United States presidential election, 1892
Encyclopedia
In the United States presidential election of 1892, former President Grover Cleveland
ran for re-election against the incumbent President
Benjamin Harrison
, who was also running for re-election. Cleveland defeated Harrison, thus becoming the only person in American history to be elected to a second, non-consecutive presidential term. Cleveland, who had won the popular vote against Harrison in 1888
, lost the electoral vote (and thus the election) in that year. He won both the popular and electoral vote in the re-match election.
The campaign centered mainly on the issue of a sound currency. The new Populist Party, formed by groups from the Grange, the Farmers' Alliances, and the Knights of Labor, polled more than a million votes, but Cleveland won easily.
Cleveland also became the first Democrat
to be nominated by his party three consecutive times, a distinction that would be equaled only by Franklin D. Roosevelt
in 1940
and then exceeded by him in 1944
. Although William Jennings Bryan
was nominated for a third time in 1908
, it was not consecutive with his two other nominations in 1896
and 1900
.
The election would be the last time a state (in this case, North Dakota) deliberately split its electoral votes between more than one party until 2008
.
and other disaffected party leaders mounted a dump-Harrison movement coalescing around veteran candidate James G. Blaine
of Maine, the president's forces had the nomination locked up by the time delegates met in Minneapolis on June 7-10, 1892. Richard Thomas of Indiana delivered Harrison's nominating speech. Harrison was nominated on the first ballot with 535.17 votes to 182.83 for Blaine, 182 for William McKinley
of Ohio, and the rest scattered. The strength of McKinley, nominally a favorite-son candidate, surprised many observers. Whitelaw Reid
of New York, editor of the New York Tribune
and recent U.S. Ambassador to France
, was nominated for vice-president.
The Republican platform supported high tariffs, bimetallism, stiffer immigration laws, free rural mail delivery, and a canal across Central America. It also expressed sympathy for Ireland's struggle for home rule and the plight of Jews under persecution in czarist Russia.
Source: US President - R Convention. Our Campaigns. (January 08, 2010).
Source: US Vice President - R Convention. Our Campaigns. (September 7, 2009).
on June 8-11, 1892, Cleveland was the frontrunner for the nomination, but faced formidable opposition. He had come out against the free coinage of silver, thereby earning the enmity of Western and Southern Democrats. Most damaging of all was the opposition of his home state; the New York delegation, packed with Tammany
men, frequently demonstrated their hostility to Cleveland's candidacy on the convention floor.
In a narrow first-ballot victory, Cleveland received 617.33 votes, barely 10 more than needed, to 114 for Senator David B. Hill
of New York, the candidate of Tammany Hall, 103 for Governor Horace Boies
of Iowa, a populist and former Republican, and the rest scattered. Although the Cleveland forces preferred Isaac P. Gray
of Indiana for vice-president, they accepted the convention favorite, Adlai E. Stevenson of Illinois. As a supporter of using greenbacks
and free silver
to inflate the currency and alleviate economic distress in rural districts, Stevenson balanced the ticket headed by Cleveland, the hard-money
, gold-standard
supporter.
Source: US President - D Convention. Our Campaigns. (September 7, 2009).
Source: US Vice President - D Convention. Our Campaigns. (September 7, 2009).
met with delegates from labor and reform groups in Cincinnati, Ohio, and discussed forming a new political party. They formed the People's Party, usually called the People's Party, a year later in St. Louis, Missouri
.
At the first Populist national convention in Omaha, Nebraska
in July 1892, James B. Weaver of Iowa was nominated for president on the first ballot. James G. Field
of Virginia was nominated for vice-president. The Populist platform called for nationalization of the telegraph, telephone, and railroads, free coinage of silver, a graduated income tax, and creation of postal savings banks.
Source: US President - P Convention. Our Campaigns. (September 7, 2009).
Source: US Vice President - P Convention. Our Campaigns. (September 7, 2009).
The 6th Prohibition Party National Convention assembled in Music Hall
in Cincinnati. There were 972 delegates present from all states except Louisiana and South Carolina.
