Grover Cleveland
24th President of the United States
In office March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897
Vice President	Adlai E. Stevenson (1893-1897)
Preceded by	Benjamin Harrison
Succeeded by	William McKinley
22nd President of the United States
In office March 4, 1885 – March 4, 1889
Vice President	Thomas A. Hendricks (1885, died in office), None (1885–1889)
Preceded by	Chester A. Arthur
Succeeded by	Benjamin Harrison
28th Governor of New York
In office January 1, 1883 – January 6, 1885
Lieutenant	David B. Hill
Preceded by	Alonzo B. Cornell
Succeeded by	David B. Hill
Born	March 18, 1837(1837-03-18) Caldwell, New Jersey
Died	June 24, 1908 (aged 71) Princeton, New Jersey
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Frances Folsom Cleveland
Occupation	Lawyer
Religion	Presbyterian
Signature

Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837–June 24, 1908), was the twenty-second and twenty-fourth President of the United States. Cleveland is the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms (1885–1889 and 1893–1897). He was the winner of the popular vote for President three times—in 1884, 1888, and 1892—and was the only Democrat elected to the Presidency in the era of Republican political domination that lasted from 1860 to 1912. Cleveland's admirers praise him for his honesty, independence, integrity, and commitment to the principles of classical liberalism.^[1] As a leader of the Bourbon Democrats, he opposed imperialism, taxes, subsidies and inflationary policies, but as a reformer he also worked against corruption, patronage, and bossism. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1732x2572, 411 KB) U.S. President Grover Cleveland. ... 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The Vice President of the United States[1] (sometimes referred to as VPOTUS,[2] Veep, or VP) is the first person in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death, resignation, or removal of the president. ... Adlai E. Stevenson I Adlai Ewing Stevenson I (October 23, 1835 – June 14, 1914) was a Representative from Illinois and the twenty-third Vice President of the United States. ... For other persons named Benjamin Harrison, see Benjamin Harrison (disambiguation). ... This article is about the 25th President of the United States; for other people named William McKinley, see William McKinley (disambiguation). ... 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The Vice President of the United States[1] (sometimes referred to as VPOTUS,[2] Veep, or VP) is the first person in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death, resignation, or removal of the president. ... Thomas Andrews Hendricks (September 7, 1819 – November 25, 1885)[1] was a U.S. Representative and a Senator from Indiana, a Governor of Indiana, and the twenty-first Vice President of the United States (serving with Grover Cleveland). ... // Presidents of France Félix Faure Marie François Sadi Carnot Paul Doumer Georges Pompidou Presidents of the United States William Henry Harrison Zachary Taylor Abraham Lincoln James Garfield William McKinley Warren G. Harding Franklin Delano Roosevelt John F. Kennedy Vice Presidents of the United States George Clinton Elbridge Gerry... Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 – November 18, 1886) was an American politician who served as the 21st President of the United States. ... 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Alonzo Barton Cornell (22 January 1832–15 October 1904) was Governor of New York from 1880 to 1883. ... is the 77th day of the year (78th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 (MDCCCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Map of Caldwell in Essex County Caldwell is a borough located in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey, about sixteen miles outside of New York City. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Nassau Street, Princetons main street. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... Frances Folsom Cleveland (July 21, 1864 – October 29, 1947), wife of Grover Cleveland, was First Lady of the United States from 1886 to 1889 and 1893 to 1897. ... For the fish called lawyer, see Burbot. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 149 pixelsFull resolution (960 × 179 pixel, file size: 19 KB, MIME type: image/png) Grover Cleveland Signature This image is in the public domain in the United States. ... is the 77th day of the year (78th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 (MDCCCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 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Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... GOP redirects here. ... Classical liberalism (also known as traditional liberalism[1] and laissez-faire liberalism[2]) is a doctrine stressing the importance of human rationality, individual property rights, natural rights, the protection of civil liberties, constitutional limitations of government, free markets, and individual freedom from restraint as exemplified in the writings of Adam... Bourbon Democrats was a term used in the United States from 1876 to 1904 to refer to conservative or reactionary members of the Democratic Party, especially those who supported President Grover Cleveland in 1884-1896 and Alton B. Parker in 1904. ... For the computer game, see Imperialism (computer game). ... In economics, a subsidy is generally a monetary grant given by a government to lower the price faced by producers or consumers of a good, generally because it is considered to be in the public interest. ... ... Bossism, in the history of the United States, is a system of political control centering about a single powerful figure (the boss) and a complex organization of lesser figures (the machine) bound together by reciprocity in promoting financial and social self-interest. ...

