1892 Democratic National Convention


The 1892 Democratic National Convention was held in Chicago, Illinois, June 21–June 23, 1892 and nominated former President Grover Cleveland, who had been the party's standard-bearer in 1884 and 1888. This marked the last time a former president was renominated by a major party. Adlai E. Stevenson of Illinois was nominated for vice president. The ticket was victorious in the general election, defeating the Republican nominees, President Benjamin Harrison and his running mate, Whitelaw Reid.

The Convention

Presidential Candidates

By the end of Harrison's term, many Americans were ready to return to Cleveland's harder policies on the currency issue. As Democrats convened in Chicago, Illinois on June 8–June 11, 1892, Cleveland was the frontrunner for the nomination, but faced formidable opposition. He had come out against the free coinage of silver, thereby earning the enmity of Western and Southern Democrats. Most damaging of all was the opposition of his home state; the New York delegation, packed with Tammany men, frequently demonstrated their hostility to Cleveland's candidacy on the convention floor. However, Cleveland's cause was aided by his position on the tariff, his perceived electability, a strong organization, and the weakness of his rivals' candidacies.
Three names were placed in nomination: Grover Cleveland, David B. Hill, and Horace Boies. In a narrow first-ballot victory, Cleveland received 617.33 votes, barely 10 more than needed, to 114 for Senator Hill of New York, the candidate of Tammany Hall, 103 for Governor Boies of Iowa, a populist and former Republican, and the rest scattered.
Source: . ..

Vice Presidential Candidates

, Cleveland's running mate in 1888, was not re-selected.
Four names were placed in nomination: Isaac P. Gray, Adlai E. Stevenson, Allen B. Morse, and John L. Mitchell. Cleveland forces preferred Gray of Indiana for vice president, but Gray faced opposition due to his past as a Republican and his electorally unimportant home state. Stevenson of Illinois defeated Gray on the second ballot. As a supporter of using greenbacks and free silver to inflate the currency and alleviate economic distress in rural districts, Stevenson balanced the ticket headed by Cleveland, a hard-money, gold-standard supporter.
Source: . ..

The Platform

Democratic Party Platform