February 14, 2010

Grand Old Partisan salutes Frederick Douglass, born this day in 1817. One facet of the great man’s life that deserves more emphasis is Frederick Douglass, Republican.

His political career began 1860, when he supported Abraham Lincoln for the presidency. Three years later, he was appointed by the Republican governor of Massachusetts to recruit African-American soldiers for the 54th and 55th Massachusetts regiments during the Civil War. His sons Lewis and Frederick Douglass Jr. participated in the celebrated attack on Ft. Wagner portrayed in the movie Glory.

Douglass was a key advisor to President Lincoln. At his second inaugural ball, the war virtually over, Lincoln was confident enough to go public about his friendship with a black man. Hearing that Douglass was being denied entry, the President had him shown in, greeting him with “Here comes my friend Douglass and shaking his hand.” Such a gesture was unprecedented and could scarcely have been thought possible just a few years before. As token of their friendship, Mary Lincoln later presented Doulgass with Lincoln’s walking stick.

President Grant appointed Douglass an envoy to the Dominican Republic. President Hayes appointed him Marshall of the District of Columbia. During the Garfield and Arthur administrations, Douglass served as Recorder of Deeds of the District of Columbia. He was ambassador to Haiti during the Benjamin Harrison administration. Many prominent Republicans, including Susan B. Anthony, attended his funeral.

“I am a Republican, a black, dyed-in-the-wool Republican, and I never intend to belong to any other party than the party of freedom and progress.” Frederick Douglass.

From http://grandoldpartisan.com/ – check out the site for more historical facts.

This cartoon from 1934 is scary; the press ridiculing FDR’s recovery programs. The BIG difference between FDR and today, is FDR made people WORK for assistance. And, remember folks: “It wasn’t FDR’s socialism and spending that ended the depression. It was WW II.
(click on image for larger view):

September 4, 2009

Rome fell SEPTEMBER 4, 476AD.

In the centuries preceding, Rome was overrun with illegal immigrants: Visigoths, Franks, Anglos, Saxons, Ostrogoths, Burgundians, Lombards and Vandals.

They first assimilated, many working as servants, but then came so fast they did not learn the Latin language.

Militarily superior Roman Legions marched rapidly on advanced roads but were strained fighting conflicts worldwide.

Rome had a trade deficit, having outsourced its grain production to North Africa, and when the Vandals captured that area, Rome did not have the resources to retaliate.

Attila the Hun committed terrorist attacks.

Rome was on welfare with citizens given free bread.

One Roman commented:

“Those who live at the expense of the public funds are more numerous than those who provide them.”

Tax collectors were “more terrible than the enemy.”

Rome was in debt with huge government bureaucracies.

A history of court favoritism, infidelity, exposure of unwanted infants, perverted bathhouses, sexual immorality, as seen in Pompei’s ruins, and violent entertainment by gladiators in the Coliseum, led 5th-Century historian Salvian to write:

“O Roman people be ashamed…Let nobody think otherwise, the vices of our bad lives have alone conquered us.”

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