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'''Stephen Grover Cleveland''' was the 22nd and 24th [[President of the United States of America]], and was unique in that he was the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms.  He was elected in [[United States presidential election, 1884|1884]], defeated for reelection in [[United States presidential election, 1888|1888]], then elected to a second term in [[United States presidential election, 1892|1892]]. Cleveland was the only [[Democrat]] elected president between [[James Buchanan]] in 1856 and [[Woodrow Wilson]] in 1912.   

'''Stephen Grover Cleveland''' was the 22nd and 24th [[President of the United States of America]], and was unique in that he was the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms.  He was elected in [[United States presidential election, 1884|1884]], defeated for reelection in [[United States presidential election, 1888|1888]], then elected to a second term in [[United States presidential election, 1892|1892]]. Cleveland was the only [[Democrat]] elected president between [[James Buchanan]] in 1856 and [[Woodrow Wilson]] in 1912.   

Cleveland was best known in his time for his honesty and courage, his leadership of the business-oriented [[Bourbon Democrats]], and his opposition to the leftist forces that were overwhelming the Democratic party.  In the 21st century some conservatives praise his values. Cleveland supported the gold standard and lower tariffs, and opposed imperialism, corruption, patronage, veterans' pensions, high taxes and silver-based inflation. It has been said that Cleveland was the last small government president the Democrats ever elected. <ref>Larry Schweikart and Michael Allen, "A Patriot's History of the United States" (Sentinel 2007)</ref>

Cleveland was best known in his time for his honesty and courage, his leadership of the business-oriented [[Bourbon Democrats]], and his opposition to the leftist forces that were overwhelming the Democratic party.  In the 21st century some conservatives praise his values. Cleveland supported the gold standard and lower tariffs, and opposed imperialism, corruption, patronage, veterans' pensions, high taxes and silver-based inflation. Some historians point out that Cleveland was the last small government president the Democrats ever elected, while others argues that Cleveland began the steady expansion of federal role.<ref>Larry Schweikart and Michael Allen, "A Patriot's History of the United States" (2007) for the former view; Ballard C. Campbell, ''The Growth of American Government: Governance From The Cleveland Era to the Present.'' (1995) for the latter view.</ref>

Cleveland's first term (1885-1889) was uneventful, but his second term (1893-97) was filled with economic crises and political upheavals. Cleveland was famous for breaking the Pullman strike of 1894, which was paralyzing much of the national transportation grid west of Detroit.  He was repudiated by his Democratic Party in 1896, as it nominated [[William Jennings Bryan]] in 1896, 1900 and 1908; Bryan lost each time.  However the Democrats nominated Cleveland supporters Alton Parker in 1904 (he lost), and Wilson in 1912 (he won).  

Cleveland's first term (1885-1889) was uneventful, but his second term (1893-97) was filled with economic crises and political upheavals. Cleveland was famous for breaking the Pullman strike of 1894, which was paralyzing much of the national transportation grid west of Detroit.  He was repudiated by his Democratic Party in 1896, as it nominated [[William Jennings Bryan]] in 1896, 1900 and 1908; Bryan lost each time.  However the Democrats nominated Cleveland supporters Alton Parker in 1904 (he lost), and Wilson in 1912 (he won).  

Cleveland, a Democrat active in local affairs, in 1863 was appointed assistant district attorney of Erie County, N.Y., which included the city of Buffalo. In 1865 he lost the election for District Attorney and became a partner in a private law practice, earning an about $10,000 a year (triple the average for lawyers).  In 1871 he was elected Erie County sheriff and established a reputation as an honest and capable public official. In 1881, as the reform candidate for mayor of Buffalo, Cleveland was easily elected. He instituted numerous reforms, emphasizing efficiency and economy in his administration. Friends called him the "veto mayor" because of his repeated use of the veto power to slow the spending by the city council.  

Cleveland, a Democrat active in local affairs, in 1863 was appointed assistant district attorney of Erie County, N.Y., which included the city of Buffalo. In 1865 he lost the election for District Attorney and became a partner in a private law practice, earning an about $10,000 a year (triple the average for lawyers).  In 1871 he was elected Erie County sheriff and established a reputation as an honest and capable public official. In 1881, as the reform candidate for mayor of Buffalo, Cleveland was easily elected. He instituted numerous reforms, emphasizing efficiency and economy in his administration. Friends called him the "veto mayor" because of his repeated use of the veto power to slow the spending by the city council.  

