History 122 Research Brief The Scandalous Election of 1884 David C. Hanson, Virginia Western Community College
Mud-slinging and scandal have always been a part of American politics, especially during presidential elections, and 1884 was certainly no exception. Reconstruction was over and the Democrats had regained control of Southern politics. In the North, big business was booming and the Republicans were closely allied with notorious plutocrats such as New York's Jay Gould. Aside from the tariff issue, there was little difference between the party platforms. Instead, the presidential campaign focused on moral issues and the candidates' personal character.The Democrats nominated Grover Cleveland, who had rapidly risen from local sheriff to mayor of Buffalo and then governor of New York. At 5 feet 11 inches tall and 260 pounds, he was an imposing figure. "Good Grover" was regarded as a "regular guy" and an honest politician, based largely on his efforts to root out graft and promote civil service reform. For this reason, independent Republicans (nicknamed "Mugwumps") deserted their party and joined the ranks of Cleveland supporters. The Republicans nominated James G. Blaine, who had served as Congressman and then Senator from the state of Maine. Blaine also served as Secretary of State in the brief administration of James Garfield (1881). Unlike his opponent, Blaine had a reputation as flamboyant (supporters called him the "Plumed Knight") and corrupt (opponents called him "Slippery Jim").
"Another vote for Cleveland"
GOOD GROVER
The mud-slinging began when a Buffalo newspaper broke the story that Cleveland had an illegitimate son, then ten years old, from an affair with a young widow named Maria Halpin. Republicans crowed, "Ma! Ma! Where's my Pa?" [Refer to the cartoon, "Another vote for Cleveland."] But instead of issuing a denial, Cleveland surprised both his allies and opponents alike with a frank admission of responsibility. He instructed his campaign advisers: "Tell the truth." Yes, Cleveland (a bachelor) had been involved with Maria Halpin (as had other men, apparently), and although he could not be sure the child was his, nonetheless he did "the honorable thing" and provided financial support. This took much of the air out of the scandal.
THE PLUMED KNIGHT
Senator Blaine's troubles started back in 1876 when it was reported that the Union Pacific Railroad had given him a "loan" of $64,000. Apparently, in return for what amounted to bribe, Blaine had used his influence as Speaker of the House of Representatives to provide a railroad land grant. A House committee was appointed to investigate the charges. When the key witness, James Mulligan, came to Washington to testify, he was intercepted at his hotel by Blaine. The next day, Blaine appeared before the House, in possession of the evidence, to plead his case. Using carefully selected portions of Mulligan's documents he effectively refuted the charges. But the scandal resurfaced in the 1884 election when transcripts of the Mulligan letters, complete and uncensored, were made public. The most damning was a letter from Blaine himself that ended with the incriminating postscript: "Burn this letter."In the final days of the campaign two other "bombs" hit the newspapers and sealed Blaine's fate. First, Blaine appeared at a meeting with a large group of protestant clergymen, one of whom introduced Blaine as the Republican candidate, not the candidate of "the party of Rum, Romanism and Rebellion" [an offensive reference to Democrats as drinkers, Catholics and Confederates. That same evening, Blaine attended a banquet with two hundred wealthy Republican plutocrats. With the economy in a slump and unemployment high, the New York papers had a field day. In one of the closest elections in American history, Cleveland narrowly carried New York and won the presidency. Defeated in the 1888 election, Cleveland ran again and won in 1892, earning the unique distinction of serving two non-consecutive terms as president.
*There is quite a bit more to the story, with several strange twists. Maria Halpin named the boy Oscar Folsom Cleveland, after Grover Cleveland and Oscar Folsom, Cleveland's friend and law partner. This led to speculation that Folsom might as likely have been the father, and that Cleveland claimed the child as his since he was a bachelor and Folsom was married. Halpin was an alcoholic, so Cleveland had her institutionalized and the child placed in an orphanage. Halpin later petitioned for custody, lost her case, and then kidnapped the child. The boy was recovered and returned to the orphanage, and later adopted by a prominent New York family. Eventually he became a doctor. An even more curious development occurred after the 1884 election. Cleveland had taken under his wing Frances Folsom, the 11-year-old daughter of his friend and law partner after Folsom's accidental death in 1875. They were married at the White House in 1886, Cleveland was 49 and his young bride was 21. Despite intense interest by the press and nasty gossip, the couple lived together happily until Cleveland's death in 1908. In 1913 she became the first presidential widow to remarry. Frances died in 1947 and was buried next to the president. DCH October 2000