Some of Cleveland's actions caused controversy even within his own party. His intervention in the Pullman Strike of 1894 in order to keep the railroads moving angered labor unions, and his support of the gold standard and opposition to free silver alienated the agrarian wing of the Democrats.^[2] Furthermore, critics complained that he had little imagination and seemed overwhelmed by the nation's economic disasters—depressions and strikes—in his second term.^[2] Even so, his reputation for honesty and good character survived the troubles of his second term. In the words of his biographer, Allan Nevins, "in Grover Cleveland the greatness lies in typical rather than unusual qualities. He had no endowments that thousands of men do not have. He possessed honesty, courage, firmness, independence, and common sense. But he possessed them to a degree other men do not."^[3] Pullman Strike began on May 11, 1894. ... The Lawrence textile strike (1912), with soldiers surrounding peaceful demonstrators A trade union or labor union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages, hours, and working conditions, forming a cartel of labour. ... For other uses, see Gold standard (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Agrarianism is a social and political philosophy. ... In economics, a depression is a term commonly used for a sustained downturn in the economy. ... Joseph Allan Nevins (May 20, 1890 - March 5, 1971) was an educator, historian, and author and journalist. ...

Family and early life

Childhood and family history

Cleveland's birthplace, in Caldwell, New Jersey

Grover Cleveland was born on March 18, 1837 in Caldwell, New Jersey to Richard Falley Cleveland and his wife, Ann Neal.^[4] Cleveland's father was a Presbyterian minister, originally from Connecticut.^[5] His mother was from Baltimore, the daughter of a bookseller.^[6] On his father's side, Cleveland was descended from English ancestors, the first Cleveland having emigrated to Massachusetts from northeastern England in 1635.^[7] On his mother's side, Cleveland was descended from Anglo-Irish Protestants and German Quakers from Philadelphia.^[8] He was distantly related to the General Moses Cleaveland after whom the city of Cleveland, Ohio, was named.^[9] is the 77th day of the year (78th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 (MDCCCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Map of Caldwell in Essex County Caldwell is a borough located in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey, about sixteen miles outside of New York City. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... Official language(s) none (de facto English) Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport[2] Largest metro area Hartford Metro Area[3] Area  Ranked 48th in the US  - Total 5,543[4] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Anglo-Irish was a term used historically to describe a ruling class inhabitants of Ireland who were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy[1], mostly belonging to the Anglican Church of Ireland or to a lesser extent one of the English dissenting churches, such as the Methodist church. ... A stereotypical German The Germans (German: die Deutschen), or the German people, are a nation in the meaning an ethnos (in German: Volk), defined more by a sense of sharing a common German culture and having a German mother tongue, than by citizenship or by being subjects to any particular... The Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as Quakers, or Friends, is a religious community founded in England in the 17th century. ... The City of Cleveland, Ohio was named after Moses Cleaveland, a surveyor of the Connecticut Land Company. ... Cleveland redirects here. ...

Cleveland was the fifth of nine children born to Richard and Ann Cleveland, five sons and four daughters.^[6] He was named Stephen Grover in honor of the first pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Caldwell, where his father was pastor at the time, but never used the name Stephen in his adult life.^[10] In 1841, the Cleveland family moved to Fayetteville, New York, where Cleveland spent much of his childhood.^[11] Neighbors would later describe Cleveland as "full of fun and inclined to play pranks",^[12] and fond of outdoor sports.^[13] In 1850, Cleveland's father took a job in Clinton, New York, and the family relocated there.^[14] They moved again in 1853 to Holland Patent, New York, near Utica.^[15] Not long after the family arrived in Holland Patent, Cleveland's father died.^[15] Fayetteville is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the village had a population of 4,190. ... This article is about the state. ... Ginko tree near the center of the village of Clinton, New York A plaque outlining the history of the Ginko tree near the center of the village of Clinton, New York Clinton is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. ... Holland Patent is a village located in Oneida County, New York. ... Utica, New York is a city in the state of New York, and the county seat of Oneida County. ...

