9/6/12The Grant Administration1868 Presidential ElectionGrant=most popular Northerner coming out of warRepublican National Convention met in May 1868 and nominated GrantRunning mate: Schuyler Colfax, Speaker of the House, from IndianaRepublican platform-Black suffrage in the south-Payment of the national debt-Lowering of taxesDemocrats nominate Horatio Seymour, conservative former governor of NY + general during Civil WarRunning mate: Francis P. Blair, Jr., from Missouri, one of most violent critics of ReconstructionCouldn’t agree on a platform*Blacks could not register as Democrats in the South until 1944. It was considered a private club.Grant wins election: 214 electoral votes/3,013,421 popular votesSeymour loses election: 80 electoral votes /2,706,829 popular votesGrant took oath March 1869…administration went downhill from there.Grant:-Possessed no real meaning of the Constitution and its meaning for the U.S. ---Thought too militaristically-Was a political toddler +His lack of political experience was evidenced in his Cabinet choices. He took no advice, made appointments regardless of political or geographical standing. +Single good Cabinet appointment= Hamilton Fish (former governor of NY) as Secretary of State-Later Fish was responsible for Treaty of Washington, 1871, which settled Alabama claims. +Most other appointees unknown, incompetent, and corrupt.-Grant’s popularity couldn’t translate to dependable, successful politics.Henry Adams said Grant had “no right to exist...made evolution ludicrous…Grant should have lived in a cave and wore skins.”Major issues during Grant administration:Civil service reformMoney questionTariffThe Southern QuestionGrant on March 23, 1871 noted the condition of affairs in some Southern states rendered life and property insecure, made even carrying mail, taking revenue, dangerous…he asked for legislation to secure life, liberty, and property.42nd Congress devoted almost a full session to the South and the KKL, resulting in KuKlux Act AKA Force Act, which gave President authority to use force to impose order.1872 Presidential ElectionLiberal Republicans Called for:-Reform -Purification of Grant administration (Slogan: “Turn the rascals out.”) -Called for an end to “The Bloody Chasm,” between North and SouthNominate Horace Greeley and thereby eliminate chance of winning b/c Greeley, editor of New York Tribune, had denounced Democrats for 30 years as traitors and slave keepers. Greeley = too dogmatic, too emotional, and unsound in political beliefs.Running mate: B. Gratz Brown, liberal Republican from MissouriOnly chance they had of winning was by combining Anti-Grant votes with those of Democrats.Platform:-Reaffirmed 13th, 14th, 15th amendments-States’ rights-Remove military from SouthRepublicans renominate GrantRunning mate: Henry Wilson“Waving the bloody shirt” = saying Southerners are not to be trusted with good treatment of freedmenGrant won with 286 electoral votes, 3,596,745 popularGreeley lost with 66 electoral votes, 2,843,446 popularGrant assumed that because he had trounced Greeley that he had gained the approval of the country – not trueLiberal Republican Movement-Facilitated Amnesty Act, 1872-Removes political disabilities except for some 500 Confederate leaders-Tariff reduction-Civil service reform Second Grant Administration 1873 supposed to usher in golden era for Republican PartyInstead turned dark, blow after blow struck Grant administrationCorruptionBlack Friday Scandal, September 24, 1869Grant had foolishly allowed himself to be influenced by financial speculators (specifically Jay Gould and James Fisk). In effort to corner gold market, Gould and Fisk convinced Grant to change gold selling policies of TreasuryAbel CorbinStock market collapse (financers, businessman, workers suffer as result)Congressional investigation – showed Grant did nothing irresponsible or illegal, but people believed he had poor judgmentCredit Mobilier ScandalBegan during Johnson administration and came to light in 1872Railroad construction company formed by insiders of transcontinental Union PacificRailway…they hired themselves to build the transcontinental line joining East and West coast and pay themselves $50,000 a mile when it should have cost $30,000 a mile. Company secretly distributed shares to members of Congress. Schuyler Colfax shown to have accepted 20 shares of stock as well as dividends, James A Garfield (future President) cleared after damaging but inconclusive evidence about him.All people involved were Republicans except Democrat James BrooksWhiskey Ring, 1875Public officials/ Grant appointees and private secretary Orville Babcock involvedGrant intervenes to help BabcockGuilty of helping a ring of whiskey distributors defraud the gov’t in millions of dollars in taxesGrant’s regime has been referred to as “The Great Barbeque,” because of all the scandals. Grant probably deserved better, but his friends took advantage of his honesty.More Corruption… (It was everywhere, not limited to one party or region)Tweed RingWilliam “Boss” TweedTammany HallOut front everything looked legal, but behind closed doors he was making millions illegallyJohn Kieser paid $1.1M for plumbing, etc.Actual cost of building court house should have been 500,000$ but ended up being $12MNew York Times/Harpers’ Weekly/Thomas Nast criticized TweedPanic of 1873 (first since 1857)Basic causes:-Over speculation-Over expansion-Mining-Manufacturing-Railroading-Grain farming Lasted for 6 years, was longest and most severe up until this time.Annual message in Dec. 1869 and 1874, Grant called for gradual resumption of specie payments (the redemption of greenbacks in gold) Would make greenbacks asgood as gold, raise their value to par with the gold dollar. Congress obliged, passing Resumption Act of 1875, called for redemption in specie to begin January 1879. By that time, treasury would have built up a gold reserve for the purpose and reduced the number of greenbacks in circulation.Up until this point, Grant is considered one of if not the least effective President.Grant admitted this in his closing
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