Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 26.djvu/371

 posed to slavery was held at Albany. In May, 1856, the first republican meeting was held by citizens of Jackson County to nominate county officers and it adopted a strong platform declaring for freedom throughout the United States. This was followed August 20, 1856, by a meeting of "a number of friends of the republican cause," at Albany, to organize a republican party. Many of the same men were present who had attended the whig free-soil convention in Yamhill county the preceding year, and the principles laid down by the Philadelphia national convention of the republican party were approved and the national Fremont-Dayton ticket was endorsed. At the same time, steps were taken to organize county and precinct conventions, and to stimulate friends of the movement throughout the Territory to support men for office who were in harmony with the party aims. The Oregonian, while not at first cordial, stated as early as December 6, 1856, that almost every county had held a republican convention and adopted a republican platform.

The "free-state republican platform" adopted at Albany February 11, 1857, declared unequivocally in favor of the admission of Oregon into the Union, but as a free state.

Then, the Argus, published at Oregon City, became the organ of the new party, and strongly supported its principles. It was ably edited by W. L. Adams, who had early declared his adhesion to the new organization.

It was on May 22, 1856, that Sumner was assaulted by Brooks in the United States Senate at Washington, and when Brooks challenged Senator Wilson to a duel, Lane acted as the second for the challenger. The feeling was growing throughout the Territory that Lane and the Buchanan administration would force slavery upon