Conspectus of the History of Political Parties and the Federal Government/Conspectus of Political History/Grant
Grant’s Administration.
Reconstruction.—The Congressional scheme of reconstruction was prosecuted during Grant’s administration, with little resistance save the opposition of Democrats in Congress, and a good deal of local disturbance in the more strongly disaffected regions of the south. The ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment was made a prime condition of readmission with all the states.
Fifteenth amendment.—On the 25th of February, 1869, the fifteenth amendment of the constitution, conferring the right of suffrage on all citizens, without distinction of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude,” was passed by Congress, and ratified by twenty-nine states, the necessary three-fourths required by the constitution, and the fact reported to Congress, by the President, March 30th, 1870.
Southern troubles.—The hostility of a large portion of the population of the confederate states to the constitutional amendments, especially the fourteenth and fifteenth, and to the white Republicans, who were supposed to control the negro voters, was exhibited in many localities, in various forms of resistance to the laws, and of abuse of the obnoxious parties. Organizations calling themselves the “White League” and “Ku Klux Klan” warned many whites, of opposing political opinions, to leave the country. Conflicts of a serious nature, between the factions, were of frequent occurrence. In Louisiana these troubles affected the elections, and made serious contentions as to the legal possession of the state offices. Investigating committees were sent by Congress to ascertain the causes and magnitude of the troubles, but never with any alleviating result. Troops had to be sent there, and to other states, to protect the citizens, and maintain the authority of the government.
The Enforcement act (Ku Klux act).—To repress these cruelties, and lawless interferences with the rights of the freedmen, Congress, in April, 1871, passed an act giving to the President extraordinary powers to enforce the laws against the perpetrators. It was generally called the “Ku Klux act.” It was strongly resisted by the Democrats, and by a few Republicans, as unconstitutional, and a dangerous centralization of power. The law was enforced very moderately by General Grant, and the disturbances continued, with hardly any diminution, till the Presidential election of 1876.
San Domingo.—President Grant, during his first term, made some efforts at procuring a harbor and naval station on the coast of San Domingo, and a protectorate of a portion of the island, and sent three commissioners there to look after the business. The project, being opposed by the greater portion of the Republican press and by Congress, was abandoned.
Civil service reform.—The interference of partisan influence in the appointment of subordinate officers of the government, and clerks in the departments, attracted a good deal of attention and censure during General Grant’s administration, and he sought to effect a reform of some of the abuses, by appointing a commission to devise a system of competitive examinations, and by conferring appointments and promotions on those who proved competent in such examinations, and to those whose service in office entitled them to be advanced to better positions. The commission discharged its duty by preparing a plan of civil service reform, and some effort was made, for a time, to enforce it; but it met with little favor among a large portion of the members of Congress, and gradually fell into disuse.
The Labor Reform party grew out of the combinations of workingmen, called “Trades’ Union,” which existed all over the country, and formed a body of voters of sufficient strength to command the attention of politicians. They had candidates of their own in several states, and elicited a good deal of discussion of measures for the benefit of workingmen. Congress reduced the working day from ten to eight hours, in all the national establishments. Combined with the workingmen were a good many of a communistic tendency, and the general tenor of the party’s opinion was adverse to large accumulations of wealth, and in favor of reforms looking to a greater equality of condition among the people.
The “Grangers,” calling themselves the “Patrons of Husbandry,” were probably the most important and influential order on existing political conditions. The local societies were called “granges,” and the objects of the order, primarily economical and moral, were to promote the higher development of farm life and labor, to encourage co-operation among farmers—for the restraint of exorbitant railroad freights, on grain, especially—to discourage the credit system, and borrowing on mortgages—and generally to set farmers to improving their material and moral condition. The order, at first non-partisan, became hugely mixed up with politics, by designing men, and, as a consequence, its influence began to wane.
The Temperance party was organized in 1872, and consisted of a national combination of local temperance organizations, which had been in existence for many years. In 1876, it received the name of Prohibition Reform party.
The National (Greenback) party.—This sprang up in the hard times following the financial crash in 1873, and held to the necessity of increasing the paper money of the government, to soften the rigor of the times, and prevent immense losses by the depreciation of values. Many contended that the paper money issued by the government should never be redeemed, but should be, as they said, “coined paper,” made, by the authority of the government, good for all debts, public and private. A large portion of the “Grangers” attached themselves to this party.
The “Straight-Out” Democrats were a body of Democrats who were dissatisfied with the nomination of Mr. Greeley, by their party, in 1872, and held a convention at Louisville to nominate a man of their own views. They selected Charles O’Conor, of New York, for President, but accomplished nothing.
