Blaine faction

Last updated
Blaine faction
Leader James G. Blaine
William P. Frye
Eugene Hale
William H. Robertson [1]
William E. Chandler [2]
Founded 1877
Split from Stalwart faction of the Republican Party
Merged into Half-Breed faction of the Republican Party
Ideology Anti-Grantism [1] [3]
Conservatism
Economic nationalism
Protectionism
Hard money
Pro-spoils system [note 1]
Political position Center-right to right-wing
National affiliation Republican Party
Half-Breed faction (1880)
Portrait of James G. Blaine by the Brady-Handy Photograph Collection. James G. Blaine - Brady-Handy.jpg
Portrait of James G. Blaine by the Brady-Handy Photograph Collection.

The Blaine faction, [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] also known as the Blaine section, [11] was a political organization [12] of Republicans in the United States during the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes who coalesced around Maine U.S. senator James G. Blaine. Forming a coalition with the conservative Stalwart wing during the era, [13] they opposed civil service reform, [12] as well as the conciliatory actions of the Hayes administration towards the South. Blaine himself would vote with Stalwarts in opposition to President Hayes' reform efforts, siding with Conkling's faction in December 1877 when voting against the nomination of Theodore Roosevelt Sr., to become New York Custom of Collectors. [14] [ non-primary source needed ]

Contents

The faction in the context of the Hayes years is often erroneously attributed as the congressional "Half-Breeds", a moderate wing of the Republican Party which advocated civil service reform. According to Richard E. Welch Jr., Blaine was not a Half-Breed during this time, instead taking part as a dissident member of the Stalwarts. [15] Half-Breeds trusted neither Blaine or Grant, preferring a "third man" for president in the 1880 United States presidential election who was a loyal advocate of civil service reform. [16] According to Allan Peskin, Blaine never referred to his allies as "Half-Breeds", instead preferring the term "the Blaine Section". [11]

The ambiguity between the Blaine faction and Half-Breeds regarding most of the Hayes presidency years is a revisionist historical inaccuracy that ignores the sharp contrasts between the groups; Blaine sharply came at odds with Hayes after 1877, and a mutual bitter antipathy was held between him and Half-Breed leader John Sherman that lasted for over a decade. [17]

Blaine's chief allies during the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes were William P. Frye and Eugene Hale, both of whom later served in the United States Senate from Maine as colleagues.

Characteristics

The division and antipathy between the Conkling and Blaine factions was attributed to a personal rivalry between the two political bosses dating since the 1860s. [12] However, their political machines had little differences between them, benefiting from patronage and the practices of the traditional spoils system. While the political organization of Roscoe Conkling emphasized support for "sound money" (also known as "hard money") in their association with New York financial interests, the Blaine organization placed stronger focus on industrial and railroad interests, in addition to their advocacy of the protective tariff. [12]

William P. Frye - Brady-Handy.jpg
Portrait of William P. Frye.
Eugene Hale - Brady-Handy.jpg
Portrait of Eugene Hale.

Hayes presidency

During the 1876 United States presidential election, Sen. Blaine supported the campaign of Rutherford Hayes against Bourbon Democrat opponent Samuel J. Tilden. [13] Following the Compromise of 1877 and the Hayes administration's withdrawal of troops of the South, Blaine was grieved and distraught over the abandonment of Reconstruction efforts to a extent greater than the anguish expressed by Stalwart leaders Roscoe Conkling, J. Donald Cameron, and Zachariah Chandler. [18]

The Blaine faction frequently sparred with the Hayes administration on occasions. At the residence of fellow U.S. senator John Sherman, Sen. Blaine advocated an appointment by Hayes of William Frye to become Attorney General of the United States. [13] Instead, Hayes offered to grant the position to Eugene Hale, although Blaine intended to succeed Maine Sen. Hannibal Hamlin with Hale. The tension increased when Hayes had appointed staunch reformer Carl Schurz to become United States Secretary of the Interior. [13] Schurz in the 1872 United States presidential election led the Liberal Republican Party revolt against Ulysses S. Grant, who Blaine campaigned on behalf of. [19]