==Elected governor of New York 1882==

==Elected governor of New York 1882==

The Republican Party in New York state was disorganized and in bad odor after a series of scandals. The Democrats realized they needed a perfectly honest candidate to win, onewithout connections to big vity machines in New York, Brooklyn, Buffalo or Albany. Cleveland fit the need and was elected by 193,000. At Albany, the state capital, was attacked by machine politicians,  

The Republican Party in New York state was disorganized and in bad odor after a series of scandals. The Democrats realized they needed a perfectly honest candidate to win, one without connections to big city machines in New York, Brooklyn, Buffalo or Albany. Cleveland fit the need and was elected by 193,000. At Albany, the state capital, he was attacked by machine politicians, especially those of [[Tammany Hall]] (the Democratic organization in New York City), for refusing to give out patronage jobs sought by local party leaders trying to reward their best workers. Cleveland cooperated with Republican leader [[Theodore Roosevelt]] to clean up state politics.  

especially those of [[Tammany Hall]] (the Democratic organization in New York City), by refusing to give out patronage jobs sought by local party leaders trying to reward their best workers. Cleveland cooperated with Republican leader [[Theodore Roosevelt]] to clean up state politics.  

==Elected president 1884==

==Elected president 1884==

Reform was the theme at the national level in 1884, and Cleveland, governor of the largest and closest state, won the Democratic nomination for president as a new face with a sterling reputation "We love him most for the enemies he has made,"  exulted one delegate. The GOP nominated long-time Congressional leader [[James G. Blaine]] for president.  Blaine was an able legislator, but was surrounded by whiffs of scandal. A Republican faction calling itself "Mugwumps" broke with Blaine and supported Cleveland.  

Reform was the theme at the national level in 1884, and Cleveland, governor of the largest and closest state, won the Democratic nomination for president as a new face with a sterling reputation "We love him most for the enemies he has made,"  exulted one delegate. The GOP nominated long-time Congressional leader [[James G. Blaine]] for president.  Blaine was an able legislator, but was surrounded by whiffs of scandal. A Republican faction calling itself "Mugwumps" broke with Blaine and supported Cleveland. Reporters described Cleveland as “a very stout, exceedingly well-groomed looking gentleman, of medium height, with a full florid face, . . . a soldierly-looking gray moustache and a pair of gray-twinkling, friendly eyes."<ref> Summers, ‘’Rum, Romanism and Rebellion,’’ p. 6</ref>

The election of 1884 saw an intensely fought very close contest that turned on the electoral vote of New York. Cleveland crusaded against the corruptions represented by long-time Washington insider [[James G. Blaine]], the GOP candidate.  Part of Blaine's problem centered around a suspicious letter which terminated with the words, "burn this letter."  Blaine's detractors marched and chanted, "Burn, Burn, Burn this letter!"  The discovery that Cleveland -- a bachelor--was paying child support gave the GOP a moralistic counter-issue of its own, and a chant, “Ma! Ma! Where’s my Pa?”<ref> Several men could have been the father; Cleveland, the wealthiest, paid the child support perhaps was not the father. </ref>  

The election of 1884 saw an intensely fought very close contest that turned on the electoral vote of New York. Cleveland crusaded against the corruptions represented by long-time Washington insider [[James G. Blaine]], the GOP candidate.  Part of Blaine's problem centered around a suspicious letter which terminated with the words, "burn this letter."  Blaine's detractors marched and chanted, "Burn, Burn, Burn this letter!"  The discovery that Cleveland -- a bachelor--was paying child support gave the GOP a moralistic counter-issue of its own, and a chant, “Ma! Ma! Where’s my Pa?”<ref> Several men could have been the father; Cleveland, the wealthiest, paid the child support perhaps was not the father. </ref>  

Blaine had made inroads into the Irish Catholic vote, normally 90+% Democratic, but blundered when a Protestant minister introduced him and denounced the Democratic party as the party of "Rum, Romanism and Rebellion." That is, the Democrats were the party of saloons, Catholics and Confederates; Catholics resented the slur and Blaine should have immediately repudiated it but failed to do so. Blaine lost his gains among Catholics at the last minute, and lost some Republican support to a prohibitionist candidate. Cleveland's narrow margin in New York state proved decisive, as he won the national popular vote by only 29,000 votes. In a very close election any number of small, almost random factors could be seen as decisive.  Victory gave Democrats a new response, "Gone to the White House! Ha Ha Ha!"   

