u/Begin_ThePurge

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Benjamin F. Butler, 19th President

Joseph E. McDonald, 18th Vice President

Cabinet

President: Benjamin F. Butler (1881-1885)

Vice President: Joseph E. McDonald (1881-1885)

Secretary of State: Allen G. Thurman (1881-1884), Henry M. Teller (1884-1885)

Secretary of the Treasury: Richard P. Bland (1881-1883), Francis Marion McDowell (1883-1885)

Secretary of War: Thomas Ewing Jr. (1881-1884), Adelbert Ames (1884-1885)

Attorney General: Hendrick B. Wright (1881), William Windom (1881-1885)

Postmaster General: William M. Ireland (1881-1885)

Secretary of the Navy: Edward Cooper (1881-1885)

Secretary of the Interior: Henry M. Teller (1881-1882), James B. Weaver (1882-1885)

Secretary of Agriculture: Oliver Hudson Kelley (1882-1885)

Events

March 1881: Benjamin F. Butler is inaugurated as the 19th President of the United States; Joseph E. McDonald is inaugurated as the 18th Vice President of the United States

March 1881: Associate Justice Noah Swayne retires; Despite being a Republican, Stanley Matthews is resubmitted for approval as Swayne's replacement by President Butler and narrowly confirmed.

April 1881: Congress passes the Pendleton Currency Act which reimburse treasury bonds in greenbacks and to begin repayment of US debt in paper currency. News of this causes the Panic of 1881 and many foreign investors begin to withdraw capital from the United States.

June 1881: The Industrial Safety Act of 1881 is the first federal law to mandate workplace safety regulations for industry with regular surprise inspections by the Treasury Department

September 1881: Attorney General Hendricks Wright dies in office; He is replaced by Minnesota Senator William Windom

October 1881: Congress passes the Tariff Reduction Act of 1881 which reduces tariffs on "products of stable domestic industries" while keeping them higher on emerging industries over the protest of the Laborite wing of the FLP and Republicans. The Act results in the collapse of several manufacturers in the US already hurt by the Panic

January 1882: Following the passage of special measure allowing him to retire with a full pension, the paralyzed Associate Justice Ward Hunt steps down from the bench; Walter Q. Gresham is confirmed as his successor.

March 1882: Congress passes the Weaver Act creating an independent, cabinet-level Department of Agriculture to provide technical assistance to farmers, promote agriculture trade, oversea food safety and protect natural resources. President Butler appoints Oliver Hudson Kelley as its first Secretary

April 1882: The Naval Modernization Act of 1882 redirects significant portions of the budget to a full modernization of the US Navy after the lobbying of Secretary Cooper. The construction of new ironclad ships is hoped to provide relief to struggling eastern cities.

May 1882: Following increasing conflict between illegal settlers and the Apache, President Butler breaks with the previous peace policy under pressure from his agrarian supporters and orders the US Army to capture Geronimo; Interior Secretary Teller resigns in protest

June 1882: The Interstate Commerce Act is passed to regulate the railroad industry and creates the Interstate Commerce Commission with 5 members appointed by the President and approved by the Senate. It is the first independent Federal agency

November 1882: The Chinese Exclusion Act is passed allowing the US government to ban all Chinese immigration into the country and to deny those Chinese immigrants already in the ability to become citizens. Chinese people travel in or out of the country are required to carry a certificate of their status or be deported

November 1882: The mid-term elections result in significant gains for the Republicans and Liberals over anger at the economic depression resulting from the monetary policies of the Butler Administration

January 1883: In a surprise move, President Butler signs the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, requiring 10% of Federal jobs to be subject to competitive exams. The US Civil Service Commission is made a permanent agency of the government to enforce the Act.

March 1883: A Congressional coalition of Republicans and Liberals repeals the Pendleton Currency Act and replaces it with the McKinley Act which returned the US to the gold standard and repayment of US bonds and debts in gold or silver. President Butler neither signs or vetos the act

August 1883: The territory of Santo Domingo votes overwhelmingly to become the 39th State on August 3 and is approved by Congress a week later. It is the only majority Catholic state and only state with Spanish as a co-equal language to English in official business

February 1884: President Butler nominates his Son-in-Law Adelbert Ames for Secretary of War to replace Thomas Ewing Jr; the nomination is met with intense resistance and accusations of nepotism but is ultimately approved

Does anyone have advice about how to create maps for electoral results that actually look like the ones on wikipedia? The website I use is fine but it never looks like the actual wiki maps and it's a big pain in the ass to upload everything to wiki commons.

Also I'm currently running a poll to see if the Dominican Republic becomes a state and I need to figure out how to add it to future electoral maps if it does get added.

Any advice is very appreciated

VOTE HERE

https://preview.redd.it/ekloebaqn4bh1.jpg?width=1415&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4b44e075cae4ba6c832167f73f75b719297ba2b9

For 10 years Santo Domingo, formerly the Dominican Republic, has been the most active territory in the United States's growing empire of liberty. Annexed after a fierce Senate debate and dubious plebiscite on the island, Santo Domingo was quickly flooded with American capital and migrants. While corporations from the mainland definitely boosted the territory's economy, it was the advent of the Cuban War which truly transformed Santo Domingo. The Federal Government poured in money to modernize and expand the port at Samana Bay while its local businesses grew rich off the newly arriving American soldiers and sailors always eager to spend their pay on drinks, tobacco, and the company of women. In fact the soldiers enjoyed themselves so well that word quickly spread back home about the beauty of the island and its people, turning Santo Domingo into a top tourist destination for those Americans lucky enough to afford it. In addition many of the former Independence fighters who had fought against the Spanish only 10 years ago now became valuable advisors to the War Department in tropical warfare. Finally, many newly freed Black Americans began to move to the island in search of safe haven from rising white violence in the American South though it has not met the expectations that many in the Grant Administration might have hoped for it. Still though, the United States has brought a level of stability to Dominican politics not previously experienced and many feel glad to get on with life in peace

Of course where there is light there must be shadow and Santo Domingo is no different. In the hill country there is still a fierce guerrilla force determined to remove all foreign invaders whether they be Spanish, Haitian or now American. As a territory it is not surprising the United States has come to dominate the area's economy but it has nonetheless created resentment at the increasing number of Yankee bosses. Although far more industrialized than other Caribbean states, Santo Domingo remains largely dependent on sugar exports to the United States as well. However the real tensions in Dominican society over annexation are cultural. Though Spanish remains the official language of the territory, the influx of Black Americans and military personal has imposed English on many natives far quicker than they were ready for. Additionally, the majority Catholic population grows more and more irritated at their new Protestant neighbors' constant sermonizing and disparaging of their faith as a false religion.

Now voters must go to the polls and decide whether to formerly become a state or return to independence as are the conditions set out in the Santo Domingo Act of 1878. The people of the territory will have to ask themselves if surrendering their pride as a separate nation is truly worth the stability brought by American money and institutions.

https://preview.redd.it/9x3l343z2pah1.jpg?width=796&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f76d3c5da1f88d166b60eff8f44a33e1855c5725

Presidential: VOTE HERE

Congressional: VOTE HERE

Context

For the first time in 52 years an American election will not feature a Democratic candidate for President. The Party of Jackson had been defeated over an over again over the course of 16 years by the Republican Party at both the Federal and State level. When the Liberals emerged in 1872 it further fractured what support in the South they might have counted on and by 1879 the party was a dead letter. From the ashes of the Democrats rose a transformed Liberal Party and the new Farmer-Labor Party. Now the Republicans will see if their electoral success can outlive the death of their rival or if a new paradigm will emerge in November.

Major issues this election will revolve around tariffs, immigration, civil service reform and currency. The Republicans are unified around a general continuation of Grant era policies, presenting Washburne as the President's natural successor. The Republicans are banking on the good economic recovery and military successes abroad to carry them to victory while downplaying their Indian Peace Policy and more moderate restrictions to Chinese immigration. The usual tactic of waving the bloody shirt won't work as well with the Democrats gone but with the Liberal candidate being a known Peace Democrat they can still use it to some effect.

Speaking of the Liberals, they'll be hoping to use their increased strength in the South and strong campaigning New York and Indiana to hopefully carry them to victory. Bayard has attempted to swipe the anti-Chinese rhetoric from Farmer-Labor and is advocating a huge new restrictions on immigration, needling the Republicans as the puppets of eastern business leaders only concerned with depressing native wages. Perhaps attempting to invoke the founding spirit of the party, Bayard has also promised robust and extensive civil service despite many of his own political allies relying on patronage to secure their power.

The Farmer-Labor Party is coming out of the gate swinging. The quick nomination of Ben Butler has given them a burst of energy necessary to making an impact come November no matter what happens. While Butler himself is a brash urban, easterner his party is actually dominated by agrarian interests. Westerns have gotten their wish to have a total ban on Chinese immigration made a plank in the party platform this year. On tariffs the party has gotten in hot water for attempting to play both sides of the issue with Laborites promising a high protective tariff while agrarians promise to pursue free trade. Of course the one unifying issue of the party is the currency issue and Butler has promised to adopted an inflationary monetary policy immediately, abandoning the gold standard and printing greenbacks as soon as possible.

Candidates

The Republicans

US Minister Elihu Washburne of Illinois

By far the least known person seriously in the running for President, Elihu Washburne is the man most responsible for the rise of Ulysses S. Grant. Taking a shine to the Galena Tailor, Washburne placed Grant in charge of the raising and training of the areas volunteers during the early days of the Civil War. When Grant began to prove himself incredibly capable as a battlefield commander, it was Washburne who sung his praises to President Lincoln and helped elevate Ulysses in the war hero he would become. For these years of support, Washburne has expected to be made Secretary of State when Grant was elected President but when the nomination faced a major backlash, the Illinois Congressman was instead made Minister to France were he played a crucial role in mediating the final peace negotiations between Germany and France following the Franco-Prussian War of 1871. Now Washburne has arrived in Chicago determined to step out of the shadow of his former acolyte and the President has made subtle shows of support if only to keep an old friend happy.