Education and moving west

Cleveland's education began in grammar school at the Fayetteville Academy.^[16] When the family moved to Clinton, Cleveland was enrolled at the Clinton Liberal Academy.^[17] After his father died in 1853, Cleveland left school and helped to support his family.^[18] Later that year, Cleveland's brother William was hired as a teacher at the New York Institute for the Blind in New York City, and William obtained a place for Cleveland as an assistant teacher.^[18] After teaching for a year, Cleveland returned home to Holland Patent at the end of 1854.^[19] New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

Back in Holland Patent, the seventeen-year-old Cleveland looked for work unsuccessfully.^[19] An elder in his church offered to pay for his college education if he would promise to become a minister, but Cleveland declined.^[19] Instead, the following spring Cleveland decided to make his way west to the city of Cleveland, Ohio.^[19] He stopped first in Buffalo, where his uncle, Lewis W. Allen, lived. Allen dissuaded Cleveland from continuing west, and offered him a job arranging his herdbooks.^[20] Allen was an important man in Buffalo, and he introduced his nephew to influential men there, including the partners in the law firm of Rogers, Bowen, and Rogers.^[21] Cleveland later took a clerkship with the firm, and was admitted to the bar in 1859.^[22] An elder (in Greek, πρεσβυτερος [presbyteros]; see Presbyter) in Christianity is a person valued for his wisdom who accordingly holds a particular position of responsibility in a Christian group. ... Nickname: Location of Buffalo in New York State Coordinates: , Country State County Erie First Settled 1789 Founded 1801 Incorporated (City) 1832 Government  - Mayor Byron Brown (D) Area  - City 52. ... Sheep are commonly bred as livestock. ... A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Early career and the Civil War

An early, undated photograph of Grover Cleveland^[23]

After becoming a lawyer, Cleveland worked for the Rogers firm for three years, leaving in 1862 to start his own practice.^[24] In January 1863, he accepted an appointment as an assistant district attorney of Erie County.^[25] With the American Civil War raging, Congress passed the Conscription Act of 1863, requiring able-bodied men to serve in the army if called upon, or else to hire a substitute.^[22] Cleveland chose the latter course, paying George Benninsky, a thirty-two year-old Polish immigrant, $150 to serve in his place.^[26] As a lawyer, Cleveland became known for his single-minded concentration and dedication to hard work.^[27] In 1866, he defended some of the participants in the Fenian raid of that year, doing so successfully and free of charge.^[28] In 1868, Cleveland attracted some attention within his profession for his successful defense of a libel suit against the editor of the Commercial Advertiser, a Buffalo newspaper.^[29] During this time, Cleveland lived simply in a boarding house; although his income grew sufficient to support a more lavish lifestyle, Cleveland continued to support his mother and younger sisters.^[30] While his personal quarters were austere, Cleveland did enjoy an active social life and enjoyed "the easy-going sociability of hotel-lobbies and saloons."^[31] Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... A district attorney is, in some U.S. jurisdictions, the title of the local public official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminals. ... Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Illustration of the draft riots, reproducd in a 1921 history of the United States The New York Draft Riots in (New York City, July 13 - July 16, 1863) began as protests against President Abraham Lincolns Enrollment Act of Conscription drafting men to fight in the ongoing American Civil War. ... You may also be looking for the plural of the word pole. ... Fenian Monument - Queens Park, Toronto Canada ca. ... In English and American law, and systems based on them, libel and slander are two forms of defamation (or defamation of character), which is the tort or delict of making a false statement of fact that injures someones reputation. ... Boarding House is a privately owned house,in which individuals or families on vaccation, holidays, deputition,transfered on temporary duties, on some particular training,short&mediun tenure visitors,working professionals & lodgers,rent one or more rooms sets for one or more nights,sometimes for extended periods of weeks, months and... Look up saloon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Political career in New York

