Benjamin Bristow, our nation's first Solicitor General

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute Benjamin Bristow, born in Kentucky, May 20th 1832. He attended college in Pennsylvania, then practiced law back home along with his father, a former Whig congressman. Outbreak of civil war, the young Unionist recruited an infantry regiment and was commissioned its lieutenant colonel. Severely wounded at Shiloh, he later commanded a cavalry regiment.

In 1863, Bristow was elected to the state senate. He campaigned for President Lincoln's re-election and voted to ratify the 13th Amendment. While serving as U.S. Attorney for Kentucky, he prosecuted Klansmen and other Democrat terrorists.

In 1870, Republican legislation established the Justice Department, and President Grant named him the first Solicitor General, tasked with representing the federal government before the Supreme Court.

In 1874, Bristow was appointed Secretary of the Treasury. He contended for the 1876 Republican presidential nomination.

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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