The Election of 1876

1
The Election of 1876

• .the end of Reconstruction

2
The Republicans

• Grant was encouraged to run for a third-term, but
  reminded by Congress of the dictatorial
  implications.
• Fighting among factions behind Roscoe Conkling
  and James Blaine led to a compromise candidate.
• Rutherford B. Hayes from Ohio (22 critical
  electoral college votes) is selected.

Roscoe Conkling
James G. Blaine
Rutherford B. Hayes
3
The Democrats

• They can count on the solid South for votes.
• Therefore, they chose Samuel Tilden of New York (
  35 electoral college votes ).
• Tilden was best known for successfully
  prosecuting the infamous Boss Tweed and his
  cronies.

Samuel Tilden
4
The election count

• There are 369 votes so it takes 185 to win.
• Popular Tilden - 4,284,020
• Hayes - 4,036,572
• Electoral College Tilden 184
• Hayes 165
• Votes in dispute 20
• The state of Colorado, admitted on August 1,
  didnt have time to organize an election so the
  state legislature simply picked three electors
  who all voted for Hayes.

5
The disputed votes
Louisiana - 8
South Carolina - 7
Florida - 4
One vote from Oregon was contested on a
technicality that made the Republican elector
ineligible, but no doubt for Hayes.
6
So whats the problem?

• In all three states the Democrats had apparently
  defeated the Republican administrations and
  Tilden had won the popular vote.
• However, Republicans made accusations of force
  and fraud and they controlled the return boards.
• The lame duck Republicans sent in electoral votes
  for Hayes while the newly elected Democrats sent
  in another set for Tilden.
• So which votes count? Surely the Constitution
  provides the answer.

The Founding Fathers never saw this one coming!
7
Of course not!

• The 12th Amendment states that electoral college
  votes be sent to the President of the Senate ( a
  Republican ) and opened in front of both the
  House and Senate.
• It does not stipulate specifically who is to
  count the votes.
• With inauguration day fast approaching, Congress
  had to act quickly.

8
The Electoral Commission

• The commission to decide which of the votes will
  count is created from
• 5 Senators 3 Rep. 2 Dem.
• 5 House members 2 Rep. 3 Dem.
• 5 Supreme Court 2 Rep. 2 Dem.
• 1 Independent
• This group would in essence choose the President!

9
The Independent

• David Davis from Illinois, had been a Liberal
  Republican but now Independent and supposedly
  impartial
• The Democrats expected Davis to side with them
  after they gave him a Senate seat
• However, Davis resigned his SC position for the
  Senate immediately and thus, was no longer
  eligible for the committee
• The only SC Justices left to choose from are
  Republicans.

Supreme Court Justice David Davis
10
The Vote

• As each of the votes from the disputed states is
  examined the commission decides
• Florida 8 to 7 for Hayes
• Louisiana 8 to 7 for Hayes
• Oregon 8 to 7 for Hayes
• South Carolina 8 to 7 for Hayes

Justice Joseph Bradley was considered the most
impartial of the Republicans on the Supreme Court
left to choose from, however, he sided with the
other seven Republicans on the commission when
reviewing the disputed returns from each state.
The Electoral Commission adjourned just two days
before Inauguration Day
11
Official results of 1876
Hayes 185 Tilden - 184
12
The Compromise of 1877

• The last federal troops will be removed from
  Southern states.
• Republican administrations as well as the
  scalawags and carpetbaggers are finished
  (redemption).
• Promises of funding for a Southern
  transcontinental railroad are made, but not kept.
• Former Confederates will get high-ranking
  positions including some Cabinet posts.
• Safeguards to protect the former slaves are no
  longer in place. Civil rights will have to wait
  a century.
• Reconstruction is OVER!