Sheriff of Erie County

From his earliest involvement in politics, Cleveland had aligned himself with the Democratic Party.^[32] In 1865, he ran for District Attorney, losing narrowly to his friend and roommate, Lyman K. Bass, the Republican nominee.^[27] Cleveland then stayed out of politics for a few years, but in 1870, with the help of his friend, Oscar Folsom, he secured the Democratic nomination for sheriff of Erie County.^[33] At the age of thirty-three, Cleveland found himself elected sheriff by a 303-vote margin, taking office on January 1, 1871.^[34] While this new career took him away from the practice of law, it was rewarding in other ways: the fees were said to yield up to $40,000 over the two-year term.^[33] The most well-known incident of his term involved the execution of a murderer, Patrick Morrisey, on September 6, 1872.^[35] Cleveland, as sheriff, was responsible for either personally carrying out the execution, or paying a deputy $10 to perform the task.^[35] Cleveland had qualms about the hanging, but opted to carry out the duty himself.^[35] He hanged another murderer, John Gaffney, on 14 February 1873.^[36] Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... A district attorney is, in some U.S. jurisdictions, the title of the local public official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminals. ... // Sheriffs in the United States generally fall into three broad categories: Restricted service — provide basic services such as keeping the county jail, transporting prisoners, providing courthouse security and other duties with regard to service of process and summonses that are issued by county and state courts. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Albert Fish - executed on January 16, 1936 in the electric chair at Sing Sing prison. ... is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1872 (MDCCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about death by hanging. ... Albert Fish - executed on January 16, 1936 in the electric chair at Sing Sing prison. ... is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1873 (MDCCCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

After his term as sheriff ended, Cleveland returned to private practice, opening a law firm with his friends Lyman K. Bass and Wilson S. Bissell.^[37] Bass did not spend much time at the firm, being elected to Congress in 1873, but Cleveland and Bissell soon found themselves at the top of Buffalo's legal community.^[38] Up to that point, Cleveland's political career had been honorable but unremarkable. As his biographer Allan Nevins wrote "probably no man in the country, on March 4, 1881, had less thought than this limited, simple, sturdy attorney of Buffalo that four years later he would be standing in Washington and taking the oath as President of the United States."^[39] Wilson Shannon Bissell (born December 31, 1847, New London, died October 6, 1903, in Buffalo) was an American politician from Buffalo, New York. ... Joseph Allan Nevins (May 20, 1890 - March 5, 1971) was an educator, historian, and author and journalist. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ...

Mayor of Buffalo

In the 1870s, the government of Buffalo had grown increasingly corrupt, with Democratic and Republican political machines cooperating to share the spoils.^[40] When, in 1881, the Republicans nominated a slate of particularly disreputable machine politicians, the Democrats saw the opportunity to gain the votes of disaffected Republicans by nominating a more honest candidate.^[41] The party leaders approached Cleveland and he agreed to run for mayor, provided that the rest of the ticket was to his liking.^[42] When the more notorious politicians were left off of the Democratic ticket, Cleveland accepted the nomination.^[42] Cleveland was elected mayor with 15,120 votes, as against 11,528 for Milton C. Beebe, his opponent.^[43] He took office January 2, 1882. In this 1899 cartoon from Puck, all of New York City politics revolves around boss Richard Croker A political machine is an unofficial system of a political organization based on patronage, the spoils system, behind-the-scenes control, and longstanding political ties within the structure of a representative democracy. ... In the politics of the United States, a spoils system refers to an informal practice by which a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its voters as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... This is a list of mayors of Buffalo, New York. ... is the 2nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Cleveland's term as mayor was spent fighting the entrenched interests of the party machines.^[44] Among the acts that established his reputation was a veto of the street-cleaning bill passed by the Common Council.^[45] The street-cleaning contract was open for bids, and the Council selected the highest bidder, rather than the lowest, because of the political connections of the bidder.^[45] While this sort of bi-partisan graft had previously been tolerated in Buffalo, Mayor Cleveland would have none of it, and replied with a stinging veto message: "I regard it as the culmination of a most bare-faced, impudent, and shameless scheme to betray the interests of the people, and to worse than squander the public money".^[46] The Council reversed themselves and awarded the contract to the lowest bidder.^[47] For this, and several other acts to safeguard the public funds, Cleveland's reputation as an honest politician began to spread beyond Erie County.^[48] The Buffalo Common Council is the legislative branch of the Buffalo, NY City Government. ...