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Representative James A. Garfield of Ohio

If ever there was a man to embody the best of the 19th Century it might be James A. Garfield. Born in a log cabin when Ohio was still the doorstep of the frontier, Garfield would obtain a college education and go onto be become a preacher in the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening and even became President of Reserve Eclectic Institute. During the Civil War he rose to the rank of Major General, seeing action at the Battles of Middle Creek, Shiloh, and Chickamauga. In 1862 he entered Congress as a Radical Republican with a reputation for skilled oratory and an unyielding defender of the gold standard. In the early 1870s he broke with Republicans over civil service reform and joined the Liberal Party before returning by 1880 over the increasing influence of former Southern Democrats in the party. A firm believer in Federal support for education, Garfield has a strong aptitude for mathematics and advocates the use of the emerging field of statistics to inform government policy.

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The Liberals

Senator Thomas F. Bayard of Delaware

The scion of a long running Delaware political dynasty, Thomas Bayard is the leading Southern Liberal and most prominent arch-conservative in the running this year out of any candidate for any party. A Peace Democrat during the Civil War and a staunch opponent of the Republicans' Reconstruction Policies, Bayard failed to secure the Democratic nomination in 1876 and organized a mass defection of the remaining Southern Democrats to the Liberals in 1879. Though Bayard and his colleagues have publicly accepted the new post-Reconstruction order in the South, he nonetheless wishes to seriously curb Federal authority in the name of Staes' Rights and fiscal responsibility. A staunch gold man, Bayard promises to conduct major audit of Federal expenditures which will likely lead to major spending cuts along with a push to reduce tariffs and a reduction of the growing Federal budget surplus.

https://preview.redd.it/kno4paw13pah1.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d66478846cbf6e9d823c77aec745b073792273a

Former Governor Richard M. Bishop of Ohio

A successful Cincinnati businessman turned state politician, Richard M. Bishop has just completed a 2 year term as Governor of Ohio. He rose quickly up through the ranks of the Cincinnati City Council in the late 1850s before serving as Mayor from 1859 to 1861 during which the Prince of Wales accepted his invitation to visit the city during his tour of the United States. Bishop established himself as War Democrat when he gave a welcome speech to President-Elect Lincoln as the latter passed through on his way to be inaugurated. During the 1860s he was President of the Ohio Missionary State Society and General Christian Missionary Convention. He was a member of the Ohio State Constitutional Convention in 1873 and was nominated for Governor by the Liberals for 2 year term in 1878 which he won. His lack of consultation of party leadership in patronage and policy decisions and the undue influence of his son on his administration resulted him not being nominated for reelected which hurts reputation amongst party leaders.

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Farmer-Labor

Representative Benjamin F. Butler of Massachusetts

Ben Butler is one of the strangest characters in American politics ever. An anti-war Democrat and Southern sympathizer before the Civil War, Butler made a massive about face when he joined the Union Army and became a Major General. He gain national renown for his refusal to return escaped slaves to their masters while serving as military governor of Louisiana, preceding the Lincoln Administration's own Emancipation Proclamation. His questionable military skills and dealing across enemy lines eventually led to his removal from command at the request of General Grant later in the war. Soon though he was in Congress causing havoc as a Radical Republican. He advocated harsh measures against the South and was the authored of the Klu Klux Klan Act and Civil Rights Act of 1875. Eventually he broke with the Republicans over the issue of hard vs. soft money and joined the Liberals before breaking again for Farmer-Labor once they became the champions of soft money. His abrasive, showboating personality puts off most other politicians but gives him a certain populist appeal.

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Senator Joseph E. McDonald of Indiana

A longtime figure of Democratic politics in Indiana, Joseph E. McDonald is the state's most prominent pro-inflationary figure. Working a variety of jobs before settling into law in the 1840s, McDonald would first enter politics as a Representative for 1 term before serving as the state's Attorney General from 1856-1860. He would unsuccessfully run for Governor in 1864 but 11 years later would ride a wave of public frustration over the Great Depression into the Senate where he currently sits. While he and Butler generally agree on inflationary fiscal policies to benefit farmers, they will clash over social issues which McDonald is completely disinterested in.

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Big Boy Ben

Context

Well, that was quick. After the protracted conventions of the Republicans and Liberals the public was ready for the infant Farmer-Labor Party to take just as long if not longer. Instead they have overwhelmingly chosen Massachusetts Representative and former Major General Benjamin F. Butler as their Presidential nominee. Butler is an infamous character for much of the country and whatever support the party hoped to build up amongst Southern whites has evaporated. Additionally, American Jews have voiced their immense concerns about his selection based on his time as Military Governor of New Orleans. Already the Liberals and Republicans are making hay of the party's nomination.

So in this climate the Farmer-Labor Party's leadership, such as it exists, has forced Butler to accept a more socially conservative running mate from the west. Butler fumed for awhile that he was not allowed to pick but eventually acquiesced once the leadership promised no former Confederate would be considered eligible. Not that it was a hard thing to promise as most of the Southern delegates simply walked out as soon as Butler was announced as the winner.

Candidates

Senator Joseph E. McDonald of Indiana

A longtime figure of Democratic politics in Indiana, Joseph E. McDonald is the state's most prominent pro-inflationary figure. Working a variety of jobs before settling into law in the 1840s, McDonald would first enter politics as a Representative for 1 term before serving as the state's Attorney General from 1856-1860. He would unsuccessfully run for Governor in 1864 but 11 years later would ride a wave of public frustration over the Great Depression into the Senate where he currently sits. While he and Butler generally agree on inflationary fiscal policies to benefit farmers, they will clash over social issues which McDonald is completely disinterested in.

https://preview.redd.it/2pv5r8dxffah1.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=02d8ae7ff75f87f09b458fc04d59b3ac40ca364c

Senator Allen G. Thurman of Ohio

If the party wanted to add true political weight to the ticket, Allen Thurman would certainly do it. A lawyer by trade, Thurman served as a Congressman in the mid-1840s where he supported President Polk and voted for the Wilmot Proviso before leaving Congress to serve on the Ohio Supreme Court for 4 years. He was a Peace Democrat and opposed Lincoln's policies, advocating for mediated solution to the Civil War. Thurman would run for Governor in 1867 against Rutherford Hayes on a platform which centered around opposition to black suffrage in Ohio and was filled with much race baiting. He would lose that election but be elected to the US Senate two years later and is now serving as President pro tempore. He is a moderate on the inflation issue and would immediately butt heads with Buttler to say the least but his selection would go along way to winning over conservative white voters.

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VOTE HERE

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June 9, 1880

Interstate Exhibition Building

Chicago, Illinois

Context

"There's an energy in the air. Can't you feel it?"

An earnest young man says next to you as you both look around at the Exhibition Hall with bunting showing off stars and stripes crisscrossing the walls, gently brushing up against large images of farmers harvesting grain and workers with thick arms holding hammers.

"I suppose. A bit pompous if you ask me. Never was one to throw a party when there's work to be done."

The young man looked at you with big eyes in which you see a mixture of childlike excitement and religious zeal.

"Oh, not the decorations. I meant just being here with all these delegates, on the edge of making history, a whole political movement coming together to finally fight for the common man".

The kid turned back to look amongst the crowd, perhaps hoping to catch a glimpse of Congressman Weaver or Senator Hendricks. You have to admit, his excitement is a little infectious.

"Yes, I do suppose it is an important or at least we can hope it will be. Won't mean much if we get swamped in November" you say as you rub the sweat from the edge of your widow's peak. "The papers say this will be clean sweep for Washburne especially after that mess the Liberals got themselves in down in Cincinnati."

"Humbug on the papers! They're all bought and paid for by the robber barons anyway. They'd say Satan was on track to beat God if Wall Street paid them enough. Washburne is washed up if you ask me, an old man who's been gone for years trying to ride Grant's whiskey soaked coattails to the Presidency".

You crack a wide smile and chuckle as the young stranger looks at you not quite sure if he should be offended.

"What's so funny? You think I'm joking" he asks in a mix of inquiry and anger.

"No, no friend I agree, I agree. You just have a way with words is all. The passion is quite evident." You say still grinning a little.

"Well good because I am very serious".

"A bit too serious" you think to yourself

"Some of the things I've seen in this city curdles my blood. I hate it, all these people crammed together. Not natural if you ask me. I want to go west you know? Work the land like the good Lord intended".

"I know what you mean. The conditions of some of the workers I've seen in Indiana break my heart. Knowing how fat and soft the bosses are while their workers work themselves to death 16 hours a day, never seeing their families just to barely put bread on the table! My God it makes me so-"

You stop yourself realizing that you had begun to preach, other delegates giving you the side eye as they pass. The young man is looking at you intensely like he's trying to see the shape of your soul with his intense eyes.

"Apologies friend. I can work myself up when I get onto certain topics".

"That, friend, is a quality we both share." He extends a hand "William Bryan, I'm with the Illinois delegation"

You reach out and firmly shake it "Eugene Debs, Indiana"

"Good to meet you Gene. I hope we see more of each other before the convention is out." He says with a friendly smile

"Likewise, Willy." you say, returning the smile.

And with that the two young men parted ways and went to find their delegations seats in the hall.