Two major stories about the convention loomed before it assembled. In the first place, some members of the national committee sought to merge the Prohibition and Populist Parties. While there appeared a likelihood that the merger would materialize, by convention time it was clear that it was not going to happen. Secondly, the southern states sent a number of black delegates. Cincinnati hotels refused to serve meals to blacks and whites at the same time, and several hotels refused all service to the black delegates.
The convention nominated John Bidwell
of California for president on the first ballot. Prior to the convention, the race was thought to be close between Bidwell and William Jennings Demorest
, but the New York delegation became irritated with Demorest and voted for Bidwell 73-7. James B. Cranfill
of Texas was nominated for vice-president on the first ballot with 417 votes to 351 for Joshua Levering
of Maryland and 45 for others.
Source: US President - P Convention. Our Campaigns. (May 09, 2010).
made their first attempt at the White House
and chose Simon Wing
and Charles Matchett
as their standard bearers.
The tariff issue dominated this rather lackluster campaign. Harrison defended the protectionist McKinley Tariff
passed during his term: Cleveland, assuring voters that he opposed absolute free trade, continued his campaign for a reduction in the tariff. William McKinley campaigned extensively for Harrison, setting the stage for his own run four years later.
The campaign took a somber turn when, in October, First Lady
Caroline Harrison
died. Despite the ill health that had plagued Mrs. Harrison since her youth and had worsened in the last decade, she often accompanied Mr. Harrison on official travels. On one such trip, to California in the spring of 1891, she caught a cold. It quickly deepened into her chest, and she was eventually diagnosed with tuberculosis. A summer in the Adirondack Mountains
failed to restore her to health. An invalid the last six months of her life, she died in the White House on October 25, 1892, just two weeks before the national election. As a result, all of the candidates ceased campaigning.
The Prohibition ticket received 270,879, or 2.2% nationwide. It was the largest total vote and highest percentage of the vote received by any Prohibition Party national ticket.
Wyoming, having attained statehood two years earlier, became the first state to allow women to vote in a presidential election since 1804
. (Women in New Jersey had the right to vote under the state's original constitution, but this right was rescinded in 1807.) Wyoming was also one of six states (along with North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, and Idaho) participating in their first presidential election—other than the first election, the most in American history.
It was also the first election in which an incumbent president was defeated for a second time in a row. This would not happen again until 1980.
Source (Popular Vote):
Source (Electoral Vote):
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
ran for re-election against the incumbent President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
, who was also running for re-election. Cleveland defeated Harrison, thus becoming the only person in American history to be elected to a second, non-consecutive presidential term. Cleveland, who had won the popular vote against Harrison in 1888
United States presidential election, 1888
The 1888 election for President of the United States saw Grover Cleveland of New York, the incumbent president and a Democrat, try to secure a second term against the Republican nominee Benjamin Harrison, a former U.S. Senator from Indiana...
, lost the electoral vote (and thus the election) in that year. He won both the popular and electoral vote in the re-match election.
The campaign centered mainly on the issue of a sound currency. The new Populist Party, formed by groups from the Grange, the Farmers' Alliances, and the Knights of Labor, polled more than a million votes, but Cleveland won easily.
Cleveland also became the first Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to be nominated by his party three consecutive times, a distinction that would be equaled only by Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
in 1940
United States presidential election, 1940
The United States presidential election of 1940 was fought in the shadow of World War II as the United States was emerging from the Great Depression. Incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt , a Democrat, broke with tradition and ran for a third term, which became a major issue...
and then exceeded by him in 1944
United States presidential election, 1944
The United States presidential election of 1944 took place while the United States was preoccupied with fighting World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had been in office longer than any other president, but remained popular. Unlike 1940, there was little doubt that Roosevelt would run for...
. Although William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan was an American politician in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. He was a dominant force in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, standing three times as its candidate for President of the United States...
was nominated for a third time in 1908
United States presidential election, 1908
The United States presidential election of 1908 was held on November 3, 1908. Popular incumbent President Theodore Roosevelt, honoring a promise not to seek a third term, persuaded the Republican Party to nominate William Howard Taft, his close friend and Secretary of War, to become his successor...