In a temporary victory for Stalwarts on one occasion, Conkling secured the powerful position of Collector of the Port of New York for loyalist and future president Chester A. Arthur. [20] Arthur's tenure was marked with cronyism and corruption, hiring thousands of Republicans on the mere basis of political affiliation. [21] Hayes and Secretary of the Treasury John Sherman, a Half-Breed, subsequently fired Arthur from the post. [20] The decision elicited criticism and distaste by both Stalwarts and the Blaine faction. [22] The rift between the Blaine faction and the Hayes administration subsequently reached a point that effectively sealed any remaining chances for Hayes' potential re-election.

When Hayes nominated reform-friendly allies Edwin A. Merritt and Silas W. Burt to the positions of New York Custom of Collectors and Naval Officer respectively, prominent Half-Breed leaders such as George F. Hoar and Stanley Matthews voted to consent to the president's nominations while Blaine joined Stalwarts such as Conkling and William B. Allison in unsuccessful opposition. [23] [24] [ non-primary source needed ]

1880 Republican National Convention: Conkling and Blaine come to blows

In the 1880 United States presidential election, the Republican Party was marred by factionalism, divided into three main groups:

The Stalwarts pushed for a third, non-consecutive term for former president Ulysses S. Grant in their effort to revive the Radical Republicans' Reconstruction program of Thaddeus Stevens and Charles Sumner, [26] while Half-Breeds advocated a nomination of George F. Edmunds. There existed an irreconcilable feud between the Stalwarts and Blaine faction, attributed not to any grievances held by Grant, rather due to the persisting personal enmity between Conkling and Blaine.

According to Ronald F. Banks, Frye and Hale exhibited "amateurish and provincial" tendencies in their quarrels with Conkling, who humiliated Frye in a manner described as "half sneer and half insult." [25] Frye reportedly only displayed "poise and eloquence" when seconding a nomination of Blaine.

Initially, none of the factions achieved their nomination aims. The Blaine faction and Half-Breeds ultimately formed an alliance to thwart the Stalwarts, throwing support to dark horse candidate James A. Garfield of Ohio. [12] The Stalwarts' aims were weakened when pro-Grant New York Republicans were derailed by state senator and leading Blaine supporter William H. Robertson, [3] whose opposition towards the Conkling forces triggered anti-Grant sentiment throughout the convention. [1] A strategic maneuvering by Half-Breeds installed their leader Hoar as chairman of the convention, and Garfield was nominated. [16] In the November general election, Garfield narrowly triumphed over Democratic nominee Winfield Scott Hancock.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James G. Blaine</span> American politician (1830–1893)

James Gillespie Blaine was an American statesman and Republican politician who represented Maine in the United States House of Representatives from 1863 to 1876, serving as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1869 to 1875, and then in the United States Senate from 1876 to 1881.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1880 United States presidential election</span> 24th quadrennial U.S. presidential election

The 1880 United States presidential election was the 24th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 2, 1880, in which Republican nominee James A. Garfield defeated Winfield Scott Hancock of the Democratic Party. The voter turnout rate was one of the highest in the nation's history. Garfield was assassinated during his first year in office, and he was succeeded by his vice president, Chester A. Arthur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Levi P. Morton</span> Vice president of the United States from 1889 to 1893

Levi Parsons Morton was the 22nd vice president of the United States from 1889 to 1893. He also served as United States ambassador to France, as a U.S. representative from New York, and as the 31st governor of New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stalwarts (politics)</span> Faction of the U.S. Republican Party, 1870s–1880s

The Stalwarts were a faction of the Republican Party that existed briefly in the United States during and after Reconstruction and the Gilded Age during the 1870s and 1880s. Led by U.S. Senator Roscoe Conkling—also known as "Lord Roscoe"—Stalwarts were sometimes called Conklingites. Other notable Stalwarts included Benjamin Wade, Charles J. Folger, George C. Gorham, Chester A. Arthur, Thomas C. Platt, and Leonidas C. Houk. The faction favored Ulysses S. Grant, the eighteenth President of the United States (1869–1877), running for a third term in the 1880 United States presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roscoe Conkling</span> American politician (1829–1888)