Candidates

Former Representative Benjamin F. Butler of Massachusetts

Ben Butler is one of the strangest characters in American politics ever. An anti-war Democrat and Southern sympathizer before the Civil War, Butler made a massive about face when he joined the Union Army and became a Major General. He gain national renown for his refusal to return escaped slaves to their masters while serving as military governor of Louisiana, preceding the Lincoln Administration's own Emancipation Proclamation. His questionable military skills and dealing across enemy lines eventually led to his removal from command at the request of General Grant later in the war. Soon though he was in Congress causing havoc as a Radical Republican. He advocated harsh measures against the South and was the authored of the Klu Klux Klan Act and Civil Rights Act of 1875. Eventually he broke with the Republicans over the issue of hard vs. soft money and joined the Liberals before breaking again for Farmer-Labor once they became the champions of soft money. His abrasive, showboating personality puts off most other politicians but gives him a certain populist appeal.

https://preview.redd.it/h04qj276j4ah1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=98c12513109d1c9d0e670d0401d8230f1e835b0b

Former Governor Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana

By far the most prominent politician at the convention, Hendricks is the leader of the party's socially conservative wing. As a former Governor and Senator, he has years of experience and connections in Washington which he says will help the party establish itself as a long term political force. Hendricks was once a strong Gold Democrat who backed the Union but over the course of the last decade he has shifted to a pro-Greenback position after seeing his constituents in Indiana struggle during the Great Depression of the 70s. The Governor very well liked by the Southern delegates for his opposition to Black suffrage but it could harm his standing amongst Northerns who worry about maintaining support in the North.

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Representative James B. Weaver of Iowa

Another former Republican turned Greenback, Weaver served as an office in the Civil War and opposed slavery who left the party after see his constituents in rural Iowa struggle immensely during the Great Depression. Routinely denied nomination by the Republicans, he became a Greenback Democrat for the election of 1878 and won in an upset but soon left this party has it imploded the next year to become a founding member of the Farmer-Labor Party. Weaver is the leading candidate of the West, his platform held up by the twin pillars of inflationary monetary policies and opening up the frontier to White settlement which has been curtailed by the Republicans. He is quite popular with most of the convention but has virtually no pull with the urban wing.

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Representative Hendrick B. Wright of Pennsylvania

Serving as a Democrat in the House since the 1850s and 60s before becoming a full on Greenback in the 1876 election, Wright is the leading candidate of the eastern and urban wings of the party. He became one of the few Congressmen to denounce the use of troops to put down the Great Strike of '77 which earned him admiration of the coal and railroad workers of his native Pennsylvania and neighboring West Virginia. He is the only candidate defending the strong protective tariff and would focus more on corporate regulation than inflationary policy.

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VOTE HERE

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Context

"It's Bayard! Southerns Take the Reins!" screams the headline of the Chicago Daily Tribune as people across the country are shocked at the victory of the former Peace Democrat over Hancock the Superb. Already Republicans lick their lips, ready to wave the bloody shirt so the top concern for the Liberal delegates is to nominate a candidate who can deflect attacks on this front. The convention is exhausted from the restless days of deadlocked rounds over the top of the ticket and so have put forward only two candidates for Vice President. Both candidates are from the middle west swing states which is meant to balance out Bayard's solidly Liberal and eastern native Delaware. Strangely both William English and Richard Bishop have been out of politics for several years and are successful businessman which is perhaps an attempt to sidestep the divisive party factionalism of recent years and emphasis the party's commitment to fiscal responsibility.

Candidate

Former Representative William Hayden English of Indiana

English is a successful businessman and influential former Representative in the swing state of Indiana. Serving in the House from 1853 to 1861, English was also elected at just 29 to become Indiana's State Speaker of the House in 1852 after serving as secretary to the state's Constitutional Convention. Having worked in Democrat politics even prior to his election to the State House, he was a respected and relatively successful politician in the run to the American Civil War. He declined to run for another term in 1860 and, most importantly, was a prominent War Democrat who supported his state's efforts to help keep the Union together. During the 1860 and 70s he was President of the First National Bank of Indianapolis which he guided through the difficult times of the Panic of 1873 when many other banks folded. Additionally he has had success ventures in railroads and real estate and will soon open an Opera House in Indianapolis later this year. English has been out of elected office for almost 20 years now and so it's unknown how well he'll do as the main campaign surrogate after being out of practice for so long.

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Former Governor Richard M. Bishop

A successful Cincinnati businessman turned state politician, Richard M. Bishop has just completed a 2 year term as Governor of Ohio. He rose quickly up through the ranks of the Cincinnati City Council in the late 1850s before serving as Mayor from 1859 to 1861 during which the Prince of Wales accepted his invitation to visit the city during his tour of the United States. Bishop established himself as War Democrat when he gave a welcome speech to President-Elect Lincoln as the latter passed through on his way to be inaugurated. During the 1860s he was President of the Ohio Missionary State Society and General Christian Missionary Convention. He was a member of the Ohio State Constitutional Convention in 1873 and was nominated for Governor by the Liberals for 2 year term in 1878 which he won. His lack of consultation of party leadership in patronage and policy decisions and the undue influence of his son on his administration resulted him not being nominated for reelected which hurts reputation amongst party leaders.

https://preview.redd.it/7az7b52fyw9h1.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a8e87a07a792991f904b9d0fb4355a28342dd5f8

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A Union man through and through!

Context

Finally the wheels are turning. McClellan's self-sacrifice on the alter of party cohesion has allowed the Liberals to move forward. Thankfully round 6 did not result in a deadlock despite the close vote. There is a clear winner and loser but in an upset it is Thomas Bayard who sits at the top. Bayard not only muscled his way past Palmer but sent him to the bottom, completely shattering his campaign's morale. Though Palmer may be stubborn enough to carry on, his convention surrogates told him he would do so alone. Realizing that further resistance to the inevitable would only embarrass him, Palmer notified the Convention President that he was withdrawing his name from consideration before taking the stage to endorse General Hancock. In his speech he stated:

"We must get behind a man who knows how to lead, how to inspire and to persevere all in the cause of the United States. We must always choose the man who puts the Union and her interests above the selfish needs of the elite. General Hancock has bled for this nation as so many Americans have. If we are to lead this nation then it must be assured that the progress gain by their sacrifice is appreciated by this party from top to bottom. Let no man sit in the White House whose loyalties are divided."

These remarks were a very obvious attack at Bayard, a Peace Democrat, and were likewise met with a mix of cheers and jeers thundering from Northerns and Southerns respectively. Though Hancock has already been nominated and lost before in a landslide many believe that with a new party he is far more electable than someone like Bayard which will cost the Liberals their support north of Mason-Dixon.

So it is now the final contest and the delegates are more than ready to wrap up this convention.

Candidates

Senator Thomas F. Bayard of Delaware

The scion of a long running Delaware political dynasty, Thomas Bayard is the leading Southern Liberal and most prominent arch-conservative in the running this year out of any candidate for any party. A Peace Democrat during the Civil War and a staunch opponent of the Republicans' Reconstruction Policies, Bayard failed to secure the Democratic nomination in 1876 and organized a mass defection of the remaining Southern Democrats to the Liberals in 1879. Though Bayard and his colleagues have publicly accepted the new post-Reconstruction order in the South, he nonetheless wishes to seriously curb Federal authority in the name of Staes' Rights and fiscal responsibility. A staunch gold man, Bayard promises to conduct major audit of Federal expenditures which will likely lead to major spending cuts along with a push to reduce tariffs and a reduction of the growing Federal budget surplus.

https://preview.redd.it/qnqex2w21j9h1.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=29963184cc2e27e1225b35a4536e32983145a4a6

Maj. General Winfield Scott Hancock of Pennsylvania

Serving with distinction in the Army for over 30 years, Winfield Scott Hancock is still a much beloved public figure despite his landslide defeat to President Hamlin in 1868. Known as "Hancock the Superb" to his men, he led the II Corps of the Army of the Potomac, first assuming the role in the midst of the Battle of Antietam. His tactical brilliance and force of personality were critical to the decisive Union victory at Gettysburg where he was wounded. Following the war he oversaw the execution of the Lincoln Assassination conspirators and commanded troops on the frontier before his doomed 1868 Presidential campaign. Since then he has continued to be the foremost military leader against the western tribes but his exclusion from the Cuban War was controversial and considered a politically motivated snub. His strategic silence on the currency issue has made him an appealing choice to some delegates to steal votes away from the new Farmer-Labor Party. At his age and after two prior runs, Hancock has stated this will be his last campaign for the Presidency.

https://preview.redd.it/r1zecsk31j9h1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=79b9ec110f2de210b1f1e332a0263ad0e99131ea

VOTE HERE

Someone finally cut the knot

Context

Deadlocked. Again. Palmer's lead narrows further, Bayard narrowly edges out Hancock this round but who knows if it will stick. The two generals, Hancock the Superb and Little Mac, are tied for 3rd place. The delegates despair, preparing themselves for another fruitless round of voting, the party ready to tear itself apart as frustration builds to a fever pitch.

Then a surrogate of the McClellan campaign, a delegate from New Jersey, approaches the podium, the rest of the hall preparing themselves for another pointless speech about the virtues of their candidate and a vain call for delegates to switch their votes. Instead he says he has a letter from Governor McClellan which he reads to a now transfixed audience:

"My fellow Liberals, we have found ourselves at an impasse. I believe it is my duty as a dedicated member of our party to do my utmost to ensure its victory this November. The longer the contest goes on, the more ammunition our opponents will have against us. At a critical movement in this nation's history, when we have the opportunity to return our government to its proper relationship with the people and the states, we cannot let it slip through our fingers. I regret that my candidacy has become an impediment to that task and am therefore ending my campaign for the Presidency. I have already had the honor to be nominated once and so now I place my faith in the convention to select a man capable of leading this nation into a bright future".

