Its Origin and Organization-The Philadelphia Convention of 1856—The First Platform-The Fremont Campaign-Lecompton-A Pro-Slavery Constitution-The Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858, Etc.
In its origin the Republican party was a development into organized form of the principles of freedom. In its organization it was the fusion of political elements which had always before refused to coalesce. In the year 1852 there were three parties in the Union, presenting three presidential tickets to the American people. These were the Democratic, the Whig, and the Free Soil parties. In that year the Democratic party gained an overwhelming victory, carrying a large majority of the popular suffrage, and all the votes of the electoral college except those of Massachusetts, Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Under this crushing defeat the Whig party was destroyed.
During the administration of President Pierce,