Roscoe Conkling was an American lawyer and Republican politician who represented New York in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eugene Hale</span> American politician (1836–1918)

Eugene Hale was a Republican United States Senator from Maine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry L. Dawes</span> American politician (1816–1903)

Henry Laurens Dawes was an attorney and politician, a Republican United States Senator and United States Representative from Massachusetts. He is notable for the Dawes Act (1887), which was intended to stimulate the assimilation of Native Americans by ending the tribal government and control of communal lands. Especially directed at the tribes in Indian Territory, it provided for the allotment of tribal lands to individual households of tribal members, and for their being granted United States citizenship. This also made them subject to state and federal taxes. In addition, extinguishing tribal land claims in this territory later enabled the admission of Oklahoma as a state in 1907.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas C. Platt</span> American politician (1833–1910)

Thomas Collier Platt, also known as Tom Platt and Easy Boss, was an American politician who was a two-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1873–1877) and a three-term U.S. Senator from New York in 1881 and 1897 to 1909. He is best known as the "political boss" of the Republican Party in New York State in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Upon his death, the New York Times stated that "no man ever exercised less influence in the Senate or the House of Representatives than he," but "no man ever exercised more power as a political leader." He considered himself the "political godfather" of many Republican governors of the state, including Theodore Roosevelt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William H. Robertson</span> American politician (1823–1898)

William Henry Robertson, also known as W. H. Robertson, was an American lawyer and politician from New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1880 Republican National Convention</span> US political convention

The 1880 Republican National Convention convened from June 2 to June 8, 1880, at the Interstate Exposition Building in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Delegates nominated James A. Garfield of Ohio and Chester A. Arthur of New York as the official Republican Party candidates for president and vice president in the 1880 presidential election.

The "Half-Breeds" were a political faction of the United States Republican Party in the late 19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roscoe Conkling House</span> Historic house in New York, United States

The Roscoe Conkling House is a historic house at 3 Rutger Park in Utica, New York, United States. A National Historic Landmark, it was the home of Roscoe Conkling (1829–1888), a powerful and controversial politician. He is responsible, perhaps, for the angry, political atmosphere that led to the assassination of U.S. President James Garfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presidency of Chester A. Arthur</span> U.S. presidential administration from 1881 to 1885

Chester A. Arthur's tenure as the 21st president of the United States began on September 19, 1881, when he succeeded to the presidency upon the assassination of President James A. Garfield, and ended on March 4, 1885. Arthur, a Republican, had been vice president for 199 days when he succeeded to the presidency. In ill health and lacking the full support of his party by the end of his term, Arthur made only a token effort for the Republican presidential nomination in the 1884 presidential election. He was succeeded by Democrat Grover Cleveland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chester A. Arthur</span> President of the United States from 1881 to 1885

Chester Alan Arthur was an American politician who served as the 21st president of the United States from 1881 to 1885. He was a Republican lawyer from New York who briefly served as the 20th vice president under President James A. Garfield. Arthur assumed the presidency after Garfield's death on September 19, 1881, and served the remainder of his term until March 4, 1885.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1873 United States Senate election in New York</span> U.S. Senate election in New York

The 1873 United States Senate election in New York was held on January 21, 1873, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1879 United States Senate election in New York</span> U.S. Senate election in New York

The 1879 United States Senate election in New York was held on January 21, 1879, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1881 United States Senate election in New York</span> U.S. Senate election in New York

The 1881 United States Senate election in New York was held on January 18, 1881, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.

