When was the election of 1872

On the sixth ballot the convention suddenly stampeded to Horace Greeley; and then chose Governor Benjamin Gartz-Brown of Missouri for second place. The Greeley choice came as a shock to many people. Greeley, for all his intelligence, sincerity, idealism, and journalistic aplomb, was erratic, crochety, unpredictable, and thoroughly incompetent in the art of politics. About all one could say of him as a candidate was that he was a national celebrity.

With his cherubic face, big blue eyes, pilgarlic pate, steel-rimmed glasses, and shuffling gait, he looked more like a character out of a Dickens novel than a presidential hopeful, and he was an easy target for cartoonists and caricaturists.

Serious reformers were thunderstruck by the nomination. The Nation said it was the biggest disappointment since news of the first battle of Bull Run; Lyman Trumbull feared the nomination would be drowned in a wave of laughter; the Illinois State journal called it a huge joke on the nation; and the New York Times declared that if "any one man could send a great nation to the dogs, that man is Mr. A month after the Greeley nomination, the regular Republicans met in Philadelphia, chose Grant by acclamation for re-election on the first ballot, and adopted a platform paying lip service to civil-service reform and equivocating on the tariff issue, but taking a strong stand in favor of political and civil rights for all citizens in every part of the country.

For second place the delegates chose Massachusetts Senator Henry Wilson, "the cobbler of Natick," who was friendly to labor.

When the Democrats held their convention in Baltimore a few weeks later, they were so eager to support "anybody to beat Grant," that in a meeting lasting only six hours they voted to accept both the platform and the candidate of the Liberal Republicans. Some Democrats thought it a grievous error.

The choice between Grant and Greeley, moaned Georgia's Alexander Stephens, was a choice between "hemlock and strychnine. But the Governor of North Carolina defended fusion. Given the two candidates-a "man of no ideas," as someone put it, versus a "man of too many"-the campaign was predictable.

Hendricks IL Various vice-presidential. About Quizzes. Election of President Grant was generally popular in Election of All Elections Table. Election of ? Electoral Vote. Popular Vote. Democratic and Liberal Republican.

Louis suffragette, Virginia Minor, and many others. There will be numerous costumed interpreters and special activities throughout the day, including historic photography demonstrations and music of the era. All events are free and no reservations are required. So, come out and cast your own ballot. You'll get to decide - Grant or Greeley - Which? Click here for a full program schedule. Saturday, September 10 Programs on grounds of park from am - pm Includes historic presentations, campaigning and voting, hands-on activities, and historic band 12 pm and 3 pm Evening program under tent from - pm Includes presentations by Frederick Dent and NY newspaper reporter, William H.

The evening concludes with a lantern parade.