1884 Republican National Convention

American political convention February 2026 January 2025 1884 1880 1888 Republican RP1884.png 125 RV1884.png 125 NomineesBlaine and Logan June 3–6, 1884 Chicago, Illinois Exposition Hall John B. Henderson John R. Lynch James G. Blaine Maine John A. Logan Illinois Chester A. ArthurGeorge F. Edmunds 832 417 4 Blaine (ME): 541 (65.98%)Arthur (NY): 207 (25.24%)Edmunds (VT): 41 (5%)Logan (IL): 7 (0.85%)Others: 24 (2.93%) Logan (IL): 779 (95%)Abstaining: 34 (4.15%)Gresham (IN): 6 (0.73%)Foraker (OH): 1 (0.12%) The 1884 Republican National Convention was a presidential nominating convention held at the Exposition Hall in Chicago, on June 3–6, 1884.Reeves 1975 375 It resulted in the nomination of former House Speaker James G. Blaine from Maine for president and Senator John A. Logan of Illinois for vice president. The ticket lost in the election of 1884 to Democrats Grover Cleveland and Thomas A. Hendricks. In attendance were 1,600 delegates and alternates and 6,000 spectators.Reeves 1975 375 There were 820 official delegates; 411 votes were needed to win the nomination.Reeves 1975 380 The incumbent president, Chester A. Arthur, was not a serious contender due to ill health. Blaine was the favorite going in, but there was a possibility that President Arthur could build a coalition with smaller candidates such as George F. Edmunds.Reeves 1975 375 There were also rumors that members of the party would bolt if Blaine won the nomination.Reeves 1975 376 Neither Blaine nor Arthur were in attendance. Blaine was at his home in Augusta, Maine, and Arthur followed the events from the White House by telegraphy.Reeves 1975 381 Preparations and logistics The convention was held in Chicago, Illinois at the Exhibition Hall building, which was located on Michigan Avenue. Since hosting the 1860 Republican National Convention, Chicago had established itself as a frequent site of United States presidential nominating conventions.Chicago's history With Hosting Democratic and Republican Conventions Dates Back to 1860 https://www.chicagotribune.com/2023/04/11/chicagos-history-with-hosting-democratic-and-republican-conventions-dates-back-to-1860 Chicago Tribune 24 July 2024 11 April 2023 This was in large part due to its relatively central geographic location and its accessibility by railroad.McClelland Edward Why Chicago Was Once a Political Convention Hotspot https://www.chicagomag.com/news/chicago-was-once-a-political-convention-hotspot Chicago Magazine 24 July 2024 September 14, 2021 On April 7, a meeting was held in Chicago with members of a subcommittee of the Republican National Committee and a local host committee in order plan arrangements for the convention. At this meeting, a decision was made to limit the capacity of the convention hall to 9,000. It was also agreed that the local host committee would be given 1,000 tickets to be distributed to Chicago locals. The meeting also saw various local subcommittees established to organize specific aspects of the convention's logistics.National Convention Preparation https://www.newspapers.com/image/334211538 Newspapers.com subscription The Journal Times (Racine, Wisconsin) 24 July 2024 en April 7, 1884 The local subcommittees established for arrangements included subcommittees on finance, transportation, decoration, music, official register, press, hotel, telegraph, official publication, official reporting. On May 26, W. R. Sullivan (the secretary for the local host committee) sent a report to the Republican National Committee summarizing the state of preparations, and detailing the proceedings of meetings that the local host committee had held. He reported that preparations were nearly complete. John C. New (chairman of the Republic National Committee's subcommittee for convention preparations) arrived in Chicago that same day to oversee the final preparations. He established his headquarters at the Palmer House hotel. On his first day in Chicago, New inspected the convention hall, accompanied by individuals overseeing various aspects of convention preparations. He was also accompanied by William Henry Smith of the Associated Press as well as the local Western Union Telegraph Company manager, touring and assessing the spaces set aside for the anticipated 300 journalists that would cover the convention on behalf of newspapers.The Convention The Preparations in Chicago–Arrangements for the Press https://www.newspapers.com/image/269710531 Newspapers.com subscription The Buffalo Commercial (from a dispatch to the New York