[FLT-bird]

As per usual, Flt-Bird is playing word games. Republicans certainly were Founded as the anti-Slavery party. They certainly did want abolition in western Territories and wanted to maintain abolition of international imports of slaves. Every Republican was an abolitionist in his own state, and some Founders, like John Fremont, favored national abolition. Indeed, Fremont drove Southern Democrat Fire Eaters berserk with rage over his abolitionism. Compared to Republican Founder Fremont, Lincoln was considered a "moderate" on abolition. But never moderate enough to satisfy Democrat Fire Eaters. They considered Lincoln's Republican abolitionism plenty enough to justify secession and war against the United States. So, yes, Republicans were founded as the anti-slavery party. Of course, no Republican, then or now, was a "woke" 1619er.

As usual BroJoeK obsesses over this topic. The Republican party was explicitly not abolitionist. They went to great pains to make that clear over and over again. They were against the spread of slavery to the western territories. They were perfectly willing to live with slavery where it existed and even to enshrine it in the constitution effectively forever as well as to strengthen federal fugitive slave laws/enforcement. Fremont could not get elected anywhere nor could any abolitionist. Abolitionists were a tiny minority even in the North.

[DiogenesLamp]

They were against the spread of slavery to the western territories.

Where it would not spread. What they were really worried about wasn't slavery spreading, it was the possibility that territories would turn into states favorable towards the Southern states and thereby affecting the balance of power in Washington DC.

That power balance is how they were getting Federal policy to flow money into their pockets, and this was always about making sure the money flowed into the pockets of the well connected "elite" of the North East.

[BroJoeK]

FLT-Bird: "As usual BroJoeK obsesses over this topic. "

As usual, FLT-bird obsesses over trying to justify the Lost Cause by constantly posting lies regarding the Civil War.

FLT-Bird: "Abolitionists were a tiny minority even in the North."

Noooo, in 1860 100% of Northerners were abolitionists in their own states.
In 1860, 100% of Republicans were abolitionists in US Western Territories.
In 1860, 100% of Republicans favored maintaining abolition of international slave imports.

In 1856 the Republican presidential candidate, John C. Fremont was alleged by Democrats to be 100% abolitionist, and received 1.3 million Northern votes, more than Democrat Buchanan's 1.2 million Northern votes -- Buchanan won because of Southern votes.

Bottom line: while most Northerners were tolerant of slavery in the South 100% of Republicans were abolitionists in their own states, in the Territories and in international imports.

All of which FLT-bird well knows, but just loves, loves, loves to lie about, in defense of his obsession with the Lost Cause.