Ripon College - Crimson Yearbook (Ripon, WI)

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B5 PE 1 iii 'ri l t wg p p or C 'ghe E924 CRINI-JDJEIQ mln. Q The Hrst party convention to 't ' i M' J ' adopt the new name was held July 6, 1854, at Jackson, Michigan. Greeley wrote to Jacob M. Howard of Michi- gan that he had been advised that 'Wisconsin would adopt. the name 4'Republican on July 13, and urged Michigan to anticipate such action by using the same name. The letter was shown to leaders in Michigan and the suggestion was accepted. Numerous articles have been written regarding the origin ot the Republican party, but historians to- I day make practically full recognition ' to the claims of Ripon as its birthplace and ol? Mr. Revay as its 'I'ounder. This historic building, the school house which fostered within its walls a movement which has been ot such prodigious intiuenee in the political develop- .i ..: Cfollcgc If'alk ment of America has been moved from its original site to its present location where it stands, unpretentiously guarding one corner ot the Ripon College campus. Each student generation regards and designates it proudly and it is visited annually by scores ot interested spectators. The building at present houses a rare collection ot curios, which might with proper organization, form the nucleus of an interesting museum, but which today is inaccessible to visitors primarily because of the limited space which is aiiforded. The biological specimens included in the collection are frequently employed by the biology department of the college and it is the hope of both college authorities and students that some day the eollcetion can be organized into a museum by which not only the college, but the general public as well may benefit. , The First Wisconsin Cavalry HE Ripon College campus was the rendezvous of the First Vlisconsin cavalry organized early in the summer of 1861 by Colonel Edward Daniels, who was commanded by the war department to recruit and organize the battalion. Colonel Daniels collected sixi hundred men at Camp Frement on the present college grounds. Later, two more companies were organized, and the governor of the state completed the regiment by the organization of six additional com- panies. Such were the men who composed the ofheersz Edward Daniels, col- onel, O. H. Lagrange, first major, Henry Pomeroy, second major, H. N. Greg- ory, surgeon, Charles Lord and H. XV. Cansall, assistants, and J. E. Mann, , ' 1 d f2Q i , H- - rr, Mei K E nn.. - r f-'mcg gncffp mm in mf RPQ QGW Page I7

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im: to .step-tgggzqcemmyaga. as m The Republican Party ' N a little school house which now stands on the southwest corner of Ripon campus, was held March 20, 1854, a meeting which marks the first break from the old Democratic party a.nd the organization of a new party under the name ' ' Republican. 1 It was at the time the Nebraska Bill threatened to pass Congress and become a law.. ln answer to what appeared to threaten a spread of slavery into northern states, a body of Ripon citizens rose to protest passage of the bill. Chief among those who read in the Nebraska Bill an menace to the anti-slavery forces, stood Mr. Alvan E. Bovay. With Mr. J ehdeiah Bowen as his chief helper, he headed the new movement and started propaganda which soon resulted in definite action. .Llc it was who iii-st suggested the name Republicanl' for the new party. It was also he who interviewed Horace Greeley in New York City two years before the party wa.s definitely organized, and who later was responsible for Greeley's editorial suggesting the name. After several preliminary meetings, a, mass meeting was finally held on the night of March 20, 1854. in the school house 5 a meeting which Udeiinitely and positively cut loose from old parties and advocated a new party under the name Republican. Of this meeting M r. Bovay himself later wrote: HI set to work in the most systematic way that I could contrive, to dissolve the Whig party and all other parties opposed to the slave party, and to organize the Republican party right here in Ripon, because I was fully convinced that sooner or later others would take similar steps elsewhere, and that in a few months we should have a. great irresistable Northern party, organized on the single issue of the non-extension of slavery. , . . . They came to our meetings, and were respectfully heard. but the large majority had made up their minds. The hour was late, the candles burned low. It was a cold, windy night at the vernal equinox. In the end, all IDHJCN two or three gave in and we formed an organi- aation .... The election of that first Republican committee-A. E. Bovay, Jehdeiah Bowen, Amos Lo- per, Jacob Xhloodruff and Abram Thomas-was a sol- emn act .... It was no fragmentary movement. It contemplated the consoli- dation of all shades of an- A ti-slavery opinion under the name Republican. Home of Mc Rcjzublimn Parry ' T 9 VVYV V -gfffffs, . . - him-Q i . Un .'1lff5 3f.QfTB .. ti-alive it w Cr 2 Swugaoiq Page I6

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'II-1 ---1xC'Ghc.2fg12f1CRIMSUNIQ- i . quartermaster. NVith the growth of the organization the location of the rendez- vous was changed from Ripon to Kenosha, where the organization was perfected. Early in the following year, the regiment was accepted and mustered into the United States service. When it was apparent that Ripon would be selected for the first encamp- ment., The executive committee of the college, on September 10, 1861, loyally voted To let The buildings and grounds of The college to The government. The offer was accepted and advantage Taken of it until November 28 when The removal to Kenosha took place. With an original strength of 1,124 men, the regiment sustained losses in battle of 3663 subsequent enrollments raised the broken ranks to The number of 1,-1-l-1 by the conclusion of the war. Fift'v-tive years from the time These men used The existing college buildings as barracks at Camp Fremont, The surviving members of that memorable regiment returned to The same buildings to commemorate the Fi'lfT.ieT.h Annual Eneamp- ment of The Grand Army of the Republic, June 1-L-16, 1916. Coming before The school year was scheduled to end, the students packed Their belongings and left the dormitories to make room for The celebrating veterans. The college spared no pains or expense To provide for the comforts of its guests. The college Vommons served The members of the G.A.R. just as etificiently as it did The departed students. Bartlett Hall adequately furnished accommodations for the ladies attending the encampment. The gymnas- ium, at that time called The Indoor Athletic Field, was transformed into a big auditorium, furnishing ample seating capacity for The meet- ings of The old soldiers. Nothing but whole-hearted cooperation on the part of The Towiispcople and The college administration could possibly have accommodat- ed the visiting warriors who gathered for The tittieth time since the close of the Civil war. All individual responsibilities were shelved for the Tinze. and all Riponites joined in The one project ot causing the G-olden Jubilee of The Grand Army to be The brightest event in the history of the organization. ln a tringular corner bordered bv walks at Ccllwf Offff ,The east 'end of the college campus, is set, in a simple frame of concrete, a granite marker, the sole remaining evidence of The location of t.he original rendezvous, Camp Fremont. of the 1st Nllisconsin cavalry. f --- -- Y' V ' ' Gmc il inn .,x? Hiisfi: ij.m c use .11 . frm' , .A A S ff ' - V f 53,596 Page 18