Grand Old Partisan salutes John Geary, born near Pittsburgh, December 30th 1819. He achieved early success as both lawyer and civil engineer. He rose to the rank of colonel during the war with Mexico and then was then elected the first mayor of San Francisco.
In 1856, Geary was appointed territorial governor of Kansas, where he vigorously opposed pro-slavery forces. He allied himself with James Lane, Samuel Pomeroy, Charles Robinson and other early leaders of the Kansas Republican Party. He declined a Democrat offer to nominate him for the U.S. Senate.
Onset of civil war, he recruited a regiment of volunteers. Heroism at Gettyburg and other battles merited promotion to major general. Years later, the citizens of a Kansas county named for Jefferson Davis successfully petitioned the legislature to re-name it in honor of John Geary.
In 1866, the Pennsylvania Republican Party nominated John Geary for governor. The hateful, racist Democrats countered with a hateful, racist campaign, including this barbarity:
Pennsylvania prospered during the two terms of his administration. Governor Geary focused especially on improving education. He diminished the political power of the railroads and also sponsored a bill to enhance mining safety. Sadly, he died suddenly just eighteen days after leaving office.
Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/CamZxsG8M2Q
Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement.
Each day, Michael Zak's grandoldpartisan YouTube channel and Grand Old Partisan blog celebrate more than sixteen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states so far.
He also wrote the 2005 Republican Freedom Calendar.
Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision.
See www.youtube.com/q?v=IzxKCiXc5Qc for a brief video of a Texas Republican praising Back to Basics for the Republican Party.
"This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!"
"Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP."
"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan."
"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before."
and
"one of the best books I ever read"
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