Chapter 23

Chapter 23

POLITICS IN THE GILDED AGE, 1869-1889

The “Bloody Shirt” Elects Grant

Grant was immensely popular after the war

Nation was weary after war, and eager for a fresh face.

Republicans, nevertheless, enthusiastically nominate Grant

Grant is singularly unequipped to be President.

The “Bloody SHIRT” Elects Grant

Democrats divided between eastern and western democrats.

Nominate Horatio Seymour Republicans wave the “Bloody

Shirt” Democrats divided over

redemption of Bonds. Grants wins easily in the

electoral college, but by only 300,000 votes.

Impact of Black vote.

The Era Of Good Stealings

Civil War bred corruption and graft.

RR corruption Jim Fisk and Jay Gould

scheme to corner the gold market.

Boss Tweed/Tammany Hall.

A Carnival Of Corruption

Grant’s administration was riddled with corrupt officials. Credit Mobilier scandal. JTFV

Exposed in 1872. Members of congress censured. Vice President implicated.

Whiskey Tax scandal. Republican politicians siphon off millions of dollars in

federal taxes on liquor; the scheme involved an extensive network of bribes involving tax collectors, storekeepers, and others.

Liberal Republican Revolt Of 1872

Liberal republicans were tired of corruption

Liberal Republican party. Nominate Horace Greeley Democrats endorse him, too. Campaign very ugly Greely died before the electoral votes

counted

Grant v. Greeley Grant wins easily, 286-66, because:

Grant is perceived to be the lesser of two evils Democrats are still stained with fault for the

Civil War. General Amnesty Act pardoned more than

150,000 former Confederate troops, restoring their right to vote and right to hold political office

Lowered tariffs Mild civil-service reform

Depression And Demands For Inflation

1873 severe recession hits High prices and business

activity which had followed the war yielded its legitimate effect in an abnormal speculation.

RR causes collapse of Jay Cooke and Co. It was the first "wire" brokerage house

15,000 businesses went under.

Depression And Demands For Inflation

Debtors advocate inflationary policies. Call for more Greenbacks.

Federal government had removed one-fourth from circulation.

Grant sides with conservatives and signs Resumption Act of 1875 Replacement of the Civil War fractional

currency by silver coins. Reduced the greenback total to $300 million. The Treasury was directed to "redeem, in coin" legal-tender notes presented for redemption on and after 1 January 1879

Paper is a good as gold

Bland-Allison Act 1878 Bland-Allison Act.

requiring the U.S. treasury to buy a certain amount of silver and put it into circulation as silver dollars – passed over veto by Hayes

Following the Panic of 1873, the Grange spread rapidly throughout the farm belt, since farmers in all areas were plagued by low prices for their products, growing indebtedness and favoritism by the railroads. These concerns helped to transform the Grange into a political force

Stalwarts v. Halfbreeds

Republicans had two rival factions Stalwarts (Conklingites)

led by NY Sen. Roscoe Conkling). Big believers in patronage. In favor of Ulysses S. Grant

Half-Breeds. Led by James Blaine. Flirted with civil service reform.

The only real issue between Stalwarts and Half-Breeds was patronage.

The Hayes-Tilden Standoff, 1876

Republicans dissuade Grant from running again.

Rutherford B. Hayes. Hayes largely unknown, but a

civil war officer Also, importantly, former three-

term governor of Ohio.

The Hayes-Tilden Standoff, 1876

Samuel Tilden. Platform. Attacks against Republicans.

Tilden won the popular vote proving that the Democrats were back in the political picture following the Civil War

Electoral College dispute Electoral Count Act Compromise of 1877 was reached

whereby the Democrats agreed to Hayes' election and he agreed to withdraw all federal troops in the South

Hayes-Tilden Disputed Election of 1876

End of Reconstruction

Compromise was the end of reconstruction.

Literacy tests and poll taxes Crop-Lien System/Share

Cropping Jim Crow Laws

Plessy v. Ferguson 1896 U.S. Supreme Court decided that a Louisiana law mandating separate but equal accommodations for blacks and whites on intrastate railroads was constitutional.

Class Conflicts And Ethnic Clashes

Driven by wage cuts and poor working conditions, violent outbreaks of strikes and a long series of battles occurred all over the country during the 1870s.

The Great Strike of 1877 sparked battles between militia and the crowds. Only after federal soldiers were brought in, was ordered restored

Chinese in California Dennis Kearney/Kearneyites Chinese Exclusion Act

Republicans in 1880

Stymied by Stallwart-Halfbreed rivalry it takes 35 ballots to settle on a candidate.

