South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1874
Encyclopedia
The 1874 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1874 to select the governor
and lieutenant governor of the state of South Carolina
. Daniel Henry Chamberlain
won the election and became the 76th governor of South Carolina.
At the convention of the state Republicans
on September 8 through September 11 in Columbia
, the delegates felt that reform was vital for the continuation of Republican power. Governor Franklin J. Moses, Jr.
was caught up in corruption scandals and never considered as a nominee for reelection to Governor. Instead, Daniel Henry Chamberlain
was nominated for Governor and soundly won the nomination.
Chamberlain had been the Attorney General of South Carolina from 1868 to 1872 and pushed for reform of the state government. His association with Radical Republicans such as Senator John J. Patterson
and former Governor Robert Kingston Scott
enabled him to keep the support of stalwart Republicans while preaching a reform message.
It was this close association with Radical Republicans that again caused a split within the Republican party. The Independent Republicans
met in Charleston
on October 2 to select candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor. John T. Green was chosen to be their nominee for Governor and Martin Delany
, a black man, was their candidate for Lieutenant Governor. The Independent Republicans adopted the Republican platform and the only difference between the two parties was that the Independent Republicans claimed their intention to clean up state government if elected.
The Conservative Party of South Carolina
formed in 1874 from the members of the State Tax Union advocating for change. They endorsed the Independent Republican ticket for statewide offices and their platform consisted entirely of restoring honesty and efficiency in state government.
was elected as governor of South Carolina
. Turnout was the highest for a gubernatorial election thus held in South Carolina, although many white voters stayed away from the polls.
|-
| bgcolor="#ff00ff" |
| Independent Republican
| John T. Green
| align="right" | 68,818
| align="right" | 46.1
| align="right" | +11.8
|-
| colspan=5 |Republican
hold
|-
Governor of South Carolina
The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
and lieutenant governor of the state of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. Daniel Henry Chamberlain
Daniel Henry Chamberlain
Daniel Henry Chamberlain was a planter, lawyer, author and the 76th Governor of South Carolina from 1874 until 1877....
won the election and became the 76th governor of South Carolina.
Campaign
| Republican nomination for Governor Governor of South Carolina The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio... |
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|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % |
At the convention of the state Republicans
South Carolina Republican Party
The South Carolina Republican Party and the South Carolina Democratic Party are the two major political parties within the U.S. state of South Carolina...
on September 8 through September 11 in Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, the delegates felt that reform was vital for the continuation of Republican power. Governor Franklin J. Moses, Jr.
Franklin J. Moses, Jr.
Franklin Israel Moses, Jr. was a lawyer, editor and Republican politician. His middle initial was confused for the letter J and thereafter he became known simply as Franklin J. Moses, Jr.-Early life and career:...
was caught up in corruption scandals and never considered as a nominee for reelection to Governor. Instead, Daniel Henry Chamberlain
Daniel Henry Chamberlain
Daniel Henry Chamberlain was a planter, lawyer, author and the 76th Governor of South Carolina from 1874 until 1877....
was nominated for Governor and soundly won the nomination.
Chamberlain had been the Attorney General of South Carolina from 1868 to 1872 and pushed for reform of the state government. His association with Radical Republicans such as Senator John J. Patterson
John J. Patterson
John James Patterson was a businessman and United States Senator from South Carolina. Born in Waterloo, Pennsylvania, he grew up there and attended the public schools, and then attended Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania...
and former Governor Robert Kingston Scott
Robert Kingston Scott
Robert Kingston Scott was an American Republican politician, the 74th Governor of South Carolina, and an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
enabled him to keep the support of stalwart Republicans while preaching a reform message.
It was this close association with Radical Republicans that again caused a split within the Republican party. The Independent Republicans
Independent Republican Party of South Carolina
The Independent Republican Party of South Carolina was a political party of South Carolina during Reconstruction. It was founded in 1872 to oppose the election of Franklin J. Moses Jr. for Governor of South Carolina after he had been nominated by the Republicans on August 21, 1872...
met in Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
on October 2 to select candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor. John T. Green was chosen to be their nominee for Governor and Martin Delany
Martin Delany
Martin Robinson Delany was an African-American abolitionist, journalist, physician, and writer, arguably the first proponent of American black nationalism. He was one of the first three blacks admitted to Harvard Medical School. He became the first African-American field officer in the United...
, a black man, was their candidate for Lieutenant Governor. The Independent Republicans adopted the Republican platform and the only difference between the two parties was that the Independent Republicans claimed their intention to clean up state government if elected.
The Conservative Party of South Carolina
Conservative Party of South Carolina
The Conservative Party of South Carolina was a political party of South Carolina during Reconstruction. It was founded in 1874 by James Chestnut from the State Tax Union to provide an organization for the mobilization of white voters. The absence of an active and statewide Democratic Party led many...
formed in 1874 from the members of the State Tax Union advocating for change. They endorsed the Independent Republican ticket for statewide offices and their platform consisted entirely of restoring honesty and efficiency in state government.
General election
The general election was held on November 3, 1874 and Daniel Henry ChamberlainDaniel Henry Chamberlain
Daniel Henry Chamberlain was a planter, lawyer, author and the 76th Governor of South Carolina from 1874 until 1877....
was elected as governor of South Carolina
Governor of South Carolina
The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
. Turnout was the highest for a gubernatorial election thus held in South Carolina, although many white voters stayed away from the polls.
|-
| bgcolor="#ff00ff" |
| Independent Republican
Independent Republican Party of South Carolina
The Independent Republican Party of South Carolina was a political party of South Carolina during Reconstruction. It was founded in 1872 to oppose the election of Franklin J. Moses Jr. for Governor of South Carolina after he had been nominated by the Republicans on August 21, 1872...
| John T. Green
| align="right" | 68,818
| align="right" | 46.1
| align="right" | +11.8
|-
| colspan=5 |Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
hold
|-
See also
- Governor of South CarolinaGovernor of South CarolinaThe Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
- List of Governors of South Carolina
- South Carolina gubernatorial elections