Athens Messenger in Athens, Ohio

The Greeley episode drains the 1868 campaign shadow

A long critical analysis argues the Democratic Party failed to nominate its own candidate for the first time in history due to fears of national repudiation. It claims the Cincinnati platform mirrored Republican policy, while factional defections were weeded into Grant’s camp. The piece cites Maine Vermont and Colorado results, liberal and dissident groups, and public sentiment aligning against Greeley as proof of a national shift toward Grant, with tariffs nepotism and corruption cited as factors.