Blaine had made inroads into the Irish Catholic vote, normally 90+% Democratic, but blundered when a Protestant minister introduced him and denounced the Democratic party as the party of "Rum, Romanism and Rebellion." That is, the Democrats were the party of saloons, Catholics and Confederates; Catholics resented the slur and Blaine should have immediately repudiated it but failed to do so. Blaine lost his gains among Catholics at the last minute, and lost some Republican support to a prohibitionist candidate. Election day was Tuesday, but the Republicans did not concede until Saturday, when they realized  that Cleveland's narrow margin in New York state proved decisive; he won the national popular vote by only 29,000 votes. In a very close election any number of small, almost random factors could be seen as decisive.  Victory gave Democrats a new response, "Gone to the White House! Ha Ha Ha!"   

===Marriage===

===Marriage===

The depression continued to worsened, reaching a nadir in mid-1894. Prices, trade and profits continued to fall, and unemployment reached 20%. Some 156 railroads with 30,000 miles of track went bankrupt along with 800 banks and many small businesses.<ref>  Samuel Rezneck, "Unemployment, Unrest and Relief in the United States during the Depression of 1893-1897," ''Journal of Political Economy'' 61 (1953): 324-45 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1826883  in JSTOR]; Charles Hoffmann, "The Depression of the Nineties," ''Journal of Economic History'' 16 (1956): 137-64 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2114113  in JSTOR]</ref>  

The depression continued to worsened, reaching a nadir in mid-1894. Prices, trade and profits continued to fall, and unemployment reached 20%. Some 156 railroads with 30,000 miles of track went bankrupt along with 800 banks and many small businesses.<ref>  Samuel Rezneck, "Unemployment, Unrest and Relief in the United States during the Depression of 1893-1897," ''Journal of Political Economy'' 61 (1953): 324-45 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1826883  in JSTOR]; Charles Hoffmann, "The Depression of the Nineties," ''Journal of Economic History'' 16 (1956): 137-64 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2114113  in JSTOR]</ref>  

====Wilson Gorman tariff====

====Wilson Gorman tariff====

Cleveland tried to lower the tariff in 1893-94 and result was a fiasco. The House did vote much lower rates, but protectionist Democrats in the Senate raised them again, and added an income tax, leaving Cleveland's main campaign issue in shambles. He allowed the "Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act" to become law without his signature in 1894.  

Cleveland tried to lower the tariff in 1893-94 and result was a fiasco. The House did vote much lower rates, but protectionist Democrats in the Senate, led by Senator Arthur Pue Gorman, Democrat of Maryland, raised them again, and added an income tax, leaving Cleveland's main campaign issue in shambles. He allowed the "Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act", including the income tax, to become law without his signature in 1894.</ref>  The Supreme Court in 1895 declared the income tax of 1894 unconstitutional. The income tax was legalized by the [[Sixteenth Amendment]] in 1913.</ref>

====Pullman Strike====

====Pullman Strike====

Deep in the depression, in summer 1894 the Pullman strike, based in Chicago, was an attempt by workers tried to stop all trains, including those carrying the U.S. mail.  Noting that the mail is a constitutional duty of the federal government, Cleveland rejected the demands by Illinois Governor [[John Peter Altgeld]], a fellow Democrat, to stay out. Cleveland had the strike leaders arrested and sent the army to reopen the rail system. "If it takes the entire army and navy of the United States to deliver a postcard in Chicago that card will be delivered," he roared.

Deep in the depression, in summer 1894 the Pullman strike, based in Chicago, was an attempt by workers tried to stop all trains, including those carrying the U.S. mail.  Noting that the mail is a constitutional duty of the federal government, Cleveland rejected the demands by Illinois Governor [[John Peter Altgeld]], a fellow Democrat, to stay out. Altgeld, with ties to the labor unions, was a leader of the radical left wing of the party, and was using states rights arguments favored by southerners who wanted  no federal protection of the voting rights of blacks. "If it takes the entire army and navy of the United States to deliver a postcard in Chicago that card will be delivered," he roared.

Cleveland wanted to enforce strict neutrality in the Cuban rebellion between 1895 and 1897, but American public opinion strongly supported the rebels. In 1898, under McKinley, the U.S. went to war to stop Spain’s harsh suppression of the rebellion.  

Cleveland took a bellicose stand against Britain in the Venezuela crisis of 1895, claiming the [[Monroe Doctrine]] gave him the right to intervene in a boundary dispute between independent Venezuela and British Guiana, a neighboring British colony. He stood behind Secretary of State Richard Olney's claim that the United States was "practically sovereign on this continent" and that its "fiat" was law.  Britain ignored the hint of war and tried to maintain friendly relations with the U.S.; Britain and Venezuela resolved the issue through arbitration.

