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| Grover Cleveland |
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Born on March 18, 1837, Grover
Cleveland was the 24th President of
the United States.
The First Democrat elected after the
Civil War, Grover Cleveland was the
only President to leave the White
House and return for a second term
four years later.
One of nine children of a
Presbyterian minister, Cleveland
was born in New Jersey in 1837. He
was raised in upstate New York. As
a lawyer in Buffalo, he became
notable for his single-minded
concentration upon whatever task
Cleveland was the 24th President of
the United States.
The First Democrat elected after the
Civil War, Grover Cleveland was the
only President to leave the White
House and return for a second term
four years later.
One of nine children of a
Presbyterian minister, Cleveland
was born in New Jersey in 1837. He
was raised in upstate New York. As
a lawyer in Buffalo, he became
notable for his single-minded
concentration upon whatever task
faced him.
At 44, he emerged into a political prominence that carried him to the White House in three
years. Running as a reformer, he was elected Mayor of Buffalo in 1881, and later, Governor of
New York.
Cleveland won the Presidency with the combined support of Democrats and reform
Republicans, the "Mugwumps," who disliked the record of his opponent James G. Blaine of
Maine.
A bachelor, Cleveland was ill at ease at first with all the comforts of the White House. "I
must go to dinner," he wrote a friend, "but I wish it was to eat a pickled herring a Swiss
cheese and a chop at Louis' instead of the French stuff I shall find." In June 1886 Cleveland
married 21-year-old Frances Folsom; he was the only President married in the White House.
Cleveland vigorously pursued a policy barring special favors to any economic group. Vetoing a
bill to appropriate $10,000 to distribute seed grain among drought-stricken farmers in Texas,
he wrote: "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. . . . "
He also vetoed many private pension bills to Civil War veterans whose claims were
fraudulent. When Congress, pressured by the Grand Army of the Republic, passed a bill
granting pensions for disabilities not caused by military service, Cleveland vetoed it, too.
He angered the railroads by ordering an investigation of western lands they held by
Government grant. He forced them to return 81,000,000 acres. He also signed the Interstate
Commerce Act, the first law attempting Federal regulation of the railroads.
In December 1887 he called on Congress to reduce high protective tariffs. Told that he had
given Republicans an effective issue for the campaign of 1888, he retorted, "What is the use
of being elected or re-elected unless you stand for something?" But Cleveland was defeated
in 1888; although he won a larger popular majority than the Republican candidate Benjamin
Harrison, he received fewer electoral votes.
Elected again in 1892, Cleveland faced an acute depression. He dealt directly with the
Treasury crisis rather than with business failures, farm mortgage foreclosures, and
unemployment. He obtained repeal of the mildly inflationary Sherman Silver Purchase Act and,
with the aid of Wall Street, maintained the Treasury's gold reserve.
When railroad strikers in Chicago violated an injunction, Cleveland sent Federal troops to
enforce it. "If it takes the entire army and navy of the United States to deliver a post card in
Chicago," he thundered, "that card will be delivered."
Cleveland's blunt treatment of the railroad strikers stirred the pride of many Americans. So
did the vigorous way in which he forced Great Britain to accept arbitration of a disputed
boundary in Venezuela. But his policies during the depression were generally unpopular. His
party deserted him and nominated William Jennings Bryan in 1896.
After leaving the White House, Cleveland lived in retirement in Princeton, New Jersey. He died
in 1908.
At 44, he emerged into a political prominence that carried him to the White House in three
years. Running as a reformer, he was elected Mayor of Buffalo in 1881, and later, Governor of
New York.
Cleveland won the Presidency with the combined support of Democrats and reform
Republicans, the "Mugwumps," who disliked the record of his opponent James G. Blaine of
Maine.
A bachelor, Cleveland was ill at ease at first with all the comforts of the White House. "I
must go to dinner," he wrote a friend, "but I wish it was to eat a pickled herring a Swiss
cheese and a chop at Louis' instead of the French stuff I shall find." In June 1886 Cleveland
married 21-year-old Frances Folsom; he was the only President married in the White House.
Cleveland vigorously pursued a policy barring special favors to any economic group. Vetoing a
bill to appropriate $10,000 to distribute seed grain among drought-stricken farmers in Texas,
he wrote: "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. . . . "
He also vetoed many private pension bills to Civil War veterans whose claims were
fraudulent. When Congress, pressured by the Grand Army of the Republic, passed a bill
granting pensions for disabilities not caused by military service, Cleveland vetoed it, too.
He angered the railroads by ordering an investigation of western lands they held by
Government grant. He forced them to return 81,000,000 acres. He also signed the Interstate
Commerce Act, the first law attempting Federal regulation of the railroads.
In December 1887 he called on Congress to reduce high protective tariffs. Told that he had
given Republicans an effective issue for the campaign of 1888, he retorted, "What is the use
of being elected or re-elected unless you stand for something?" But Cleveland was defeated
in 1888; although he won a larger popular majority than the Republican candidate Benjamin
Harrison, he received fewer electoral votes.
Elected again in 1892, Cleveland faced an acute depression. He dealt directly with the
Treasury crisis rather than with business failures, farm mortgage foreclosures, and
unemployment. He obtained repeal of the mildly inflationary Sherman Silver Purchase Act and,
with the aid of Wall Street, maintained the Treasury's gold reserve.
When railroad strikers in Chicago violated an injunction, Cleveland sent Federal troops to
enforce it. "If it takes the entire army and navy of the United States to deliver a post card in
Chicago," he thundered, "that card will be delivered."
Cleveland's blunt treatment of the railroad strikers stirred the pride of many Americans. So
did the vigorous way in which he forced Great Britain to accept arbitration of a disputed
boundary in Venezuela. But his policies during the depression were generally unpopular. His
party deserted him and nominated William Jennings Bryan in 1896.
After leaving the White House, Cleveland lived in retirement in Princeton, New Jersey. He died
in 1908.