Political Changes—1883

In the fall of 1883 nearly all of the States swept by the tidal wave of 1882 showed that it had either partially or completely receded, and for the first time since the close of the Hayes administration (always excepting the remarkable Garfield-Hancock campaign), the Republican party exhibited plain signs of returning unity and strength. Henry Ward Beecher has wittily said that “following the war the nation needed a poultice, and got it in the Hayes administration.” The poultice for a time only drew the sores into plainer view, and healing potions were required for the contests immediately following. The divisions of 1882 were as much the result of the non-action of the Hayes administration, as of the misunderstandings and feuds which later on found bitter manifestation between the Stalwarts and Half-Breeds of New York.

The Independents took no organized form except in New York and Pennsylvania, and yet the underlying causes of division for the time swept from their Republican moorings not only the States named, but also Massachusetts, Connecticut, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Kansas, Colorado and California.

The year 1882 seemed the culmination of every form of Republican division, and then everything in the States named gave place to faction. Very wisely the Republican leaders determined to repair the mischief, as far as possible, in the otherwise uneventful year of 1883. Their efforts were in most instances successful, especially in Massachusetts where Robinson overthrew Gen. Butler’s State administration by 20,000 majority; in Pennsylvania, where the Republican State ticket received about 20,000 majority, after the reunion of the Regular and independent factions. In Pennsylvania the efforts at reconciliation made in the Continental Conference, and in subsequent conventions, gave fruit in 1883, and at this writing in July, 1884 there is no mark of division throughout the entire State, if we except such as must inevitably follow the plain acceptance of Free Trade and Protective issues. Very few of the Republicans of Pennsylvania favor Free Trade, and only in the ranks of this few could any division be traced after the close of the elections of 1883.

Ohio was an exception to the Republican work of reconciliation. Division still continued, and Judge Hoadly, a leading and very talented Democrat, was elected Governor by about 15,000 majority, after a contest which involved the expenditure of large sums of money. In the Convention which nominated Hoadly, Senator Pendleton was practically overthrown because of his attachment to the Civil Service law which takes his name, and later on he was defeated for U. S. Senator by Mr. Payne, the McLean and Bookwalter factions uniting for his overthrow, which was accomplished despite the efforts of Thurman, Ward and other leaders of the older elements of the party. Both the Hoadly and Payne battles were won under the banners of the “Young Democracy.”

Any compilation of the returns of 1883 must be measurably imperfect, for in only a few of the States were important and decisive battles waged. Such as they were, however, are given in the table on the next page:

State Elections of 1882 and 1883, compared with the Presidential Election of 1880.

STATES. 1880.

Garfield,
Rep. Hancock,
Dem. Weaver,
Gbk. Dow,
Pro.

Alabama 56,221 91,185 4,642

Arkansas 42,436 60,775 4,079

California 80,348 80,426 3,392

Colorado 27,450 24,647 1,435

Connecticut 67,071 64,415 868 40

Delaware 14,133 15,275 120

Florida 23,654 27,964

Georgia 54,086 102,470 969

Illinois 318,037 277,321 26,358 443

Indiana 232,164 225,522 12,986

Iowa 183,927 105,845 32,701 592

Kansas 121,549 59,801 19,851 25

Kentucky 106,306 149,068 11,499 258

Louisiana 38,637 65,067 439

Maine 74,039 65,171 4,408 93

Maryland 78,515 93,706 818

Massachusetts 165,205 111,960 4,548 682

Michigan 185,341 131,597 34,895 942

Minnesota 93,903 53,315 3,267 286

Mississippi 34,854 75,750 5,797

Missouri 153,567 200,699 35,135

Nebraska 54,979 28,523 3,950

Nevada 8,732 9,613

New Hampshire 44,852 40,794 528 180

New Jersey 120,555 122,565 2,617 191

New York 555,544 534,511 12,373 1,517

North Carolina 115,874 124,208 1,126

Ohio 375,048 340,821 6,456 2,616

Oregon 20,619 19,948 249

Pennsylvania 444,704 407,428 20,668 1,939

Rhode Island 18,195 10,779 236 20

South Carolina 58,071 112,312 556

Tennessee 107,677 128,191 5,917 43

Texas 57,893 156,428 27,405

Vermont 45,567 18,316 1,215

Virginia 84,020 128,586

West Virginia 46,243 57,391 9,079

Wisconsin 144,400 114,649 7,986 69

Total 4,454,416 4,444,952 308,578 10,305

Plurality 9,464

Total vote 9,219,947

STATES. 1882.

Rep. Dem. Gbk. Pro.

Alabama 46,386 100,591

Arkansas 49,352 87,675 10,142

California 67,175 90,694 1,020 5,772

Colorado 27,552 29,897

Connecticut 54,853 59,014 607 1,034

Delaware 10,088 12,053

Florida 20,139 24,067 3,553

Georgia 24,930 81,443 68

Illinois 254,551 249,067 11,306 11,202

Indiana 210,234 220,918 13,520

Iowa 149,051 112,180 30,817

Kansas 98,166 61,547 23,300

Kentucky 79,036 110,813 736

Louisiana 33,953 49,892

Maine 72,724 63,852 1,302 395

Maryland 74,515 80,725 1,833

Massachusetts 134,358 116,678 4,033 2,141

Michigan 157,925 149,443 1,572 4,440

Minnesota 92,802 46,653 3,781 1,545

Mississippi 30,282 48,159

Missouri 128,239 198,620 33,407

Nebraska 43,495 28,562 16,991

Nevada 7,362 6,906

New Hampshire 38,299 36,879 449 338

New Jersey 97,860 99,962 6,063 2,004

New York 409,422 482,822 10,527 16,234

North Carolina 111,320 111,763

Ohio 297,759 316,874 5,345 12,202

Oregon 21,481 20,069

Pennsylvania 359,232 355,791 23,996 5,196

Rhode Island 10,056 5,311 120

South Carolina 67,458 17,719

Tennessee 91,693 123,929 9,538

Texas 41,761 142,087 41,825

Vermont 35,839 14,466 1,535

Virginia 100,690 94,184

West Virginia 43,440 46,661

Wisconsin 94,606 103,630 2,496 13,800

Total 3,620,844 4,051,035 277,691 76,303

Plurality 130,195

Total vote 8,025,975

STATES. 1883.

Rep. Dem. Gbk. Pro.

Alabama

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut 51,749 46,146

Delaware

Florida

Georgia 23,680

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa 164,182 139,093 23,089

Kansas

Kentucky 89,181 133,615

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland 80,707 92,694 1,881

Massachusetts 160,092 150,228 13,950

Michigan 122,330 127,376

Minnesota 72,404 57,859

Mississippi

Missouri

Nebraska 52,305 47,795

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey 97,047 103,856 2,960 4,153

New York 429,252 445,817 7,187 19,368

North Carolina

Ohio 347,164 359,793 2,937 8,362

Oregon

Pennsylvania 319,106 302,031 4,452 6,602

Rhode Island 13,068 10,907

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Vermont

Virginia

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Total 1,998,587 2,040,890 40,629 54,316

Plurality 42,303

Total vote 4,134,458