Governor of New York

Statue of Grover Cleveland outside City Hall in Buffalo, New York

As his reputation grew, state Democratic party officials began to consider Cleveland a possible nominee for governor.^[49] Daniel Manning, a party insider who admired Cleveland's record, promoted his candidacy.^[50] With a split in the state Republican party, 1882 looked to be a Democratic year and there were several contenders for that party's nomination.^[49] The two leading Democratic candidates were Roswell P. Flower and Henry W. Slocum, but their factions deadlocked and the convention could not agree on a nominee.^[51] Cleveland, in third place on the first ballot, picked up support in subsequent votes and emerged as the compromise choice.^[52] The Republican party remained divided against itself, and in the general election Cleveland emerged the victor, with 535,318 votes to Republican nominee Charles J. Folger's 342,464.^[53] Cleveland's margin of victory was, at the time, the largest in a contested New York election, and the Democrats also picked up seats in both houses of the legislature.^[54] Download high resolution version (400x746, 87 KB)Statue of Grover Cleveland outside City Hall in downtown Buffalo, New York (taken Sept. ... Download high resolution version (400x746, 87 KB)Statue of Grover Cleveland outside City Hall in downtown Buffalo, New York (taken Sept. ... Daniel Manning (May 16, 1831–December 24, 1887) was an American businessman and politician. ... Roswell Pettibone Flower (August 7, 1835 - May 12, 1899) was the Governor of New York between 1892 and 1895. ... Portrait of General Henry W. Slocum by Mathew Brady, ca. ... Charles James Folger (April 16, 1818–September 4, American politician, jurist and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. ... The New York Legislature is the legislative branch of the U.S. state of New York, seated at the states capital, Albany. ...

Continuing his opposition to unnecessary spending, Cleveland sent the legislature eight vetos in his first two months in office.^[55] The first to attract attention was his veto of a bill to reduce the fares on New York City elevated trains to five cents.^[56] The bill had broad support because the el trains' owner, Jay Gould, was unpopular and his fare increases were widely denounced.^[57] Cleveland saw the bill as unjust—Gould had taken over the railroads when they were failing and had made the system solvent again.^[58] Moreover, Cleveland believed that altering Gould's franchise would violate the Contract Clause of the federal Constitution.^[58] Despite the initial popularity of the measure, the newspapers praised Cleveland's veto.^[58] Theodore Roosevelt, then a member of the Assembly, said that he had initially voted for the bill believing it was wrong, but wishing to punish the unscrupulous railroad barons.^[59] After the veto, Roosevelt reversed himself, as did many legislators, and the veto was sustained.^[59] This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The New York City Subway has had a long history, beginning as many disjointed systems and eventually merging under City control. ... Jay Gould (1836-1892) Jason Gould (May 27, 1836 – December 2, 1892) was an American financier. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: The United States Constitution The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. ... For other persons named Theodore Roosevelt, see Theodore Roosevelt (disambiguation). ... The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of New York. ...

Cleveland's blunt, honest ways won him popular acclaim, but they also gained him the enmity of certain factions of his own party, especially the Tammany Hall organization in New York City.^[60] Tammany, under its boss, John Kelly, had not supported Cleveland's nomination as governor, and disliked him all the more when Cleveland openly opposed the re-election of one of their State Senators.^[61] Losing Tammany's support was balanced, however, by gaining the support of Theodore Roosevelt and other reform-minded Republicans who helped Cleveland to pass several laws reforming municipal governments.^[62] Tammany Hall was the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in controlling New York City politics from the 1790s to the 1960s. ... John Kelly (1822-1886) of New York City was U.S. Representative from New York from 1855 to 1858. ...

Election of 1884

Main article: United States presidential election, 1884

Presidential electoral votes by state. ...

