In the mid-nineteenth century a candidate appeared too ambitious if he campaigned extensively on his own behalf, and therefore left most of the campaigning to party members and friendly newspaper editors. However, in 1868 Grant engaged in virtually no campaigning at all. He was uncomfortable speaking in public and, as he said, “without the desire to cultivate the power.” He did not attend the Republican convention in Chicago and accepted the nomination in a written statement ending with the words that became his campaign slogan – “Let us have peace.” Grant won the election rather easily and successfully employed this strategy again in the election of 1872.

Much to Julia’s disappointment, Ulysses chose to not run for a third term in 1876. However, he did make an important contribution to the outcome of one of the most disputed elections in our nation’s history. When two sets of electoral returns from three states (including Florida!) were submitted, Grant proposed that a bi-partisan commission be established to resolve the volatile matter and got both parties to abide by the commission’s decision. Rutherford B. Hayes was declared the winner only one day before taking the oath of office. Grant went on to say, “No man worthy of the office of President should be willing to hold it if counted in or placed there by fraud…The country cannot afford to have the result tainted by the suspicion of illegal or false returns.”

You can learn more about Grant and details of his presidency by visiting Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site.