David Wilmot, co-founder of the Republican Party

On this day in 1860, anti-slavery activist David Wilmot (R-PA) delivered the keynote address at the Republican National Convention that first nominated Abraham Lincoln for the presidency.  Wilmot, who wrote the GOP's 1856 national platform, was a Republican icon.  In 1846, he had introduced into Congress the famous "Wilmot Proviso," which, had Democrats not blocked it, would have banned slavery in any territories acquired during the Mexican-American War.

Wilmot later served as a U.S. Senator during the Civil War and then as a federal judge.

Michael Zak is a popular speaker to Republican organizations around the country, showing office-holders, candidates and activists how they would benefit tremendously from appreciating our Party's heritage of civil rights achievement.  Back to Basics for the Republican Party is his acclaimed history of the GOP from the Republican point of view.  Each day, his Grand Old Partisan blog -- http://grandoldpartisan.typepad.com -- celebrates 154 years of Republican heroes and heroics.  See www.republicanbasics.com for more information.