James Comly, patriotic Republican Journalist and Union Colonel and Baseball Enthusiast and Ambassador to Hawaii


Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute James Comly, born March 6th 1832. He apprenticed as a printer, then studied law. Ohio's secretary of state named him his chief clerk. He wrote editorials supporting the first two Republican presidential nominees, John Fremont and Abraham Lincoln.


During the Civil War, a Republican governor commissioned him major of the 23rd Ohio Infantry. He was promoted to colonel after the regiment's previous commander, Rutherford Hayes, was promoted to brigadier general. For the rest of his life, Comly endured considerable pain from severe wounds.


Peace restored, he edited the state GOP's leading newspaper. Comly also organized one of the very first baseball teams, the Buckeye Baseball Club. President Ulysses Grant appointed him postmaster at Columbus. President Rutherford Hayes made him ambassador to Hawaii. He cast an electoral vote for James Blaine in the 1884 presidential election. Later years focused on editing a Toledo newspaper.


"Gallant, gentle, kind and generous to a fault, as well as able, honest and true – his word was as good as his bond. Full of honors and good traits, he has gone to his rest."

"Brilliant in intellect, brave of soul, true of heart, loyal, unselfish and steadfast, he was a man whom all that knew him admired as well as loved."

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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