The Civil War wasn't anywhere near fruition in 1854, or on anyone's mind when the Republican Party was organized. They were against the spread of slavery to the west, and knew they wouldn't have the support of Southern Democrats at that time, yet they still forged ahead, and put up their own candidate for President. The Party organizers must have thought that despite Fremont losing the 1854 election, that it was worth trying again in 1860. Thankfully, they didn't just pack their bags and gone home.
It’s good you can read their party organizers minds.
Party organizations were much different then and weren’t semi-institutionalized like they are now.
Fremont losing the 1854 election,
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Fremont lost the 1856 Presidential election to Buchanan, sorry for the correction, your posts on this subject are really good.