Nomination for President

James G. Blaine, Cleveland's opponent in 1884

The Republicans convened in Chicago and nominated former Speaker of the House James G. Blaine of Maine for President on the fourth ballot. Blaine's nomination alienated many Republicans who viewed Blaine as ambitious and immoral.^[63] Democratic party leaders saw the Republicans' choice as an opportunity to take back the White House for the first time since 1856 if the right candidate could be found.^[63] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3232x4136, 1154 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): James G. Blaine United States Secretary of State ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3232x4136, 1154 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): James G. Blaine United States Secretary of State ... For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation). ... James Gillespie Blaine (January 31, 1830 – January 27, 1893) was a U.S. Representative, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, U.S. Senator from Maine and a two-time United States Secretary of State. ... Official language(s) None (English and French de facto) Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 39th  - Total 33,414 sq mi (86,542 km²)  - Width 210 miles (338 km)  - Length 320 miles (515 km)  - % water 13. ...

Among the Democrats, Samuel J. Tilden was the initial front-runner, having been the party's nominee in the contested election of 1876.^[64] Tilden, however, was in poor health, and after he declined to be nominated, his supporters shifted to several other contenders.^[64] Cleveland was among the leaders in early support, but Thomas F. Bayard of Delaware, Allen G. Thurman of Ohio, and Benjamin Butler of Massachusetts also had considerable followings, along with various favorite sons.^[64] Each of the other candidates had hindrances to his nomination: Bayard had spoken in favor of secession in 1861, making him unacceptable to Northerners; Butler, conversely, was reviled throughout the South for his actions during the Civil War; Thurman was generally well-liked, but was growing old and infirm and his views on the silver question were uncertain.^[65] Cleveland, too, had detractors—Tammany remained opposed to him—but the nature of his enemies made him more friends still.^[66] Cleveland led on the first ballot, with 392 votes out of 820.^[67] On the second ballot, Tammany threw its support behind Butler, but the rest of the delegates shifted to Cleveland, and he was nominated.^[68] Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana was selected as his running mate.^[68] Samuel Jones Tilden (February 9, 1814 - August 4, 1886) was the Democratic candidate for the US presidency in the disputed election of 1876, the most controversial American election of the 19th century. ... The United States presidential election of 1876 was one of the most disputed and intense presidential elections in American history. ... Thomas Francis Bayard, Sr. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Delaware. ... Allen Granberry Thurman (November 13, 1813_December 12, 1895) was a Democratic Representative and Senator from Ohio. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Benjamin Franklin Butler (November 5, 1818 – January 11, 1893) was an American lawyer and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and later served as its governor. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... For other uses, see Favorite Son. ... For other uses, see Secession (disambiguation). ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... In economics, bimetallism is a monetary standard in which the value of the monetary unit can be expressed either with a certain amount of gold or with a certain amount of silver: the ratio between the two metals is fixed by law. ... Thomas Andrews Hendricks (September 7, 1819 – November 25, 1885)[1] was a U.S. Representative and a Senator from Indiana, a Governor of Indiana, and the twenty-first Vice President of the United States (serving with Grover Cleveland). ... For other uses, see Indiana (disambiguation). ...

Campaign against Blaine

An anti-Blaine cartoon presents him as the "tattooed man," with many indelible scandals.

An anti-Cleveland cartoon highlights the Halpin scandal.

After Cleveland's nomination, reform-minded Republicans called "Mugwumps" denounced Blaine as corrupt and flocked to Cleveland.^[69] The Mugwumps, including such men as Carl Schurz and Henry Ward Beecher, were more concerned with ideals than with party, and hoped that Cleveland would endorse their crusade for civil service reform and efficiency in government.^[69] At the same time that the Democrats gained support from the Mugwumps, they lost some to the Greenback-Labor party, led by ex-Democrat Benjamin Butler.^[70] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... 1884 Electoral Map The Mugwumps were a political movement comprising Republicans who supported Democratic candidate Grover Cleveland in the United States presidential election of 1884. ... Carl Schurz (March 2, 1829 – May 14, 1906) was a German revolutionary, American statesman and reformer, and Union Army general in the American Civil War. ... This article or section needs a complete rewrite for the reasons listed on the talk page. ... The Greenback Party (Greenback-Labor Party) was an American political party that was active between 1874 and 1884. ...