Evening Post made on May 26) 24 July 2024 May 27, 1884 Exhibition hall arrangement While the 1880 Republican convention held at the same venue had been staged in the southern end of Exhibition Hall, it was decided to stage the 1884 convention in its northern end. The 9,000 person capacity of the convention hall setup was smaller than the capacity of the 1880 convention. However, all attendees of the 1884 convention were given chair seating, a change from the uncomfortable bench seating that made up a bulk of seating at the 1880 convention. The walls of the convention hall were painted with fireproof blue and red paint. Signs over entrances were colored to match the color-coding of corresponding tickets. Work tables for newspaper reporters were placed on the floor of the convention hall (some located directly in front of the stage and perpendicular to it, others erected to the sides of the stage and set at a right angle from it), as well as a special balcony for those press representatives who did not need a worktable. Other spaces for newspaper reporters included rooms set aside for additional workspace, as well as telegraphy rooms. A New York Evening Post press dispatch released before the convention reported on the convention hall, The great chamber, with its more than nine thousand light comfortable chairs, arranged in imposing lines, is a pretty sight. The only fear of inconvenience is in regard to the ventilation. The windows are all high, near the roof, and while they will receive the heat of the afternoon sun, they will not give entrance to much fresh air for the crowd below. The majority individuals selected by James A. Saxton (the convention sergeant-at-arms) to fill operations roles were locals of Chicago. Saxton selected twelve assistant sergeant-at-arms, 75 ushers, 25 pages, between thirty and forty watchmen, 75 doorkeepers, and thirty janitors ("sweepers" and "scrubbers"). All of those selected to be doorkeepers were recruited from the Union Veteran Club. The convention was attended by 1,600 delegates and alternates as well as 6,000 spectators.Reeves 1975 375 9,451 entrance tickets were printed for the convention on engraved steel by the Western Bank Note and Engraving Company.The First Convention. Chicago's Preparations for the Republican National https://www.newspapers.com/image Newspapers.com subscription The Atlanta Constitution 24 July 2024 May 23, 1884 Hotels 120px Sherman House, from Robert N. Dennis collection of stereoscopic views (1).jpg Sherman House Palmer House, by Lovejoy & Foster 2 (1).jpg Palmer House Grand Pacific Hotel, by Lovejoy & Foster (a).jpg Grand Pacific Hotel Leland House aka Gardner House.jpg Leland Hotel The Sherman House, Palmer House, Grand Pacific, Leland Hotel accommodated most state delegations The local hotel subcommittee was dissolved at its members request after they discovered that state delegations were already independently taking care of arranging their overnight accommodations. The Sherman House accommodated delegates from Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The Palmer House accommodated delegates from California, Georgia, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and Wyoming. The Grand Pacific Hotel accommodated delegates from Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The Leland Hotel accommodated delegates from Delaware, Massachusetts, as well as portions of the Maine and New York delegations. The Crawford House accommodated delegates from West Virginia. The Tremont House accommodated delegates from Michigan. The Sherman House, Palmer House, Grand Pacific, and Tremont House were considered the "big four" prestigious hotels constructed in Chicago after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.Sherman House III https://chicagology.com/rebuilding/rebuilding004/ chicagology.com 2 January 2021 Pre-balloting maneuvers To test the waters, Blaine supporters nominated Powell Clayton as temporary chair of the convention. A former Arthur supporter, Clayton was now in Blaine's camp. He was popular with veterans, but was also associated with the Star Route Frauds. Edmunds's supporters, led by Henry C. Lodge, moved to nominate John R. Lynch instead, an African-American from Mississippi. The speech supporting Lynch was given by Theodore Roosevelt. Lynch won the vote 424 to 384, and Blaine's nomination seemed for the first time vulnerable.Reeves 1975 375 Blaine's future seemed more vulnerable the next day when, to address the rumors of party members bolting, his supporters made a motion to