Studies in American History 
445 
gether in Indianapolis in March, but the regular Democratic 
state convention, under the influence of Senator Bright, fa- 
vored the Kansas-Nebraska Bill and opposed the formation of 
a political party based on slavery.^^ The organization of the 
new party which shortly became known as a Republican party 
took place almost simultaneously in all of the 5 states of 
the Northwest. Wisconsin fusion between Whigs and Free Boil- 
ers had been more complete in 1853 than in any of the states, 
and perhaps the credit for the first meeting which contem- 
plated the formation of a new party goes to Ripon.®^ Mass 
meetings at Rockford and Freeport in March looked to the 
same end, but Illinois, most Democratic of the five states, 
waited until action had been taken elsewhere. The first state 
convention of the new movement assembled at Jackson, Mich., 
July 6, but July 13, the anniversary of the Ordinance of 1787, 
was the real birthday of the Republican party, for on that day 
state conventions met in Ohio, Indiana, and Wisconsin. 
The new party variously styled the “People’s party” or the 
“Republican party” met with a warm reception at the hands 
of the Democrats. It was clear that its success meant a 
split in Democratic ranks, and from fun-poking the Democ- 
racy turned to bitter attacks. The movement was character- 
ized as a fusion of all the odds and ends of everything.®^ 
Even the Ohio Statesman and Indianapolis Sentinel, two of 
the foremost Democratic papers in the Northwest that had 
shown antislavery tendencies for several years, heaped dire 
predictions and bitter attacks upon the new party “composed 
of all the odds and ends of society, politics, and religion . . . 
Abolitionists, Know-Nothingism, hypocrisy and bad liquor. 
The Republican party received its first test in the autumn 
elections of 1854. Since Michigan was the only state to elect 
a governor, the battle centered around the congressional elec- 
tions. Exciting mass meetings and demonstrations were con- 
spicuously lacking, yet the vote testified to the great interest 
taken. Fusion and confusion prevailed in the canvass. In 
^-Indianapolis Daily Journal, May 27 and 30, June 3, 1854. 
Ripon meeting was held February 28, 1854. Gordon S. P. Kleeberg, The Format 
tion of the Repuhlicam Party as a National Political Organization (New York, 1911), 
14. Henry Wilson, Rise and Fall of the Slave Poiver (Boston, 1872), II, 410, G. M. 
Harvey, “The Origin of the Republican Party”, in The Chautauquan, XXV, 643 (1897). 
“We look daily for a Union between the rappers, bloomers and Whigs — the spirits 
and short dresses voting the Whig ticket and the Whigs appointing ghosts and old 
ladies in pantalets to office.” Daily Argus and Democrat (Madison, Wis,), July 12, 1854. 
30—34488 