, it was not consecutive with his two other nominations in 1896
United States presidential election, 1896
The United States presidential election held on November 3, 1896, saw Republican William McKinley defeat Democrat William Jennings Bryan in a campaign considered by political scientists to be one of the most dramatic and complex in American history....
and 1900
United States presidential election, 1900
The United States presidential election of 1900 was a re-match of the 1896 race between Republican President William McKinley and his Democratic challenger, William Jennings Bryan. The return of economic prosperity and recent victory in the Spanish–American War helped McKinley to score a decisive...
.
The election would be the last time a state (in this case, North Dakota) deliberately split its electoral votes between more than one party until 2008
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
.
Republican Party nomination
Republican candidates:- Benjamin HarrisonBenjamin HarrisonBenjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
, President of the United States from IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... - James G. BlaineJames G. BlaineJames Gillespie Blaine was a U.S. Representative, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, U.S. Senator from Maine, two-time Secretary of State...
, former U.S. Secretary of State from MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost... - William McKinleyWilliam McKinleyWilliam McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
, governor of OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
Candidates gallery
Although Thomas C. PlattThomas C. Platt
Thomas Collier Platt was a two-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives and a three-term U.S. Senator from New York in the years 1881 and 1897-1909 — is best known as the "political boss" of the Republican Party in New York State in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century...
and other disaffected party leaders mounted a dump-Harrison movement coalescing around veteran candidate James G. Blaine
James G. Blaine
James Gillespie Blaine was a U.S. Representative, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, U.S. Senator from Maine, two-time Secretary of State...
of Maine, the president's forces had the nomination locked up by the time delegates met in Minneapolis on June 7-10, 1892. Richard Thomas of Indiana delivered Harrison's nominating speech. Harrison was nominated on the first ballot with 535.17 votes to 182.83 for Blaine, 182 for William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
of Ohio, and the rest scattered. The strength of McKinley, nominally a favorite-son candidate, surprised many observers. Whitelaw Reid
Whitelaw Reid
Whitelaw Reid was a U.S. politician and newspaper editor, as well as the author of a popular history of Ohio in the Civil War.-Early life:...
of New York, editor of the New York Tribune
New York Tribune
The New York Tribune was an American newspaper, first established by Horace Greeley in 1841, which was long considered one of the leading newspapers in the United States...
and recent U.S. Ambassador to France
United States Ambassador to France
This article is about the United States Ambassador to France. There has been a United States Ambassador to France since the American Revolution. The United States sent its first envoys to France in 1776, towards the end of the four-centuries-old Bourbon dynasty...
, was nominated for vice-president.
The Republican platform supported high tariffs, bimetallism, stiffer immigration laws, free rural mail delivery, and a canal across Central America. It also expressed sympathy for Ireland's struggle for home rule and the plight of Jews under persecution in czarist Russia.
| Presidential Ballot | |
| Ballot | 1st |
|---|---|
| Benjamin Harrison Benjamin Harrison Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there... | 535.17 |
| James G. Blaine James G. Blaine James Gillespie Blaine was a U.S. Representative, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, U.S. Senator from Maine, two-time Secretary of State... | 182.83 |
| William McKinley William McKinley William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s... | 182 |
| 4 | |
| Robert Todd Lincoln Robert Todd Lincoln Robert Todd Lincoln was an American lawyer and Secretary of War, and the first son of President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln... | 1 |
Source: US President - R Convention. Our Campaigns. (January 08, 2010).
| Vice Presidential Ballot | |
| Ballot | 1st |
|---|---|
| Whitelaw Reid Whitelaw Reid Whitelaw Reid was a U.S. politician and newspaper editor, as well as the author of a popular history of Ohio in the Civil War.-Early life:... | 906 |
Source: US Vice President - R Convention. Our Campaigns. (September 7, 2009).
Democratic Party nomination
Democratic candidates:- Grover ClevelandGrover ClevelandStephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
, Former President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
from New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... - David B. HillDavid B. HillDavid Bennett Hill was an American politician from New York who was the 29th Governor of New York from 1885 to 1891.-Life:...
, U.S. senator from New York - Horace BoiesHorace BoiesHorace Boies served as the 14th Governor of Iowa from 1890 to 1894 as a member of the United States Democratic Party. Boies was the only Democrat to serve in that position from 1855-1933.- Life before Iowa :...
