7 6 ) ▁The ▁Massachusetts ▁Republican ▁Party ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 4 . ▁Draw ing ▁together ▁abol ition ist ▁and ▁n ativ ist ▁anti - C atholic ▁elements , ▁it ▁quickly ▁became ▁the ▁dominant ▁political ▁force ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁and ▁a ▁powerful ▁arm ▁of ▁the ▁national ▁Republican ▁Party . ▁Sign ific ant ▁found ing ▁figures ▁include ▁Senator ▁Charles ▁Sum ner , ▁formerly ▁of ▁the ▁Free ▁So il ▁Party , ▁and ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁Nathan iel ▁Pr ent iss ▁B anks , ▁formerly ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Party . ▁▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party ' s ▁found ing ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 4 , ▁all ▁of ▁Massachusetts ' s ▁con gression al ▁represent atives ▁but ▁Sum ner ▁were ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁n ativ ist ▁Know - Nothing ▁Party . ▁However , ▁B anks ' s ▁role ▁as ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁Republican ▁National ▁Convention , ▁his ▁active ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁Republican ▁president ial ▁nom ine e ▁John ▁C . ▁Fr ém ont ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁and ▁his ▁focus ▁on ▁anti - s la very ▁legisl ation ▁as ▁Spe aker ▁put ▁him ▁at ▁odd s ▁with ▁his ▁party . ▁Following ▁the ▁Democratic ▁victory ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁elections ▁and ▁the ▁D red ▁Scott ▁case ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 7 , ▁the ▁national ▁American ▁Party ▁organization ▁col lapsed , ▁and ▁most ▁Northern ▁members ▁joined ▁the ▁nas cent ▁Republic ans . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 7 ,