1876 Democratic National Convention

1876 Democratic National Convention
	1876 presidential election;
	Nominees ; Tilden and Hendricks
Convention
Date(s)	June 27–29, 1876
City	St. Louis, Missouri
Venue	Merchants Exchange Building
Candidates
Presidential nominee	Samuel Tilden of New York
Vice Presidential nominee	Thomas Hendricks of Indiana

The 1876 Democratic National Convention assembled in St. Louis just nine days after the conclusion of the Republican National Convention in Cincinnati.

This was the first political convention held west of the Mississippi River. St. Louis was notified in February 1876 that it had been selected. Among the events was a fireworks display from the top of the Old Courthouse.

Proceedings

The convention was called to order by Democratic National Committee chairman Augustus Schell. Henry Watterson served as the temporary convention chairman and John Alexander McClernand, a retired congressman and major general, served as permanent convention president.

Platform

The Democratic platform pledged to replace the corruption of the Grant administration with honest, efficient government and to end "the rapacity of carpetbag tyrannies" in the South; called for treaty protection for naturalized U.S. citizens visiting their homeland, restrictions on Oriental immigration, and tariff reform; and opposed land grants to railroads.^[1]

Presidential nomination

Presidential candidates

Governor Samuel J. Tilden of New York
Governor Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana
Major General Winfield Scott Hancock of Pennsylvania
Former Governor William Allen of Ohio
Senator Thomas F. Bayard of Delaware
Former Governor Joel Parker of New Jersey

Interior of the Merchants Exchange Building of St. Louis, Missouri, during the announcement of Samuel J. Tilden as the Democratic presidential nominee

The 12th Democratic National Convention assembled in St. Louis in June 1876. Five thousand people jammed the auditorium in St. Louis, hoping for the Democrats' first presidential victory in 20 years. The platform called for immediate and sweeping reforms following the scandal-plagued Grant administration.

Six names were placed in nomination: Samuel J. Tilden, Thomas A. Hendricks, Winfield Scott Hancock, William Allen, Thomas F. Bayard, and Joel Parker. Tilden won more than 400 votes on the first ballot and the nomination by a landslide on the second. Although Tilden was strongly opposed by "Honest John" Kelly, the leader of New York's Tammany Hall, he was still able to obtain the nomination. It is claimed that Tilden's nomination was received by the voting Democrats with more enthusiasm than any leader since Andrew Jackson.^[2]

	1st Before Shifts	1st After Shifts	2nd Before Shifts	2nd After Shifts	Unanimous
Presidential Ballot
Samuel J. Tilden	400.5	416.5	535	517	738
Thomas A. Hendricks	139.5	139.5	85	87
Winfield Scott Hancock	75	75	58	58
William Allen	54	54	54	54
Thomas F. Bayard	33	33	4	4
Joel Parker	18	18	0	18
James Broadhead	16	0	0	0
Allen G. Thurman	2	2	2	0

Source: Official proceedings of the National Democratic convention, held in St. Louis, Mo., June 27th, 28th and 29th, 1876. (September 3, 2012).

1st Presidential Ballot
Before Shifts
1st Presidential Ballot
After Shifts
2nd Presidential Ballot
Before Shifts
2nd Presidential Ballot
After Shifts

Vice presidential nomination

Vice presidential candidate

Governor Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana

Tilden/Hendricks campaign poster

Thomas Hendricks was the only individual nominated for vice-president, and received the nomination almost unanimously on the first ballot. The delegation from Ohio had thought of offering the name of one of her distinguished sons, Henry B. Payne. However, the feeling of unanimity was so great that the Ohio delegation declined to present his name and seconded the nomination of Hendricks. But when the roll call vote took place, Ohio cast 8 blank ballots.

	1st
Vice Presidential Ballot
Thomas A. Hendricks	730
Blank	8