, governor of IowaIowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New... - Arthur Pue GormanArthur Pue GormanArthur Pue Gorman was a United States Senator from Maryland, serving from 1881 to 1899 and from 1903 to 1906. He also served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1869 to 1875...
, U.S. senator from MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
Candidates gallery
By the end of Harrison's term, many Americans were ready to return to Cleveland's harder policies. As Democrats convened in Chicago, IllinoisChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
on June 8-11, 1892, Cleveland was the frontrunner for the nomination, but faced formidable opposition. He had come out against the free coinage of silver, thereby earning the enmity of Western and Southern Democrats. Most damaging of all was the opposition of his home state; the New York delegation, packed with Tammany
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
men, frequently demonstrated their hostility to Cleveland's candidacy on the convention floor.
In a narrow first-ballot victory, Cleveland received 617.33 votes, barely 10 more than needed, to 114 for Senator David B. Hill
David B. Hill
David Bennett Hill was an American politician from New York who was the 29th Governor of New York from 1885 to 1891.-Life:...
of New York, the candidate of Tammany Hall, 103 for Governor Horace Boies
Horace Boies
Horace Boies served as the 14th Governor of Iowa from 1890 to 1894 as a member of the United States Democratic Party. Boies was the only Democrat to serve in that position from 1855-1933.- Life before Iowa :...
of Iowa, a populist and former Republican, and the rest scattered. Although the Cleveland forces preferred Isaac P. Gray
Isaac P. Gray
Isaac Pusey Gray was the 18th and 20th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1880 to 1881 and from 1885 to 1889. Originally a Republican, he oversaw the forceful passage of the post-American Civil War constitutional amendments whilst he was a member of the Indiana Senate...
of Indiana for vice-president, they accepted the convention favorite, Adlai E. Stevenson of Illinois. As a supporter of using greenbacks
United States Note
A United States Note, also known as a Legal Tender Note, is a type of paper money that was issued from 1862 to 1971 in the U.S. Having been current for over 100 years, they were issued for longer than any other form of U.S. paper money. They were known popularly as "greenbacks" in their heyday, a...
and free silver
Free Silver
Free Silver was an important United States political policy issue in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Its advocates were in favor of an inflationary monetary policy using the "free coinage of silver" as opposed to the less inflationary Gold Standard; its supporters were called...
to inflate the currency and alleviate economic distress in rural districts, Stevenson balanced the ticket headed by Cleveland, the hard-money
Hard money (policy)
Hard money policies are those which are opposed to fiat currency and thus in support of a specie standard, usually gold or silver, typically implemented with representative money....
, gold-standard
Gold standard
The gold standard is a monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account is a fixed mass of gold. There are distinct kinds of gold standard...
supporter.
| Presidential Ballot | |
| Ballot | 1st |
|---|---|
| Grover Cleveland Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents... | 617.33 |
| David B. Hill David B. Hill David Bennett Hill was an American politician from New York who was the 29th Governor of New York from 1885 to 1891.-Life:... | 114 |
| Horace Boies Horace Boies Horace Boies served as the 14th Governor of Iowa from 1890 to 1894 as a member of the United States Democratic Party. Boies was the only Democrat to serve in that position from 1855-1933.- Life before Iowa :... | 103 |
| Arthur Pue Gorman Arthur Pue Gorman Arthur Pue Gorman was a United States Senator from Maryland, serving from 1881 to 1899 and from 1903 to 1906. He also served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1869 to 1875... | 36.5 |
| Adlai E. Stevenson | 16.67 |
| John G. Carlisle | 14 |
| William Ralls Morrison | 3 |
| James E. Campbell James E. Campbell James Edwin Campbell was a Democratic politician from Ohio. He served as the 38th Governor of Ohio.Campbell was born in Middletown, Ohio where he attended the public schools and then Miami University. He served in the Union Army as a member of the Mississippi River Squadron during the Civil War... | 2 |
| Robert E. Pattison Robert E. Pattison Robert Emory Pattison was the 19th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1883 to 1887 and 1891 to 1895. Born at Quantico in Somerset County, Maryland, Pattison's family moved to Philadelphia when he was five. He practiced law from 1872 to 1877 and was elected Controller of the city of Philadelphia in 1880... | 1 |
| William Russell William Russell (governor) William Eustis Russell was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 37th Governor of Massachusetts between 1891 and 1894, becoming the state's youngest ever elected Governor at age 34.-Family:... | 1 |
| William Collins Whitney | 1 |
| Abstaining | 0.5 |
Source: US President - D Convention. Our Campaigns. (September 7, 2009).
