thought that some of the Democratic theories of government to which they were opposed had been incorporated in it. The present. constitution is, in the main, the work of Democratic hands. As has been stated in a previous chapter, the very features of the first constitution which were regarded as so objectionable have since been incorporated in our statutes, thus proving the wisdom of those who formed the first instrument. The act establishing the State University was passed by a Democratic Legislature; the Board of Regents for many years was mostly composed of Democrats, and on the 12th day of June, 1838, a Democratic Congress made an appropriation of the amount of land asked for by the territorial Legislature, "which was the fundamental endowment of that noble University whose spacious buildings now adorn the capitol of the State, and whose facilities and capacity for educating its youth reflected much credit upon those who have manifested so great an interest and such untiring perseverance in promoting its welfare!" (see Strong's history of the Territory of Wisconsin). The prime movers in the establishment and care of the State Historical Society-the pride of every scholar in Wisconsin, and the admiration of all our neighbors--were prominent members of the Democratic party, aided and encouraged by the educated and progressive men of all parties. A Democratic editor, Chauncey C. Britt, first called public attention to the importance of such an institution, and Lyman C. Draper, who did more for its benefit than any other man, was a member of that political party. It was a Democrat, Judge Charles H. Larrabee, who induced Mr. Draper to come to Wisconsin and take charge of the Society's affairs. Prominent among its promoters were such men as A. Hyatt Smith, its first president; James D. Doty, Thomas P. Burnett, Gen. William R. Smith, George Hyer, Morgan L. Martin, John Y. Smith, Gen. Harrison C. Hobart, Samuel Crawford, Nelson Dewey, and others.

It was a Democratic Legislature that abolished the cruel and inhuman law of imprisonment for debt-a relic of barbarism which the territory inherited from Michigan and in force here until 1837. It was a Democratic Legislature that passed, and a Democratic Governor who signed, the act abolishing capital punishment in

Wisconsin. The State prison, the Hospital for the Insane at Madison; the institute for the education of the deaf and dumb, and the blind, had their origin in bills appropriating money by Democratic Legislatures. The most stringent license law ever passed by the Legislature of any State was enacted in January, 1849, by a Legislature that was overwhelmingly Democratic, and signed by Governor Nelson Dewey, and known at the time as the Wisconsin Bond law. It made the liquor seller give a penal bond of $1,000 with three or more sufficient sureties, "conditioned to pay all damages, to support all widows, orphans and paupers, pay all the expenses of all civil and criminal prosecutions made, growing out of such traffic, that the community or individuals may sustain by reason of such traffic." This was regulating the sale of intoxicants with a vengeance. In 1853 the question of passing a prohibitory liquor law was submitted to a vote of the people, the State being heavily Democratic, and it was adopted by over 3,000 majority. It was a Democratic Legislature which passed the first law in Wisconsin that curbed the aggressive spirit of the railroad corporations of the State, and it was a Democratic Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who wrote the opinion declaring that the Legislature had the right to fix rates on railroads and regulate traffic within the State. It was a Democratic Justice of the Supreme Court who wrote the opinion declaring the two apportionment acts passed by Democratic Legislatures to be unconstitutional and void, and it was a Democratic administration that brought suit against the former State Treasurers and recovered a large amount of money that went into the State treasury.

At the State Convention which convened in Madison on July 13, 1854, to organize the Republican party, the first State Central Committee was appointed. It was composed of William A. White, of Dane, as chairman; J. A. Sleeper, of Rock; John Walworth, of Green; D. W. Hall, of Dodge; Wyman Spooner, of Walworth; Orsamus Cole, of Grant; and Dr. E. B. Wolcott and C. A. Wunderly, of Milwaukee. This was a most noteworthy committee. At the State Convention which assembled in Madison the next year, a new committee was appointed and by resolution William. A. White, David Atwood and E. W. Keyes were appointed a

committee from the State at large, with S. S. Daggett, S. J. forter, W. C. Rogers, J. C. Holt, D. E. Wood and L. F. Frisby, making up a committee from the districts, with William A. White again as chairman. At the Republican Convention that convened at Madison June 5, 1856, a new committee was created and L. P. Harvey, afterwards Governor of the State, was appointed chairman, and at the convention of September 4, 1857, the committee was again reconstructed with H. A. Tenney, of Dane, as chairman. So it appears that a new committee was created in each of the years '54, 55, 56 and '57. At the convention held August 31, 1859, Horace Rublee and E. W. Keyes were appointed from the State at large, with Horace Rubice as chairman, and the balance of the committee selected from the different Congressional districts of the State. The next convention was held September 26, 1861, at which time Horace Rublee was reappointed chairman. The next convention assembled August 23, 1863, and was a most notable one. Its opening was stormy and presaged dissension and strife, but it closed with the best of feeling, and its action was accepted in a harmonious spirit. The contest for the nomination of Governor was between the acting Governor, Edward Salomon, who succeeded to the office on the death of Governor Harvey, and James T. Lewis, who was then Secretary of State. Both Salomon and Lewis had come to the Republicans from the Democratic party, after the breaking out of the war. Mr. Lewis received the nomination after a hot contest. At this convention Lucius Fairchild received his first nomination for Secretary of State, and was formally initiated into the Republican party. Senator Doolittle was a prominent figure in the convention, and it was through his influence chiefly that Fairchild was induced to accept the nomination. Doolittle had prepared a resolution creating a central committee, in which E. W. Keyes was named for chairman, but before its introduction Mr. Keyes declined the position and insisted upon the substitution of Mr. Rublee's name in place of his own. Mr. Rublee was unanimously appointed. 1865 Mr. Rublee was reappointed chairman, with E. L. Buttrick, J. C. Cover, J. M. Gillett, H. L. Belitz and W. T. Price as the committee. Mr. Rublee was again appointed in 1867. The next

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