Southern Democrats in the Crisis of 1876-1877: A Reconsideration of Reunion and Reaction

Factionalism and Representation: Some Insight from the Nineteenth-Century United States

“…One can see this in considering one of the most important "factions" in the Republican party of the late 1860s through the 1880s -the so-called "reformers," or (in the 1880s) "Mugwumps." Rigidly opposed to "special," or "class," legislation-such as the protective tariff, railroad and other subsidies, government manipulation of the money supply, or labor legislation-their primary goal was to prevent government favoritism in the distribution of resources (Sproat, 1968: 142-242;Benedict, 1980a). Moreover, they were firmly committed to ending the patronage system, making "civil service reform" a central element of their program.…”

“…(N. Y. Times, 30 December 1867; see Benedict, 1972). They knew that Morton's Indianapolis Journal (2 August 1867) was referring to Julian when it warned against Republicans who demanded "that the train shall move without looking to see if the track is clear.…”

“…Generally, American political historians have viewed it simply as the reflection of intraparty divisions on issues or political strategies (for example, Silbey, 1977 andPermann, 1984). At most, they have perceived factionalism as a manifestation of political ambition (for example, Benedict, 1975). But historians should inquire whether the roots of factionalism lay deeper in American social and political structure.…”

“…The relationship between Scott's lobbying effort and factional politics can be best seen in private correspondence, such as that of House Speaker Samuel J. Randall, at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. See also Benedict (1980b). In Georgia, dissident Democrats Alexander H. Stephens and William H. Felton were allied with the Texas & Pacific interest, while the dominant faction favored the interests of Scott's rival, Collis P. Huntington (Roberts, 1952: 49).…”