Each candidate's supporters cast aspersions on their opponents. Cleveland's supporters rehashed the old allegations that Blaine had corruptly influenced legislation in favor of the Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad and the Northern Pacific Railway, later profiting on the sale of bonds he owned in both companies.^[71] Although the stories of Blaine's favors to the railroads had made the rounds eight years earlier, this time Blaine's correspondence was discovered, making his earlier denials less plausible.^[71] On some of the most damaging correspondence, Blaine had written "Burn this letter," giving Democrats the last line to their rallying cry: "Blaine, Blaine, James G. Blaine, the continental liar from the state of Maine, 'Burn this letter!'"^[72] The Northern Pacific Railway (AAR reporting marks NP) was a railway that operated in the north-central region of the United States. ...

To counter Cleveland's image of purity, his opponents reported that Cleveland had fathered an illegitimate child while he was a lawyer in Buffalo.^[73] The derisive phrase "Ma, Ma, where's my Pa?" rose as an unofficial campaign slogan for those who opposed him.^[73] When confronted with the emerging scandal, Cleveland's instructions to his campaign staff were: "Tell the truth."^[74] Cleveland admitted to paying child support in 1874 to Maria Crofts Halpin, the woman who claimed he fathered her child named Oscar Folsom Cleveland.^[73] Halpin was involved with several men at the time, including Cleveland's friend and law partner, Oscar Folsom, for whom the child was named.^[73] Cleveland did not know which man was the father, and is believed to have assumed responsibility because he was the only bachelor among them.^[73]

Results of the 1884 election

Both candidates believed that the states of New York, New Jersey, Indiana, and Connecticut would determine the election.^[75] In New York, the Tammany machine, after vacillating, decided that they would gain more from supporting a Democrat they disliked than a Republican who would do nothing for them.^[76] Blaine hoped that he would have more support from Irish Americans than Republicans typically did; while the Irish were mainly a Democratic constituency in the nineteenth century, Blaine's mother was Irish Catholic, and he had been supportive of the Irish National Land League while he was Secretary of State.^[77] The Irish, a significant group in three of the swing states, did appear inclined to support Blaine until one of his supporters, Samuel D. Burchard, gave a speech denouncing the Democrats as the party of "Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion".^[78] The Democrats spread the word of this insult in the days before the election, and Cleveland narrowly won all four of the swings states, including New York by just over one thousand votes.^[79] While the popular vote total was close, with Cleveland winning by just one-quarter of a percent, the electoral votes gave Cleveland a majority of 219–182.^[79] Official language(s) none (de facto English) Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport[2] Largest metro area Hartford Metro Area[3] Area  Ranked 48th in the US  - Total 5,543[4] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ... Irish population density in the United States, 1872. ... The Irish painter Henry Jones Thaddeus enlisted the conscience of the propertied classes with the sentimental realism of La retour du bracconier (The Wounded Poacher), exhibited in the Paris Salon of 1881, at the height of the Irish Land War The Irish Land League was an Irish political organization of...

First term as President (1885–1889)

Reform

Cleveland, portrayed as a tariff reformer

Soon after taking office, Cleveland was faced with the task of filling all of the government jobs for which the President had the power of appointment. These jobs were typically filled under the spoils system, but Cleveland announced that he would not fire any Republican who was doing his job well, and would not appoint anyone based solely on party service.^[80] He also used his appointment powers to reduce the number of federal employees, as many departments had become bloated with political time-servers.^[81] Later in his term, as his fellow Democrats chafed at being excluded from the spoils, Cleveland began to replace more of the partisan Republican officeholders with Democrats.^[82] While some of his decisions were influenced by party concerns, more of Cleveland's appointments were decided by merit alone than was the case in his predecessors' administrations.^[83] In the politics of the United States, a spoils system refers to an informal practice by which a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its voters as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party. ...

