Musical Fund Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
June 17 to 19, 1856
Nominated: John Charles Freemont of California for President
Nominated: William L Dayton of New Jersey for Vice President
The Republicans at their first naitonal convention selected John Charles Freemont and hoped that his celebraty status as a famous explorer would help elect hikm. The Republicans adopted a platform that stated that Congress should not allow either slavery nor bigamy in the new territories.