remove seats of delegates who failed to pledge support of the eventual nominee. The motion failed, again by the fortitude of Edmunds's supporters.Reeves 1975 376 The day closed with John B. Henderson being elected permanent chair of the convention.Reeves 1975 376 That evening leaders of Arthur's and Edmunds's camps met in private in the Grand Pacific Hotel and tried to create a viable coalition. Arthur's team could not guarantee that his supporters would back Edmunds. It was more likely that the second choice of Arthur delegates was Blaine.Reeves 1975 376 The selection of the delegates for the convention saw the advent of a new system which included some delegates selected at the congressional-district level rather than at the state-level. This led to more than 225 delegates being individuals regarded to be relatively independent in their views rather than lockstep with their state party. Presidential nomination Presidential candidates Declined to contest Secretary of War Robert Todd Lincoln from Illinois General William Tecumseh Sherman from Ohio Lieutenant General Philip Sheridan from New York The roll call of the States began the next evening. When Maine was called, the cheering lasted ten minutes, during which time William H. West came to the platform and gave a rabble-rousing speech to second the nomination. After West's speech, pandemonium continued in the building, much to West's chagrin.Reeves 1975 377 Further speeches seconding the nomination were given by Cushman Kellogg Davis and Thomas C. Platt.Reeves 1975 378 When the roll call reached New York, it was Arthur's turn to be nominated. Martin I. Townsend's speech was lackluster at best and poorly prepared, Townsend having been selected for the responsibility only after the roll call began. His speech was occasionally drowned out by hisses and eruptions of side conversations.Reeves 1975 378 The nomination was seconded by Harry H. Bingham, John R. Lynch and Patrick H. Winston. Bingham's speech was strong, Lynch's brief, and Winston's irritating. Although it was already 11 PM, a motion to adjourn failed. Another speech for Arthur was given by P. B. S. Pinchback, but like the others, it did not sway any support.Reeves 1975 379 To close the night Joseph B. Foraker nominated John Sherman and John Davis Long nominated Edmunds. The delegates adjourned just after midnight.Reeves 1975 380 On the morning of June 6, balloting began. On the first ballot Blaine received 334½, Arthur 278, Edmunds 93, Logan 63½, and Sherman 30, with Joseph Roswell Hawley, Robert Todd Lincoln and William Tecumseh Sherman receiving parts of the remainder. Arthur received only a third of his votes from the North, none from Ohio, 1 of 44 from Illinois, 9 of 30 from Indiana, 11 of 60 from Pennsylvania and only 31 of 72 from his home state of New York. It was expected that Logan's delegates would shift to Blaine.Reeves 1975 376 On the third ballot, Blaine received 375 (gaining delegates from Edmunds), Arthur 274. On the fourth ballot, Blaine received 541, Arthur 207, and Edmunds 41. Blaine received 130 more than the majority needed, grabbing 67 from Arthur's camp and 28 from Edmunds's. Presidential ballot Candidate 1st 2nd 3rd 4thBlaine334.5349375541Arthur *278276274207Edmunds93856941Logan63.561537J. Sherman3028250Hawley13131315Lincoln4482W. T. Sherman2320Not Voting2117 Presidential balloting / 4th day of convention (June 6, 1884) Vice-presidential nomination Vice-presidential candidates In the evening of the day of Blaine's nomination, Logan was selected to be the Republican vice presidential nominee.Reeves 1975 376 Vice-presidential ballot Candidate 1stLogan779Gresham6Foraker1Not voting34 Vice-presidential balloting / 4th Day of convention (June 6, 1884) See also List of Republican National Conventions 1884 United States presidential election United States presidential nominating convention History of the United States Republican Party 1884 Democratic National Convention References 20em Bibliography Reeves 1975 Thomas C. Thomas C. Reeves Gentleman Boss https://archive.org/details/gentlemanbosslif00reev registration Alfred A. Knopf New York City 0-394-46095-2 External links Republican Party platform of 1884 at The American Presidency Project Official Proceedings of the Republican National Convention Held at Chicago, June 3, 4, 5, and 6, 1884 1880Chicago Republican National Conventions 1888Chicago Category:1884 in Illinois Republican Category:June 1884 Category:United States presidential nominating conventions in Chicago Category:Republican National Conventions