Chose James Garfield. Dark-Horse. Chester Arthur, was chosen VP. Platform is for higher tariffs and

(weakly) for civil service reform

Election of 1880

Democrats chose Winfield Hancock Civil War General, but popular in south Thought to be fair as Military Gov – Tx-La

Both parties shun substantive political issues.

Garfield wins by only 40,000, but 214-155 in electoral college.

He was besieged by office seekers. Made Blain Sec. of State

Battle raging politically between Stalwarts and Half-Breeds.

Election of 1880

1881: Garfield Assassinated!1881: Garfield Assassinated!1881: Garfield Assassinated!1881: Garfield Assassinated!

Charles Guiteau:I Am a Stalwart, and Arthur is President now!

CHESTER ARTHUR TAKES COMMAND

Not many expected much from Arthur. Puppet of Congling machine Dandy

Displayed surprising integrity, intelligence and independence.

Arthur threw his support behind reform of spoils system.

Pendleton Act of 1883 Merit system for 10% of Federal

jobs Father of the Civil Service

THE BLAINE-CLEVELAND MUDSLINGERS OF 1884

Republicans nominate Blain Tainted with numerous rumors of

scandals. The “tattooed man” “Mulligan letters” detailed his

corruption Republican reformers, called

"Mugwumps," supported Cleveland because of Blaine's reputation for corruption.

Grover Cleveland

Democrats nominate Grover Cleveland. Reputation for reform and

honesty. Cleveland’s Bastard. One of the ugliest

campaigns in American history

New York the key state Blain – NY Rum, Romanism

and Rebellion

Election of 1884

Old Grover Takes Over

First Dem. president since Buchanan Issues raised by this?

Cleveland’s political philosophy Last Jeffersonian Democrat?

Named two former confederates to his cabinet, helping to heal the north-south divide

Tariffs and Pensions

Cleveland fires 2/3 of federal employees

Military Pension issue – GAR

Tariffs Country was running at a

surplus because of high tariffs.

Republicans had little motivation to reduce these tariffs.

Cleveland makes tariff reduction his number-one issue.

Harrison Ousts Cleveland Dems renominate Cleveland. Rep. turn to Benjamin Harrison,

grandson of William Henry Harrison. The tariff was the main issue in the

election. Harrison opposed tariff reduction while Cleveland supported it. Cleveland and the Democrats did not wage a strong campaign, Cleveland's attitude toward the spoils system had antagonized party politicians, and his policies on Civil War pensions, the currency, and tariff reform had made enemies among veterans, farmers, and industrial workers

Harrison wins electoral vote but looses the popular vote.

1888 Presidential Election1888 Presidential Election1888 Presidential Election1888 Presidential Election

Cleveland and History

Cleveland the first sitting president to be voted out of office since Van Buren in 1840. (Others: J. Adams, J.Q. Adams, Harrison, Hoover, Carter, Bush)

Cleveland last to win popular vote and lose electoral college until Gore.

Cleveland only president to have two non-consecutive terms.

Political Gravy For All

Billion Dollar Congress Pension Act of 1890 Sherman Anti-Trust Act

United States Federal statute to limit cartels and monopolies

Tariffs and Silver Easterners wanted a

higher tariff Westerners and farmers

wanted more silver minted

Tariff Ire

Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890 While not authorizing the free and unlimited coinage of silver that the Free Silver supporters wanted, the government was required to purchase every month

McKinley Tariff Bill raised tariff rates to their highest peace-time

level—48% Farmers hated the new tariff. Republicans punished in 1890

congressional election. Lose nearly 60 seats and Dems have a huge

majority in Congress

1892 Presidential Election1892 Presidential Election1892 Presidential Election1892 Presidential Election

Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison again! * (DEM) (REP)

Populists

Populists emerge as a potent third party. Officially the People’s Party Nominate James B. Weaver

Populist Agenda: free and unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio

of sixteen to one graduated income tax Gov’t ownership of telephone, telegraph and RR direct election of US senators one-term limit on presidency use of the initiative and referendum to allow

citizens to propose and review legislation. Shorter work day-to appeal to labor restriction on immigration—to appeal to labor

Populists

Labor is mad and are ripe for wooing by Populists.

Populists poll over one-million votes and become one of the few third parties to win electoral votes

Populists don’t embrace black farmers

1892 Presidential Election

OLD GROVER CLEVELAND AGAIN

Depression of 1893 Causes:

Over-building and over-speculation RR labor unrest agricultural depression from low

commodity prices reduction of US credit abroad because of

Silver Purchase Act Problems with overseas banks, which

were forced to call in US loans. Cleveland does next to nothing—

laissez faire

Gold Problem

Treasury was running a deficit because of the Silver Purchase Act.

Cleveland saw no choice but to repeal the Silver Purchase Act.

William Jennings Bryan

Cleveland forced to issue bonds to raise money in order to buy gold