At first Cleveland did not support the revolutionaries in Hawaii who in 1894 overthrew the queen and established a Democracy. In fact, he tried to discredit their actions via the controversial Blount Report issued by [[James Henderson Blount]] under his direction. Later, however, he supported the revolutionaries when the Queen demanded the death of every single one.

====1896====

====1896====

Radical agrarians took over the Democratic party in 1896 and nominated firebrand [[William Jennings Bryan]] who denounced Cleveland, industrialists and bankers. Bryan called for inflation by putting more money in circulation; his plan was to legislate cheap silver into legal currency at the ratio of 16 oz of silver to one oz of gold, hence the silverite slogan “16 to 1.” . Many of Cleveland's closest associates bolted the Democratic party and formed the "Gold Democrats"; many Cleveland supporters voted for republican candidate [[William McKinley]]. Cleveland himself remained silent.  

Radical agrarians rejected Cleveland and the [[Gold Democrats]], taking over the Democratic party in 1896 and nominating firebrand [[William Jennings Bryan]] of Nebraska. Bryan vehemently denounced industrialists and bankers in his famous “Cross of Gold Speech.”  Bryan called for inflation by putting more money in circulation; his plan was to legislate cheap silver into legal currency at the ratio of 16 oz of silver to one oz of gold, hence the silverite slogan “16 to 1.” . Many of Cleveland's closest associates bolted the Democratic party and formed the "Gold Democrats"; many Cleveland supporters voted for republican candidate [[William McKinley]]. Cleveland himself remained silent.  

==Retirement==

==Retirement==

*Cleveland's grandson is a Presidential impersonator.

*Cleveland's grandson is a Presidential impersonator.

*Cleveland's granddaughter Foot is a philosopher at Oxford.

*Cleveland's granddaughter Philippa Foot is a retired UCLA and Oxford philosophy professor.

* Cleveland and Theodore Roosevelt were the only police officials to become president.

* Cleveland and Theodore Roosevelt were the only police officials to become president.

* Grover Cleveland's last words were "I have tried so hard to do right."

* Grover Cleveland's last words were "I have tried so hard to do right." ."<ref> Summers, ‘’Rum, Romanism and Rebellion,’’ p. 6</ref>

==Bibliography==

==Bibliography==

* Bard, Mitchell. "Ideology and Depression Politics I: Grover Cleveland (1893-1897)" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'' 1985 15(1): 77-88.  

* Bard, Mitchell. "Ideology and Depression Politics I: Grover Cleveland (1893-1897)" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'' 1985 15(1): 77-88.  

* Beito, David T.,  and Linda Royster Beito, "Gold Democrats and the Decline of Classical Liberalism, 1896-1900," ''Independent Review'' 4 (Spring 2000), 555-75. [http://www.independent.org/publications/tir/article.asp?issueID=22&articleID=261 online edition], liberatrian perspective

* Beito, David T.,  and Linda Royster Beito, "Gold Democrats and the Decline of Classical Liberalism, 1896-1900," ''Independent Review'' 4 (Spring 2000), 555-75. [http://www.independent.org/publications/tir/article.asp?issueID=22&articleID=261 online edition], libertarian perspective

* Blake, Nelson M. "Background of Cleveland's Venezuelan Policy." ''American Historical Review'' 1942 47(2): 259-277. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1841667  in Jstor]  

* Blake, Nelson M. "Background of Cleveland's Venezuelan Policy." ''American Historical Review'' 1942 47(2): 259-277. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1841667  in Jstor]  

** LaFeber, Walter/ "The Background of Cleveland's Venezuelan Policy: A Reinterpretation," ''American Historical Review,’’ Vol. 66, No. 4 (Jul., 1961), pp. 947-967 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1845865 in JSTOR], left-wing view  

** LaFeber, Walter/ "The Background of Cleveland's Venezuelan Policy: A Reinterpretation," ''American Historical Review,’’ Vol. 66, No. 4 (Jul., 1961), pp. 947-967 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1845865 in JSTOR], left-wing view  

==External links==

==External links==

* [http://www.millercenter.virginia.edu/index.php/academic/americanpresident/cleveland Good scholarly essay on Cleveland with short essays on cabinet members and Mrs Cleveland; from U of Vorginia's Miller Center of Public Affairs]

* [http://www.millercenter.virginia.edu/index.php/academic/americanpresident/cleveland Good scholarly essay on Cleveland with short essays on cabinet members and Mrs. Cleveland; from U of Virginia’s Miller Center of Public Affairs]

====notes====

====notes====