The message immediately reenergized the convention, delegates on their feet scrambling to find McClellanites and win them to their cause. Reporters from across the country scribbled the news on their notebooks before racing to wire their editors before the competition had a chance too. What had caused McClellan to step aside? For years there would be speculation and the General himself would never publicly state any other reason than loyalty to the party, keeping up an image as honorable and humble servant of the public good. That may have played a part but another surely was the intervention of party leaders who browbeat Little Mac, citing the fact that he had consistently placed last in the votes since Justice Field left. Sure he may be tied with Bayard or Hancock but whereas their support fluctuated, McClellan remained fixed at the bottom. Seeing that he had no way forward and perhaps hoping to spin his concession into a cabinet post, McClellan has now withdrawn from the race leaving just three to battle it out.

Senator Thomas F. Bayard of Delaware

The scion of a long running Delaware political dynasty, Thomas Bayard is the leading Southern Liberal and most prominent arch-conservative in the running this year out of any candidate for any party. A Peace Democrat during the Civil War and a staunch opponent of the Republicans' Reconstruction Policies, Bayard failed to secure the Democratic nomination in 1876 and organized a mass defection of the remaining Southern Democrats to the Liberals in 1879. Though Bayard and his colleagues have publicly accepted the new post-Reconstruction order in the South, he nonetheless wishes to seriously curb Federal authority in the name of States' Rights and fiscal responsibility. A staunch gold man, Bayard promises to conduct major audit of Federal expenditures which will likely lead to major spending cuts along with a push to reduce tariffs and a reduction of the growing Federal budget surplus.

https://preview.redd.it/pur3or5n1b9h1.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6fee6ca0cc3e3c5aea24d355b1ceedb7d8f879ea

Maj. General Winfield Scott Hancock of Pennsylvania

Serving with distinction in the Army for over 30 years, Winfield Scott Hancock is still a much beloved public figure despite his landslide defeat to President Hamlin in 1868. Known as "Hancock the Superb" to his men, he led the II Corps of the Army of the Potomac, first assuming the role in the midst of the Battle of Antietam. His tactical brilliance and force of personality were critical to the decisive Union victory at Gettysburg where he was wounded. Following the war he oversaw the execution of the Lincoln Assassination conspirators and commanded troops on the frontier before his doomed 1868 Presidential campaign. Since then he has continued to be the foremost military leader against the western tribes but his exclusion from the Cuban War was controversial and considered a politically motivated snub. His strategic silence on the currency issue has made him an appealing choice to some delegates to steal votes away from the new Farmer-Labor Party. At his age and after two prior runs, Hancock has stated this will be his last campaign for the Presidency.

https://preview.redd.it/krilgjsn1b9h1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86107e6817cce50fe310f656b910ddf1d0e3ed5f

Former Governor John M. Palmer of Illinois

A man loyal to his convictions over any party, John Palmer has become one of the most prominent members of the Liberals after helping form the organization in 1872. Originally a Unionist Democrat, Palmer served in the Civil War and rose to the rank of Major General and was placed in charge of Kentucky as its military governor. During this time he successfully achieved the end of slavery in the state independent of the Emancipation Proclamation and waged an aggressive war against Confederate Insurgents. Following the war he was elected as the Republican Governor of Illinois where he supported public libraries, reform schools for child criminals and the adoption of the 15th Amendment and 1870 Illinois Constitution. General Sheridan's actions in Chicago after the Great Fire and President Hamlin's defense of them caused Palmer, a strong supporter of state sovereignty as well his opposition to high tariffs led him to break with Republicans. Palmer projects a productive, principled but moderate reputation and is seen as someone who can work well across the aisle

https://preview.redd.it/m2itn2do1b9h1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=83be4990d1e18dc5e96b0a5ee22e8eec853d1af3

VOTE HERE

\"The convention stuck knee deep in Ohio mud\"

Context

"Liberals deadlocked! Palmer's Lead Diminishing"

So read the headline of the New York Daily Tribune after the 4th Round. McClellan has remained in third place but is now tied with just Bayard while Hancock has risen to second place. Most concerning for both the Palmer campaign and party leadership is the slipping lead of the Illinois Governor. While Palmer's fears are obvious, for Liberal leadership there is the emerging fear that the convention may not even have an obvious frontrunner soon. Smelling blood in the water, both the Bayard and McClellan campaigns refused to give up their efforts in exchange for cabinet posts in a Palmer administration. Palmer's image as a principled leader with an ability to get compromises through is now seriously suffering as he seems unable to get fellow Liberals to come around to his nomination despite consistent leads.

This isn't all Palmer's fault though. McClellan and Bayard are notoriously stubborn and it is doubtful anyone else could get them to bend unless faced with overwhelming proof of their own imminent defeat. Their unwillingness to come around to Palmer's leadership may serious harm their future standing in the party if he does manage to win without their help.

Candidates

Senator Thomas F. Bayard of Delaware

The scion of a long running Delaware political dynasty, Thomas Bayard is the leading Southern Liberal and most prominent arch-conservative in the running this year out of any candidate for any party. A Peace Democrat during the Civil War and a staunch opponent of the Republicans' Reconstruction Policies, Bayard failed to secure the Democratic nomination in 1876 and organized a mass defection of the remaining Southern Democrats to the Liberals in 1879. Though Bayard and his colleagues have publicly accepted the new post-Reconstruction order in the South, he nonetheless wishes to seriously curb Federal authority in the name of States' Rights and fiscal responsibility. A staunch gold man, Bayard promises to conduct major audit of Federal expenditures which will likely lead to major spending cuts along with a push to reduce tariffs and a reduction of the growing Federal budget surplus.

https://preview.redd.it/m4xh0swrt19h1.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dd3a4494e6e2764831a2e7c97c60df71757ec42d

Maj. General Winfield Scott Hancock of Pennsylvania

Serving with distinction in the Army for over 30 years, Winfield Scott Hancock is still a much beloved public figure despite his landslide defeat to President Hamlin in 1868. Known as "Hancock the Superb" to his men, he led the II Corps of the Army of the Potomac, first assuming the role in the midst of the Battle of Antietam. His tactical brilliance and force of personality were critical to the decisive Union victory at Gettysburg where he was wounded. Following the war he oversaw the execution of the Lincoln Assassination conspirators and commanded troops on the frontier before his doomed 1868 Presidential campaign. Since then he has continued to be the foremost military leader against the western tribes but his exclusion from the Cuban War was controversial and considered a politically motivated snub. His strategic silence on the currency issue has made him an appealing choice to some delegates to steal votes away from the new Farmer-Labor Party. At his age and after two prior runs, Hancock has stated this will be his last campaign for the Presidency.

https://preview.redd.it/nway61dtt19h1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dfe883b58111ceac6ec146809936ab6dc497465c

Governor George B. McClellan of New Jersey

Known as "Little Mac" to his troops, McClellan is a retired Major General and was Commanding General of the U.S. Army during the Civil War from November 1861 to March 1862. Serving with distinction during the Mexican War, McClellan was trained as a skilled engineer at West Point and spent his time between Mexico and the Civil War as a prominent engineer and railroad executive. Credited with helping shape the nascent Union Army from a mass of raw recruits into a well organized and disciplined force, McClellan's actual battlefield record was far more mixed with his Peninsula Campaign ending in failure and his decision not to pursue Lee after the Battle of Antietam would lead to his dismissal by Lincoln in 1862. He has been the nominee once before when he was the Democratic candidate in 1864 but his repudiation of his party's own peace platform was one of several factors that led to his decisive defeat to Lincoln. Now in 1880 he is running again but not on his military record but rather his term as Governor of New Jersey. As with his generalship, McClellan led a cautious and conservative administration which nonetheless caused friction with his erstwhile allies. Little Mac has overseen the abolition of the state's residents tax and reforms to the National Guard which have proved popular. He has also instituted a State Bureau of Statistics of Labor and Industries and an agricultural experiment station to modernize farming and growing practices.

https://preview.redd.it/ku4fiy2ut19h1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e0a79a8df11aec90bc6de7f78898187cf142a189

Former Governor John M. Palmer of Illinois

A man loyal to his convictions over any party, John Palmer has become one of the most prominent members of the Liberals after helping form the organization in 1872. Originally a Unionist Democrat, Palmer served in the Civil War and rose to the rank of Major General and was placed in charge of Kentucky as its military governor. During this time he successfully achieved the end of slavery in the state independent of the Emancipation Proclamation and waged an aggressive war against Confederate Insurgents. Following the war he was elected as the Republican Governor of Illinois where he supported public libraries, reform schools for child criminals and the adoption of the 15th Amendment and 1870 Illinois Constitution. General Sheridan's actions in Chicago after the Great Fire and President Hamlin's defense of them caused Palmer, a strong supporter of state sovereignty as well his opposition to high tariffs led him to break with Republicans. Palmer projects a productive, principled but moderate reputation and is seen as someone who can work well across the aisle

https://preview.redd.it/op5r99rut19h1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=a483eefc8c72e9ca9acce5675be10eff771dee74

VOTE HERE

https://preview.redd.it/tqkhuaeenh8h1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=16f126390414e9ca06273a9f5b2121436d31b438

Alright guys, gals, and non-binary pals,

You all decided to spread the love across the country to include the celebrations of America 250 across the whole country! In the next series of posts you be deciding which cities get which events to show off the very best of the United States.

