Cleveland, Grover

Grover (1837-1908), the twenty-second president of the United States. He was born March 18, 1837, at Caldwell, New Jersey. His father was a Presbyterian minister. Cleveland was well prepared in classics and mathematics, but did not enter college. He taught for a time and studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1859. He opened an office in Buffalo, New York. He was known as an able, fearless lawyer. He was a Democrat in politics. In 1863 he was appointed district attorney of Erie County, in which Buffalo is situated. In 1870 he was elected sheriff. In 1881 he was elected mayor. He made a reputation in that office. In 1882 he was nominated for governor by the Democrats of New York, and was elected by the unprecedented majority of 200,000 votes. A reputation for uprightness in office, and an ability to carry New York, made him the nominee of the Democratic party for the presidency in 1884. He was elected over James G. Blaine by an electoral majority of thirty-seven. Cleveland was the first Democratic president since the day of James Buchanan. Cleveland was defeated for the presidency by Benjamin Harrison in 1888; yet in 1892 he was again nominated and defeated Harrison.

During his presidential terms Cleveland made a reputation by vetoing more measures than all his predecessors put together. Many of these were pension measures, well enough in themselves, but not matters for Congressional attention, in Cleveland's opinion. He thought that these cases should be allowed to take their regular routine course in the department of pensions. He proposed an income tax. He was known abroad as a vigorous supporter of the Monroe Doctrine. He has been criticised for the use of Federal troops in clearing the way for the United States mail during the labor strike in Chicago.

President Cleveland was married during his first term of office. On retiring from the presidency, he took up his residence at Princeton, New Jersey. He wrote a number of articles for various periodicals, lectured in the college, and spoke repeatedly on public occasions. He was, however, a man of ample means. He preferred to lead an independent life. He had a reputation of being fond of fishing and of hunting. It is too early to form an estimate of President Cleveland's public services, but it is safe to say that he ranks among the upper third of American presidents. He died June 24, 1908.

See Presidents