1876

23A-1066991

With the Panic of 1873 came the uncovering of various scandals in the Grant administration, and the issue of the 1876 election became reform. The Republicans nominated Rutherford B. Hayes, a man with an innocuous record, who campaigned on a vaguely reformist platform. Samuel J. Tilden, the Democratic candidate, was openly reformist.

Sectionalism still played a part in the country's politics as well. Thomas Nast and other cartoonists focused on the supposed "two-faced" campaigning that Tilden did on this issue (23A-1066991, 23B-1066992).

23B-1066992

Intimidation, bribery, and violence were among the tactics used by both parties to gain votes in the South (23C-1066993, 23D-1066994). Because of disputed Southern votes, the election was given to an Electoral Commission in Congress, where a filibuster threatened to extend the counting process beyond March 4th, the day the new president was to take office. Dirty politics was suspected when Hayes was finally elected, and a civil war threatened, but Tilden bowed out, realizing the grave consequences of continued resistance, and Hayes stepped into the Presidency (23E-1066995).