The Consequences Will Never be the Same!: Lincoln Lives

How would it do so with no troops to back it? One thing Seymour could (and surely would) have done is withdraw Federal troops from the South, as Hayes did. As CinC he doesn't need Congressional consent for that.

That's a good point. I suppose a better way it put it would be that Seymour was frustrated at his relations with congress and their defiance towards him.
 
The First Term of President Henry Wilson
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Reconstruction: During President Wilson's tenure in office, the last breaths of Reconstruction were felt. Working with congress, Wilson was able to draw down funding for the Freedman's Bureau until it completely folded in 1874. The people of America simply had very little concern over the plight of Southern blacks, especially when it came to the use of government dollars.

Indian Affairs: As President, Wilson emphasized the creation of a comprehensive strategy for dealing with the "Indian Problem". Supporting a peacefull solution, Wilson emphasized a shift of Indians to the reservations, rather than simply attempting to destroy the tribes. During his tenure, a record number of Indians were transfered to the reservations. Wilson also shifted many troops from Cuba to the West to help deal with this task. General George Custer was tasked with overseeing the transfer. However matters were made difficult with the Sioux War. Custer was tasked to move the Sioux to the reservations, and after much bloodletting (including the death of Chief Sitting Bull) was sucessfull. Other small Indian Wars would also occur during Wilson's term in office but none had quite this magniture.

Civil Rights: Though Reconstruction had come to an end under Wilson's term in office, there was still the matter of expanding civil rights (at least legally). In 1875 a new Civil Rights Act would be passed through congress that gave African-Americans greater access to public luxuries. At several times during his tenure, white riots broke out in Southern cities. These riots were relatively small and contained, but nonetheless showed the lingering Confederate sympathese in the nation.

The Economy: In 1873, following years of economic growth, a panic would sweep the country. Caused by over speculation on the part of the banks, the panic would lead to many negatives, particularly unemployment which rose to 14% at it's height. Wilson's response was rapid and active. He would instruct his treasury secretary to buy up bonds and to stimulate the cash flow in the economy. This would help alleviate many of the effects of the recession, though it took a great deal of time for the economy to recover. Congress also played a part, increasing the ammount of greenbacks in circulation. This would lead to an increase in inflation, but helped slightly with the economy. This inflation would be curbed by the Resumption of Specie Act which ensured that all greenbacks in circulation would be swamped out for metals by 1879. The combination of these measures helped lead to a stabilized economy.

Foreign Policy: Wilson would keep a fairly hefty US troop presense in Cuba during his tenure, helping to transition the nation towards democracy. He would also send a US warboat to Liberia to help the nation stave off civil war. Overall, this was not a focus of Wilson's White House.

Scandal: Wilson's reputation would be permanently stained when reports came out that he had taken bribes as a Senator. Democrats urged impeachment, but the Republican congress insisted upon an investigation by a senate panel before any further action be taken. The Senate Committee would clear Wilson of any wrongdoing, but his reputation would be deeply stained.



 
Is it too late to hope?

During President Wilson's tenure in office, the last breaths of Reconstruction were felt. Working with congress, Wilson was able to draw down funding for the Freedman's Bureau until it completely folded in 1874. The people of America simply had very little concern over the plight of Southern blacks, especially when it came to the use of government dollars.

I guess so :(
 
The Presidential Election of 1876
The Republican Nomination: Despite the frustration of some Radicals, President Wilson was renominated by acclamation.​

The Democratic Nomination: Several high profile candidates squared off for the Democratic Party's nomination in 1876. With Wilson's narrow victory in 1872, many party delegates sensed an oppurtunity for a much needed victory. The early frontrunners were General Winfield Scott Hancock, Governor Thomas Hendricks of Indiana, and Governor Samuel Tilden of New York. Tilden was favored by the reformers, while Hendricks had the support of many southerners still angry over the Civil War and Reconstruction. But it was Hancock who held the support of most of the delegates. His military record made him popular with veterans, and his opposition to congressional recstruction brought in enough Southerners to give him a solid base. But it was ultimately the fact that the delegates saw Hancock as the most electable that helped him carry the day. The delegates would go to to select Tilden as his Vice-Presidential nominee to placate reformers questioning Hancock's credentials.

The People's Party Nomination: In the aftermath of the Civil War, a large number of veterans from both sides moved to the west to start a new life. This was also the case with many Americans who saw a new oppurtunity to make a living for oneself in the Jeffersonian model. However the high prices of farming products, the growing power of the railroads, and the slow arrival of pensions, made these voters increasingly volatile. While they found certain aspects of each parties platform admirable (Republican support of the pensions, Democratic opposition to railroad power) they saw even more potential in forming their own party and running it for office. Known as the People's Party (or Populists), they focused their platform around an increase in the printing of greenbacks to make it easier for farmers to buy land and tools. They nominated Senator Newton Booth of California, a Republican Senator for California who was strongly opposed to the banking and railroad interests. They selected inventor Peter Cooper as Vice-President. The ticket found limited support outside of the Midwest initially, but began to organize throughout the nation.​

The General Election: The race between Hancock and Wilson was one between personality and ideology. Hancock was a popular figure nationally: He was a hero at Gettysburg and throughout the war who had gone on to oppose what he saw as the punishment of the South. He was charismatic and appealed to both veterans and free blacks. Wilson on the other hand lacked any charisma. Whatever energy he had back in 1872 had been sapped by chronically bad health and a minor stroke. He was simply not able to carry his message. However the Republican Party was far better funded and had plenty of proxies to take Wilson's message of "Prosperity, Equality, and Reform" to the people. Hancock's rather vigorous campainging was offset by the general mood of the nation. Voters were still rather supportive of the Republicans. In general, they were seen as far more open, honest, and reform minded. If anything, they saw the Democrats as the party of secession, and the Republicans as the party of union. Nonetheless, the election was still very close and voters were clearly divided between which direction the nation should take. In the end, the power of incumbancy and the nations general shift trend towards Republicanism.​

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Wilson/Maynard (R): 50% of the PV, 193 EVs
Hancock/Tilden (D): 47% of the PV, 176 EVs
Booth/Cooper (P): 3% of the PV
 
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