Cleveland reformed other parts of the government, as well. In 1887, he signed the act creating the Interstate Commerce Commission.^[84] He and his Secretary of the Navy, William C. Whitney, undertook to modernize the navy and canceled construction contracts that had resulted in inferior ships.^[85] Cleveland angered railroad investors by ordering an investigation of western lands they held by government grant.^[86] Secretary of the Interior Lucius Q.C. Lamar charged that the rights of way for this land must be returned to the public because the railroads failed to extend their lines according to agreements.^[86] The lands were forfeited, resulting in the return of approximately 81,000,000 acres (330,000 km²).^[86] The Interstate Commerce Commission (or ICC) was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, which was signed into law by President Grover Cleveland. ... Flag of the United States Secretary of the Navy. ... William Collins Whitney (July 5, 1841 - February 2, 1904) was an American political leader and financier and founder of the prominent Whitney family. ... USN redirects here. ... The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior, concerned with such matters as national parks and The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ... This article is about the Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court; for Justice Lamars father of the same name who was a Georgia lawyer and state court judge, see Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar (I). ...

Vetoes

Cleveland faced a Republican Senate and often resorted to using his veto powers.^[87] He vetoed hundreds of private pension bills for American Civil War veterans, believing that if their pensions requests had already been rejected by the Pensions Bureau, Congress should not attempt to override that decision.^[88] When Congress, pressured by the Grand Army of the Republic, passed a bill granting pensions for disabilities not caused by military service, Cleveland vetoed that, too.^[89] Cleveland used the veto far more often than any President up to that time.^[90] In 1887, Cleveland issued his most well-known veto, that of the Texas Seed Bill.^[91] After a drought had ruined crops in several Texas counties, the Congress appropriated $10,000 to purchase seed grain for farmers there.^[91] Cleveland vetoed the expenditure. In his veto message, he espoused a theory of limited government: "I can find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution; and I do not believe that the power and duty of the General Government ought to be extended to the relief of individual suffering which is in no manner properly related to the public service or benefit. A prevalent tendency to disregard the limited mission of this power and duty should, I think, be steadily resisted, to the end that the lesson should be constantly enforced that, though the people support the Government, the Government should not support the people."^[92] Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Stephenson GAR Memorial, Washington, D.C. The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army who had served in the American Civil War. ...

Silver

Cleveland disagreed with silverite Democrats, such as Richard P. Bland.

One of the most volatile issues of the 1880s was whether the currency should be backed by gold and silver, or by gold alone.^[93] The issue cut across party lines, with western Republicans and southern Democrats joining together in the call for the free coinage of silver, and both parties' representatives in the northeast holding firm for the gold standard.^[94] Because silver was worth less than its legal equivalent in gold, taxpayers paid their government bills in silver, while international creditors demanded payment in gold, resulting in a depletion of the nation's gold supply.^[94] Richard Parks Bland (August 19, 1835 – June 15, 1899), American school teacher, lawyer, and Democratic Congressman from 1873 until 1899. ... In economics, bimetallism is a monetary standard in which the value of the monetary unit can be expressed either with a certain amount of gold or with a certain amount of silver: the ratio between the two metals is fixed by law. ... For other uses, see Gold standard (disambiguation). ...

Cleveland and his Treasury Secretary, Daniel Manning, stood firmly on the side of the gold standard, and tried to reduce the amount of silver that the government was required to coin under the Bland-Allison Act of 1878.^[95] This angered Westerners and Southerners, who advocated for cheap money to help their poorer constituents.^[96] In reply, one of the foremost silverites, Richard P. Bland, introduced a bill in 1886 that would require the government to coin unlimited amounts of silver, inflating the then-deflating currency.^[97] While Bland's bill was defeated, so was a bill the administration favored that would repeal any silver coinage requirement.^[97] The result was a retention of the status quo, and a postponement of the resolution of the free silver issue.^[98] The United States Secretary of the Treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, concerned with finance and monetary matters, and, until 2003, some issues of national security and defense. ... Daniel Manning (May 16, 1831–December 24, 1887) was an American businessman and politician. ... The Bland-Allison Act of 1878 was a response to the Fourth Coinage Act, or the Crime of 73! demonetizing silver. ... Richard Parks Bland (August 19, 1835 – June 15, 1899), American school teacher, lawyer, and Democratic Congressman from 1873 until 1899. ...

Tariffs

Protectionist Democrats, led by Samuel J. Randall, joined with Republicans to keep tariffs high.

Another contentious financial issue at the time was the