| Vice Presidential Ballot | ||
| Ballot | 1st Before Shifts | 1st After Shifts |
|---|---|---|
| Adlai E. Stevenson | 402 | 652 |
| Isaac P. Gray Isaac P. Gray Isaac Pusey Gray was the 18th and 20th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1880 to 1881 and from 1885 to 1889. Originally a Republican, he oversaw the forceful passage of the post-American Civil War constitutional amendments whilst he was a member of the Indiana Senate... | 343 | 185 |
| Allen B. Morse | 86 | 62 |
| John L. Mitchell John L. Mitchell John Lendrum Mitchell was an American politician and a Democratic Congressman, Senator from Wisconsin, and a member of the Wisconsin State Senate. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.... | 45 | 10 |
| Henry Watterson Henry Watterson Henry Watterson was a United States journalist who founded the Louisville Courier-Journal.He also served part of one term in the United States House of Representatives as a Democrat.... | 26 | 0 |
| William Bourke Cockran William Bourke Cockran William Bourke Cockran , commonly known as Bourke Cockran, was a United States Representative from New York and a noted political orator.-Biography:... | 5 | 0 |
| Horace Boies Horace Boies Horace Boies served as the 14th Governor of Iowa from 1890 to 1894 as a member of the United States Democratic Party. Boies was the only Democrat to serve in that position from 1855-1933.- Life before Iowa :... | 1 | 0 |
| Lambert Tree Lambert Tree Lambert Tree , was a circuit court judge, ambassador, and patron of the arts. Judge Lambert Tree was a Chicago Circuit Court judge who achieved fame by presiding over the indictment, trial, and conviction of corrupt City Council members. He lost the 1882 U.S. Senate race by one vote, but in 1885... | 1 | 0 |
| Abstaining | 1 | 1 |
Source: US Vice President - D Convention. Our Campaigns. (September 7, 2009).
People's Party nomination
Populist candidates:- James B. Weaver, former U.S. representative from IowaIowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
- James H. KyleJames H. KyleJames Henderson Kyle was an American politician. One of the most successful members of the Populist Party he served for 10 years as a member of the United States Senate from South Dakota from 1891 until his death....
, U.S. senator from South DakotaSouth DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
Candidates gallery
In 1891, the farmers' alliancesFarmers' Alliance
The Farmers Alliance was an organized agrarian economic movement amongst U.S. farmers that flourished in the 1880s. One of the goals of the organization was to end the adverse effects of the crop-lien system on farmers after the American Civil War...
met with delegates from labor and reform groups in Cincinnati, Ohio, and discussed forming a new political party. They formed the People's Party, usually called the People's Party, a year later in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.
At the first Populist national convention in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
in July 1892, James B. Weaver of Iowa was nominated for president on the first ballot. James G. Field
James G. Field
James Gaven Field was an Attorney General of Virginia and the People's Party candidate for Vice President of the United States in 1892.-Biography:...
of Virginia was nominated for vice-president. The Populist platform called for nationalization of the telegraph, telephone, and railroads, free coinage of silver, a graduated income tax, and creation of postal savings banks.
| Presidential Ballot | |
| Ballot | 1st |
|---|---|
| James B. Weaver | 995 |
| James H. Kyle James H. Kyle James Henderson Kyle was an American politician. One of the most successful members of the Populist Party he served for 10 years as a member of the United States Senate from South Dakota from 1891 until his death.... | 265 |
| Others | 3 |
Source: US President - P Convention. Our Campaigns. (September 7, 2009).
| Vice Presidential Ballot | |
| Ballot | 1st |
|---|---|
| James G. Field James G. Field James Gaven Field was an Attorney General of Virginia and the People's Party candidate for Vice President of the United States in 1892.-Biography:... | 733 |
| Ben Stockton Terrell | 554 |
Source: US Vice President - P Convention. Our Campaigns. (September 7, 2009).