For this decide you'll be deciding who will host the year long American Exposition! Like the World's Fair, the American Expo will be a display of culture, scientific achievement and a vision for the future of America. All 50 states, D.C. and the territories will get their own pavilions to show-off what makes them each unique and the amazing achievements their residents are creating. In addition, the America 250 committee has invited numerous national organizations and companies like the Boy and Girl Scouts, Rotary International, The NAACP, AFL-CIO, The Walt Disney Company, Apple, and Ford Motor Company along with many more to provide their pavilions and otherwise help contribute. After some initial discussion, the committee has also allowed many other countries in the wider Americas to participate as the American Revolution helped kick off the Wars of Independence which swept through the Hemisphere.

But before all these amazing organizations get a chance to build, the Committee needs to pick a host city and two have made the final list: New York City and Chicago.

Both cities were chosen for their importance to American cultural and economic achievement but also their history as the hosts of some of the most famous World's Fairs in history.

The 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago saw the construction of the marvelous Great White City on the banks of Lake Michigan in what is now Jackson Park. The Exposition was light by electric light which dazzled visitors and showed America's status as a major economic and scientific power. It also feature the world's first Ferris Wheel which, in classic American fashion, was the result of someone asking "What's better than the Eiffel Tower? An Eiffel Tower that spins!". Chicago also hosted the 1933 World's Fair which celebrated the city's 100th anniversary and has become synonymous with the Art Deco movement of the early 20th Century.

New York City could be excellent location as it is America's most populous city and is already preparing to host several World Cup games beginning in June which might make things a little crowded but when has that ever matter to New Yorkers. The 1964 World's Fair was perhaps the last truly historic ones ever to be hosted. The brainchild of infamous city planner Robert Moses, the 1964 World's Fair feature now iconic rides and animatronic displays created by Disney's Imagineers and has become synonymous with midcentury modern architecture and postwar prosperity.

So the committee must decide which city they want to host the Expo and which vision they want to believe in

Chicago: "Make No Small Plans"

The City of Big Shoulders promises to utterly transform their city for the event, to once again all about some of the world's leading architects and engineers who reside in the city to construct a new Great White City, one now displaying the latest in green energy production, and cutting edge technological developments all wrap up in a proud, down to Earth heartland sensibility

https://preview.redd.it/40s36r5znh8h1.jpg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68462f1fe07bb4cf48b9b755171a522568093cce

New York City: "The Empire of Progress"

The City that Never Sleeps offers up a vision for the Expo which have it integrated into the lifeblood of the city while its going on, to combine displays of American cultural and scientific achievement with the everyday life of New Yorkers who they say are building the future as we speak. It's a call to see the power of the present to deliver the promise of the future.

https://preview.redd.it/yrgn5twrnh8h1.jpg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3cdaa6a9ebaf454392db31e4116d796388fb5ca4

VOTE HERE

\"I think we might be stuck\"

Context

Once again the Liberals find themselves at a deadlock. Palmer is far and away the leading candidate but now 2nd place is a 3 way tie between Bayard, Hancock and McClellan. All three men are too stubborn to give up despite the clear fact that all of them are clearly well behind Palmer. While Bayard stays in out of a mix of pride and to maintain his control over Southern support, for Hancock and McClellan it is do or die. Both men have been the nominee before, both men lost in a landslide and both men know this is their last shot at the Presidency. Its no wonder then that the typically offers of cabinet positions in exchange for endorsements has fallen on deaf ears. It will take serious defections from a candidate's base to convince them to drop out.

So the delegates will do this same dance again and hope that after they are done the music will finally change.

Candidates

Senator Thomas F. Bayard of Delaware

The scion of a long running Delaware political dynasty, Thomas Bayard is the leading Southern Liberal and most prominent arch-conservative in the running this year out of any candidate for any party. A Peace Democrat during the Civil War and a staunch opponent of the Republicans' Reconstruction Policies, Bayard failed to secure the Democratic nomination in 1876 and organized a mass defection of the remaining Southern Democrats to the Liberals in 1879. Though Bayard and his colleagues have publicly accepted the new post-Reconstruction order in the South, he nonetheless wishes to seriously curb Federal authority in the name of States' Rights and fiscal responsibility. A staunch gold man, Bayard promises to conduct major audit of Federal expenditures which will likely lead to major spending cuts along with a push to reduce tariffs and a reduction of the growing Federal budget surplus.

https://preview.redd.it/ihd2a82abh8h1.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=47d881a59c6474b19ae1612be4d746911fcae39c

Maj. General Winfield Scott Hancock of Pennsylvania

Serving with distinction in the Army for over 30 years, Winfield Scott Hancock is still a much beloved public figure despite his landslide defeat to President Hamlin in 1868. Known as "Hancock the Superb" to his men, he led the II Corps of the Army of the Potomac, first assuming the role in the midst of the Battle of Antietam. His tactical brilliance and force of personality were critical to the decisive Union victory at Gettysburg where he was wounded. Following the war he oversaw the execution of the Lincoln Assassination conspirators and commanded troops on the frontier before his doomed 1868 Presidential campaign. Since then he has continued to be the foremost military leader against the western tribes but his exclusion from the Cuban War was controversial and considered a politically motivated snub. His strategic silence on the currency issue has made him an appealing choice to some delegates to steal votes away from the new Farmer-Labor Party. At his age and after two prior runs, Hancock has stated this will be his last campaign for the Presidency.

https://preview.redd.it/qputsgyabh8h1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8d61c340219988c2ef9932e086a95d5fa4434541

Governor George B. McClellan of New Jersey

Known as "Little Mac" to his troops, McClellan is a retired Major General and was Commanding General of the U.S. Army during the Civil War from November 1861 to March 1862. Serving with distinction during the Mexican War, McClellan was trained as a skilled engineer at West Point and spent his time between Mexico and the Civil War as a prominent engineer and railroad executive. Credited with helping shape the nascent Union Army from a mass of raw recruits into a well organized and disciplined force, McClellan's actual battlefield record was far more mixed with his Peninsula Campaign ending in failure and his decision not to pursue Lee after the Battle of Antietam would lead to his dismissal by Lincoln in 1862. He has been the nominee once before when he was the Democratic candidate in 1864 but his repudiation of his party's own peace platform was one of several factors that led to his decisive defeat to Lincoln. Now in 1880 he is running again but not on his military record but rather his term as Governor of New Jersey. As with his generalship, McClellan led a cautious and conservative administration which nonetheless caused friction with his erstwhile allies. Little Mac has overseen the abolition of the state's residents tax and reforms to the National Guard which have proved popular. He has also instituted a State Bureau of Statistics of Labor and Industries and an agricultural experiment station to modernize farming and growing practices.

https://preview.redd.it/8zba5rkbbh8h1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=55a1f3a6c4fec02834252bf1b78a4a542007e9ba

Former Governor John M. Palmer of Illinois

A man loyal to his convictions over any party, John Palmer has become one of the most prominent members of the Liberals after helping form the organization in 1872. Originally a Unionist Democrat, Palmer served in the Civil War and rose to the rank of Major General and was placed in charge of Kentucky as its military governor. During this time he successfully achieved the end of slavery in the state independent of the Emancipation Proclamation and waged an aggressive war against Confederate Insurgents. Following the war he was elected as the Republican Governor of Illinois where he supported public libraries, reform schools for child criminals and the adoption of the 15th Amendment and 1870 Illinois Constitution. General Sheridan's actions in Chicago after the Great Fire and President Hamlin's defense of them caused Palmer, a strong supporter of state sovereignty as well his opposition to high tariffs led him to break with Republicans. Palmer projects a productive, principled but moderate reputation and is seen as someone who can work well across the aisle

https://preview.redd.it/zggddv4cbh8h1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=a51c4e2163b43422dd646dcf4016899b9e34f15b

VOTE HERE

https://preview.redd.it/z75dsek7158h1.jpg?width=582&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7e6634c49772dea9f86c94513df0a4acc69554ec

Context

Round 2 of voting has left the delegates stuck in the mud so to speak. Palmer maintains his lead with over a third of the vote while Hancock has narrowly surpassed Bayard in second place. Senator Bayard and Governor McClellan are both tied for 3rd but since they are not only tied with each other but nipping at the heels of Hancock they feel no pressure to drop out. Hancock has grown increasingly frustrated with McClellan as the two occupy the same niche of support and despite repeated entreaties by his former subordinate McClellan has once again proven to be the most stubborn man in politics.

The convention will proceed to another round of voting and many hope that some kind of defection will move things along before the Liberals get bogged down in the muck of their candidates' own egos.

