The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1916-11-16
CONTEST RECALLS
ELECTION OF 1876
Long Uncertainty OvI IldyG.,-
IiIdGn Vote.
CLOSE MARGIN DECIDES

As In This Election, the Fight Between
Hayes and TiIden Was Long In Doub..
Cleveland Blaine Race In 1884 Also
Simiar-Heturns Very Late In Ar
irving.
Close national elections always recall
the historic contest of 1876, when
Rutherford B. Hayes, Republican, was
declared elected president by a margin
of one electoral vote over Samuel j.
after the election. On election night
in November, 1876, Tildens election
was announced in the first editions of
all the newspapers and at 100 o'clock
was conceded by the Republican lead
ers.
Decided by Close Margin.
The other memorable instance Of
close national elections was in 1854,
when it was not known until Friday
after election day whether Grover
Cleveland or James c. Blaine had been
chosen president and then the contest
was decided in New York state by
margin of LOO votes. 1t was at this
election that John Y. McKane, the
Democratic boss of Coney Island who
later went to Sing Sing for overZealous
political activity. gave the Cleveland
ticket Il plurality in Gravesend that
exceeded by 2,0C0 the total number of
men, women and children in the town,
which was 5000.
The contest Of 1876, which brought
wholesale charges Of fraud, gun play,
intimidation and murder, some Of
which were also proved, started ON
election night when it became appar-
ent on the returns not to be doubted
that Tilden had 1S4 electoral votes and
Hayes 1G5, with twenty votes doubt
ful. One hundred and eighty-five were
necessary for a choice. The twenty
doubtful votes were distributed in Ore
gon, Louisiana, Florida and South Car.
Dina.
By sunup of the next morning both
Republicans and Democrats started
after these twenty votes. If the Re-
publicans got them all it meant that
Hayes would be elected by a margin
Of one electoral vote.
Theft sc Election Charged.
1t was freely charged that Tilden
had been fraudulently deprived of sew
eral electoral votes and the election.
His popular vote exceeded that of
Hayes by 250,935. As in the election
just passed, the doubtful states were
California and some of the middle
western states, notably Nebraska
Florida remained a puzzle for a long
time. In those days the south was
not solid when it came to voting be-
cause of the punitive measures en-.
forced by the north after the civil war;
which restricted suffrage in the rebel
states.
For a day or so after the presiden
tial election in 1892 there was consid.
cradle doubt as to the result. Many
Republican papers claimed that Benja-
min Harrison, Republican, had been
reelected over Grover Cleveland, Dem.
ocrat, by comfortable margin. Indi.
ana and Illinois We're claimed by both
sides, and it looked for awhile, judg-
ing by the scattering returns, that Har-
rison would carry both Delaware and
West Virginia.
The second day, however, proved
Mr.. Cleveland's election for a second
4
electoral college, his vote being 277
against 145 for Harrison.
But the race was so close for awhile
that the newspapers of New York sug-
gested that the next president Of the
United States might have to be elect
ed by congress.
49,