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The marvelous inventions of the 1870s led up to a very interesting presidential election in 1880.  The race of 1876 had been a virtual tie, and the general election in 1880 was nearly as close, with only 10,000 separating the winner (the Republican) from the loser (the Democrat).

The marvelous inventions of the 1870s led up to a very interesting presidential election in 1880.  The race of 1876 had been a virtual tie, and the general election in 1880 was nearly as close, with only 10,000 separating the winner (the Republican) from the loser (the Democrat).

But who would be the Republican Party nominee?  There was an historic stalemate and deadlock during the National Convention when the delegates attempted to pick their nominee.   

But who would be the Republican Party nominee?  There was an historic stalemate and deadlock during the National Convention when the delegates attempted to pick their nominee.  Former President Ulysses S. Grant wanted to become president again, despite having served two terms.  His main rival was the power Republican Senator from Maine, James Blaine.  A third candidate, John Sherman of Ohio, also ran.  None was able to obtain a majority of the delegates despite dozens of ballots (actual votes) by the delegates.

The “spoils systems” was an important part of these political machines, and even the Republican Party U.S. Senator from New York, Roscoe Conkling, supported it.  Under the “spoils system” or “patronage system”, the winner of an election gets to hand out government jobs to his supporters.  “To the victors go the spoils,” is the famous saying.  The “Stalwarts” in the Republican Party favored this system, which insured that holdovers who disagreed with the winner would be fired and everyone in the new administration would agree with the new leader.  Against the Stalwarts were moderates who wanted a civil service system where a government employee would keep his job even after a new leader is elected.  They sought “reform” of the spoils system.

The big issue in 1880 was the "spoils systems," which was an important part of these political machines, and even the Republican Party U.S. Senator from New York, Roscoe Conkling, supported it.  Under the “spoils system” or “patronage system”, the winner of an election gets to hand out government jobs to his supporters.  “To the victors go the spoils,” is the famous saying.  The “Stalwarts” in the Republican Party favored this system, which insured that holdovers who disagreed with the winner would be fired and everyone in the new administration would agree with the new leader.  Against the Stalwarts were moderates who wanted a civil service system where a government employee would keep his job even after a new leader is elected.  They sought “reform” of the spoils system.

 

Finally, when Blaine realized he could not win, he and Sherman withdrew their candidacies and threw there support behind a "dark horse" candidate, James Garfield.  Garfield was finally elected on the 36th ballot!  In other words, the delegates met for days in a hot summer convention center, without air conditioning, and debated and voted 36 times before nominating James Garfield, who was a former Union general and Republican congressman.

Congressman James Garfield was nominated by the Republican Party for president in 1880 as a compromise between the stalwarts and the moderates.  Garfield picked a Stalwart, Chester Arthur, as his Vice President.  Then a deranged Stalwart assassinated Garfield soon after he was elected, so that fellow Stalwart Chester Arthur could become president. This discredited the movement and Arthur promoted a civil service system whereby the victors cannot fire and replace government workers with his supporters.

Congressman James Garfield was nominated by the Republican Party for president in 1880 as a compromise between the stalwarts and the moderates.  Garfield picked a Stalwart, Chester Arthur, as his Vice President.  Then a deranged Stalwart assassinated Garfield soon after he was elected, so that fellow Stalwart Chester Arthur could become president. This discredited the movement and Arthur promoted a civil service system whereby the victors cannot fire and replace government workers with his supporters.