The 1888 Republican National Convention was a presidential nominating convention held at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, on June 19–25, 1888. It resulted in the nomination of former Senator Benjamin Harrison of Indiana for president and Levi P. Morton of New York, a former Representative and Minister to France, for vice president. During the convention, Frederick Douglass was invited to speak and became the first African-American to have his name put forward for a presidential nomination in a major party's roll call vote; he received one vote from Kentucky on the fourth ballot.

The ticket won in the election of 1888, defeating President Grover Cleveland and former Senator Allen G. Thurman from Ohio.

Venue

The convention was held in Chicago's Auditorium Theatre. Since construction had not been completed, a tent canvas was utilized as a temporary roof. Labor movement supporters took issue with the non-trade union labor used in construction of the theater's Auditorium Building. The potential controversy was resolved when Republicans adopted a platform that included increasing manufacturing jobs through higher tariffs to stimulate domestic manufacturing, a ban on foreign contract laborers, and improvement to harbors and waterways to increase employment by making it easier to transport raw materials and manufactured goods.

Issues addressed

In addition to support for higher tariffs, issues addressed at the convention included repeal of taxes on tobacco, support for the use of gold and silver as currency, and support for pensions for veterans. The party also expressed its opposition to polygamy.Official Proceedings of the Republican National Convention Held at Chicago, June 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 25, 1888

Presidential nomination

Nominated

Not Nominated

The early favorite for the nomination was James G. Blaine. After he disclaimed interest, several candidates vied for the prize, with the frontrunners being Russell A. Alger, Walter Q. Gresham, Chauncey Depew, and John Sherman. After several ballots, none of the leading candidates was able to obtain a majority. Benjamin Harrison, who had served in the U.S. Senate from 1881 to 1887, but had lost reelection after the Democrats gained control of the Indiana legislature, was a dark horse candidate. Republicans were dispirited after losing the presidency in 1884 and were attracted to Harrison because of the speech announcing his presidential candidacy, in which he described himself as a "living and rejuvenated Republican." Harrison won the nomination on the eighth ballot and "Rejuvenated Republicanism" became the party's campaign slogan.

Presidential BallotingCandidate1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8thHarrison 859194216212231279544Sherman 229249244235224244230118Alger 84116122135143137120100Gresham 1071081239887919159Allison 727588889973760Depew 99999100000Blaine 353335424840155Ingalls 2816000000Phelps 2518500000Rusk 25201600000Fitler 240000000McKinley 238111412164Hawley130000000Lincoln 32210020Miller 00200000Douglass 00010000Foraker 00010110Grant 00000100Creed Haymond 00000010Blank12245212

Presidential Balloting / 4th Day of Convention (June 22, 1888)

Presidential Balloting / 5th Day of Convention (June 23, 1888)

Presidential Balloting / 6th Day of Convention (June 25, 1888)

Vice presidential nomination Vice presidential candidates

Blaine, who had recommended Harrison for the presidential nomination, suggested former Representative and Minister to Austria-Hungary William Walter Phelps of New Jersey for vice president. Thomas C. Platt, an influential political boss in New York State, supported fellow New Yorker Levi P. Morton, a former Representative and Minister to France. He had been asked in 1880, but declined. This time Morton decided to accept. He was easily elected on the first ballot as Platt's support of Morton helped him defeat Phelps by a margin of five to one.

Vice Presidential Ballot Candidate 1stMorton592Phelps119Bradley103Bruce11Thomas1Not Voting6

Vice Presidential Balloting / 6th Day of Convention (June 25, 1888)

Accusation of delegate vote-buying

Nearly a decade later, Ohio candidate John Sherman accused Michigan candidate millionaire Russell A. Alger of buying the votes of Southern delegates who had already confirmed their vote for Sherman. In Sherman's 1895 two-volume book "Recollections" he asserted, "I believe, and had, as I thought, conclusive proof, that the friends of Gen. Alger substantially purchased the votes of many of the delegates from the Southern States who had been instructed by their conventions to vote for me." Once accused, Alger submitted correspondence to the New York Times, who published one letter from 1888, written after the convention to Alger, where Sherman states, "if you bought some [votes], according to universal usage, surely I don't blame you." Later in the same New York Times article, Alger insisted neither he or friends bought a single vote. The article also quotes another delegate, James Lewis, who claimed that "the colored delegates of the South will unite on a Union soldier in preference" instead of a civilian.Alger Answers Sherman; Denial that Southern Delegates Sold Their Votes. The Senators Charges Refuted In an Autograph Letter He Practically Withdrew His Charge of Unfairness -- Gen. Sherman Not Opposed to the Purchase of Votes.

When Sherman introduced his antitrust legislation two years later, his main example of unlawful combination drew from a Michigan Supreme Court case involving Diamond Match Company and Alger's participation as president and stock holder.Sherman to Alger.

See also History of the United States Republican Party List of Republican National Conventions United States presidential nominating convention 1888 United States presidential election 1888 Democratic National Convention

References

External links Republican Party platform of 1888 at The American Presidency Project Harrison acceptance letter at The American Presidency Project Guide to the Republican National Convention Collection 1884-1888 at the University of Chicago Special Collections Research Center