Candidates

Senator Thomas F. Bayard of Delaware

The scion of a long running Delaware political dynasty, Thomas Bayard is the leading Southern Liberal and most prominent arch-conservative in the running this year out of any candidate for any party. A Peace Democrat during the Civil War and a staunch opponent of the Republicans' Reconstruction Policies, Bayard failed to secure the Democratic nomination in 1876 and organized a mass defection of the remaining Southern Democrats to the Liberals in 1879. Though Bayard and his colleagues have publicly accepted the new post-Reconstruction order in the South, he nonetheless wishes to seriously curb Federal authority in the name of States' Rights and fiscal responsibility. A staunch gold man, Bayard promises to conduct major audit of Federal expenditures which will likely lead to major spending cuts along with a push to reduce tariffs and a reduction of the growing Federal budget surplus.

https://preview.redd.it/vtvll64q058h1.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=125434045b2e187385711596cd0fd4e80e26e0e9

Maj. General Winfield Scott Hancock of Pennsylvania

Serving with distinction in the Army for over 30 years, Winfield Scott Hancock is still a much beloved public figure despite his landslide defeat to President Hamlin in 1868. Known as "Hancock the Superb" to his men, he led the II Corps of the Army of the Potomac, first assuming the role in the midst of the Battle of Antietam. His tactical brilliance and force of personality were critical to the decisive Union victory at Gettysburg where he was wounded. Following the war he oversaw the execution of the Lincoln Assassination conspirators and commanded troops on the frontier before his doomed 1868 Presidential campaign. Since then he has continued to be the foremost military leader against the western tribes but his exclusion from the Cuban War was controversial and considered a politically motivated snub. His strategic silence on the currency issue has made him an appealing choice to some delegates to steal votes away from the new Farmer-Labor Party. At his age and after two prior runs, Hancock has stated this will be his last campaign for the Presidency.

https://preview.redd.it/g95wrutq058h1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ff827c2b359b4dfb67765926f5263c01b6fff2b

Governor George B. McClellan of New Jersey

Known as "Little Mac" to his troops, McClellan is a retired Major General and was Commanding General of the U.S. Army during the Civil War from November 1861 to March 1862. Serving with distinction during the Mexican War, McClellan was trained as a skilled engineer at West Point and spent his time between Mexico and the Civil War as a prominent engineer and railroad executive. Credited with helping shape the nascent Union Army from a mass of raw recruits into a well organized and disciplined force, McClellan's actual battlefield record was far more mixed with his Peninsula Campaign ending in failure and his decision not to pursue Lee after the Battle of Antietam would lead to his dismissal by Lincoln in 1862. He has been the nominee once before when he was the Democratic candidate in 1864 but his repudiation of his party's own peace platform was one of several factors that led to his decisive defeat to Lincoln. Now in 1880 he is running again but not on his military record but rather his term as Governor of New Jersey. As with his generalship, McClellan led a cautious and conservative administration which nonetheless caused friction with his erstwhile allies. Little Mac has overseen the abolition of the state's residents tax and reforms to the National Guard which have proved popular. He has also instituted a State Bureau of Statistics of Labor and Industries and an agricultural experiment station to modernize farming and growing practices.

https://preview.redd.it/hkngopfr058h1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b27b0680aa09be8280e78f3742281bf7e10c6a44

Former Governor John M. Palmer of Illinois

A man loyal to his convictions over any party, John Palmer has become one of the most prominent members of the Liberals after helping form the organization in 1872. Originally a Unionist Democrat, Palmer served in the Civil War and rose to the rank of Major General and was placed in charge of Kentucky as its military governor. During this time he successfully achieved the end of slavery in the state independent of the Emancipation Proclamation and waged an aggressive war against Confederate Insurgents. Following the war he was elected as the Republican Governor of Illinois where he supported public libraries, reform schools for child criminals and the adoption of the 15th Amendment and 1870 Illinois Constitution. General Sheridan's actions in Chicago after the Great Fire and President Hamlin's defense of them caused Palmer, a strong supporter of state sovereignty as well his opposition to high tariffs led him to break with Republicans. Palmer projects a productive, principled but moderate reputation and is seen as someone who can work well across the aisle

https://preview.redd.it/4gtmk8ys058h1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=675071c403da4cb7209769070b9c54cdc9cd9c83

In just a few short weeks the United States of America will celebrate its 250 Anniversary! To commemorate 250 years of Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness, I will be running a series of polls to let the voters of r/Presidentialpoll decide how they think America should celebrate. Sometimes we Americans can get a little too inside our own heads and forget that there's a lot to celebrate here in the good ole U.S. of A. If the tens of thousands of World Cup fans can find things to love about our country then we should too.

We'll make no small plans, spare no expense and shoot the moon to give our country the birthday party she deserves. Will we host a year long world's fair to show off our scientific and cultural innovations? Throw a massive party in Time's Square and let everyone cut loose? or maybe we just want to enjoy a good old fashioned baseball game while we sip light beer and eat an overpriced hot dog.

I'll also be taking suggestions of quintessential American music whether it's from John Philip Sousa, The King or any of the other countless artists who have helped create some of the most iconic sounds in human history. I'll put it all together in a playlist so we can enjoy the subreddit's ultimate party mix for America 250.

So that's the mission, that's the series and now it's time to get started!

First we'll need a Venue

Of course the most obvious option is to pick one city and concentrate all our fantastic options into one. There are some great options like Washington, D.C. were the great monuments to our democracy cast their shadows. Or maybe we go with New York City, not just the largest city in the country but the beating heart of our financial and cultural life. How about Boston? The birthplace of the Revolution has always known how to throw a great party. Maybe you prefer the glitz and glamor of sunny Los Angeles were our brightest stars are all gathered together. Then there's Chicago, the City of the Big Shoulders, right in the heartland connecting every corner of the lower 48

But what a minute! We said go big or go home and should such a big event be contained to one city? We could always have multiple cities host all different kinds of events so every corner of the Union gets the chance to contribute their own unique touch to the festivities! If we go with this option we'll have to decide what each city will be doing for America 250!

Can't wait to see what the results bring and feel free to comment below what you event ideas you have, songs to add to the playlist or anything else you want to add to help celebrate America 250!

View Poll

VOTE HERE

https://preview.redd.it/wqqaqyzorx7h1.jpg?width=894&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3420ac4feaebe31f4e02117b161a9158ba81e374

Context

Journalists watching the Liberal delegates cast their votes were not surprised to find Justice Field at the very bottom by the end of the first round though it was a little amusing to see him neck and neck with Charles Adams, a man widely disliked in the party for his behavior in 1872. Field's abrasive reputation left him with few allies and having not run a campaign since his early days as a judge in California, he lacked the skill to acquire them on short notice.

The current pack leader is Governor Palmer who is perhaps as equally principled as Field but with a far better knack for making friends. Close behind him are Senator Bayard and General Hancock both tied for 2nd place. Bayard has had difficulty breaking out of his Southern base as his reliance on traditional systems of patronage and class deference don't have much pull with Northerners. Hancock on the other hand is well liked but his failures in 1868 and 1876 are weighing him down so far and he'll need to quickly convince delegates that he still has what it takes to win. Little Mac is in 3rd as his wartime fame and competent governorship cannot make up for his lack of personal charisma and refusal to concede on certain issues with one Southern delegate declaring:

"Hell if I had been Lincoln I woulda fired him too. That man wouldn't move if God himself commanded it".

So far the convention has shown the Liberal Party's longstanding preference for practical politicians with a broad appeal rather stubborn or overly ideological figurers.

Candidates

https://preview.redd.it/cudvh8zprx7h1.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d01efc5d0a5218fd37254aba500ad52213bb1310

Senator Thomas F. Bayard of Delaware

The scion of a long running Delaware political dynasty, Thomas Bayard is the leading Southern Liberal and most prominent arch-conservative in the running this year out of any candidate for any party. A Peace Democrat during the Civil War and a staunch opponent of the Republicans' Reconstruction Policies, Bayard failed to secure the Democratic nomination in 1876 and organized a mass defection of the remaining Southern Democrats to the Liberals in 1879. Though Bayard and his colleagues have publicly accepted the new post-Reconstruction order in the South, he nonetheless wishes to seriously curb Federal authority in the name of States' Rights and fiscal responsibility. A staunch gold man, Bayard promises to conduct major audit of Federal expenditures which will likely lead to major spending cuts along with a push to reduce tariffs and a reduction of the growing Federal budget surplus.

https://preview.redd.it/n32fugkqrx7h1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c4bc8867a3ceb3d4004853e1be07b961c1aa503f

Maj. General Winfield Scott Hancock of Pennsylvania

Serving with distinction in the Army for over 30 years, Winfield Scott Hancock is still a much beloved public figure despite his landslide defeat to President Hamlin in 1868. Known as "Hancock the Superb" to his men, he led the II Corps of the Army of the Potomac, first assuming the role in the midst of the Battle of Antietam. His tactical brilliance and force of personality were critical to the decisive Union victory at Gettysburg where he was wounded. Following the war he oversaw the execution of the Lincoln Assassination conspirators and commanded troops on the frontier before his doomed 1868 Presidential campaign. Since then he has continued to be the foremost military leader against the western tribes but his exclusion from the Cuban War was controversial and considered a politically motivated snub. His strategic silence on the currency issue has made him an appealing choice to some delegates to steal votes away from the new Farmer-Labor Party. At his age and after two prior runs, Hancock has stated this will be his last campaign for the Presidency.

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Governor George B. McClellan of New Jersey

Known as "Little Mac" to his troops, McClellan is a retired Major General and was Commanding General of the U.S. Army during the Civil War from November 1861 to March 1862. Serving with distinction during the Mexican War, McClellan was trained as a skilled engineer at West Point and spent his time between Mexico and the Civil War as a prominent engineer and railroad executive. Credited with helping shape the nascent Union Army from a mass of raw recruits into a well organized and disciplined force, McClellan's actual battlefield record was far more mixed with his Peninsula Campaign ending in failure and his decision not to pursue Lee after the Battle of Antietam would lead to his dismissal by Lincoln in 1862. He has been the nominee once before when he was the Democratic candidate in 1864 but his repudiation of his party's own peace platform was one of several factors that led to his decisive defeat to Lincoln. Now in 1880 he is running again but not on his military record but rather his term as Governor of New Jersey. As with his generalship, McClellan led a cautious and conservative administration which nonetheless caused friction with his erstwhile allies. Little Mac has overseen the abolition of the state's residents tax and reforms to the National Guard which have proved popular. He has also instituted a State Bureau of Statistics of Labor and Industries and an agricultural experiment station to modernize farming and growing practices.