Prohibition Party nomination
Prohibition candidates:- John BidwellJohn BidwellJohn Bidwell was known throughout California and across the nation as an important pioneer, farmer, soldier, statesman, politician, prohibitionist and philanthropist...
, former U.S. representative from CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... - Gideon T. StewartGideon T. StewartGideon Tabor Stewart was an American lawyer as well as a newspaper owner and editor. He was very active in promoting the temperance movement. He was elected three timess as grand worthy chief templar of the Good Templars of Ohio. Throughout the 1850s he attempted to organize a permanent...
, Prohibition Party Chairman from OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus... - William Jennings DemorestWilliam Jennings Demorestright|thumb|325px|William Jennings Demorest , from New York City, was an American magazine publisher, national prohibition leader, and, in collaboration with his second wife, Ellen Demorest, née Curtis, attained international success from his wife's development of paper patterns for sewing fashion...
, magazine publisher from New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Candidates gallery
Music Hall (Cincinnati)
Music Hall, completed in 1878, is Cincinnati's premier classical music performance hall. It serves as the home for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Opera, May Festival Chorus, and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. In January, 1975, it was recognized as a National Historic Landmark by the...
in Cincinnati. There were 972 delegates present from all states except Louisiana and South Carolina.
Two major stories about the convention loomed before it assembled. In the first place, some members of the national committee sought to merge the Prohibition and Populist Parties. While there appeared a likelihood that the merger would materialize, by convention time it was clear that it was not going to happen. Secondly, the southern states sent a number of black delegates. Cincinnati hotels refused to serve meals to blacks and whites at the same time, and several hotels refused all service to the black delegates.
The convention nominated John Bidwell
John Bidwell
John Bidwell was known throughout California and across the nation as an important pioneer, farmer, soldier, statesman, politician, prohibitionist and philanthropist...
of California for president on the first ballot. Prior to the convention, the race was thought to be close between Bidwell and William Jennings Demorest
William Jennings Demorest
right|thumb|325px|William Jennings Demorest , from New York City, was an American magazine publisher, national prohibition leader, and, in collaboration with his second wife, Ellen Demorest, née Curtis, attained international success from his wife's development of paper patterns for sewing fashion...
, but the New York delegation became irritated with Demorest and voted for Bidwell 73-7. James B. Cranfill
James B. Cranfill
James Britton Cranfill , also known as JB Cranfill, was a noted religious figure and prohibitionist who was nominated for Vice President of the United States by the Prohibition Party in 1892, with the ticket garnering over 270,000 votes, approximately 2% of the total vote.Cranfill was born in...
of Texas was nominated for vice-president on the first ballot with 417 votes to 351 for Joshua Levering
Joshua Levering
Joshua Levering was a prominent Baptist leader . He was president of the trustees of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, vice-president of the Southern Baptist Convention, co-founder of the American Baptist Educational Society, and co-founder of the Layman's...
of Maryland and 45 for others.
| Presidential Ballot | |
| Ballot | 1st |
|---|---|
| John Bidwell John Bidwell John Bidwell was known throughout California and across the nation as an important pioneer, farmer, soldier, statesman, politician, prohibitionist and philanthropist... | 590 |
| Gideon T. Stewart Gideon T. Stewart Gideon Tabor Stewart was an American lawyer as well as a newspaper owner and editor. He was very active in promoting the temperance movement. He was elected three timess as grand worthy chief templar of the Good Templars of Ohio. Throughout the 1850s he attempted to organize a permanent... | 179 |
| William Jennings Demorest William Jennings Demorest right|thumb|325px|William Jennings Demorest , from New York City, was an American magazine publisher, national prohibition leader, and, in collaboration with his second wife, Ellen Demorest, née Curtis, attained international success from his wife's development of paper patterns for sewing fashion... | 139 |
| H. Clay Bascom | 3 |
Source: US President - P Convention. Our Campaigns. (May 09, 2010).
