Editing Grover Cleveland (section)

===Nomination for president===
{{main|1884 Democratic National Convention}}
[[File:Bernard Gilliam - Phryne before the Chicago Tribunal.jpg|thumb|An anti-Blaine cartoon presents him as the "tattooed man", with many indelible scandals.]]
In June 1884, the Republican Party convened their [[1884 Republican National Convention|national convention]] in [[Chicago]], selecting former U.S. House Speaker [[James G. Blaine]] of [[Maine]] as their nominee for president. Blaine's nomination alienated many Republicans, including the [[Mugwumps]], who viewed Blaine as ambitious and immoral.<ref name="nevins185">Nevins, 185–186; Jeffers, 96–97</ref> The Republican standard-bearer was further weakened when the Conkling faction and President [[Chester Arthur]] refused to give Blaine their strong support.<ref>Tugwell, 88–89</ref> Democratic party leaders believed the Republicans' choice gave them an opportunity to win the White House for the first time since 1856 if the right candidate could be found.<ref name="nevins185" />

Among the Democrats, [[Samuel J. Tilden]] was the initial front-runner, having been the party's nominee in the [[1876 United States presidential election|contested election of 1876]].<ref name="nevins146">Nevins, 146–147</ref> After Tilden declined a nomination due to his poor health, his supporters shifted to several other contenders.<ref name="nevins146" /> Cleveland was among the leaders in early support, and [[Thomas F. Bayard]] of [[Delaware]], [[Allen G. Thurman]] of [[Ohio]], [[Samuel Freeman Miller]] of [[Iowa]], and [[Benjamin Butler (politician)|Benjamin Butler]] of [[Massachusetts]] also had considerable followings, along with various [[favorite son]]s.<ref name="nevins146" /> Each of the other candidates had hindrances to his nomination: Bayard had spoken in favor of [[secession]] in 1861, making him unacceptable to Northerners; Butler, conversely, was reviled throughout the [[Southern United States]] for his actions during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]; Thurman was generally well-liked, but was growing old and infirm, and his views on the [[Bimetallism|silver question]] were uncertain.<ref>Nevins, 147</ref>

Cleveland, too, had detractors—Tammany remained opposed to him—but the nature of his enemies made him still more friends.<ref>Nevins, 152–153; Graff, 51–53</ref> Cleveland led on the first ballot, with 392 votes out of 820.<ref>Nevins, 153</ref> On the second ballot, Tammany threw its support behind Butler, but the rest of the delegates shifted to Cleveland, who won. Thomas A. Hendricks of [[Indiana]] was selected as his running mate.<ref name="nevins154">Nevins, 154; Graff, 53–54</ref>