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Former Governor John M. Palmer of Illinois

A man loyal to his convictions over any party, John Palmer has become one of the most prominent members of the Liberals after helping form the organization in 1872. Originally a Unionist Democrat, Palmer served in the Civil War and rose to the rank of Major General and was placed in charge of Kentucky as its military governor. During this time he successfully achieved the end of slavery in the state independent of the Emancipation Proclamation and waged an aggressive war against Confederate Insurgents. Following the war he was elected as the Republican Governor of Illinois where he supported public libraries, reform schools for child criminals and the adoption of the 15th Amendment and 1870 Illinois Constitution. General Sheridan's actions in Chicago after the Great Fire and President Hamlin's defense of them caused Palmer, a strong supporter of state sovereignty as well his opposition to high tariffs led him to break with Republicans. Palmer projects a productive, principled but moderate reputation and is seen as someone who can work well across the aisle

VOTE HERE

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June 22, 1880

Music Hall

Cincinnati, Ohio

Context

The Liberal Party that gathers in Music Hall on the banks of the Ohio today is a very different one than that which met 4 years ago. In 1876, the Liberals were still largely composed of breakaway Republicans whose relevance to national politics was nothing more than a protest vote against the Grant Administration cast by disgruntled middle class do-gooders irritated at the lack of civil service reform. Now it is a Frankenstein's monster of a political party made up of former Gold Democrats, Middle Class reformers and frustrated Western settlers all pursuing the a common goal of deposing the Republican Party. Southern Conservatives seek to right the wrongs of ever increasing Federal power at the expense of States' Rights and fiscal prudence. Reformers, the foundation of the party for a decade, campaign for the ever illusive meritocracy but more and more of them defect back to the Republicans as their party becomes more and more the domain of Dixiecrats. Western settlers and businessmen who use to dismiss the party as a irrelevant eastern busy body group now turn towards it in the face of Federal restrictions on White settlement and limitations on major mining operations to keep the peace with Indian savages.

For many Liberals, this the first time they are being treated as a genuine equal to the Republicans. Though they always performed better than the Democrats since 1872, the national paradigm still revolved around the Party of Lincoln and the Party of Jackson with themselves caught in the middle. Now with the Democrats demise and a flood of financial support from Wall Street executives and Western mining interests, the Liberals are hoping to transform themselves into the permanent counter to the Republicans though the newborn Farmer-Labor Party nips at their feels with populist rhetoric and mobs of the working poor.

The candidates running this year are almost entirely former Gold Democrats who have rushed to fill the gap left by Samuel Tilden who many thought would be the nominee but whose health has forced him into permanent retirement. Old party favorites like Hancock and Palmer must now face off against the Jacksonian tinged new arrivals like Bayard and Fields with Little Mac coming out of New Jersey to fight one last battle on the national stage.

Candidates

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Senator Thomas F. Bayard of Delaware

The scion of a long running Delaware political dynasty, Thomas Bayard is the leading Southern Liberal and most prominent arch-conservative in the running this year out of any candidate for any party. A Peace Democrat during the Civil War and a staunch opponent of the Republicans' Reconstruction Policies, Bayard failed to secure the Democratic nomination in 1876 and organized a mass defection of the remaining Southern Democrats to the Liberals in 1879. Though Bayard and his colleagues have publicly accepted the new post-Reconstruction order in the South, he nonetheless wishes to seriously curb Federal authority in the name of States' Rights and fiscal responsibility. A staunch Gold man, Bayard promises to conduct major audit of Federal expenditures which likely lead to major spending cuts along with a push to reduce tariffs and cut down on the growing Federal budget surplus.

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Associate Justice Stephen J. Fields of California

The sole Westerner running for the nomination and the only one to becoming from a purely judicial background, Justice Fields was elevated to the Supreme Court in 1863 by Abraham Lincoln after many years as a Judge in California. A Unionists Democrat, Fields's jurisprudence up to this point has been heavily focused on due process and placing legal limitations on Federal power. This has made him the hero of a particular faction of Liberals whose primary anger at Republican rule has been the perceived violation of traditional Constitutional checks and balances and the expanding power of the Federal government since 1861. Fields is infamous for his obstinate personality and many in the party and on the bench have found him difficult to work with.

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Maj. General Winfield Scott Hancock of Pennsylvania

Serving with distinction in the Army for over 30 years, Winfield Scott Hancock is still a much beloved public figure despite his landslide defeat to President Hamlin in 1868. Known as "Hancock the Superb" to his men, he led the II Corps of the Army of the Potomac, first assuming the role in the midst of the Battle of Antietam. His tactical brilliance and force of personality were critical to the decisive victory at Gettysburg where he was wounded. Following the war he oversaw the execution of the Lincoln Assassination conspirators and commanded troops on the frontier before his doomed 1868 Presidential campaign. Since then he has continued to be the foremost military leader against the western tribes but his exclusion from the Cuban War was controversial and considered a politically motivated snub. His strategic silence on the currency issue has made him an appealing choice to some delegates to steal votes away from the new Farmer-Labor Party. At his age and after two prior runs, Hancock has stated this will be his last campaign for the Presidency.

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Governor George B. McClellan of New Jersey

Known as "Little Mac" by his troops, McClellan is a retired Major General and Commanding General of the U.S. Army during the Civil War from November 1861 to March 1862. Serving with distinction during the Mexican War, McClellan was trained as a skilled engineer at West Point and spent his time between Mexico and the Civil War as prominent engineer and President of various railroads. Credited with helping form the nascent Union Army from raw recruits into a well organized and disciplined force, McClellan's actual battlefield record was far more mixed with his Peninsula Campaign ending in failure and his failure to pursue Lee after the Battle of Antietam would lead to his dismissal by Lincoln in 1862. He has already been nominated once when he was the Democratic nominee in 1864 but his repudiation of his party's own peace platform was one of several factors that led to his decisive defeat to Lincoln in 1864. Now in 1880 he is running again but not on his military record but rather his term as Governor of New Jersey. As with is generalship, McClellan led a cautious and conservative administration which nonetheless caused friction with is erstwhile allies. Little Mac has overseen the abolition of the state's residents tax and reforms to the National Guard which have proved popular. He has also instituted a State Bureau of Statistics of Labor and Industries and an agricultural experiment station to modernize farming and growing practices.

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Governor John M. Palmer of Illinois

A man loyal to his convictions over any party, John Palmer has become one of the most prominent members of the Liberals after helping form the organization in 1872. Originally a Unionist Democrat, Palmer served in the Civil War and rose to the rank of Major General and was placed in charge of Kentucky as its military governor. During this time he successfully achieved the end of slavery in the state independent of the Emancipation Proclamation and waged an aggressive war against Confederate Insurgents. Following the war he was elected as the Republican Governor of Illinois where he supported public libraries, reform schools over capital punishment for child criminals and the adoption of the 15th Amendment and 1870 Illinois Constitution. General Sheridan's actions in Chicago after the Great Fire and President Hamlin's defense of them caused Palmer, a strong supporter of state sovereignty, to break with the Republicans as well his opposition to high tariffs. Palmer projects a productive, principled but moderate reputation and someone who can work well across the aisle

VOTE HERE

Just when you thought we had it solved...

Context

“We have a nominee! Hallelujah!” were the words of one Louisania delegate at the announcement of Elihu Washburne as the Republican nominee for 1880. A continuous split amongst the Half-Breed faction of the party allowed the Stalwarts to overcome Vice President Benjamin Bristow’s strong early lead and narrowly secure victory. They were joined by a number of neutral delegates who liked Washburne’s personal connection to Grant and his relative distance from the faction infighting after many years spent abroad as a diplomat. The President and his family are said to be quite pleased and sent a telegram congratulating his longtime political mentor and friend on his victory. As for Vice President Bristow, his time as a Presidential contender appears to be drawing to a close. If Washburne wins this year, then he will not get another chance at the nomination until 1888 and if he could not ride Grant’s coattails to victory as the sitting Vice President there is little reason to think he could do so 8 years after leaving office. If either the Liberals or the newly formed Farmer-Labor Party somehow manage to pry the Presidency from the Republicans hands, it's doubtful the party would nominate a candidate so closely associated with the legacy of Grant if most people reject it in 1880. 
By contrast, the political star of James A. Garfield has risen spectacularly. Although already quite influential in his home of Ohio where he has been elected a Senator and will take his seat next year, now his national profile as a prominent leader of the Half-Breeds is firmly established. The political death of James G. Blaine at the convention just a couple days ago left a hole in his faction’s leadership that Garfield is now very well positioned to fill Perhaps that is why he has now been propelled to the front of the Vice Presidential conversation. Far more well liked by all wings of the party compared to Blaine, Garfield is Washburne’s personal choice for running mate, a fact he has made abundantly clear to the delegates. Garfield himself is just as ambivalent about the 2nd place spot as he is the first but for different reasons. Believing, not unreasonably, that he will lose a lot of power and influence, Garfield  has met privately with the Washburne who promised to maintain the increased responsibility that both Grant and Bristow have enjoyed over the last 12 years. 
However, the decision of the running mate is still up to the convention and many eastern Republicans feel they ought to be represented on the ticket after 8 years of an all western White House. They have put forward George F. Edmunds of Vermont as their candidate, a sharp tongued reformer with years of experience in the Senate. It remains to be seen what the majority of delegates decide and there is always a chance a draft candidate could upset things as Garfield himself did.

Candidates

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Senator George F. Edmunds of Vermont

A sharp tongued Green Mountain boy, Edmunds has been in the Senate since 1866. Prior to current role we was prominent attorney, State Representative and Senator including serving as both House Speaker and President pro tempore. As a Senator, Edmunds is a prominent member of the Half-Breeds and the rhetorical nemesis of virtually every Southern Democrat. He has served as chairman of both the Pensions and Judiciary committee, areas which will likely prove important in the next two years. All that being said Edmunds is considered quite an obstinate man with Justice David Davis once quipping that make Edmunds vote against any measure simply by saying an old New England phrase "Contrary minded will vote no". This reputation might indicate a difficult working relationship with the President.

