The Election of 1884 was one of the nastiest and most scandal-ridden in U.S. history. The Democratic nominee, New York Governor Grover Cleveland, faced Republican Senator James G. Blaine of Maine. Both men carried baggage, and both campaigns exploited every scandal and whisper to sway voters in a contest ultimately decided by razor-thin margins.
Chester Arthur’s Presidency
President Chester Alan Arthur assumed office after the assassination of James A. Garfield in 1881. Expected to be a pliant tool of the Stalwart faction, Arthur shocked his allies by embracing reform. His most notable achievement was signing the Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883), which established merit-based government jobs and reduced patronage.
Arthur also modernised the U.S. Navy, reduced tariffs, and signed laws banning polygamy in federal territories. Yet his declining health — he suffered from Bright’s disease — left him unable to mount a serious bid for renomination in 1884.
James Blaine from Maine
The GOP turned instead to James G. Blaine, the longtime Speaker of the House and Senator from Maine. Twice defeated for the nomination (1876, 1880), Blaine finally secured it in 1884, with John Logan of Illinois as his running mate.
Blaine’s charisma, reformist reputation, and years of experience made him appear formidable. But whispers of corruption — dating back to his congressional career — always clung to him.
Grover Cleveland: The Democrats’ Bourbon
For Democrats, Governor Grover Cleveland of New York was the ideal candidate: a reform-minded “Bourbon Democrat” who preached limited government, fiscal conservatism, and honesty. Cleveland had risen quickly from Buffalo mayor to state governor, earning a reputation for independence and integrity.
Cleveland’s running mate was Thomas Hendricks of Indiana, familiar from the 1876 election as Samuel Tilden’s running mate.
Third-Party Candidates
Three third-party tickets shaped the race’s outcome:
- Prohibition Party: Former Kansas governor John St. John with William Daniel, campaigning against alcohol.
- Greenback Party: Former Massachusetts governor Benjamin Butler with former Confederate general Absolom West, pushing for labour and monetary reform.
- Equal Rights Party: Lawyer Belva Ann Lockwood with Marietta Stow, marking the first woman on presidential ballots. Though Lockwood won only 0.04% of the vote, her candidacy was groundbreaking.
The Mulligan Letters
Blaine’s past came roaring back when the Mulligan Letters resurfaced, linking him to shady railroad deals and influence-peddling. One infamous line read: “Kindly burn this letter.”
Democrats weaponised the scandal mercilessly. At Blaine’s rallies, crowds mocked him with chants of: “Burn this letter!”
“Ma, Ma, Where’s My Pa?”
Cleveland faced scandal too. It was revealed he had fathered an illegitimate child with Maria Halpin. Cleveland admitted responsibility, saying he provided financial support for the boy. Republicans painted him as immoral, chanting: “Ma, Ma, where’s my Pa?”
Democrats later flipped it back after Cleveland’s win: “Gone to the White House, ha ha ha!”
“Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion”
The campaign’s defining blunder came late. At a New York rally, Reverend Samuel Burchard denounced Democrats as the party of:
“Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion.”
The phrase insulted Irish Catholics — a key bloc in New York. Blaine, present but silent, failed to repudiate it. Cleveland carried New York by just 1,047 votes, the margin that decided the presidency.
Election of 1884 Results
- Grover Cleveland (Democrat): 219 electoral votes; 48.9% popular vote
- James Blaine (Republican): 182 electoral votes; 48.3% popular vote
- John St. John (Prohibition): 0 electoral votes; 1.5% popular vote
- Benjamin Butler (Greenback): 0 electoral votes; 1.3% popular vote
Cleveland became the first Democrat elected president since James Buchanan (1856), breaking nearly 30 years of Republican dominance.
Legacy
The Election of 1884 followed the chaotic and razor-thin Election of 1880, where James Garfield won by just 0.1% of the popular vote before his tragic assassination elevated Chester A. Arthur to the presidency.
Cleveland’s narrow victory in 1884 finally returned the Democrats to the White House after nearly three decades, but his presidency would be marked by fierce battles over tariffs, patronage reform, and the limits of federal power. These tensions would set the stage for the Election of 1888, when Republicans would rally behind Benjamin Harrison in another bitter showdown.