The Liberal Republicans were a portion of the Republican party that was dissatisfied with the administration of General Grant, and the course of the party. In Missouri (1870) a liberal faction withdrew from the Republican party, and nominated an opposition ticket which, with Democratic aid, was successful. The Liberal movement grew into political importance in 1871, and assumed a national organization in 1872.
Elections of 1872.—The Liberal Republicans met at Cincinnati in national convention, May 1st, 1872, adopted a platform [see D. and Pl.] and nominated Horace Greeley (N. Y.) and B. Gratz Brown (Mo.).
The Democratic party held its national convention at Baltimore, July 9th, and accepted the platform and candidates of the Liberal Republicans. The combination thus formed received the name of the Liberal Republican Democratic party.
The action of the convention at Baltimore was distasteful to some of the more conservative of the party. These, called Straight-Out Democrats, met in convention at Louisville, Ky., September 3d, and adopted resolutions repudiating the action of the Baltimore convention. Charles O’Conor was nominated as President, and John Quincy Adams as Vice-President. O’Conor declined, but was not permitted to withdraw.
The national Republican convention assembled at Philadelphia, June 5th, and nominated U. S. Grant and Henry Wilson (Mass.).
The Labor Reform party met in convention at Columbus, O., February 21st, adopted a declaration of principles, and nominated David Davis for President and Joel Parker for Vice-President. In June these declined, in consequence of which a convention of Workingmen met at Philadelphia, August 22d, and nominated Charles O’Conor as President.
The national Temperance party selected James Black and A. H. Colquitt as candidates (Feb. 22).
The elections resulted in the success of the Republicans, and re-election of General Grant, 286 electoral votes to 66, of which 42 were given to Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana, Mr. Greeley having died between the time of the popular election and that of the Electoral College.
State governments in the South.—A large portion of General Grant’s second term was given to the difficulties created by the state governments, and local disturbances in the reconstructed states. At first, the freedmen, with their white allies, controlled most of the states, and their management was not always wise or honest. A growing reaction against the long ascendency of the Republicans, enabled the reconstructed confederates, and those who sympathized with them, to acquire control of the state governments, and, in 1876, their ascendency was almost complete.
Finances formed a leading feature of the discussions and legislation of this term. The tendency of the policy of the government had been towards a return to specie payments, while a large section of the people, and of their congressional representatives, were anxious for an increase of paper currency. Much of the time of Congress was taken up with the subject, and it and the southern troubles, and the revenue peculations, formed the main features of the administration during this second term. Hundreds of bills touching the finances and currency were introduced in Congress, but nothing was done with any save a very few. The President inclined to the “hard money” side.
Resumption of specie payments.—A bill providing for the resumption of specie payments on the 1st of January, 1879, was passed and approved in 1875. It was opposed by most of the Democrats and some Republicans in Congress and in the country. Resumption was never unanimously opposed or approved by either party, though the majority of the Democrats opposed it, and the majority of the Republicans supported it. Some held that the restriction of currency would make hard times and prostrate business, and others held that inflation would be far more disastrous. No harm came of it, however, and resumption was accomplished at the time fixed, and practically some months before, without any convulsion or disturbance of business.
Election of 1876.—On the 14th of June, 1876, the Republican national convention, at Cincinnati, nominated Rutherford B. Hayes, of Ohio, for President, and William A. Wheeler, of New York, for Vice-President. The Democratic convention at St. Louis nominated Samuel J. Tilden, of New York, for President, and Thomas A. Hendricks, of Indiana, for Vice-President. The “National” or “Greenback” party met at Indianapolis on the 17th of May, and nominated Peter Cooper, of New York, for President, and Samuel F. Cary, of Ohio, for Vice-President. The Republicans elected 173 undisputed electors, and the Democrats 184. Florida had four votes and Louisiana eight, which were contested. The Republican returning boards had given certificates of election to the Republican electors, but the Democrats contested their validity. Very grave apprehensions were felt all over the country while this contest was unsettled, and many threats were made by intemperate partisans. Finally, on the 29th of January, 1877, Congress appointed an Electoral Commission to settle the contest. It consisted of five members of the Supreme Court, Judges Clifford, Field, Miller and Strong, who selected Judge Bradley for the fifth; five senators, Edmunds, Frelinghuysen and Morton, Republicans, and Bayard and Thurman, Democrats—Senator Thurman subsequently retired on account of illness, and was replaced by Kernan, of New York; and five representatives, Abbott, Hunton and Payne, Democrats, and Garfield and Hoar, Republicans. The Commission, by one majority, decided that the Republican certificates were valid, and that the twelve disputed electoral votes should be counted for Mr. Hayes, who was thus elected.