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Representative James A. Garfield of Ohio

If ever there was a man to embody the best of the 19th Century it might be James A. Garfield. Born in a log cabin when Ohio was still the doorstep of the frontier, Garfield would obtain a college education and go onto be become a preacher in the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening and even became President of Reserve Eclectic Institute. During the Civil War he rose to the rank of Major General, seeing action at the Battles of Middle Creek, Shiloh, and Chickamauga. In 1862 he entered Congress as a Radical Republican with a reputation for skilled oratory and an unyielding defender of the gold standard. In the early 1870s he broke with Republicans over civil service reform and joined the Liberal Party before returning by 1880 over the increasing influence of former Southern Democrats in the party. A firm believer in Federal support for education, Garfield has a strong aptitude for mathematics and advocates the use of the emerging field of statistics to inform government policy.

VOTE HERE

Delegate Count

Candidates	Round 5
Elihu Washburne	337
Benjamin Bristow	177
James A. Garfield	161
John F. Hartranft	80

Context

The appears to be in sight for this long convention, the longest since Abraham Lincoln's first nomination 1860. Over the course of 20 years most delegates have been quite used to the convention being little more than a formality, renominating a popular incumbent with some mild haggling over the Vice Presidency. Now all those years of pent up division have boiled over with what has become a contentious battle between Half-Breed and Stalwarts with the later now unified behind the candidacy of Elihu Washburne with additional support from disgruntled Sherman supporters and other delegates who feel Washburne is not as tainted by the Grant era corruption scandals as other prominent members of his administration.

In contrast the Half-Breeds have been cursed with an abundance of potential suitors with Vice President Bristow initially leading solidly for most rounds but now falling further and further as his inability to clinch the nomination has led to defections particularly to Congressman Garfield. Garfield himself inspires a certain amount of admiration from a younger generation of Republicans ready to make a clean break with the Lincoln-Hamlin-Grant lineage and believe the nation wants an outsider to take the reins.

Finally there is Governor Hartranft, a favorite son who has survived far longer than any one could have guessed thanks in no small part to his nationwide fame in the wake of the Civil War but has things get down to the end many of his supporters outside Pennsylvania are defecting. Realizing it is time to leave the stage and grateful for the run he's had, Hartranft has exited the contest gracefully and endorsed Vice President Bristow citing the Kentuckian's years of service at all levels of government. With the Half-Breeds combined still commanding a narrow majority, it is hoped that Bristow can regain the lead and deny Washburne victory before it's too late.

Candidates

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Vice President Benjamin Bristow of Kentucky

Benjamin Bristow has been a nationally known name since the Hamlin Administration where was elevated from a prosecutorial role in Kentucky to become the nation's first Solicitor General where he pursued an aggressive legal campaign against the Klu Klux Klan. This role eventually helped him become Grant's Vice President where has an enjoyed far more influence then previous occupants save for Grant himself. As Vice President has maintained an often hot and cold relationship with Grant, supporting military intervention in Cuba and an aggressive enforcement of civil rights but clashing fiercely over civil service reform and government corruption with some even reporting the President wished to dump Bristow in 1876 over arguments they had over several major scandals. Bristow is considered the favorite going in but he does not unify the party like an incumbent Vice President should.

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Representative James A. Garfield of Ohio

If ever there was a man to embody the best of the 19th Century it might be James A. Garfield. Born in a log cabin when Ohio was still the doorstep of the frontier, Garfield would obtain a college education and go onto be become a preacher in the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening and even became President of Reserve Eclectic Institute. During the Civil War he rose to the rank of Major General, seeing action at the Battles of Middle Creek, Shiloh, and Chickamauga. In 1862 he entered Congress as a Radical Republican with a reputation for skilled oratory and an unyielding defender of the gold standard. In the early 1870s he broke with Republicans over civil service reform and joined the Liberal Party before returning by 1880 over the increasing influence of former Southern Democrats in the party. A firm believer in Federal support for education, Garfield has a strong aptitude for mathematics and advocates the use of the emerging field of statistics to inform government policy.

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U.S. Minister to France Elihu Washburne of Illinois

By far the least known person seriously in the running for President, Elihu Washburne is the man most responsible for the rise of Ulysses S. Grant. Taking a shine to the Galena Tailor, Washburne placed Grant in charge of the raising and training of the areas volunteers during the early days of the Civil War. When Grant began to prove himself incredibly capable as a battlefield commander, it was Washburne who sung his praises to President Lincoln and helped elevate Ulysses in the war hero he would become. For these years of support, Washburne has expected to be made Secretary of State when Grant was elected President but when the nomination faced a major backlash, the Illinois Congressman was instead made Minister to France were he played a crucial role in mediating the final peace negotiations between Germany and France following the Franco-Prussian War of 1871. Now Washburne has arrived in Chicago determined to step out of the shadow of his former acolyte and the President has made subtle shows of support if only to keep an old friend happy.

VOTE HERE

Delegate Count

Candidates	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4
Benjamin Bristow	193	267	225	148
Elihu Washburne	145	126	177	266
John Sherman	129	79	129	44
Roscoe Conkling	112	110	80	0
John F. Hartranft	80	110	145	148
Rutherford B. Hayes	80	63	15	8
James A. Garfield	30	15	59	148
James G. Blaine	16	0	0	0

So long John

Context

It must be tough to be John Sherman. Despite being a financial genius who helped restore the financial strength of United States, John will always be overshadowed by his elder brother, a man who is very good at killing and not much else. Not only that but his erstwhile campaign manager, James Garfield, has skyrocketed into a 3 way tie for second place for the Presidential nomination without even trying awhile professing his supposed loyalty. Now Sherman, utterly humiliated, will slink off back to Ohio to figure out his next political steps, his dreams of anti-trust legislation now far from reality.

While Secretary Sherman limps off the stage, Elihu Washburne has finally pasted Benjamin Bristow as the leading candidate thanks to a now totally unified Stalwart faction ready to carry on the good work of President Grant into the 1880s. The reformists Half-Breeds by contrast are evenly split between Pennsylvania's favorite son John Hartranft, Vice President Bristow whose slippage to second could be the start of a fatal decline and the miraculous rise of one Congressman James A. Garfield. Can one of these men unite the Half-Breeds in time before an enough delegates become so tired of the proceedings that they simple vote for Washburne so they can catch the next train home?

Candidates

Fighting Ben Bristow

Vice President Benjamin Bristow of Kentucky

Benjamin Bristow has been a nationally known name since the Hamlin Administration where was elevated from a prosecutorial role in Kentucky to become the nation's first Solicitor General where he pursued an aggressive legal campaign against the Klu Klux Klan. This role eventually helped him become Grant's Vice President where has an enjoyed far more influence then previous occupants save for Grant himself. As Vice President has maintained an often hot and cold relationship with Grant, supporting military intervention in Cuba and an aggressive enforcement of civil rights but clashing fiercely over civil service reform and government corruption with some even reporting the President wished to dump Bristow in 1876 over arguments they had over several major scandals. Bristow is considered the favorite going in but he does not unify the party like an incumbent Vice President should.

The Man from Mentor

Representative James A. Garfield of Ohio

If ever there was a man to embody the best of the 19th Century it might be James A. Garfield. Born in a log cabin when Ohio was still the doorstep of the frontier, Garfield would obtain a college education and go onto be become a preacher in the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening and even became President of Reserve Eclectic Institute. During the Civil War he rose to the rank of Major General, seeing action at the Battles of Middle Creek, Shiloh, and Chickamauga. In 1862 he entered Congress as a Radical Republican with a reputation for skilled oratory and an unyielding defender of the gold standard. In the early 1870s he broke with Republicans over civil service reform and joined the Liberal Party before returning by 1880 over the increasing influence of former Southern Democrats in the party. A firm believer in Federal support for education, Garfield has a strong aptitude for mathematics and advocates the use of the emerging field of statistics to inform government policy.

Hard Fighting Hartranft

Former Governor John F. Hartranft of Pennsylvania

A decorated veteran of the Civil War, Hartranft earned the Medal of Honor following the 1st Battle of Bull Run and then participated in the Battles of 2nd Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Vicksburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse and was finally brevetted Major General by Ulysses Grant at the end of the war after defeating Robert E. Lee's last offensive at the Battle of Fort Stedman. Following this impressive military career, Hartranft oversaw the trial and execution of the Lincoln Assassination Conspirators which really put his name on the map. All this military renown eventually resulted in a successful political career and Hartranft served as Governor of Pennsylvania during most of the 1870s during which time he supported Black rights, fought the state's political machine and champion the cause of working men. Despite these progressive stances, Hartranft gained controversy for his continued use of the state militia and federal troops to suppress strikes particularly during the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 which resulted in legal controversy though no action against the Governor was taken. Following these events Hartranft has called for the recognition of labor unions, a controversial stance in his party to say the least.

The Galena Gentleman

U.S. Minister to France Elihu Washburne of Illinois

By far the least known person seriously in the running for President, Elihu Washburne is the man most responsible for the rise of Ulysses S. Grant. Taking a shine to the Galena Tailor, Washburne placed Grant in charge of the raising and training of the areas volunteers during the early days of the Civil War. When Grant began to prove himself incredibly capable as a battlefield commander, it was Washburne who sung his praises to President Lincoln and helped elevate Ulysses in the war hero he would become. For these years of support, Washburne has expected to be made Secretary of State when Grant was elected President but when the nomination faced a major backlash, the Illinois Congressman was instead made Minister to France were he played a crucial role in mediating the final peace negotiations between Germany and France following the Franco-Prussian War of 1871. Now Washburne has arrived in Chicago determined to step out of the shadow of his former acolyte and the President has made subtle shows of support if only to keep an old friend happy.