I  entered  the  Decatur  convention  with  a  resolution  in
opposition  to  this  movement  and  I  had  resolved  to  fight  with
all  my  might  and  win  or  go  down,  and  with  me,  perhaps  the
new  party.  My  friend,  Paul  Selby.  who  has  appeared  before


Convention,  May  29,  1856.
89


HON.  GEORGE  SCHNEIDER.
90  Anti- Nebraska  Republican

you  with  his  excellent  and  true  historical  address  on  the  De-
catur  convention,  placed  me  on  the  committee  of  resolutions
and  I  had  to  help  form  a  platform  containing  a  paragraph
against  the  prescriptive  doctrines  of  the  so-called  American
party.  This  portion  of  the  platform  raised  a  storm  of  opposi-
tion and  in  utter  despair  I  proposed  submitting  it  to  Mr.  Lin-
coln, who  had  appeared  in  the  convention,  and  abide  by  his  de-
cision. Mr.  Lincoln,  after  carefully  reading  the  paragraph,
made  the  following  remark  :

"Gentlemen:  The  resolution  introduced  by  Mr.  Schneider
is  nothing  new.  It  is  already  contained  in  the  Declaration  of
Independence  and  you  cannot  form  a  new  party  on  prescriptive
principles.'

This  declaration  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  saved  the  resolution
and  in  fact,  helped  to  establish  the  new  party  on  the  most
liberal  democratic  basis.  It  was  adopted  at  the  Bloomington
convention  and  next,  at  the  great,  and  the  first,  national  Re-
publican convention  at  Philadelphia  on  the  i8th  of  June,  1856.
And  in  connection  with  this  I  wish  to  say  that  the  delegation
from  Illinois  followed  the  lead  of  General  Palmer,  the  real 'grand
old  man'  from  Illinois.  He  drew  up  the  plan  of  operations ;  he
had  the  negotiations  with  President  Lane  and  secured  the  proper
committee  on  resolutions  and  the  great  success  was  due  to  his
fearless  and  at  the  same  time  prudent  and  statesman-like  action.
