In the 1868 Presidential Election, the Democratic Party’s Northern and Southern wings were reunited for the first time in eight years. The reunited party held a disasterous national convention in New York where it nominated Horatio Seymour for president and Frank Blair as his running mate to challenge Republican Ulysses S. Grant.
It is interesting in reading the newspapers reacting to the nomination of Horatio Seymour and Frank Blair as the Democratic nominees to see the slogans employed. “Grant Will You Take Drink” was one, harping on the theme that Grant was a drunk. A lot of Democratic papers included references to the restoration of white rule. This report comes from a conservative newspaper in Memphis reporting on a rally in Kentucky. The rally was a “ratification meeting” in which a county Democratic party met to “ratify” the choice of the Democratic National Convention. Newspapers often reprinted the slogans on banners.
Memphis Daily Avalanche
Friday, Jul 17, 1868
Memphis, TN
Vol: 11
Issue: 162
Page: 1
And they hate Trump? This is the origin of today’s Democratic Party.