommending it."

"Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before."

and

"one of the best books I ever read"

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