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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, 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.  

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. In 1883 he vetoed the popular "Five Cent Bill," which required a fare reduction for users of [[Jay Gould]] street railroad in New York City, arguing that it violated the company's contract with the state and unwisely undermined private investment in public infrastructure.

 

Cleveland enlarged the scope of state government signing legislation to create a bureau of labor statistics (sought by labor unions), form a commission to plan a park at Niagara Falls, reorganize the militia (later renamed the national guard), abolished the hiring-out of state prisoners to private companies, set up higher standards for milk purity, and place a discriminatory tax on oleomargarine, as demanded by dairy farmers.

==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.  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>

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 and his campaign manager [[David Manning]] ran a smooth operation, during which Cleveland gave no speeches. 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. 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!"   

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, and Cleveland led with 48.5% of the popular vote, but the Republicans did not concede until Saturday, when they realized  that Cleveland's narrow margin in New York state proved decisive. Cleveland 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===

===Actions as President===

===Actions as President===

Cleveland refused to replace efficient Republican office-holders, angering patronage hungry local Democratic leaders but gaining the admiration of reformers. To signal the end of the Civil War era, he appointed two southerners to the cabinet, and returned Confederate battle flags that had been captured during the war.  Union veterans were angry at him, an anger that intensified when he energetically vetoed hundreds of private pension bills based on dubious wartime claims.  He vetoed a bill to give $10,000 to distribute seed grain among drought-stricken farmers in Texas, and said: "Federal aid in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the Government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character."  

Cleveland refused to replace efficient Republican office-holders, angering patronage hungry local Democratic leaders but gaining the admiration of reformers. To signal the end of the Civil War era, he appointed two southerners to the cabinet, and returned Confederate battle flags that had been captured during the war.  Union veterans were angry at him, an anger that intensified when he energetically vetoed hundreds of private pension bills based on dubious wartime claims.  He vetoed a bill to give $10,000 to distribute seed grain among drought-stricken farmers in Texas, and said: "Federal aid in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the Government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character."