Wheaton College has seen its share of political campaigns and
candidates. Many have seen Wheaton College and the surrounding area as
a bastion of Republican politics and the number of visits of
Republicans, in and out of the campaign season, has reinforced this.
The local Fourth of July Parade has often been on the itinerary of the
presidential candidate. The connection between Wheaton College and
presidential politics may hearken back to Jonathan Blanchard’s own
involvement in the political process. Blanchard was heavily involved in
the emergence of the Liberty Party while in Ohio and remained involved
after his move to Illinois. He recognized the value of political
structures to influence change. He was later nominated for the U.S.
presidency by the anti-Masonic American Party (not to be confused with
the “Know-Nothing” American Party of the same era). Blanchard had asked
Frederick Douglass to serve as his vice-presidential running-mate.
Douglass declined. |