The 1881 United States Senate special elections in New York was held from May 31 to July 22 by the New York State Legislature to elect two U.S. senators to represent New York in the United States Senate. The elections were triggered by the May 16 resignations of Senators Roscoe Conkling and Thomas C. Platt, triggered by ongoing disputes with President James A. Garfield over federal patronage privileges in the state, particularly the lucrative postings at the New York Customs House. The resignations were intended to trigger the Senators' re-elections to affirm their support in the New York Legislature as a show of either popularity or political force. Instead, the legislature demurred for 52 days before electing Warner Miller and Elbridge Lapham in their place. During the balloting, President Garfield was shot; he died two months after balloting concluded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George F. Edmunds</span> Republican U.S. Senator from Vermont

George Franklin Edmunds was an American attorney and Republican politician who represented the state of Vermont in the United States Senate from 1866 to 1891. He was a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 1880 and 1884 as a leading representative of New England and of the faction favoring civil service reform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Platt machine</span> Political party in the United States

The Platt machine was a United States political organization and coalition of Republican Party members in New York which exerted heavy influence over the state's politics during the Gilded Age. The organization's leadership was maintained by U.S. senator T. C. "Tom" Platt, its "easy boss."

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Remarkable Roscoe, Part III". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  2. Bernard A. Weisberger. "James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  3. 1 2 "The Remarkable Roscoe: Friend and Nemesis of Presidents (Part I)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  4. "THE GEORGIA REPUBLICANS.; SHERMAN AND BLAINE FACTIONS UNITING AND TRYING TO OVERPOWER THE SUPERIOR NUMBERS OF GRANT DELEGATES". The New York Times. 1880-04-22. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  5. Conlin, Joseph R. (2013-01-29). The American Past: A Survey of American History. Cengage Learning. p. 436. ISBN   978-1-285-50007-2.
  6. The Nation. Vol. 43. 1886.
  7. "WHICH WOULD BE THE PREFERABLE ROW?". The New York Times. 1888-12-30. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  8. Belford's Monthly. Vol. 5. Belford, Clarke. 1890. p. 632.
  9. "BOUTELLE FEELS VERY BAD.; HE DON'T LIKE THE WAY BLAINE AND HIS FRIENDS HAVE BEEN TREATED". The New York Times. 1892-06-14. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  10. Hammond, Scott John; Roberts, Robert North; Sulfaro, Valerie A. (2016-04-25). Campaigning for President in America, 1788–2016. ABC-CLIO. p. 572. ISBN   978-1-4408-5079-0.
  11. 1 2 Peskin, Allan (1984). "Who Were the Stalwarts? Who Were Their Rivals? Republican Factions in the Gilded Age". Political Science Quarterly. 99 (4): 705. doi:10.2307/2150708. ISSN   0032-3195. JSTOR   2150708.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 About the Vice President | Levi Parsons Morton, 22nd Vice President (1889-1893). United States Senate via Internet Archive. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Banks, Ronald F. (June 1958). The Senatorial Career of William P. Frye, p. 5–6. The University of Maine. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  14. "TO CONSENT TO THE NOMINATION OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT AS COLLECTOR … -- Senate Vote #95 -- Dec 12, 1877". GovTrack.us. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  15. Welch, p. 91.
  16. 1 2 3 Welch, Richard E., Jr. (1968). George Edmunds of Vermont: Republican Half-Breed, pp. 67–68. Vermont History. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  17. Who Were the Stalwarts? Who Were Their Rivals? Republican Factions in the Gilded Age, p. 706.
  18. Muzzey, pp. 130–133.
  19. Muzzey, p. 66.
  20. 1 2 "Stalwarts, Half Breeds, and Political Assassination". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  21. "Arthur, Chester A." www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  22. Corbett, P. Scott; Janssen, Volker; Lund, John M.; Pfannestiel, Todd; Waskiewicz, Sylvie; Vickery, Paul (2014-12-30). "The Key Political Issues: Patronage, Tariffs, and Gold".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  23. "TO CONSENT TO THE NOMINATION OF EDWIN A. MERRITT AS … -- Senate Vote #394 -- Feb 3, 1879". GovTrack.us. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  24. "TO CONSENT TO THE NOMINATION OF SILAS W. BURT AS … -- Senate Vote #395 -- Feb 3, 1879". GovTrack.us. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  25. 1 2 The Senatorial Career of William P. Frye, p. 7.
  26. Muzzey, p. 160.

Notes

  1. This was prior to the Garfield assassination; the Blaine faction were not hostile to civil service reform afterwards.

Book sources