Editing Henry Wilson (section)

==1868 vice presidential campaign==
{{further|1868 Republican National Convention|1868 United States presidential election}}

Prior to the presidential election of 1868, Wilson toured the South giving political speeches.{{sfn|Hatfield SHO 1997}} Many in the press believed Wilson was promoting himself to be the Republican presidential candidate.{{sfn|Hatfield SHO 1997}} Wilson, however, supported the Civil War hero General [[Ulysses S. Grant]].{{sfn|Hatfield SHO 1997}} During Reconstruction Grant supported Republican Congressional initiatives rather than President Johnson's, and during the dispute over the [[Tenure of Office Act (1867)|Tenure of Office Act]] which led to Johnson's impeachment, Grant served as temporary Secretary of War, but then returned the Department to Radical ally [[Edwin M. Stanton]]'s control over Johnson's strong objection, making Grant a favorite to many Radicals.{{sfn|Coffey|2014|p=101}}
[[File:Ulysses Grant Henry Wilson campaign poster 1872.jpg|thumb|left|The working-man's banner. For President, Ulysses S. Grant, "The Galena Tanner." For Vice-President, Henry Wilson, "The Natick Shoemaker."]]

Wilson actually desired to be vice president.{{sfn|Hatfield SHO 1997}} During his speech-making tour of the South, Wilson moderated his tougher Reconstruction ideology, advocating a biracial society, while urging African Americans and their white supporters to take a conciliatory and peaceful approach with Southern whites who had favored the Confederacy.{{sfn|Hatfield SHO 1997}}{{sfn|Diller|1996|p=1545}} Radicals, including [[Benjamin Wade]], were stunned by Wilson's remarks, believing blacks should not be subject to their former white owners.{{sfn|Hatfield SHO 1997}} At the [[1868 Republican National Convention|Republican Convention]], Wilson, Wade and others competed for the vice presidential nomination, and Wilson had support among Southern delegates, but he failed to win after five ballots. Wade was also unable to win the convention vote, and Wilson's delegates eventually switched their votes to Speaker of the House [[Schuyler Colfax]], who won the nomination and went on to win the general election with Grant at the head of the ticket.{{sfn|Hatfield SHO 1997}} After Grant and Colfax won the 1868 election Wilson declined to serve as [[United States Secretary of War|Secretary of War]] in Grant's cabinet due to his desire to spend more time with Mrs. Wilson during her lengthy final illness.{{sfn|Hatfield SHO 1997}}