Other nominations
The Socialist Labor PartySocialist Labor Party of America
The Socialist Labor Party of America , established in 1876 as the Workingmen's Party, is the oldest socialist political party in the United States and the second oldest socialist party in the world. Originally known as the Workingmen's Party of America, the party changed its name in 1877 and has...
made their first attempt at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
and chose Simon Wing
Simon Wing
Simon Wing was a daguerrotypist and camera inventor and socialist politician. He is best remembered as the first candidate of the Socialist Labor Party of America for President of the United States, running for that office in 1892.-Early years:...
and Charles Matchett
Charles Matchett
Charles Horatio Matchett was an American socialist politician. He is best remembered as the first candidate of the Socialist Labor Party of America for Vice President of the United States in the election of 1892 and as the party's candidate for President in the election of 1896.-Early...
as their standard bearers.
Campaign
McKinley Tariff
The Tariff Act of 1890, commonly called the McKinley Tariff, was an act framed by Representative William McKinley that became law on October 1, 1890. The tariff raised the average duty on imports to almost fifty percent, an act designed to protect domestic industries from foreign competition...
passed during his term: Cleveland, assuring voters that he opposed absolute free trade, continued his campaign for a reduction in the tariff. William McKinley campaigned extensively for Harrison, setting the stage for his own run four years later.
The campaign took a somber turn when, in October, First Lady
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
Caroline Harrison
Caroline Harrison
Caroline Lavinia Scott Harrison , wife of Benjamin Harrison, was first lady of the United States from 1889 until her death. She was the first “first lady” to be born in October.-Early life:...
died. Despite the ill health that had plagued Mrs. Harrison since her youth and had worsened in the last decade, she often accompanied Mr. Harrison on official travels. On one such trip, to California in the spring of 1891, she caught a cold. It quickly deepened into her chest, and she was eventually diagnosed with tuberculosis. A summer in the Adirondack Mountains
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
failed to restore her to health. An invalid the last six months of her life, she died in the White House on October 25, 1892, just two weeks before the national election. As a result, all of the candidates ceased campaigning.
Results
Populist James B. Weaver, calling for free coinage of silver and an inflationary monetary policy, won surprisingly strong support in the West to become the only third-party nominee between 1860 and 1912 to carry a single state. Weaver received a total of 22 electoral votes.The Prohibition ticket received 270,879, or 2.2% nationwide. It was the largest total vote and highest percentage of the vote received by any Prohibition Party national ticket.
Wyoming, having attained statehood two years earlier, became the first state to allow women to vote in a presidential election since 1804
United States presidential election, 1804
The United States presidential election of 1804 pitted incumbent Democratic-Republican President Thomas Jefferson against Federalist Charles Cotesworth Pinckney...
. (Women in New Jersey had the right to vote under the state's original constitution, but this right was rescinded in 1807.) Wyoming was also one of six states (along with North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, and Idaho) participating in their first presidential election—other than the first election, the most in American history.
It was also the first election in which an incumbent president was defeated for a second time in a row. This would not happen again until 1980.
Source (Popular Vote):
Source (Electoral Vote):
Media
See also
- American election campaigns in the 19th centuryAmerican election campaigns in the 19th CenturyIn the 19th century, a number of new methods for conducting American Election Campaigns developed in the United States. For the most part the techniques were original, not copied from Europe or anywhere else...
- History of the United States (1865-1918)
- History of the United States Democratic PartyHistory of the United States Democratic PartyThe history of the Democratic Party of the United States is an account of the oldest political party in the United States and arguably the oldest democratic party in the world....
- History of the United States Republican PartyHistory of the United States Republican PartyThe United States Republican Party is the second oldest currently existing political party in the United States after its great rival, the Democratic Party. It emerged in 1854 to combat the Kansas Nebraska Act which threatened to extend slavery into the territories, and to promote more vigorous...
External links
- 1892 popular vote by counties
- 1892 State-by-state Popular vote
- Overview of 1892 Democratic National Convention
- How close was the 1892 election? — Michael Sheppard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology